SURPRISE SHOOTING

by Analy Gamino

“I think something is happening, Guys.” Jenny told me and our friend Andrea.

Dragging our feet as if they were heavy bricks, we were on our way home from soccer practice. Jenny suddenly pointed out to us the gang members standing suspiciously in every corner, we knew something was about to happen.

All of a sudden, we saw them running towards us. Jenny just stood there like a blank statue in shock, not moving. I reacted immediately by grabbing a hold of her.

“Jenny, you dork, move out of the way!” I yelled.

I sat them down in the alley between two big dumpsters that looked the size of two blue whales. Crouching down in front of them, protecting them from harm, I served as a shield covering them as if I were a magical cloak. Then the strong, rotten smell of the reeking, slimy garbage struck my nose. I watched out for them like a tiger watches out at night awaiting its attacks.

“Analy, what are you doing?” Jenny asked me.

“Shh, stay down and be quiet.” I responded. We began to hear these loud noises coming from 26th street. Blaring loud crashes coming from the gun made my ears explode. Feeling the thumping of my heart, recognizing it as fear, I realized I needed to get it together. The thumping grew louder and I felt it pound my chest as if at any moment it were to shoot right out.

"Wait, is it all done?" asked Andrea.

"Shut up, we’re trying to listen.” snapped Jenny.

I was still in shock, but could respond, “Both of you, just be quiet for a minute.”

We couldn’t hear or feel anything but the chill of the cold breeze. That was when I decided to come out from hiding. Moving slowly, checking if the coast was clear, I scanned my surroundings. The alley was dead silent and appeared so wide and endless as if it were a never ending road. Just when I thought it was safe, I saw a gang member wearing a big black sweater and baggy jeans silently creeping out from in between dumpsters just a few feet away. I moved like the speed of light, too fast for him to see me move in my position.

The shooting stopped once we all heard the sirens from the police cars approaching. We came out form hiding and were on our way home safely to tell the story to our family. This was just another dreadful, shocking, unthinkable challenge we go through, our own form of personal growth.