"All the guys were opened to constant threats and assaults from all directions. It might be their victim's friends or their family, rival gang members, or their codefendants they turned state's evidence against" (43), that's especially how teenager, Luis felt all the time. Luis had been in and out of lockup, and this time he was going to be back for a long time taking class with Mr. Chura again. While Luis and Mr. C caught up, Luis began to tell him his story. "I'd only gotten there five minutes sooner he'd still be alive. Five minutes" (46). This was the guilt that Luis lived with. Luis was meeting his brother, Felipe, in the Bronx so they could both go in to get haircuts. Luis was running a little late because he had to pick up stuff for his Abuelita's birthday, it was her birthday the day her grandson Felipe was killed. Luis saw commotion in front of their barber shop, but he just figured "somebody was getting the shit beat outta him, somebody's always got beef with somebody else in the Bronx..." (47) When Luis saw a kid run away he got a feeling that his brother was in trouble, so he ran over. As he pushed people out of the way he saw Felipe, bleeding out of his stomach. Felipe's friend Paco told Luis to get out because the Armenian's were looking for him. Luis had no idea who the Armenian's were and he did not care because all he could see was his brother dying right in front of him. He told his baby brother to hang on for his life as he shouted for help. Luis held his brother, talking to him, hoping for any sign for him to be okay. As he did this "the more the dark hues of his own brown skin drained from his face, as though it was his blood hat was seeping out from the four bullet wounds Felipe took in the stomach" (48). Luis held his baby brother as he died, and he could not do anything about it. After Felipe had died Luis's battle was not over. The Armenian's were looking for him to kill him, yet Luis had no idea who the Armenian's were, why they wanted to kill him, and why they killed his brother. As time went on the Armenian's tried to kill his mom, she was hospitalized. The only time his grandma left their house was to attend her grandson's funeral. Luis's family devastated and living in fear because of the Armenian's for reasons unknown, and they were not going to stop until they found Luis and killed him too. Luis moved around with his family to try to protect them all he wanted was for his whole family to feel safe again, but everywhere they went the Armenian's followed them. He was never safe and he would never feel safe again. The police found many weapons in his car and immediately arrested him, and that is why he was in lockup now. Luis was never safe. He was not safe in jail and he would not be safe when he got out of jail. The Armenian's were waiting for him out of prison and he never knew if there was one waiting for him in prison. This fear would follow him around for his whole life, because they would not stop until he died. Now he lives with not only the guilt of his brother dying, but also the fear that was a constant reminder of his dead brother.
Luis cannot ever live a single day in his life, because of the constant fear that he lives in for himself and his family, and for what? He does not even know why the Armenian's are looking for him. So what is Luis to do? He cannot ever keep a job because the Armenian's will find him and Luis will again have to run. He cannot have a life, because he knows that as soon as he settles they will find him and they will kill him. So what are the police doing to protect him and his family? The government? Nothing. There is no protection for these people, these people who did not even do anything wrong. Our government loses hope in people so easily. There is no hope for Luis, when Luis was home he tried to do good by protecting his family and staying clean, yet there was no reward only punishment.
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