Sick & Twisted

Meet Carlos Pena

"Family: The simplest, important, and most wonderful thing in the world."

Carlos Pena took a deep breath, clutching his one year old sister, Anna, on his side as he walked into a convenience store. Anna was becoming fussy, pulling on Carlos' jacket; she screamed

"I'm hungry"

"Shhh..." Carlos lulled his baby sister. It had been the first time they had eaten since he had left. Carlos walked into an aisle.

"Find some snacks," he said gently kneeling down on his knee, letting her run towards a fruit snack section of the store.

He followed her, letting his fingers slip into his pockets, sighing. He grabbed out the envelope of illegal money he had stolen from a guy on the street. Basically a mugger. Carlos looked at his baby sister, seeing how unaware she was of her surroundings. She quickly grabbed onto a box of dinosaur shaped fruit snacks,

"Carlos! Carlos! Look what I got!" She exclaimed, running into her brother's arms.

"Whatcha get?" He smiled, quickly fixing the oversized pink hat.

"It's twerraspos." She said, her English now being good.

"Triceratops." He corrected her and she quickly pouted, a smile appearing on his brim face. He grabbed a shopping cart, gently putting her in the seat, buckling her safe.

"Where's momma?" She asked, her Spanish accent was fluent.

"Mamma's not gonna be here for a while." He lied, and she nodded, playing with the box of fruit smackers. He walked by each aisle grabbing certain things: diapers, bottles, formula. He bought food, though it wasn't a lot. He only had a $50 and that could barely pay the gas bill. Looking through the store, scanning the shelves, he quickly saw Kayla. Crap, he thought, quickly pulling Anna out of the cart. He was scared that she would see him. Kayla was Carlos' girlfriend -- well ex. They dated for four years, then once Carlos found out she was cheating, he quickly left the relationship. He sighed of relief, gently setting his sister in the cart, he continued shopping. Now I bet what you're thinking, why is Carlos taking care of his little sister? Easy answer: he got kicked out. No, it wasn't for not paying the bills. No, it wasn't because of bad grades. Carlos rubbed his eyes, trying not to let tears fall as he saw Anna look so happy, though they were homeless.

- - Flashback- -

Carlos walked into his house, hearing screams coming from his mother. He quickly ran in, his eyes bewildered. Seeing his mother's boyfriend strangling her; strangling.

"Mom!" He screamed, seeing her eyes close as the man pulled away.

"Bastard!" He screaming, grabbing the taller man collar's labeling him in the face. The man fell against the frame of the door, shocked.

"Carlos-No!" His mother begged, but he didn't listen.

"Fuck you man!" The older gentlemen screamed at the Latino; running up to him, throwing Carlos onto the floor, as he began to punch him in the face. Carlos became dizzy; but wouldn't give up. Carlos quickly grabbed the man's knuckles, twisting it as he heard the man's bone crack.

"OUCH" He moaned, pulling his hand away. Carlos weakly stood up, grabbing a frying pan from the stove, hearing a smack as it came into contact with the man's face. He couldn't just stand there and let his mother get abused. The man fell onto the concrete floor, feeling blood trickle down his temple. A gash appeared on the side of his face, and Carlos soon heard Anna, screaming as she hid under a table. The man stood up, sick of this.

"I'm outta here!" He screamed, rushing out of the ghetto looking trailer, running out of the trailer park.

"RICK!" His mother screamed, about to run after him.

"Don't go!" Carlos screamed, pushing his mother against the wall, trying to stop her leaving.

"No! Why did you do this?" She asked, falling against the brick wall, her knees falling into her chest as she cried.

"Are you just gonna let him sit down and treat ya like shit?" Carlos spat.

"I love him!", his mother screeched.

"Well he doesn't love you." Carlos coldheartedly responded and his mother jumped up.

"Get out!" She screamed, hitting Carlos repeatedly as she broke down.

"Why did you ruin the one thing in my life that was perfect?" She screamed and Carlos chuckled.

"He beats you mother."

"Fuck you Carlos! Get out of here! I never want to see you again!" Carlos stepped back, shaking his head in disgust. "Fine." He said, pulling his hood over his head and he kneeled down by Anna, pulling her into his arms as he walked out of the house.

- - End of Flashback - -

Carlos wiped away the tear that quickly formed, he saw Anna start getting fussy. "You all done Anna?" He asked his little sister as he pushed the cart.

"Mhm..." She nodded, playing with a little toy truck she grabbed while they passed the toy section. "Vooommmmm..." She said, running the toy car along Carlos' arm, as he pushed the cart to the checkout section of the store. Carlos giggled, his little sister had turned into a tomboy. Though she was only eleven months. Carlos sighed knowing he wouldn't be able to have any money to buy her a birthday cake this year.

"Let's pay for this stuff." He said emotionless as they put their items on the convertor belt.

Carlos held onto to Anna, he began walking to his car, when seeing a few men he didn't know; though they knew him. They had guns and he knew they wanted him dead. Carlos turned around, and began walking the direction. They had a picture of Carlos, but the picture was old, two years old. Though Carlos looked nothing like he did now, and he began walked. Carlos held a tight grip on his baby sister, as they walked around town. They didn't have anywhere to go. His mother had hated him, his father left when he was six, and he barely had any friends. He sighed, walking into an alley, seeing his breath in the frosty air. Hearing Anna shiver, he quickly took off his gray sweatshirt, revealing himself in a long black long sleeve shirt but that didn't do anything. Letting the cold air linger up his spine, he quickly knelt Anna down on the ground.

"Lift your hands up baby," He said sweetly and Anna raised her hands up. Carlos quickly put the gray sweatshirt over her head, struggling for it to fit.

"You warm now?" he asked and she nodded happily.

"Good." He responded, pretending as if he wasn't freezing which he was. He cursed to himself, rubbing his arms. He picked up Anna and began walking. He didn't know where he was going, but he had to end up somewhere.