The plan was for Paulo to follow Fernando home from school and gut him on the trails — leaving the boy's body for nocturnal creatures to feed on. The plan was spearheaded by Diego Santiago, leader of The Blood Rooks, a brotherhood for lost Latinos. Paulo was exactly that...lost. He immigrated to the United States from Venezuela with his mother when he was just a boy. His mother was waiting tables and working late night shifts just to pay rent. Often, they would go weeks without heat in the dead of winter. Paulo's mother sometimes sacrificed her own body for cold hard cash to pay utility bills. Paulo's stomach churned at the sight of his mothers withdrawn face and bleak, dark eyes. He accepted the poverty of his existence yet, wanted desperately to help his mother. He was so desperate that he began to resort to crime.

     It was the summer of his sophomore year when Paulo met Diego at a keg party. They magnetically gravitated to each other. Diego possessed a criminal mind, and his juvenile police record was longer than most families' grocery list. His alluring green eyes had a glimpse of charm and a seemingly cool demeanor. Diego dropped out of high school in 9th grade. He always hung around the high school perimeter to sell drugs to those who were careless of their future. Diego carried an illegal pistol as an intimidation tool. He persuaded Paulo that The Blood Rooks was a family. No Latino in the brotherhood was left unnoticed. Diego said by joining the brotherhood, there would be enough money for Paulo to do more than pay his mother's rent, he would be able to buy her a house south of Montauk Highway, near the sandy beaches.

     To be initiated into the brotherhood, Paulo had to meet one requirement: Draw blood from a victim of his choice. Desperation incentivizes bold action. Paulo scouted Fernando one morning in between first and second period when he saw Fernando chicken walk his way to his locker. Paulo studied his potential victim's daily routine for a week. He stalked the young musician, taking mental notes on where Fernando lived and how he got to and from school. Paulo concluded that Wednesday evenings after music lessons, Fernando would walk three blocks to his mother's apartment, who didn't get home from work until after 6 pm.

     Paulo submitted the notes to Diego, who practically drooled over the details. Together they developed the plan. Diego looked Paulo in his eyes and, with ferocity, asked, "Will you sacrifice your life for the Blood Rooks?" Paulo glanced into Diego's luminous green eyes and simply nodded. Diego opened his jacket, where he brandished a knife. He pulled it out and placed it in Paulo's hand, "The choice to be one of us is in your hands."

     A mist bombarded the suburban neighborhood. In the pit of Paulo's stomach brewed nervous anticipation as he waited for his victim to walk down the street. A thousand scenarios ran rampant through Paulo's mind. This was his opportunity to belong to a brotherhood that truly understood him. No longer would his mother have to sacrifice her body to make ends meet financially. Paulo gripped the knife tight in his moist hand. He crouched behind a parked car and perked up to set his eyes and gaze on Fernando, who could be seen in the distance walking down the street with a violin case in hand. The thunderous thud of his heartbeat pounded in his chest. Sweat burbled on Paulo's forehead. Fernando casually was casually walking home, the way he always walked home after violin practice — with music notation scrolling through his head. The inner workings of a genius in motion. Fernando made his way down the street, and as he passed the parked car, Paulo stalked Fernando from behind. He wrapped one hand around the unsuspected victim's mouth. The other hand forced the tip of the knife into the boy's back. It was a quick thrust of the blade that made Fernando buckle to his knees. Paulo dragged Fernando into the woods, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

     Light had already succumbed to darkness. The woods were heavy with bark, leaves, branches, and brush. Paulo had dragged Fernando in about fifty yards. He hacked relentlessly at Fernando's body, a catharsis for Paulo's own inner gloom. The strength of his weight on top of the young body was smothering. The terror in Fernando's eyes paralyzed him from screaming. The young musician remained stunned as the sting of the blade sliced through his most vital organs.

     When Paulo came to his senses, the young musician was saturated in the darkest of blood. An immediate rush of fear overwhelmed Paulo's mind. What did I just do? He questioned. Fernando could barely breathe. Blood and saliva poured through his semi-gapped teeth and dribbled onto his chin. Paulo didn't know what to do. There was no one around in the bleak of the night. Fernando's slain body was almost lifeless. His arm extended out and reached for Paulo's feet as he gasped for his last breath. Then finally, Fernando exhaled. His eyes shuttered to a silent close. Fernando's lifeless body was sprawled out like a dead log. The only sound came from the echo of summer crickets and the swirling mist from the foggy night. Paulo stumbled backward as he took one last hard look at Fernando's body before darting away.