Brothers in arms

Chapter 1

" dude, you're dreaming," I teased, throwing a light punch his way.

"You ever look in the mirror?" Junior cracked up and nearly spit out a mouthful of beer onto Frankie's car.

He always laughing at something. Frankie punched me right back, the hit glancing off my shoulder. The two of us always pretended to fright. Through we never said anything about it, I think we both knew there was serious edge to it.

"Hey, Marcus," said Jesus, one of the other guys. He was puffing a cigarette. It mad him stink like my father.

"I got Lamar at 11:00."

I swung around in time to see a small figure ducking behind a green metal dumpster the side if a pickup truck. It was Lamar, my 8 year old brother.

"Hey back again?" Frankie asked, shaking his head and dropping his fists. Frankie didn't like many things, especially kids.

"I don't know nobody who worship some like that little brother of yours worship you."

It was true. Lamar had a habit if following me, no matter where I was it what I was doing. It was frustrating and I tried to discourage it. I mean, how do you deal with some one who looks up to you like, we'll, like big brother?

I wasn't always the best at dealing with him, but I didn't want him around, especially when we were drinkin or checking out girls. It isn't cool to have your little brother there when you're trying to get a girls phone number.

And I didn't want him around the cigarettes and the alcohol. He would see that on his own in a few years, thought. I was wrong.

" making sure you take care of your brother," my mom said earlier that day. Most of the time, I did that by sending him away, making up lies to get him to leave.

Anything that gave me more time with boys. " Lamar!!!!" I barked, stepping away from Frankie's low rider. " comes out of there."

Lamar came out from behind the dumpster a second later, pushing along his squeaky, weather- beaten bicycle. He took that bike everywhere.

" what did I tell you about following me?"

"Sorry, Marcuy," he stammered. " I just____"

" you just what?" I prodded. " you know you're not supposed to be here." With puppy-dog eyes. He looked over at the boys and in gnomes me.

" hi, Guys, I got some gum. I can share it with you."

Chago and Frankie shook their heads at me and glancing away embarrassed.

" go home, Lamar ____NOW!!" I ordered.

My brother stared at me then. Just for a second, but long enough for me to see his disappointment. All the kid wanted was to be with me, and there I was sending him away.

"Okay, marcuy," he said, sounding defeated. " ill see you later then, okay?"

" yeah,yeah," I said with a nod, feeling guilty for chasing him away. I couldn't stay mad at Lamar for long.

And no matter how bad I treated him, he just kept coming back to me with those eyes. The kid looked at me mind u was a superhero or something. Me. He was too young to know better.

I watched him for a second as he began to pedal away, and then i turned around. "Brothers!!! Did I tell you guys what he said this morning?" I asked.

"What's that?"

"Lamar said he wants to be just like me when he gets older. can you believe that's?" The idea seemed silly to mf then. Now it haunts me.

We heard Lamar shouting in the distance.

Marcuy!"

I tired back to see him pedaling my way as fast as he can.

A half block behind him, a white sedan was speeding down the alley in our direction. Something was sticking out of the window. It glinted in the bright sunlight.

" watch out, Marcuy," Lamar yelled. My little brother was trying to protect me.

The car raced towards us, it's windshield tinted so I couldn't get a good look inside. Lamar was pedaling fast, but the car was coming faster.

I yelled for him to get out of the way, but he wasn't rushing for cover. He could have his behind the dumpster, or he could have darted to the inside street.

But instead Lamar came toward me, his big brown eyes wide open and unblinking ad he pedaled, the bike squeaking like a field of crickets.

Chago, Jesus, and Frankie were scrambling behind the low rider. I could hear their shoes scraping the concrete.

" get down, homes!" Frankie yelled.

Then the shots rang out.

Pop! Pop! Pop! They sounded like loud firecrackers, but the smell was different, more crisp, like the smell of burning matches. The kind that burns the inside of your nose.

Lamar reached me, leaping from his bike into my arms as the car approached. I didn't have time to think. I just grabbed him and turned so that my body covers his like a shield.

More shots rang out. A bullet zinged past my ear. Another hit the sidewalk and rocketed into a window some where. I can still hear the glass breaking in my dreams. Then, just as suddenly, the bullets stopped. Looking back over my shoulder, I saw car turning the corner, wheels squealing like some kind of demon.

" they're gone, dude," said Frankie. He stepped out from behind the Le Mans.

My heart was about to jump out of my chest. I'd heard gunshots, and I'd seen a store after a shooting. But I'd never Bren shot at before. I took a deep breath when I was sure they were gone.

"It's okay now, Lamar." I said. My little brother looked like he was sleeping. I almost didn't want to brother him.

" Lamar?" I repeated.

The guys rush to my side as I remained kneeling.

"Come on little man, wake up. What's the matter?" I put my arms under him to sit him up, and I felt the wetness in my hand. It was warm, like bath water, but it was coming out the back of his head.

" Marcus, it don't look like he breathing," chago said softly. The toners his voice alarmed me ' cause chago never talked like that.

'Oh, no," junior said.

My vision was breaking up I was seeing the world through shattered glass. My hand were red, and my little brother's life was spilling out into gf street mixing with the spok like rain.

This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. Not to my brother.

" come on, Lamar," I said, rocking him like I didn when he was little, "come on."

People were starting to gather around. But I blocked them out.

Lamar was going to wake up. He had to. I touched his cheek.

He was still warm, and his skin was soft like when he was baby. But my fingers left smudges of blood on his face, and his brother," I said. " wake up!"

A women screamed in crowed behind me, and then u heard a voice. "call an ambulance! That boy been shot."

I couldn't talk or move or think. I just say there on the ground holding my little brother.

Some one put an arm on my shoulder. I turned to see Frankie there, his eyes dark and stormy, his Brie rumpled like a dented car.

"We'll get them, homes," he said. "We'll get them." He patted me on the shoulder and walked away. I heard the sirens screaming closer then.

I couldn't let go of Lamar when the medics arrived. They had to pull me away because I wasn't going give up on my little brother. But inside, I knew he was gone. And, in a way, so was I. Whoever shot him tore a hole through my heart too, a black hold that, instead of blood, gushed only a desire for revenge.

And as I endured the trip to the hospital,the sound of the my mother wailing at the top of her lungs, the sight sink when I washed my hands, that desire grew like a tumor.

That was two months ago.