War Among Humanity

Previously...

"Hey," Javier unsurely greets, knowing who was calling.

"... It's time. Get over here." Was all his brother, David, said over the phone, tone steady and filled with a hint of sadness mixed with coldness.

Javier was quiet for a moment, taking in the vague but heartbreaking information. "All right, I-- I'll, uh... I'll start packing up."

...

Javier races down the long road, houses along the street lit up and cars parked in front of them as the sun set in the distance.

"Now. Javi." David had urged firmly. "You need to hurry."

Javier trips over his feet before correcting himself, wheezing pants leaving his mouth as he ran as fast as his legs would carry him.

"Look, I'm not giving you shit. Okay? I'm just... You weren't here when Dad was sick, okay, I get it. But you need to fucking be here when he goes."

"I know!" Javier had insisted. "All right? I'm just... I'm on my way."

Javier wheezed violently, his lungs burning from the cold air as he willed himself to keep running, silently pleading for his father to hold on until he got there. Sirens wailed in the distance, Javier paying no mind to them as he rounds the corner of his old neighborhood.

...

David sat on the front porch steps, a pack of beer resting besides him. He picked one up, exhaling heavily as he pops it open and drinks from it.

"David!" Javier desperately shouts, struggling to catch his breath as he slows to a stop in front of his older brother. "David-- hey!" he doubles over, panting heavily as sweat drips off his hair and down his temple. "David, man... I had to leave my car. Traffic's just... It's backed up for miles."

He straightens out, his breathing still ragged as he looks up towards David.

"He's dead," David quietly speaks, shaking his head.

Javier's heart sank as he looks towards the house window, his mother weeping into her brother-in-law, Hector's, chest.

"No!" Javier exclaims, his hands coming up to the sides of his temples as he paces around. "No... No, no, I... I tried!"

David rises from the porch after setting his beer down, his expression hardening as he walks down to Javier. "You're a piece of shit, you know that?"

He shoves Javier's chest roughly, scoffing in disgust as he glares at him.

"One time. Just the one God damn time that you needed to be here!"

"I tried! Please... I tried!" Javier weakly defends, his eyes pleading for David to understand.

"Oh, you tried?" David mocks with another scoff, rolling his eyes. "You fucking tried?!"

He swiftly brings his fist back before colliding it against Javier's cheekbone, catching him off guard and knocking him to the ground with a grunt of pain. Javier props himself up on his elbows, hissing in pain as he looks up at David.

"Everyone's here!" David shouts furiously, eyes blazing with anger. "They've been here for days! And where the fuck were you?!"

Javier tries to rise, David firmly pushing his chest back down before pinning him in place with his hand around Javier's neck.

"We're there... all around him... people who love him all around him... and he's scared," David's harsh voice wavers as he holds back tears. "I'm seeing the panic in his eyes and he's searching the room... 'Where's Javier? Where's my boy?'"