It had been around two years since Sergeant Locke had a near death experience. Not one day since the incident had he regretted it. It had ridded him of his misery as well as his hallucinations. And not one day did he regret saving that boy who face was practically missing from his memory.
He had seen the boy on more than one occasion. Granted, in most of them he was drunk but still, he never forgot a face. Except for the boy's. Although he had forgotten the name of the boy he had saved completely. The incident had hardly ever crossed his mind... until today. It was the second anniversary of the event and he couldn't help but wonder what happened to the boy as he wondered around El Paso. His mind was empty until he walked into a flower bush-no, a bouquet of flowers, carnations in fact.
"Es'cuse me, Senor! Buy some flowers for your someone?" Locke had backed up slightly but still couldn't see the boys face, for the boy held them up in front of him. He gently put his hand on the bushel of flowers, as not to damage them, and pushed them down slightly which the boy did not defy.
"Well? They are beautiful, si?" The red haired Mexican boy smiled at the Sergeant.
"Si." The Sergeant answered almost mockingly. He tried to remember this face; he had most definitely seen it before. "Almost as much as you." Locke walked off as he said the words.
"Wait!" The boy called out to the sergeant. "Do I know you from somewhere?" The sergeant turned, looking over the boy again.
"I don't know, do you?" Sergeant Locke was certain he knew the boy from somewhere, just not where. The boy had went wide eyed, pulling out a wallet, and out of the wallet something that looked like an ID of some kind. He looked at it then back at the sergeant, going pale.
"S-Si eres un fantasma?" The boy asked, only receiving a questioning look in reply.
"No Habla español." The sergeant replied, for he only really knew basic things in Spanish. The boy returned to his previous color yet maintained his "I've seen a ghost" face.
"Sorry, it was a stupid question anyway. Have you had any brothers or anybody that , you know, looks like you, die recently?" The boy asked.
"Nope, well, I almost did, but almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Thank god." It was the boy's turn to be confused. He had only heard one comparison as strange in his whole life.
"And you don't remember ever meeting me?" The boy asked giving the man a strange look.
"No." He turned around walking away now that the conversation had gotten weird.
"Hey! It's rude to walk away from a conversation, ya know!" The boy called out. "Pendejo…." Hearing the sad undertone of the boy's voice Locke turned back. Surprise clouded the boy's face when he noticed the sergeant had walked back up, and he became scared for a moment.
"Fine, give me some damn flowers then." Locke took out his wallet taking the money out and handing it to the boy. The younger smiled and handed him the flowers. "Happy?"
"Si!" The boy said gladly. The sergeant turned and started walking again. "Manny." The outburst surprised the sergeant and he turned to look at the boy again. "My name. It's Manny."
Locke's eyes shot wide open. He suddenly remembered where he had seen the boy. It was the boy he had helped. Manny.
"Robert." He turned and started walking again. He wasn't sure if he had actually seen the boy, or if he would ever see him again. But did he really want to?
It was awesome, reading The Crossing, but the end made me cry, so I had to write this! If you liked it, please review. If you didn't, please tell me why. Either I'll explain myself, or agree that I'm an idiot! ^_^
And if you loved it and want me to continue, Give Mega-Praise in a Review and say so! Once I get two requests I'll work on another chapter!
Iyo: If you hated it, go *bleep* yourself in the *bleep* with a *bleep* you *bleeping* cynical *bleep*.
Author: My alternate personality is wonderful isn't she?