Bang

"If the gift lady says so" I smiled, feeling nostalgic remembering my instruments.

When I was into music, musical instruments were my faithful companions, dedicating hours and hours to it every day, those moments were the only ones where all loneliness disappeared, even if only for a few minutes.

"Kids, but that's not all!" clapping her hands to get attention, mom Smiled and runs to her room, arriving after a few seconds with a box in her hands "Mother Noelia gave us a TV".

'Led 32 inches'

The TV wasn't as big as the ones I saw in my time, let alone is it 8K, but it's certainly a great TV for this time and year.

"That's perfect for my console!" exclaimed Hailie, not knowing how to vent the happiness in her heart.

Alan just gave it a glance and ignored it, happily playing with his 'Chad' dolls.

Putting the TV aside, Eva looked at all of us gently, as a satisfied smile came across her face "Did you guys like your presents?"

"It's amazing!" Hailie shouted, as she carefully pulled out her console.

"I liked them Mom!" exclaimed Alan, carefully combing out a swimsuit-clad 'Chad'.

Turning to me, Mom looked at me with sparkling eyes, causing a smile to expand across my face.

Putting my gifts aside, he pulled me close to Mom and motioned for her to crouch down to my level.

"..."

Being at my height, I hug mom, wrapping my arms around her neck, while bringing my mouth close on her ear "Thank you mom, I love you so much"

Opening her eyes in shock, Eva only sighed and smiled bitterly, already suspecting that her child knew the truth about this party.

But though the bitterness this, the sweetness of the hug overcame all.

Hugging me, Mom whispered "I love you too my boy"

With a quick kiss on Mom's cheek, I release her and go to get the piano out.

With great effort, I pull the piano out of the box and drag it to an outlet, with it plugged in, I arrange it on the floor and sit down in front of it.

'Let's see...'

Playing key by key, the sound floods my mind, comforting my heart.

Releasing the keys, I stare dazedly at the piano, as memories of Ashley flooded my mind, causing the sadness and loneliness I was trying to suppress, to begin to well up, as a strange chill began to cover my body.

But remembering Ashley, a smile spread across my face, memories replacing the previous cold.

With all those heavy emotions, I remembered a beautiful composition, Moonlight by Beethoven.

My new life with Ashley started well, she was a young sister, but she did everything to help us, I spent joys and good times.

With those emotions, I play the second movement, nostalgically remembering the sweet feelings.

*Here Christian, I bought you a candy... *

*Christian, who is your favorite sister?*

*I love you so much little rabbit*

*Christian... I'm sorry*

*I'm a lousy sister*

But little by little those sweet feelings were fading away, being completely replaced by sad memories, causing despair to flood my heart, as I unconsciously began to play the third movement of the sonata.

*Christian, your sister committed suicide*

Unfortunately, the reality that I tried so hard to ignore and repress, hit me.

No matter how desperate I am, no matter how much I want to forget it or believe it's a bad dream, Ashley is not coming back.

Reality that left only coldness in my heart, as the first movement began to sound.

And with that coldness, warm tears welled up in my eyes, listening in a daze to the depressing melody.

"That's enough my boy, mommy is here" But just when I was feeling desolate, mommy's voice woke me up from my stupor, as her arms went around my neck, taking my head with her hands to rest it on her breasts, causing my rational part to wake up again.

"*Sigh* I'm sorry" I mumble with a bitter smile, knowing that mother is only worried seeing me like this.

"You don't have to apologize, I'm glad you let out whatever was tormenting you" Mom whispered, then taking my head and slowly turning it in her direction, meeting her teary eyes "It was a beautiful melody, mom liked it a lot"

"It's depressing" I murmur bitterly, knowing Mom was crying from her reddened eyes.

"But it's my child's feelings that were in it, that makes it beautiful"

"..." Turning my gaze, I notice Alan is still with his dolls while Hailie is reading the guide to her new console, Turning my gaze again to mom I whisper in pain "I miss Ashley"

"I miss her too, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her" Mom murmurs, gently wiping away the tears that were still on my face "But we have each other, you can share your pain, you don't have to face everything alone"

"We have each other" I mumble dazedly, as a small smile spreads across my face "I love you mom"

"I love you, my baby boy"

...

Monday, December 29, 2009.

"Are you sure they will be ok?" with concern Eva asked.

"Relax mom, I take care of my brothers, you already left food, money, even your cell phone, we'll be fine" Christian smiled.

"*Sigh* Okay... I left you the number of the place where I work, call me if anything happens... I also left you the emergency numbers, don't forget them"

Finishing adding the collar of Eva's shirt, Christian Smiled and kissed her cheek "We'll be fine mom, don't worry."

"*Sigh* I'm leaving, remember not to open the door for anyone" With another worried sigh, Eva kissed the boy's forehead and opened the door, turning every step she took, still unsure of leaving them alone.

Today Eva had to work in the afternoon, usually Sara and Jayden take care of them during those times, but it turns out that since New Year's Eve is just around the corner, they traveled to Los Angeles to visit Sara's family, leaving Eva with no other options but to leave them alone.

At first, she thought about simply not going, but Christian knowing that it would cause problems for her, convinced his mother to leave her siblings in her care.

"Go safely mom, don't forget I'm a genius, I can handle anything" With a confident smile, Christian waved his hand in farewell.

"*Sigh* Well..."

With Eva gone, Christian got down from his chair, grabbed his sketchbook, and enjoyed this quiet moment, while his brothers were each in their rooms.

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang*.

But after a few hours of idleness, loud gunshots rang out outside the house, as Christian quickly got up from the floor and ran to the second floor.

Arriving on the second floor, Christian finds his younger siblings scared, looking at him nervously and fearfully.

"Hailie, go in with Alan to your room and lock yourselves in, don't come out until I tell you"

"Brother-"

"Just do as I tell you, Mom's on her way" Lying to reassure them, Christian speaks seriously, then turns to Alan, finding him pale and trembling "Hailie, take care of Alan, yes?"

"Y-yes" Still unsure, Hailie nods, quickly taking Alan's hand then leading him towards his room and locking himself in.

"*Sigh*"

Sighing in relief, Christian quickly goes downstairs and grabs a knife from the kitchen.

Although no bullets made it towards the house, the shots were exactly outside the house, causing Christian's caution to be at an all-time high.

Quietly, Christian grabs a tablecloth and hides the knife inside, as he quietly walks over to the window.

Peering out carefully, Christian sees nothing but darkness, causing his brow to furrow as he notices that the lights throughout the block were off.

But when his eyesight got a little used to the lack of light, Christian glimpsed that in front of his house a body was lying on the ground.

"*Sigh*" Finding no other silhouette after a few minutes, Christian could come to the conclusion that it was a single, quick job, job in which the target was already dying or dead, and thanks to that, his brothers are not in danger.

But when that thought came to his mind, a frown appeared on his face "Since when did I become so heartless, there an injured person outside my house, I need to help him."

Quickly grabbing his mother's cell phone and walks out of the house, quickly approaching towards the person on the ground.

"Do you need help!?" Christian asked with concern quickly arriving at the scene.

But as he looked at the body head on, overwhelming nausea assaulted him, forcing him to vomit on the side of the spot.

"*cough* *cough*" After emptying his stomach and spitting out saliva from shock, Christian turned my gaze again to the body.

It was a woman of color in her 20's to 30's, you couldn't quite tell her age since half of her face was shattered by bullets.

[N/A: I don't know if saying 'colored' is right, it's the only way I could describe a black woman, but I actually find it a bit weird, since where I come from everyone was always told they were people of color, even white is a color. In a comment I was told that I shouldn't say black, since it is racism, but what can I do? in this novel, at least a third of the characters will be of color, and I won't tell you that they are all white just to avoid offending people, the world is not like that, there are pink, yellow, white, black, mulatto, brown people, among others, and it is the most normal thing in the world. Human beings evolved in different ways depending on the area where they live or used to live, that is the reason for the difference in skin color. I think we should stop taking into account the color of our skin and look more at the heart and mind of people, because having black or brown skin does not make you evil or something similar, it is your mind and what you think that can make you one. And the more a person tries to avoid saying a word as common as 'black, nigga' just to avoid 'racism', the more the difference of something as banal as the color of your skin will be obvious. Sometimes I ponder on many things, and I find it amazing how in the name of 'inclusion' there is more exclusion than ever, just as always in the name of peace, there is more chaos than ever].

Her brain was scattered in pieces on the floor, the whole scene was a mess of blood, and apparently all the bullets landed in his head.

Half of his eye hung out of its socket, while the other was still open, seeming to stare at him with every movement.

Upon seeing the scene again, Christian could not suppress his horror and fear at the grisly sight, and although what Christian saw in his dream was far worse than this, the difference in sensations was different.

In his dream, Christian was quite dazed and numb, he himself does not know the reason why that happened, but now...

It's all different, he is aware that this is reality, the smell of blood in the air, the feeling of disgust and fear, everything feels very real, confirming that he is not dreaming, and at the same time multiplying all his horror with the scene.

Just like watching someone die on the Internet is not the same as watching someone die in front of you.

Trembling heavily, Christian dials 911.

"911 what is your emergency" A male voice Answered.

"Hello y-yes... s-s-someone-"

"My boy, breathe first, everything will be okay."

"Y-yes..."

Breathing heavily as he tries to calm his turbulent emotions, Christian sighed.

"S-someone died outside my s-someone died outside my ho-home."

"Can you tell me where you live?"

"Y-yes, I live at Pilgrim St & Patton St, Detroit, Michigan, 48223"