The Only One Crying?

The sunshine seemed to be so brutal that summer day. For some odd reason I couldn't wrap my brain around the day. The world was so calm, it just made me feel so enclosed. 1

I didn't always feel that way though, I had always been a happy person. Never turning a blind eye to something had happened almost suddenly. What happens to us when we're that age, the age between near understanding the world and just beginning to contemplate. As children we see the world so innocently, so far from the truth and yet so close to us. Why do we feel this way as children? Why did I feel this way? 2

I used to play at this playground about two blocks from my house, it was fun. We used to swing on the swingset and climb on the monkey bars. I used to hang out with this boy, who was so sweet. His hair was bright blonde, just like mine, we went together just like it was preordained in the future. We had so much fun. 3

Until our world broke into a million pieces and collapsed. Sending what we knew as so familiar, into something which was so foreign. It seemed, suddenly, that the two of us had been flung into something that we had no knowledge of. 4

It happened on the sunny morning of our first day of school. Had the day not been so memorable I doubt you would have current knowledge of it. However, I was there and it did happen. Kyran and I had been walking down the sidewalk towards school when it happened. Two cars came careening down the road and just started shooting. The bullets came flying at us all too quickly. Kyran pulled me down till we were flat on the sidewalk. 5

"Stay down.." he whispered.
I nodded and stayed completely still, I watched as he lifted his head to look at the men shooting. I looked too, but my view was from the underbelly of a car. I watched as the men drug people from their homes, sometimes slitting their throats before they were even on the front lawn. I closed my eyes tight and shuddered as fear gripped me. 6

Kyran was older than me by two years, I was lucky I was so smart or I would never have met him. I was in his class only on behalf of my smart brain. They pushed me forward two classes, so instead of being in 6th grade I was in 8th with Kyran. 7

"Aénor, you have to stay down." he said to me suddenly. "Don't move." he commanded. 8

I just laid there watching as he ran from me. His feet hitting the pavement with such force it seemed as though the vibrations reverberated towards me. He snuck into a house and never returned. I stayed there for several minutes, just waiting. Until finally he came out, but something wasn't right, he was staggering, falling and trying to catch his breath. I sat up a little and looked at him, I longed for him. He made me feel so safe, so comfortable in this sudden moment of chaos. In my moment of need I neglected to see the worry on his face, the pain and the tears cascading down his cheeks. Only after calling out his name, did I truly see those things. 9


"Kyran?" I questioned, looking at him staggering towards me. At first I didn't know what had happened, I felt my heart pound in my chest. My throat suddenly went dry while my eyes began to overflow with sadness. Each tear, a feeling, a desire and a hope but neither would be fulfilled. As I saw him finally go down on his knees I felt the oddest feeling, but not so much strange as expected. I felt as though my heart had been crushed, like subconciously I knew what had happened, but in reality I had no idea what was going on. 10

He fell to his knees, then to his stomach just laying with his hand reached out towards me. The tears in his eyes were so pure, so expressive, and as he mouthed words to me I still could not leave him. Against his orders I ran towards him with full force. Kneeling beside him and taking him in my arms. 11

"Kyran?" I whispered, tears blocking my vision. 12

"Aénor, hide." he gasped. 13

I looked him over, blood soaked the front of his shirt, as I looked closer I saw three bullet holes which were gushing out blood. I suddenly felt sick to my stomach, I felt as though I would puke right there on the ground. Kyran, seeing my troubled reaction put a clean hand to my face. 14

"I'm going to a better place..." he said, "somewhere where I'll be happy and I won't hurt anymore." 15

"What are you talking about?" I said, my emotions getting the better of me. "Why can't you stay?" 16

Kyran smiled, "I can't stay Aénor, I'm going to die. We all die someday, remember?" he said assuringly. 17

I nodded, my eyes were stinging from my own tears. While my heart was breaking with the idea of Kyran leaving me. 18

"I don't want you to go." I said putting my head to his shoulder. 19

"I know, but you'll never forget me. I'll always be watching, even when you're playing on the monkey bars, or painting in school. I'll always be there, always watching." he said, his eyes suddenly closed and his head dropped. His body was limp in my arms, and I couldn't help and scream and cry. I was mad, sad and had the sad feeling of abandonment. 20

"You didn't have to leave." I whimpered, "I love you." 21

Sudden noises caught my attention as I noticed men coming out of the houses with their guns. They'd kill anyone left alive, I knew they would. Reluctantly I left Kyran lying there and hurried back to the car I had been hiding beneath. I watched as the group of men split up and began searching the bodies. Three came towards me, stopping to examine Kyran. They kicked his body and prodded him with the tips of their guns. 22

Every bone in my body wanted to rush out and stop them, but my fear was more powerful than my heart. I watched as they moved on, passing me and continuing on down the block. 23

After awhile they all returned to the car they had come in and left. As I stood, watching the car turn the corner I realized the bloodshed in which they had committed. I remembered what my mother had always told me to do. 24

"If you're ever in danger, or hurt call 911... okay honey?" her voice rang in my head, over and over again. I looked for a street name and rushed inside the nearest house. I grapped the phone and quickly dialed 911. 25

"911, Operator what is your emergency?" answered a woman who's voice was so comforting.26

"My name is Aénor Williams and I need help now! Men came and shot everyone and I'm the only one here. I need help." I begged. 27

"What is your location?" asked the woman. 28

"Foster street, I'm on Foster street in Sacremento, California." 29

"Help is on the way." she replied. 30

I hung up the phone and about fifteen minutes later I heard the sirens of the police cars. They questioned me over and over again. Asking me exactly what happened and when, who the men were, what they looked like and how many there were. I was overwhelmed with questions. 31

When I returned home my parents hugged me and wouldn't let me go. Everyone told me I was lucky to have survived. All because Kyran had kept me safe. 32

Weeks passed, and while other people had stopped mourning and had gotten on with their lives, I hadn't stopped crying yet. I would walk the street that had harbored that awful situation that day. The rain pelted against my umbrella. I looked up to the sky and smiled, "Thanks God, I'm glad I'm not the only one crying." 33

Was it a terrible thing for a 13 year old girl to go through? Yes. Was I sad that I had lost my friend? More that you know. Am I happy now? 34

I'll never be happy, but I will always be content. Kyran had given his life for me, protected me.35

I will always be thankful for that.