“Uh… Erik.”
Although Erik wasn’t too thrilled about being there, Dylan seemed a little too overjoyed to see a new face. While Erik was oblivious to Dylan’s talking, picking up a few words here and there, he was letting his eyes wander around. Sub-consciencely, he knew he was going to end up there eventually, but he didn’t think it was going to be like this. It was nothing like what he saw on television or in the movies. It was very cold; so cold that despite the fact that he was wearing his heavy sweater and three-hundred-dollar leather jacket, he was still freezing. There were many cracks in the walls, some more prevalent than others, and he wondered how this place could still be standing safely. Those things didn’t bother him as much as the smell. How can all these people live like this? He thought. It’s like soaking in a bath of urine and vomit.
“Erik, you have a visitor.” The guard startled him, but Dylan was more upset than he was for interrupting his story.
“It’s a record. Not even half an hour in and you already have a visitor.”
As he walked down the hall, still heavily guarded by security, the smell got stronger. I can’t wait to get out of this place. They’re all staring at me! Every few cells he managed to take a peek in, and they looked identical to the one he was previously in, and occasionally he spotted some graffiti.
The security guard opened the door and stood there waiting for him to go in. As soon as he got all the way through, the door was slammed and bolted behind him. He stood there for awhile, letting his eyes scan the room. There weren’t very many people there; much less than he expected. There were no windows, and a lot of security guards watching his every move. At least in the cell I'm not constantly watched.
“Erik” His train of thought was broken as he looked over to who was calling him. “Erik, come sit down.”
“Mom, you have to get me out. You don’t know how they live in here!” His mother just stared at him. He could tell what she was thinking. “Linda, you have to get me out of here!”
“André, you’ve told me all this be…”
“Mom, I’m not my brother!” Next thing he knew, he was staring at him mom as the security guard closed the door that was about to separate them.
“Erik! Erik, come back!” He turned around to look at her one last time. He felt a tear fall from his eye. “Erik!”
Dylan was back into his story, and he couldn’t help but let his mind wander again.
It was surprisingly warm considering the time of year, and even though I was glad it was, I was hoping it would rain. A black hearse drove up slowly until it reached a complete stop. Six men, only four of which I knew, carried the coffin to the grave.
“We are gathered here today,” these words made my curious mind and eyes stray once more. Mom was dressed in all black with a veil over her face, and despite her red eyes, she was more beautiful than ever. It wasn’t very often that I saw her dressed so becoming; I would get home from school or work many times just to find her sprawled on the sofa with a bottle in one hand, a cigarette in the other, and the remote control on her stomach so she wouldn’t have to get up.
My father drove from New York as soon as he found out, and stayed at my house until the funeral. Out of everybody there, he was the strongest, but the weakest at the same time. He was the closest to André, and even though he didn’t shed a single tear during the ceremony, we could all tell he was grieving the most.
But out of everyone who was there mourning André, nobody would miss him as much as I will. We worked together, and whenever we had free time, we were out there drag racing or stealing cars. I knew that eventually I would be the only one left, but I always thought that I would pull out of that life before it got too bad. I was wrong.
But here I am, awaiting my fate; the same fate my brother did just one year ago. I never thought I would turn out like him, like this. but I’m so far in now, I’ll never be able to dig my way out.
