This is from Maria's Perspective
We buried my mami with the help of Derrick, Tome, and his cousins. We wouldn't be able to dig a hole for her body by ourselves. They lent their strength while Rosalina and I prepared the body. It began to produce a smell and bloat. I cried as I wrapped her cold body into open large plastic trash bags and bed sheets. I asked Gabriela and Sofia if they wanted to join us. They shook their little heads.
Afterwords, Rosalina and I stood by the fresh mound of earth, crying for a long time. We stayed there, lost in our thoughts until my children came to find us. They had prepared some food, their faces solemn. Their eyes darted to the fresh grave.
Later that day, Derrick returned from the store with Tome, towing more supplies than I had expected. Last time, Rosalina brought home 2 plastic bags. This time, the trailers that were pulled by Derrick and Tome had easily a hundred pounds of supplies each.
Rosalina, Gabriela, and I helped Derrick sort through everything. Derrick had managed to secure all the medical supplies Rosalina had listed out. It was an impressive feat, considering the state of things. I watched as Rosalina's eyes widened in surprise, her gaze flicking to Derrick with a newfound respect.
She muttered something under her breath in Spanish, something that sounded suspiciously like a retraction of her previous opinion of him. I couldn't help but chuckle at that, a small smile tugging at my lips. I thought I saw Derrick's lips twitch into a smirk at Rosalina's words, but I couldn't be sure.
As for the food, well, we had enough to last us for weeks. It was a staggering amount, one that seemed excessive to me. I was sure it was overkill. After all, how long could it possibly take to restore the electricity? It was just a power outage, right?
The night was a symphony of unsettling sounds, each one more disturbing than the last. Every rustle of leaves outside our window would jolt me awake, my heart pounding in my chest. The sporadic sound of gunshots in the distance would make my blood run cold, my body freezing as I waited for the echoes to fade away. Each yell, each scream, each bark was like a chilling omen, a reminder of the chaos that had taken hold of my world.
As the first birds saw dawn and began to sing, and it filtered through the window, I forced myself to rise from the bed. Sleep had become a luxury, a distant memory. My mind was a whirlwind of worries and fears, my soul restless and devoid of peace.
Prayer was my only solace, my anchor in the storm that was raging around us. I would close my eyes, my lips moving silently as I sought comfort and guidance. It was a ritual that brought me a semblance of control, a momentary respite from the turmoil.
But prayer, as comforting as it was, couldn't change the reality of our situation. It wasn't restoring the electricity, couldn't stop the violence, couldn't bring back the world we once knew. It was a balm for my soul, but it wasn't a solution. And as each day passed, I found myself yearning for a solution. I yearned for safety, for stability, for a world where my children could grow up without fear.
As I concluded my morning prayers, I noticed Rosalina stirring. We had started sharing a room sometime after my husband's death. We had fallen into a routine, a silent agreement of mutual support that needed no words.
We rose from our beds, our movements slow and deliberate in the early morning chill. The room was dimly lit, the weak morning light barely penetrating the heavy curtain of smoke outside. We washed our faces with a damp cloth, the cool water from the bottle a refreshing start to the day. We changed into our day clothes and walked out of our bedroom.
We made our way towards the kitchen. We moved quietly, careful not to wake the children or the Allens or Derrick. The house was still. The only sounds are our soft footsteps and the distant chirping of birds outside.
As Rosalina and I began to prepare breakfast, soft footsteps came down the hallway. A sleepy voice followed of Gabriela's mumbled, "Good morning."
I turned to greet her, a smile already forming on my lips. But my words died in my throat as my eyes caught sight of a shadow looming in the window next to the door. My heart pounded in my chest, fear gripping me as I stared at the silhouette.
A scream bubbled up in my throat as horrible images flooded my mind as I clamped my hands over my mouth, muffling the sound before it could fully escape. The sudden noise woke Derrick's, his eyes snapping open as he shot up from his sleeping position. His hand moved with practiced ease, pulling out a gun that I hadn't realized he'd been sleeping with.
His eyes were wide and alert, scanning the room as he pointed his gun in a sweeping arc. When his gaze landed on the shadow in the window, he briefly froze, and with a fluidity and silence that seemed impossible for a man of his size, he moved towards the door.
He peered through the peephole. I held my breath, waiting for him to react. After what felt like an eternity, he let out a sigh of relief and holstered his gun, fixing his shirt to hide it. The tension in his shoulders eased, and he turned to face us, "It's Tome."
Derrick swung the door open, allowing Tome to step inside. In the morning dim light, he looked ghostly pale, his eyes wide with a fear that made my heart drop into my stomach. He stood awkwardly by the door as if unsure of his welcome.
"Um, sorry for bothering you this early," he began, his voice unsure. "I just really need some help, and we don't have any more medics in the apartment available. Sorry."
Rosalina didn't miss a beat. She reached for her medical bag, which she'd taken to keeping in the kitchen ever since the power went out. "What happened?" she asked, her voice steady.
Tome shook his head, his lips pressed into a thin line. He looked like he was struggling to find the right words, his gaze darting around the room as if hoping to find them somewhere.
Rosalina, undeterred by his silence, pressed on. "What do I need to bring?"
Again, Tome shook his head, his shoulders rising and falling in a helpless shrug. It was clear he was out of his depth, the situation beyond his ability to handle.
As they were preparing to leave, Gabriela's voice rang out, her tone fearful. "Who got hurt?" she asked, her face as pale as Tome's.
Tome paused in the doorway, his back to us. For a second, he was silent. Then, just before the door closed behind him, he said a single word that sent a chill down my spine. "Eli." The door clicked shut.
I was about to ask who this Eli was when Gabriela's heart-wrenching cry filled the room. She made a move to the door, but I was quicker. I reached it first, pulling her into a tight embrace as her body was wracked with sobs.
Her tears soaked my shoulder, her body trembling in my arms. I held her close, my heart aching for her pain. It was then that I realized that my little girl was the same height as me now, her head resting on my shoulder. Her words were muffled by my shirt, her sobs making it difficult for her to speak. I simply held her, humming a soft lullaby in her ear as I gently rubbed her back.
Eventually, her sobs died down, replaced by soft, hiccuping breaths. She pulled away slightly, her eyes red and swollen. "Eli is my friend," she managed to say, her voice hoarse from crying. "You know him as Elijah, who lives two buildings down. His mom and grandma and he ran out of food. He was going to steal some from somewhere. I told him it was a stupid idea. He didn't listen."
Her words hit me like a punch in the gut. "He should have asked us for food," I said, exasperated. "We would have happily shared."
Gabriela buried her face in my shoulder again, her voice barely audible as she confessed, "I've given him some food when you weren't looking...sorry."
I didn't scold Gabriela. Instead, I guided her towards the kitchen chairs, gently pulling her onto my lap as we sat down. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close as her body continued to tremble her sobs.
Derrick was in the corner of the kitchen, working with the camp stove. He kept shooting us concerned glances, but he didn't say anything. He made three cups of coffee, placing two in front of Gabriela and me. He took his own cup and leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping slowly.
Not sure how long it took for the door to open again. Rosalina walked in, looking pale, her face ashen. Her eyes held a look of defeat and fear that sent a chill down my spine. Gabriela looked up at her, her eyes wide and filled with worry.
"What happened to Eli? Is he okay?" Gabriela asked, her voice raspy.
Derrick quickly poured a cup of coffee for Rosalina, who sank down at the table. She shook her head, her gaze focused on the cup in front of her.
Gabriela's voice was desperate as she asked again, "What happened?"
Rosalina took a deep breath, her hand shaking slightly as she lifted the cup to her lips. She took a long sip before setting the cup back down. "He tried to break into the newlywed's house. The one who had a baby a few months ago," she began, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hand. "The homeowner woke up and, in the dark, beat him up. He's got broken ribs, bruises on his face..." She glanced at Gabriela and me; her voice trailed off, the silence in the room heavy.
Gabriela squirmed in my lap, her body tense. "I want to go see him and help him," she declared, her voice choked with emotion.
Rosalina reacted instantly, her hand shooting out to grip Gabriela's arm. "Don't," she said, her voice firm and commanding. "Remember him how he was. Don't break your own heart."
Gabriela's response was immediate and heart-wrenching. Her body slumped, and she burst into tears again, her body shaking with the force of her sobs. "How can someone treat a kid like that?" she cried out, her voice filled with pain and anger. "He's just a teen."
Rosalina and I exchanged a look, but neither of us had an answer for her.
Derrick chose that moment to join us at the table. He set his coffee cup down, his gaze steady as he looked at each of us in turn. "What would you do if someone broke into your home in the middle of the night?" he asked, his voice low, calm, and measured. "What if you didn't know if they were there to hurt you or your family? What will you do to protect your newborn when you have one? I know my answer. What about you?"
We all stared at him, taken aback by his blunt words. He simply sat there, sipping his coffee, waiting for an answer that none of us could give.