I ran until my lungs felt like they would tear apart.
The shouts of the temple guards faded behind me as I slipped through narrow alleys and cut across familiar streets. My arms burned from the weight of the offering box, but I didn't dare slow down.
All I could think about was Mama.
Just hold on… please hold on.
I turned the last corner toward our neighborhood when I heard a voice.
"Andre?"
I stopped.
It was Carlos.
My best friend since we were children. We had stolen fruit together, fought bullies together, slept under the same broken roof during storms when both our houses leaked too badly.
He stared at the heavy golden box in my arms, eyes wide.
"Where did you get that?" he asked.
I was still breathing hard. "I… stole it."
For a moment Carlos just looked at me.
Then his face lit up with amazement.
"You're serious?" he said, stepping closer. "Andre… that's the temple offering box!"
He circled me like he was looking at a miracle.
"Do you know how much money is in there?" he whispered excitedly. "We'll never be hungry again."
We.
The word stung.
"I'm not keeping it," I said quickly. "Not like that. I just need a doctor for Mama first."
Carlos's smile faded slightly.
"We should split it," he said casually. "You know… fifty-fifty."
I shook my head.
"Not right now. My mama comes first."
For a second something passed through his eyes. Something small and sharp.
But then he smiled again, wide and easy.
"Yeah… yeah, of course," he said. "Your mama first."
He clapped my shoulder.
"You go. I'll watch the street. If the guards come this way, I'll lure them somewhere else."
Relief washed over me.
"Thank you," I said.
He waved me off. "Just hurry."
I ran the rest of the way home.
The door creaked open as I pushed inside.
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
"Mama?" I called.
No answer.
Then I saw Pedro.
My little brother was lying over her body, sobbing so hard his shoulders shook.
"No… no no no…"
The box slipped from my hands and hit the floor with a dull thud as I collapsed to my knees.
"Mama…?" My voice cracked.
She didn't move.
I crawled closer, my chest tightening until it hurt to breathe.
"I came back," I whispered, grabbing her hand. "Mama I got money… we can get help now…"
Her skin was cold.
I broke.
The sobs ripped out of me like something tearing through my ribs.
"I'm sorry," I cried. "I'm sorry I was too slow… I tried… I tried…"
I don't know how long I stayed like that.
But eventually the crying slowed.
And that's when I saw it.
A mark.
Faint… but clear.
Finger marks around her neck.
My stomach dropped.
Slowly, I turned toward Pedro.
"Pedro… did you leave Mama alone?"
He looked up at me, tears covering his face.
"I… I…"
"Did you?" My voice was shaking.
Pedro hesitated.
Something inside me snapped.
"PEDRO!"
He flinched.
"I only left for a moment!" he cried. "Carlos came by and I went to get water!"
My heart stopped.
Carlos?
Just then the door burst open.
Boots thundered into the room.
Guards.
And behind them
Carlos.
They rushed forward and grabbed me before I could even react.
Hands forced my arms behind my back.
"What are you doing?!" I shouted, struggling. "Let me go!"
My eyes locked onto Carlos.
"Why, Carlos?!" I yelled. "Why?!"
He looked at me calmly.
Like we were strangers.
"You're a thief," he said coldly. "And I brought you to justice."
My chest felt like it had been stabbed.
"Take him away," he told the guards.
"No!" Pedro suddenly screamed.
My little brother rushed forward, grabbing onto me, trying to pull the guards away.
"Leave Andre alone!"
Carlos's face hardened.
He grabbed Pedro by the collar and yanked him back.
"Stay out of this."
Pedro struggled.
Then
Carlos punched him.
Hard.
Pedro flew sideways and slammed into the sharp corner of a stone block.
The crack echoed in the room.
He fell.
And didn't move.
Blood slowly spread across the floor beneath his head.
"PEDRO!" I screamed.
Rage exploded inside me.
I lunged at Carlos.
But before I could reach him
Something slammed into the back of my head.
The world spun.
The room blurred.
The last thing I saw was Pedro lying in the growing pool of red… and Carlos watching me with empty eyes.
Then everything went black.