Eli Borrelli

25: Visitor

Diego POV.

Seven hundred and twelve days before, my brother died and I still remember it like it was yesterday. Actually, I remember it better than yesterday.

All three of us were at home that morning. Eli had come over the previous night and we watched a bootleg of Heathers once again. By then, Carlos had memorized the entire choreography of Candy Store and danced along while Eli recorded and I laughed my ass off. Eli ended up staying the night, which they never did and they stayed up all night talking with Carlos after they sent me to sleep. I still don't know what they talked about, but maybe I'm not supposed to know.

That morning Eli left for school and Carlos had to go out on business, while I was left alone to do schoolwork. Eli made worksheets for me every week and while I hated doing them more, than anything, I knew I had to. Whenever Eli was over, they'd make it fun with jokes and dance breaks, but when they weren't there it was just pure torture.

I was in my room when Carlos came back and started to warm up our lunch. Carlos was the worst cook I ever knew so whenever Eli came over they cooked enough to last us until they came back. Whenever Eli was away for a long time we basically just ate instant noodles or other things even Carlos couldn't fuck up. For some reason, Eli had been too tired to cook the previous night, so Carlos had to improvise in the kitchen, which never lead to anything good.

After some time, I heard someone coming in, but I knew it couldn't be Eli so I just continued with the doodles I was drawing at the corner of my worksheet. Carlos always told me to stay in my room if someone I didn't know was there. I still knew what happened. I knew what Carlos did for work and he even taught me the basics, but he never wanted me to be a part of that life.

Still, that time it felt weird. Like something was off. Maybe it was just my brain shaping the memory, trying to get me to blame myself for not doing anything, but I think I knew something bad was going to happen. Soon enough, I heard yelling coming from the living room, but I didn't bulge. Carlos had yelled at people before, sometimes they wouldn't pay enough or it was someone he had already cut off. One time he sent me to my room and I heard him and Eli yelling like that.

carlos yelled at the other guy to get out, and then I heard it. The awful booming sound that would haunt my nightmares for years to come.

It was just like they always say. Time moved in slow motion, as I was trying to process what had happened. I was frozen in my seat, trying to tell myself it wasn't what I thought it was. It wasn't until the front door was slammed shut, that I regained my ability to move. I knew what it meant. If it had been Carlos with the gun, he wouldn't have left.

I ran into the living room only to find Carlos laying on the floor with pints of blood oozing out of his side.

"Carar!" I screamed as I hurried to his side. 

I fell to my knees next to him still trying to tell myself it wasn't real. I pressed down at the wound as hard as I possibly could but Carlos hardly even reacted. I started crying uncontrollably as I hastily searched for my phone.

"Stay with me, Car!" I screamed in shock pressing down on the first number on my phone screen.

The three times my phone buzzed before it was picked up felt like an eternity. What if they wouldn't pick up?

"Hi Die, is everything okay?" Eli finally answered on the other side. I could hear the concern in their voice immediately. They knew I wouldn't be calling them in school unless it was an emergency.