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The next day, the sun was out again like it usually was, and it was time for kickball.
I ate my breakfast hastily, as my mother got ready as well. She was going to visit with Mocoso's mother, who lived closest to the kickball field. It was still nearly a block away, but closer than the rest of us.

I waited on her, and we left together, traveling down the road. It was warm already in the hot sun, but I didn't care. My mother didn't like the heat as much as I did, but she dealt with it, and didn't complain to often. It was a nice walk to Mocoso's house, but I left my mother there and headed off to the field.

I wanted her with someone with this man causing her problems, if I wasn't home, I tried to get her to go to the neighbors, and she did usually. That way I knew she was safer.

When I got to the field, the other kids were still there. It seemed like everyone was there today. Even kids that didn't play all the time. The rain yesterday must have made everyone antsy to be outside again. I was the last to arrive and trotted over to the line quickly as a few of the others greeted me as I did back.

The game was great. We all played long, and we all played hard. The sun was high above us, and slowly began to sink back into the horizon before we even thought of stopping. I plopped down after running, and wiped my knees off the best I could that were covered in dirt from sliding from plate to plate. Mom would have a fit tonight, but I just chuckled to myself.

I let out a yawn, and stood up. I wanted to head back to the house. I had scratches and cuts all over my elbows and knees, and I was tired. I started out of the field, and a few kids straggled around to get their belongings together. There were no houses down the other way, that led to a dead end from the field. There was only one road past it, and following it, you got to the blocks where all of us lived.

I walked down the side walk before anyone started for home today. I liked going alone sometimes, and I wanted a little time to get to mom at Mocoso's house, and then back home before it got dark. I was nearly 20 feet away from the field, almost rounding the corner twords the road Mocoso lived on when I realized something didn't feel right...
I felt as if I was being watched.

There were a few allys down this road, and I always hated it. Allys just screamed bad news. I walked briskly, fear playing with me as I imagined foot steps behind me.

But I didn't imagine them....

I was twords the middle of the block when I turned and saw him. Malo. The man who had been after my mother for so long, stood there behind me, A hand gun pointed at me. I stared at him a moment, trying to figure out what he was trying to do, I glanced over my shoulder to see what he was aimed at, but I saw nothing.
Thats when I realized he was aiming at me.

I spun around, and started to run, but in two long strides, he caught me with his long arms and spun me around, slamming me on the ground hard. I heard a crack in the back of my head as I let out a quiet wail of pain. I felt sticky, warm blood coat the back of my head where it hit the concrete. I was dizzy, and stared up at Malo. Fear glazed my eyes.

"Now to end all of this..." He said coldly. No hint of regret or hesitation in his voice or eyes. I heard the gun click, I heard it c**k, and I heard his finger pull the trigger as I closed my eyes tightly....

I'd had always wondered what it was like to be shot. I liked to watch those documentary's on TV about the war veterans, showing off their bullet scars. They would say how bad it hurt, but you'd never know till you were actually shot how sickening painful it was. Now I knew..

I couldn't have laid there long after he pulled the trigger. I opened my eyes weakly, as breathing started to get heavier. I heard foot steps but couldn't tell where they came from, or who they belonged to. My body shook and I felt like I'd peed myself. And more...

I moved my hand over my body slowly, feeling sticky, think liquid covering my chest where I found a hole, a little to the left of my heart. I felt it had struck it, for every beat seemed to pulse pain through me, and they grew weaker every time. Skipping like a dying rabbit..

I was dying. I knew it. My valves had opened, and I knew I was done as I clung to the last bits of life I had left in my body. I closed my eyes, and opened them again and I saw faces. I saw Mocoso, looking scared, and actually worried. He never seemed to care about me. I saw Arbol and Cántaro, and several other kids I had known my whole life.

At that moment, I felt myself start to cry. I don't know if it was physical or not, but I cried. I cried for my friends. I cried for my mother. I cried for myself. It wasn't but a few seconds until I heard my mothers voice, and I felt her fall next to me, and bury her face in my shoulder as she stroked my dark, curly hair.

I wanted to tell her it was alright, that I was going to see Dad again, and I would watch her from there, but I couldn't speak. I only felt my mother there for maybe a minute before I finally closed my eyes for the last time, and drew my final breath.

Then my body lay still....

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