CHAPTER ONE

I woke up to the sound of a fly buzzing around my ear, buzz buzz buzz. The fly lands on my cheek and I swat at it. I look over at my clock, 6:00 still early bruh. I hide under my tiger blanket to shield the minimal sunlight peering though my yellow-stained blinds. The sour smell of my armpits motivates me to get up, motivates me to apply deodorant too.   

I see a crow perched on the tree outside my window. It caw’s and flies onto the adjacent branch. Ma busts into my room. “Edgar, wake up!”

“Five more minutes!” I groan.

She twists the door knob so that it doesn’t make a squeak. Ma usually wakes up hours before me, right when Dad leaves off to work. I never see my Dad as he leaves early and comes really late. Even when he comes back, his mood is ‘unbearable’ according to my mom. 

“I’m going out to work, the bicycle is out in the garage my baby boy, go safely”

“Fine Ma.”

Her rose petal perfume swarms into my room and invades every corner of it as she steps out of my room. The living rooms’ dusty hardwood floor squeaks as her sneakers step.

I get up to pick out my clothes for today. White T and Dickies. As usual, I have many pairs of this same exact outfit. I get teased at school, but I think my swagger is undeniable. My fresh white sneakers are always clean and shiny white. Milo, our pitbull, scratches my door and cries for me to open it. I open it.

“Hi bubba!” I say endearingly.

He leaps onto the bed and lays on his back, signaling for belly scratches. I pick up the white t-shirt from my hanger in my closet. When I turned around, Milo had puked out all of her breakfast. 

“Really…”

He runs out the room and begins barking at the birds outside. The pungent smell of sour dog food motivates me to get the blanket off my bed. The once jubilant and happy tiger on the blanket, seemingly has a frown once I remove it from my bed. Gosh, this reeks. The disgusting warmth of the blanket triggers my gag reflex as I run down the hallway. Milo sprints right into me like if he had a rush of some kind. BLAH. The sticky liquid is all over me in an instant… Great!

“My Pro-Club!” I shout.

My originally white shirt now has an orange tint. My entire body shakes with frustration and anger.  I can hear the inconsistent clack of Milo’s overgrown nails hitting the floor. The hollow floor echoes and the noise gets louder. With my hands, I try to push my body to a sitting position. My navy Dickies are basically black now, soaked in puke. 

“I hate this!” I mumble to myself

I turn around to see Milo on the couch. He pounces. OUCH! I’m back on the floor, hands on my face; hot with frustration and embarrassment. My own dog has made a fool of me. 

He wags his tail in excitement and licks the remaining puke off my face. I check my phone which conveniently is in the pocket of my soaked pants. I click the home button. Seven fifty o’clock! School is about a ten minute drive from my house, but Ma isn’t here to drive me there. 

Shoot. School starts in a few minutes and I am a total mess. I muster enough energy to lift myself from the now sticky floor. The puke adhered me to the ground, so it was difficult to get up. On my feet, I feel a buzz coming from my phone. It’s Ma.

Ma: r you at school yet mi niño??

I sprint to my room to get ready, getting there on time is my priority. Ma always sends me these messages, I hate them. She checks up on me like if I were a baby. It does not matter, today I will take the semester math test. Quadratics, or something like that. Mr. Ortega, my math teacher, is making it eighty percent of my grade. I’m on the edge of failing, I can’t miss this test.

I change into another pair of the same outfit, a white tee with navy Dickies pants. My shoes are a little rough, but I can’t do anything about it. Grab my backpack and head out the door. As I walk out of my room, I get another message. From Ma.

Ma: hello?? is everything okay?

I don’t have time for these stupid text messages. I check my phone’s camera and fluff my hair out on both sides. It’s fresh, I know it. Even after the ordeal, it stayed intact. My precious Edgar haircut. 

Milo is on the couch again, and stares at me as I walk out the front door. I usually give him a little nose rub when I head to school.

“Not today bubba.” I say in a shameful voice. 

He gets off the couch and begins to follow me, I shut the door behind me. Right on his face. I guess he deserves it. 

CHAPTER TWO

I open the garage door, which is something I never do. My white bike is stained, rusted as I never really use it. I blow the dust off quickly and get on it. The area I live in is dangerous, navigating the streets is risky sometimes. It’s better not to take chances around here. 

I feel fast, not going to make it on time, but close enough. The dry wind hits my face and dries the sweat and previous grime that had been on it. I feel confident. I feel free. 

I feel the buzz coming from my phone again, but I don’t take notice. I cross the first street light and glance up at the sky. I hear a close and grand presence above me. CAW CAW CAW.  The beautiful waves of crows keep me in awe. The black contrast to the light blue sky amazes me. I sense an unwelcoming thing behind me, but I can’t put my finger on it. I turn around, the bike aside. A car. Unable to do anything. 

Impact. 

Cold. 

Blood.

On the floor, I see something. Tired. I feel my vision blurring and my eyelids are becoming heavier. I can’t do this anymore. The rush, to my head. I black out. 

* * * 

I wake up to the smell of sterile needles and syringes. White lights, blinding and fingers frozen. My eyes feel sore and my entire body, numb. I look to my side and see Ma. She hugs me and gives me a kiss on the forehead, how she used to when I was younger. She quietly sobs and I'm completely confused. I have a stubborn thought. I saw a black figure, small and sharp. 

I try to compose myself, but I can’t. I feel the rush again. Ma sees my face. Before she can get a word out, I speak first.

I blurt, “I think a crow looked at me.”