I am so tired of waiting,
Aren't you,
For the world to become good
And beautiful and kind?
Let us take a knife
And cut the world in two-
And see what worms are eating
At the rind.
-Langston Hughes

I was born in the bayou ‘bout 15 years ago. Didn’t have too much family, just my mama and papa plus my grandpapa who I didn’t see too much. When I was 5 I was out playin’ in the trees when I heard some yellin’ and screamin’ from the house. I ignored it for awhile cuz my mama and papa was always fightin’. Then I jus’ got a bad feelin’ and I went back and looked in a window. My mama was layin’ on the floor and my papa was over her with his hands on her throat. ‘Cept she wasn’t movin’. I ran off into the trees and hid, I knew it was somethin’ real bad.

I stayed out there for a few days, wasn’t scared to be out there by myself cuz I knew the place and knew the animals wouldn’t be hurtin’ me. But I came out after awhile and there was some strange people at my house, guess they was waitin’ for me. They took me to the city and put me in some room with a few other kids for a couple days, I didn’t like that. Then after a couple days I found out that I was gonna be livin’ with my grandpapa from now on and so I went back to the bayou with him. He didn’t pay much attention to me, didn’t care what I did. Think I was more of a bother to him than anything. So I spent mosta my time out in the bayou. But when I was 10, I went back to the house and saw him just sittin’ there in his chair, not movin’. I went over to him and he was all cold and I knew from seein’ dead animals that he was dead too. I didn’t want them people from the city to come and get me again so I ran off. Ended up in the city after awhile, guess I was jus’ curious ‘bout it. Wasn’t there very long when I comed on some people fightin’. One side was gettin’ it real bad so I went and did somethin’ to scare the other side and they took off. That’s when I found out about Las Arañas, the ones I helped. They took me back to Paco and he was real nice. Took me in and everything.

So I became one of ‘em and made lotsa friends. Problem was, they always took care of me and never let me do nothin’. So I didn’t feel like I was bein’ useful or nothin’. So awhile after Paco got turned into a vampire, I asked him to make me one too. He didn’t wanna do it at first, but I got him talked into it. Sorry I did, now. Never kept ‘em from tryin’ to protect me and I got me some real bad weaknesses. Can’t never learn nothin’ new, so I ain’t never gonna be able to learn and read or nothin’. And I ain’t never gonna grow up past 15 in my mind or my body. So I’m stuck bein’ a kid in every way. Ain’t no guy gonna ever wanna be with me cuz of that. So I guess I’m gonna be stuck all alone and shit.

Wasn’t too long ago that I ended up havin’ to leave Las Arañas. I was tired of the deal between us and The Strikers and I wanted us to break it off. But Paco was real careful not to let any of the non-white Arañas around any of the Strikers. So I got a plan to help. I talked to Miguel’s cousin Rafael and he put on one of our jackets. Went in to where some of the Strikers were and started talkin’ bad to ‘em. Then he ran off. And the Strikers went after a bunch of Las Arañas and that broke up the deal. But Rafael got caught for a bit and it was all my fault. Gary hurt him real bad that night and even though they fixed him up when he came back, I still felt bad. So I made myself his guard. I protect him as much as I can. I ended up havin’ to leave cuz I couldn’t do some of the things that Paco thought all of us should do. Liza asked me to help her out with her forest and I spent a lotta time at the bayou. But after Paco did some really bad things, I decided to join up with Las Panteras. Lure was there by then too, she got in lotsa trouble for knowin’ what I was gonna do with The Strikers and not tellin’. She’s a good friend, said she wouldn’t hold it against me for leavin’. She treats me real good. So does everyone else, but I think that they feel sorry for me. Cuz of me bein’ stupid and all. Gary’s side got hold of me for awhile and that Megiana put a mark on me so’s they could do stuff to me. Liza helped me to get the mark hid, I really gotta thank her for that. I dunno how things’re gonna end up, but I gotta do what I think is right. Even though I ain’t much help, I do what I can and I’ll keep doin’ it.

Education is an admirable thing,
but it is well to remember from time to time
that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.
-Oscar Wilde

Do not underestimate an enemy even though he looks small
-Japanese Proverb