Page 4 of Instinct & New Identity

My mom laughed and swatted at his arm. “Carlos.”

I knew my parents loved each other, but that didn’t mean they had to be gross about it.ThoughIdefinitely saw what they had and wanted that for myself whenIgot older.Thatdeep love that lasted all of eternity.Myparents were high school sweethearts back home inPuertoRicothen moved toFloridafor jobs in tourism and hospitality.Theygot married and had me a few years later, followed by my sister.

Valeria looked like my dad, tall and lanky with sharp dark eyes and dark straight hair.I, however, looked like my mom.Shorterthan my sister, at five foot five and a half inches—yes, the half mattered—with lots of curves and dark curly hair.Iwasn’t ashamed of my body, even with all the extra curves, butIdidn’t necessarily like all the looksIgot because of it.

Most of the boys at my school were crude, and the one and only boyfriendI’dhad so far,Mitch, apparently only wanted to be with me because he thoughtIwould be a “great lay.”Mybest friendGabriella’sbrother heardMitchtalk about it in gym class and relayed it toGabriella, who told me.Ibroke up with him the next day.Iknew my odds of finding my forever man in high school like my parents did were slim, but that didn’t meanIwas going to give my virginity to any cute boy.Iwas holding out untilIfound the right man.Iwasn’t necessarily waiting for marriage, but also not just any random guy, either.Maybecollege would provide that man.

“Pitstop time,” my dad said as we pulled into a gas station. “Okay, first gas, then restroom break, and we meet for snacks and drinks.Vamanos!”

After we used the restroom,ValeriaandIperused the snacks while we waited for my parents.Weeach had a few things in hand when my mom and dad came up behind us to see what we’d grabbed.Aswe all chatted about choices, we heard a crash near the front door.

“Everybody freeze!”Aman in a black mask yelled, waving a gun in the air. “Nobodymoves, and nobody will get hurt!”

He had three other guys with him, all of them armed.Twoof them blocked the doors, while two others made their way to the cash register, pointed their guns at the clerk, and demanded money.

My dad and mom pushed us to the ground and tried shielding us with their bodies.Atthe same time, my dad handed me his cell phone and told me to call 911.Myhands were shaking, butIdialed it and tried to speak quietly into the phone soIdidn’t draw attention to myself.

“911.What’syour emergency?” the operator asked.

“There’s a robbery,”Imumbled quietly to the woman on the phone.

I gave her the location as bestIcould sinceIwasn’t from here and described what the men looked like and what they were wearing as bestIcould since most of them were covered in black masks.Whenthe cash register was empty, the clerk held up his hands and tried to tell them that was it.

“The safe.Openthe fucking safe now!” the guy closest to the register yelled.

Everything else happened in slow motion asItried to relay everything to the 911 operator on the phone.

The man behind the counter turned, andIthought he was going for the safe, but he was actually reaching for a gun himself.Heturned and just started firing at the men in masks.Fromthere, bullets started flying in every direction.

I heard screams and yells and felt my parents push harder over my sister and me in an effort to protect us from the firefight with their bodies.

The two men by the door took off, presumably to their car.Thetwo other men were down by the counter, not dead but not moving much either.

The clerk came from around the counter, leaned over with his gun, and removed the men’s masks.Thatclearly startled them because they scurried up and tried to fire again at the clerk.Hewent down, but not before getting off a shot at one as the two shooters left.

The other one started crawling out the front door but looked back in my direction just as he was leaving.Hisface was mean and sweaty, and he had a jagged scar that ran the entire length of his cheek which made him look even more menacing.Thenhe was out the door.

Then, there was just silence.Nogunfire.Noscreams.Nonothing.AllIcould hear was my heavy breathing.Iwas too scared to move.Nobodymoved.Notmy sister, my parents, or anyone else in that convenience store.

I heard sirens in the distance now getting louder.Feelingthe weight of my parents still on top of my sister and me,Iturned my head in my sister’s direction.

“Valeria?” my voice croaked, probably raw from screaming.

“Catalina?” she asked back quietly.

“Are you okay?”

She just whined in response, but at leastIknew she was alive.

“Mamá?Papá?Isit safe to get up now?”Valeriaasked, but there was no response.

I called them again myself but got nothing.Mysister started crying, andIrealized the same thing she had.Myparents must be hurt.Badly.

My entire world had changed, and it was only about to get worse.

2

CAT

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