Chacho paced the stark white room like a caged animal, his chocolate eyes glistening with excitement and anxiety.
"You'll be fine! I have faith that Eduardo healed your father perfectly." Matt said, watching him from the corner of the room, his almond eyes glowing with joy for his friend.
"But what if he's too damaged to be fixed? What if something goes wrong? What if-"
Chacho was cut off by the creak of the door opening, revealing a man with salt and pepper hair and bright baby blue eyes wearing a white lab coat, and standing next to him was a raven-haired man with a scraggly beard. They both stepped into the room. Chacho gasped and gave his father a bear hug that could've cracked his ribs. Eduardo smiled.
"I'll leave you two to catch up. Just let me know if you need anything,"
Eduardo stepped back out of the room, and closed the door behind him.
"Do you want me to leave too?" asked Matt.
"No, it's fine." Chacho sniffled. He had started crying tears of joy.
"Dad, this is Matt. Matt, this is my dad."
The man's lifeless onyx eyes stared blankly at his son.
"Dad. Dad?"
No response. Chacho grabbed his father's shoulders and shook him.
Again, no response.
"Papá?" Chacho's voice cracked. He had dreamt of seeing his father ever since he was taken by the Farm Patrol. His father was always there for him. Every Sunday, they would always go down to his younger brother's grave and put beautiful seashells on his resting place. They would hike up to the willow tree on top of a tall hill overlooking what was left of the Gulf of California, where his father told him stories of the lands beyond, and what they held. On clear nights, they would gaze at the celestial bodies hanging over them like a colorful canopy of bright, blazing stars and the bright beacon of the moon illuminating the fields of never-ending blue glowing sand.
One night, one that Chacho remembered clearly, his father told him to pack up all of his possessions. When he asked why, his father said that they would finally be able to cross the border. Chacho was overjoyed and nervous at the same time. He didn't own much, so packing was easy. They left in a hurry, and joined another group of people escaping persecution for better lives. In the group, Chacho found another boy a few years younger than him, and they talked. His name was Jasper, and he was traveling with his sick mother so they could find the medical attention that they couldn't find in Atzlan. Over the duration of the trek, they grew closer and closer. Until they came to the border.
The group waited in the shrubbery for hours while the Farm Patrol stood guard. Jasper couldn't take it anymore. He was desperate for the freedom. He bolted for the other side. He was killed instantly when the first bullet hit his temple. Once he had sprinted from their hiding place, everyone followed in pursuit. Chacho was the only one to stay behind, frozen in terror of the bloodshed of his closest friend. Everyone in the group, save for Chacho, was taken by the Farm Patrol. He managed to cross the border when the Farm Patrol wasn't Keepers found him curled up in a tiny ball, covered in dirt and grime. He kept asking them where his daddy was on the way to the orphanage. They said his father was dead. They took his backpack, which contained food rations, clothes, pictures of his long gone family, and a rusty, golden key. They threw him in with the others. He was only nine years old. He is now 16 years old.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when he saw a change in his father's eyes. They looked different. His eyes were now fully obsidian black, and his skin was ghostly pale. He smiled cruelly, showing off rows of sharp, bloody teeth.
"You." He growled, his booming, powerful voice filled with rage and malice.
He lunged.
Yay! Family reunion for Chacho! Sorry that I didn't exactly write this story from Matt's point of view, but this story will give you some understanding of what is going to happen in the future stories.
Food for Thought: (Where I give you teaser questions/comments about future stories)
Chacho thought of Matt, Fidelito, and Ton-Ton as his honorary younger brothers since his real one died. (Ex: When he defended Fidelito from Jorge)
Why put seashells at the brother's grave and not flowers?
How will the willow tree be used in the future chapters?
Why was the sand glowing blue?
How will Jasper be used in the future chapters?
Why would the group of people be escaping persecution?
Why was the key mentioned?
Who was Chacho's father lunging at? Chacho or Matt? He could have been attacking Matt, since he reminded him of El Patron, who used to see to the processes of things on his estate, or he could have been attacking Chacho, since he might remind him of someone he knew in his past?
Tell me what you think! Please favorite, follow, and review for more! I will try to update in two weeks!
- Until next time,
Serafina Aster