Chapter 7: Reason?

"Papá, ¿por qué te vas tan tarde? (Dad, why are you leaving so late?)"

A high-pitched voice came from behind the man, tying his shoes. Hearing it, he turned to see his young son rubbing his eyes in dinosaur pajamas. Love filled his light brown eyes as he spoke to the young boy in a warm, calming voice.

"Tengo que cuidar a nuestro terreno, mi hijo. ( I need to take care of our land, my son.)"

Usually, the man would leave in the early morning and return mid-day. However, the situation was now different; at any moment, complete chaos could erupt from a rival gang in the south. This means everyone would have to be even more wary of unwanted visitors at all times of the day. Luckily, the man was assigned to guard at night, meaning there was an unlikely chance they would try and attack.

"Oh… ok."

The boy was highly disappointed in his father's answer. They would all usually sleep together, and he slept with them.

"Cuida a tu madre mientras yo no estoy. (Take care of your mother while I'm gone."

"absolutamente papa! (Absolutely Dad!)"

Smiling gently at the boys' response, the man leaned forward and gave his son a big hug. No matter what happens in the future, he only hopes his son will live a fantastic life. One where he would not have to kill.

He slowly let go of his son and turned to open the door. The man looked back one more time and smiled at his young boy before leaving.

The young boy stood looking at the closed door with droopy eyes for minutes, hoping his father had forgotten something. And maybe, with a stroke of luck, he did. Minutes later, his mother walked into the room with a cooler full of food and drinks.

"Mi Amor? Miguel, tu padre ya se fue? (My love? Miguel, has your father already left?"

"Si. He left minutes ago."

"I see, he left his lunch."

"! Let's go take it to him!"

The boy had a natural respect and admiration for his father. In his eyes, he was an incredible figure who taught him everything. Although he may occasionally scold him, in the end, he only wants the best. So to see him again was an honor that needed to be done.

Hearing this, the mother put a cozy jacket on the boy and herself before leaving their cozy home and venturing into the cold night to search for his father.

Slowly yet steadily, they drove, looking for his indistinguishable car. The pair already knew where he would be; however, it would still be quite difficult to find him in the dark of the night.

Pulling the windows down for better vision, a cold summer wind passed through the inside of the car. Goosebumps formed on the young boy's skin as he slowly rubbed his arms. However, he was too immersed in the search, hoping for only one more moment with his father.

His dream would come true. Under the solid yellowish hue of a streetlight lay a familiar car. A vehicle the boy and his father would usually use to drive around the state.

"There!!"

His mother turned and saw the same car. Then, she braked slightly before turning the steering wheel and parking the car next to the familiar car.

Under the streetlight, a yellow hue shone down on them as the man stepped out of his car, confused.

"What's wrong, mi amor?"

"You forgot your food."

"Oh. I'm sorry for making you come out here so late in the night."

"No, mi amor, it's okay… Here."

She handed him the cooler as the two continued talking amongst themselves. Meanwhile, Miguel stood by the side, listening to their talk, hoping to be included. Eventually, his father expressed his desire and spoke directly to him.

"Mi hijo, I'm sorry for making you come out here as well."

"No! It's okay, papa."

Smiling at him, the father patted the young boy's head in a caring manner.

"Alright, you two should go home. It's real cold out today."

"Ahh, wait, papa."

Bang!!

Before he could even finish his sentence, a heavy shot fired near them, and the young boy's ears rang. Shocked, he looked around for the source, seeing nothing but darkness. This only occurred for a split moment before his father grabbed him and ran behind the car he used.

A moment later, multiple more shots fired towards the couple, raining down onto the car they were hiding behind.

Bullets entered the once clean-looking car as the windshield shattered and shards of glass gushed down onto the two.

Closing his eyes, the boy attempted to grasp the situation in front of him. However, never in his wildest imagination could he have expected something like this. It was a foreign feeling that filled his chest. Fear, shock, and desperation mixed and turned in his head before the boy grasped his surroundings and pushed these emotions deep into his heart.

Bullets rang, and the boy looked around, realizing his mother was missing. The boy's heart sank as he turned to his father and asked in desperation.

"Papa!! Mi mama!? (Dad!! My mom!?)"

The man had wide, bloodshot eyes as he grasped his gun with shaking hands. He tried hard to deny the facts; however, they were next to him for all to see.

"La-La mataron… (They- they killed her…)"

The boy heard his father's words and froze. Shakingly turning his head to the right to see his mother's head poking out towards them. Relief flooded his head as he moved towards her. However, the closer he got, the more real the situation became. Her long, curly hair scattered along the floor as a gaping hole in her head poured warm, hot blood onto the cold pavement.

The boy's eyes widened as he realized his mother was dead. He reached out to her with shivering hands, his eyes filling with tears, before his father tugged the boy back behind the car, safe from fire.

"Don't move!!"

The man's eyes were bloodshot as he stood up slightly and leaned over the car to fire his handgun!

Bang!

"I'll fucking kill you all!!!"

Bang!!

He leaned down, reloaded his handgun, and continued opening fire.

This continued for minutes. The boy's eyes looked lifeless as he shivered and held his hands to his ears to try and forget it all. His mother's gaping head, his father's crazed gaze, the dark red blood, and the ear-shattering gunshot sounds.

However, no matter how much he tried to deny it or forget it, he was living it.

In his father's situation, there was a standstill. As it stayed, both sides could only wait until the other emptied their ammo, and from what it seemed, the opposing side would last longer. However, the opposing forces did not have time to wait for the man to run out of bullets.

So at the next moment, a light red flame fluttered through the sky. Attached to this dim flame was a piece of cloth. And attached to that was a bottle of alcohol. It was a Molotov.

Before the man and boy could even react, it landed directly on the car, scattering flames everywhere.

They were both pushed back. Paint melted as metal charred. The now blazing flame attached itself to all, even the boy's father.

At first, it was his shirt, then his pants, and that was all that burned. He swiftly patted it down until the flame died.

However, even he could not have stopped this.

At the next moment, a light gas sound wisped in the ears of the two as the vehicle exploded! Flames pushed out farther, assaulting the boy's father…

"AHHHHHHH!!!!!"

He screamed as his flesh, hair, eyes, and body burned. Faint sizzling could be heard from his boiling skin. And all the boy could do was watch. Watch his father die, scorching, right in front of his youthful eyes. There was nothing he could do except witness.

The man rolled and slapped himself in a sorrowful manner, attempting to stop the consuming flames as they ate him. Although that did not last long, seconds passed as he screamed. Even more followed after that. However, after 30 seconds, the man stopped as he took his final breath. He had died right in front of the boy.

Behind the flame, in front of the car, multiple steps cautiously walked towards the boy. Guns revealed themselves behind the car as they slowly encompassed the boy. Behind those guns were men in gang uniforms, all with various outfits and haircuts. Lowering their guns at the boy, they loosened their guard, seeing only him left.

A man, who seemed like the boss, walked forward and spoke to his crew.

"You fucking idiots! Why would you aim at the woman!?"

They all stood in silence, choosing not to respond to the hateful words from their boss.

The boy sat there, staring at his father without even acknowledging their presence, fixing his gaze on the burned corpse that was his father.

From the group of people, one man came out from the back and stared at the boy before talking.

"Javier… What are we going to do with the boy."

"What do you mean, Alejandro?"

Javier looked towards the boy and Alejandro, respectively, before smiling subtly and speaking.

"We're obviously going to kill him."

Before Alejandro could respond, Javier aimed his handgun at the young boy's head, preparing to fire.

"Wait!!"

Javier looked at Alejandro as he shouted at him.

"Let him go; he's a child, Javier."

"And? He could tell Emilio about our assault. Not only that, he has also seen our faces. We'll all be hunted if this fails and he snitches on us."

"C'mon, he's a child, Javier!"

From the cold, bloody pavement, the boy heard the men who killed his father argue. What he needed to do was redeem his father. Answer his calling, but he would do that after he killed those who murdered his father.

"Move out of the way, Alejandro, or I'll kill you too."

Javier then aimed his gun at Alejandro, threatening him with death. However, he stood firm.

Unknown to the two of them, the boy slowly crawled towards his father's dead body. Slushing past the blood and fire, he reached down to his father's hand and stealthily grabbed his handgun.

He gripped it tightly with tearful eyes before suddenly turning and aiming it towards the two of them.

Noticing this, both Javier and Alejandro moved to the side as Javier and the boy aimed at each other.

"Calm down, boy… I won't kill you."

The boy glared at Javier with a deep hatred in his eyes. However, could he fire? These men had killed both his mother and father, so could he still let them live?

"If you really want to kill me, do it."

Javier slightly lowered his gun, testing the young boy.

With shaking hands, the boy continued to aim without firing. Eventually giving in to the pressure.

The boy began to cry as he lowered his gun, dropping it right next to his father before speaking to Javier.

"Okay, I want to-"

"Wait!!"

Bang!

Javier had pulled his gun up and fired directly into the boy's chest.

He collapsed onto the ground as hot blood came out.

The boy screamed helplessly as pain ripped through his body.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!"

"Why!??"

Javier stood and looked at the boy with absolute disgust in his eyes.

"…"

"He let the gun go!!! What reason did you have to shoot him!!?"

"Reason? Hahahaha. Alejandro, do I need a reason?"

At the next moment, he aimed further down and fired once again.

Bang!

"!!!"

Javier shot the boy three more times before reloading his gun and placing it in his pocket.

"Alright, let's continue. Emilio will die by dawn."

On the ground, the boy struggled to breathe as blood poured from his mouth. Screams stopped coming from his mouth as he suffocated from the blood. Slowly, life left his small body as he closed his eyes one final time, hearing Alejandro speak to him.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry…"

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