The sound of the shotgun blast was the loudest thing he'd ever heard in his life. Disoriented, he felt like he had gone completely deaf. His mouth was hanging open; a terrified scream was trapped somewhere between his chest and his throat. He couldn't move. He could barely breathe and his heart was pounding so hard he felt like it would break through his body. The rapid heartbeats made enough noise internally to convince him that he could hear again, but a loud continuous ringing dominated his environment.
Alejandro had to fight to process what he had just seen. As soon as Beck kicked the door in, there was a sound that could only be compared to a clap of thunder. Beck flew backwards. Bumpy turned and ran. Alejandro wanted to run too, but he was trapped.
If Goldstein comes all the way out he's gonna see me and shoot me too. At this point Alejandro realized that he wasn't crouched anymore. He must have fallen back into the bushes when Mr. Goldstein fired his shotgun. He was too scared to move, though, because any ruffling in the bushes would give him away. Please don't come out. Oh God please stay inside. Maybe if he calls the cops I'll have enough time to run. His thoughts were interrupted by an odd gurgling noise.
Managing to barely sit up, Alejandro noticed his friend lying on his back writhing in pain. His black hooded sweatshirt looked like it had exploded; the center was missing and there was blood everywhere. His insides were visible. Alejandro then realized that the noise he heard was Beck coughing up blood. He seemed to be struggling to move.
Oh God, I gotta help Beck. Alejandro had absolutely no idea what to do. It sounded like Beck was choking. If the shot didn't kill him, he would eventually drown in his own blood.
"Dro! Dro!" Startled, Alejandro jerked, looking at his right hand in horror. He had completely forgotten that he had Shadow on the phone. "What was that noise Dro?!" Panicking, he hung the phone up. He heard rushing footsteps. Still paralyzed, he shut his eyes tight and held his breath. To his surprise, however, the sound came and went. Opening his eyes, he realized that Mr. Goldstein ran straight out the front door and kept going.
He must be going after Bumpy. Alejandro mustered up the courage to finally stand up. He could see Mr. Goldstein running down the street in the same direction that Bumpy had fled. His pace wasn't the swiftest, but he was definitely fast for an older man. He was clearly in good shape.
"Oh God, Beck." Alejandro walked over and knelt beside him, placing his hands on either shoulder. An insatiable marijuana smoker, he had been floating on a cloud the whole day, but not anymore. With everything that had just happened in the last few moments, all of his buzz disappeared. Alejandro was at a loss for words as he looked at Beck. For a brief instant it seemed as though Beck was trying to communicate something to him through eye contact, but just as soon as Alejandro caught on, the look faded. He was now face to face with death.
Alejandro felt an itch in his eyes and his vision began to blur. He noticed water fall from his face and land on Beck's forehead. The reality of what had just taken place was starting to set in. Alejandro touched his own forehead with his right index and middle fingers. He sighed deeply as more tears began to fall. He moved his fingers from his forehead to the middle of his chest, from there he tapped his left shoulder and then his right shoulder, and he finished by tapping the middle of his chest again. Sobbing, he closed his eyes and repeated the motion faster. He looked up to the sky and opened his mouth, but he couldn't speak. He lowered his head in shame and covered his mouth to muffle the grievous moans that he could no longer restrain.
Alejandro was disconnected from reality. He felt as if he had been watching a movie. He saw himself kneeling beside Beck, trembling and crying. With a flash of light the scene changed and he saw himself as a child, sitting at a dinner table with his parents and siblings. Another flash brought up the inside of a familiar Catholic Church during Mass. With yet another flash he could see himself at 11 years of age trying marijuana for the first time. Then he clearly saw himself talking to Shadow about how Beck would be the perfect person to kick in Goldstein's door. He wasn't vital to the plan, but he was a better kicker than the other three and he would make the job much easier. Somewhere in the distance he could hear the words to a prayer he memorized in Latin at a young age. The words played in a loop as other memories came and went.
Alejandro really couldn't repeat the Latin fluently anymore, so he did his best to remember the English equivalent. He whispered, "My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart ... um ... because I chose to do wrong and failed to do good, I have sinned. I love you more than anything. I ... I don't intend to sin anymore. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. I believe Jesus died for our sins and I pray in his name. Amen."
"Put your hands up before I lay you next to your friend!"
Back in the real world again, Alejandro slowly rose and turned around. He didn't even hear Mr. Goldstein come back. The shock of witnessing Beck's final moments made him forget that he had a chance to run, but at this point he wasn't sure if he would've even taken the opportunity. He kept his face downward.
"I'm not giving you another warning kid."
Before surrendering, Alejandro looked and realized that he had Beck's blood on his hands.
Alejandro had to fight to process what he had just seen. As soon as Beck kicked the door in, there was a sound that could only be compared to a clap of thunder. Beck flew backwards. Bumpy turned and ran. Alejandro wanted to run too, but he was trapped.
If Goldstein comes all the way out he's gonna see me and shoot me too. At this point Alejandro realized that he wasn't crouched anymore. He must have fallen back into the bushes when Mr. Goldstein fired his shotgun. He was too scared to move, though, because any ruffling in the bushes would give him away. Please don't come out. Oh God please stay inside. Maybe if he calls the cops I'll have enough time to run. His thoughts were interrupted by an odd gurgling noise.
Managing to barely sit up, Alejandro noticed his friend lying on his back writhing in pain. His black hooded sweatshirt looked like it had exploded; the center was missing and there was blood everywhere. His insides were visible. Alejandro then realized that the noise he heard was Beck coughing up blood. He seemed to be struggling to move.
Oh God, I gotta help Beck. Alejandro had absolutely no idea what to do. It sounded like Beck was choking. If the shot didn't kill him, he would eventually drown in his own blood.
"Dro! Dro!" Startled, Alejandro jerked, looking at his right hand in horror. He had completely forgotten that he had Shadow on the phone. "What was that noise Dro?!" Panicking, he hung the phone up. He heard rushing footsteps. Still paralyzed, he shut his eyes tight and held his breath. To his surprise, however, the sound came and went. Opening his eyes, he realized that Mr. Goldstein ran straight out the front door and kept going.
He must be going after Bumpy. Alejandro mustered up the courage to finally stand up. He could see Mr. Goldstein running down the street in the same direction that Bumpy had fled. His pace wasn't the swiftest, but he was definitely fast for an older man. He was clearly in good shape.
"Oh God, Beck." Alejandro walked over and knelt beside him, placing his hands on either shoulder. An insatiable marijuana smoker, he had been floating on a cloud the whole day, but not anymore. With everything that had just happened in the last few moments, all of his buzz disappeared. Alejandro was at a loss for words as he looked at Beck. For a brief instant it seemed as though Beck was trying to communicate something to him through eye contact, but just as soon as Alejandro caught on, the look faded. He was now face to face with death.
Alejandro felt an itch in his eyes and his vision began to blur. He noticed water fall from his face and land on Beck's forehead. The reality of what had just taken place was starting to set in. Alejandro touched his own forehead with his right index and middle fingers. He sighed deeply as more tears began to fall. He moved his fingers from his forehead to the middle of his chest, from there he tapped his left shoulder and then his right shoulder, and he finished by tapping the middle of his chest again. Sobbing, he closed his eyes and repeated the motion faster. He looked up to the sky and opened his mouth, but he couldn't speak. He lowered his head in shame and covered his mouth to muffle the grievous moans that he could no longer restrain.
Alejandro was disconnected from reality. He felt as if he had been watching a movie. He saw himself kneeling beside Beck, trembling and crying. With a flash of light the scene changed and he saw himself as a child, sitting at a dinner table with his parents and siblings. Another flash brought up the inside of a familiar Catholic Church during Mass. With yet another flash he could see himself at 11 years of age trying marijuana for the first time. Then he clearly saw himself talking to Shadow about how Beck would be the perfect person to kick in Goldstein's door. He wasn't vital to the plan, but he was a better kicker than the other three and he would make the job much easier. Somewhere in the distance he could hear the words to a prayer he memorized in Latin at a young age. The words played in a loop as other memories came and went.
Alejandro really couldn't repeat the Latin fluently anymore, so he did his best to remember the English equivalent. He whispered, "My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart ... um ... because I chose to do wrong and failed to do good, I have sinned. I love you more than anything. I ... I don't intend to sin anymore. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. I believe Jesus died for our sins and I pray in his name. Amen."
"Put your hands up before I lay you next to your friend!"
Back in the real world again, Alejandro slowly rose and turned around. He didn't even hear Mr. Goldstein come back. The shock of witnessing Beck's final moments made him forget that he had a chance to run, but at this point he wasn't sure if he would've even taken the opportunity. He kept his face downward.
"I'm not giving you another warning kid."
Before surrendering, Alejandro looked and realized that he had Beck's blood on his hands.
