𝑴𝒀 𝑩𝑨𝑩𝒀

「 𝟐𝟒」

"I understood zero of what you just said." Carlos told him.

"Well, that's what drugs do to you." He shrugged. "Give me an hour. I'll be right back." He quickly exited the house leaving the three brothers alone in the living room.

"She didn't tell you, did she?" Cesar asked. Oscar shook his head before taking a sip of his beer.

Carlos sighed before walking back into his room. Raquelle laid in the bed scrolling through tiktok while the other held onto the side of the bassinet.

He smiled, admiring his little family.

"Stop staring like a weirdo and come lay with me." She told him, turning off her phone.

She let go of the bassinet before moving over so Carlos could get in the bed. "I only got a hour before I gotta leave." He informed her as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Where you going?"

"To dig up a grave."

"I'm sorry?" She asked in disbelief. "You're joking."

"I'm not." He laughed. She slapped his shoulder. "Thats not funny. What if a ghost attaches itself to you because you disturbed its peace?"

"Ghosts aren't real, ma." He laughed even harder.

"Yeah, you say that now until you got one up your ass." She turned away from him, getting back on her phone.

✦

"Jamal, if you can dig up both sides of the football field, I think you can help us dig up this grave." Carlos said while throwing dirt Jamal's way.

"But you guys have already made the hole so big. I should stay over here." He smiled as he jumped back.

Carlos tried to push the shovel back in but it hit something hard. "That should be good." Oscar said and they climbed out the hole.

"Do yo thing, fool." Carlos pushed him and he screamed as he fell into the hole.

"What thing?" He asked nervously. "Opening the casket. Go." Oscar told him. Jamal whimpered in fear.

"Just do it." Carlos panted. "All right. Okay, okay." He started to knock on the casket.

"Okay. Sounds full. He's dead." He tried to climb back out the hole. "Nope. We need full confirmation." Oscar said and his brother nodded.

"Look... this isn't my first rodeo, and I can smell him. He's dead, and I know this because I've done more than a few embalm-a-longs at the morgue!" Jamal yelled at us.

"Embalm-a-longs?" Carlos stared at him in confusion.

"Bullshit." Oscar said and he caved. "Okay, fine! But I've thought enough about dead people to know what they smell like and-."

"Mal, just open the casket." Carlos sighed. "What if he's a zombie. I don't wanna get bitten!" He exclaimed.

"Zombies aren't real. Open it." Oscar said sternly.

"Why me? Why can't either of you do it?" He asked them. Carlos looked away. His conversation with Raquelle appeared in his mind

'What if a ghost attaches itself to you because you disturbed its peace'

"Because." Carlos said.

"Because why?!" Jamal yelled.

"Because you got all that shit on, and... we don't wanna get a ghost." Oscar explained.

"Yeah, I don't want a ghost crawling up my ass."

Jamal looked at them in disbelief. "Get a ghost?" He asked. Oscar nodded.

"W-what if Lil Ricky's in there all unhappy and shit. He might take over my body!" Carlos yelled at Jamal.

"So it's okay for me to get bitten by a zombie, but y'all don't wanna get a ghost."

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Carlos nodded.

Jamal went on to say something about friendly ghosts and unfinished business.

"You're not gonna sway me. I know what I know." Oscar told him. "Me too." Carlos added. He didn't know much but what Raquelle said had scared him.

Oscar explained the story of their Tío on their mom's side.

"You're name is Spooky and you're afraid of ghosts!" Jamal yelled. "And you," He pointed at Carlos. "Your name is Saint, you're like a walking cross."

"Not with all the shit I've did." Carlos looked away, knowing. that Jamal was making some valid points.

"Open the casket!" Oscar yelled and Jamal scurried over to it.

He slowly opened the casket before yelling "Chivo!"

"Chivo?" Carlos raised an eyebrow.

✧

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