The Eyes of a Fighter: A Serial Novel

Chapter 4

Carlos held the phone away from his ear. The voice was screaming. His aunt was crying and he couldn't understand anything she was saying. She kept saying "University Hospital", but other than that he couldn't tell.

"Tia, you have to slow down," he pleaded. "I can't understand you. What's the matter?"

There were more sobs and he had to strain to understand, but when he heard Carson's name he started to put things together.

"Is it Carson?" he asked. "What happened? Is he ok?" He looked around the garage and several people had begun to come over. they had heard the commotion and desperation in his voice.

His aunt finally gained some composure. "Carson was hit by a car. He's at University Hospital. I have to get there soon. Can you take me?" She asked. Her voice was full of pain and sadness.

Carlos began to pace back and forth in his small office. He was trying to think. "Of course Tia. Of course, I can take you. I just saw him yesterday. He was fine. Anyway, yeah I can be there in fifteen minutes."

His other mechanics gathered around the office door. They had looks of concern on their faces. Scorpion, who had been shooting pool the night before, was wiping his greasy black hands with a rag.

"Hey Carlos, man what's up? Is everything ok?" he asked. They had been friends since middle school. Carlos was usually pretty reserved and always kept his emotions guarded.

Carlos left his office in a rush. He didn't even acknowledge the worried people standing in the doorway. All work in the garage had come to a stop.

Scorpion grabbed Carlos by the arm as he tried to rush past. Very few others would have been able to do that without getting hurt. Carlos whipped around in anger. "Hey you better let me..." he cut himself off when he saw who had grabbed him. He shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut to blink away tears.

"Is it your little cousin?" Scorpion asked. "I thought I heard you say his name."

"Yeah she said he was hit by a car earlier. Tia says he's at University Hospital. I need to give her a ride there. I gotta get there as soon as I can. He's hurt really bad I think." Carlos was already trying to pull away from his friend.

"No way you're driving man. I will take you. No problem. I'm done for the day anyway." Scorpion grabbed Carlos's keys from the desk.

They went outside and got into the car. Carlos slumped over in the passenger seat. "I shouldn't have been so tough on him last night. I shouldn't have pushed him and called him out like that. The kid is sensitive," Carlos said. He balled a fist and punched the dashboard. "I should have kept myself in check!" He punched it again.

"Man there's no way you're responsible for this. You can't control where cars are driving," Scorpion was speeding through the neighborhood streets. "You know him. Little due probably had his head in his phone and wasn't watching where he was walking."

Carlos gazed out of the passenger side window. Small raindrops were beginning to hit it. He ignored Scorpion. He didn't have any sense. He didn't know his family like Carlos knew them. He had pushed too hard and tried to be too tough on Carson. He was probably scared and feeling guilty about losing the gun. He shouldn't have given it to him anyway. He wasn't ready yet.

Carlos covered his face with his hands. "It doesn't matter now. Just get Tia and let's see if he's gonna be ok."

The ride to the hospital was covered in a thick blanket of silence. Each was lost in their own concerned thoughts and worry. Looking out of the windows they saw gray clouds in the sky. The rain began to fall harder now. Fall was fully upon them. The cold air gave a preview that winter snow wasn't far off.