7 Would he give me an ice cream?

Guaracy was seeing himself playing with a toy car, in the corner of the only room in the house, it was simple but well cared for, his parents were sitting outside talking to the neighbors.

They smoked and talked about what the street would look like, when the government finally regularized the settlement, bringing running water and electricity.

His father got up and took Guaracy on his lap, "We'll talk again later... today I promised to take Guaracy to the park" he looked into Guaracy's eyes and said "And then we will have a chocolate ice cream"

They walked through the streets of the community, several shacks were made of plastic, wood and others were made of bricks, like his, but there was still a lot of free space with trees and vegetation, they spent the whole afternoon in the park, he had fun, ate ice cream and met some 'friends' of his father, a pity that at the end of the day they had to take him.

*

*

Now, Guaracy was looking at himself when he was 6 or 7 years old, his younger self was walking through the garbage, he passed the moldy walls and kicked the syringe that was locking the door, Paulo and João were waiting for him to play football.

They ran through the dirt streets, dodging people and construction materials, the number of houses had increased considerably and as the city hadn't regularized the settlement, the houses were built in every free space.

They crossed 'streets' so tight that only 2 people could pass at a time and always had to be careful with clandestine electricity wires.

The wasteland, where the children played football, was on the other side of the 'river', which was more like an open sewer than a river. Obviously there isn't a bridge, so they crossed the river jumping from stone to stone to the other edge, this was the most fun part of the way.

This was the favorite place for the children in the community and a few dozen took turns to play there, they played for a few hours until they started hearing shots.

RUN !! RUUN!!

AHHHHH!!!!

The older ones dragged the younger ones and ran as fast as they could to get out of the line of fire, Guaracy looked back and saw the police chasing two men through the alleys.

The chase didn't take long, as soon as the fugitives arrived in the open field near the sewage river, the police unloaded their weapons, the children saw the execution, but their concern at the moment was to get out of there as fast as possible.

Guaracy was already on the other side of the 'river' when he heard one of the children scream in pain, when he looked back he saw João lying in the river full of sewage, Guaracy screamed for help and ran back into the sewer, João was desperate trying to keep his right leg in one piece.

*

*

The next memory was still in that same room, but now Guaracy was about 10 years old, he was hurt, but in that moment he was more worried about his mother, lying on the floor.

"Cy... mommy is fine! Next time, try not to intervene... now please go! you have to arrive there before the other boys... "

Guaracy knew that if he didn't go now, the two of them would end up starving for another day, he ran with all his strength down the hill and when he arrived, the pedlars were already starting to store the goods.

Guaracy had arrived late, the other boys were already helping to dismantle the stalls and store the goods in exchange for food.

"Do you need help?"

"Can't you see, that already has three helping me?"

After running the fair from end to end twice, trying to find someone in need of help, Guaracy decided to take another lap, trying to find the fruits and vegetables that fell on the ground.

On the way back home, Guaracy saw João sitting on the sidewalk, asking for money, Guaracy sat next to his crutch and looked at the dirty bandages that covered what was left of his shin. They talked for a while and Guaracy helped him up the hill.

*

*

The memories changed again and 2 years passed by, but he was again, in the same room and crouched in the corner again, Guaracy was dirty with soot from cars and sunburnt from spending all day walking in the sun.

Younger Guaracy's thin arms were shaking with rage, as he tried not to look at the 'fight', but his will never mattered much and soon he was dragged into the middle of it, when his mother's new boyfriend, lifted him up by the shirt and started rummaging through Guaracy's pockets.

"What did you do with the rest of the money? Will you keep telling me that after spending hours at the traffic light, you only got this? back to the street now! you already know what will happen, if you don't bring enough money "

Guaracy ran to the street, but he hated beg for money at night, because the dynamics were all different at that time, most honest people who were on the street, were afraid to get close to him and Guaracy did not want to get close to the non-honest ones, in this period.

He walked very carefully through the streets of the community, one of the worst things that could happen, would be to see what he wasn't supposed to be seeing, if he passed when a drug dealer was doing something a little worse than selling drugs, his life was not going to last, actually it was more dangerous to meet the police, they only came in the community at night to deal drugs or for the weekly bloodbath.

In these events there were always some bullets left, even for those who were sleeping at home and as in every memorable event, it started with fireworks.

When he passed in front of one of the many alleys, Guaracy felt someone approaching him, he turned around already thinking about running, but it was only João, he was all dressed up in new clothes and had a new prosthesis on his leg.

"What's up Guara? still asking for money at the traffic light? "

Guaracy was unable to answer.

"You need just ask, that I introduce you to the homies, you will earn enough money to get out of the shit you and your mother live ..."

"Thanks!... I'll think about it, now I have to go.."

"It is all up to you" João continued walking with a crooked smile on his face.

I will never be a drug dealer! For me you all deserve to rot in jail... Guaracy went down the street cursing the whole world, mentally of course.

Guaracy went down the entire community to one of the busiest avenues in the region, it was a very common commercial avenue, but totally different from the streets of the community.

A few minutes later, he was already walking in the middle of the cars parked at the traffic light, trying to get some coins, he spent a few hours asking for money or offering to clean the windshield of the cars, with dawn arriving, Guaracy was exhausted and hungry, but he was afraid of returning home with so few coins.

Walking down the avenue he saw a colorful cafeteria, all bright and clean, people were eating, laughing and talking without even paying attention to the food, to Guaracy , the scene seemed to come from fantasies and dreams.

Guaracy didn't notice, but he was already ten minutes watching the 'theater play' through the window, he didn't even realise that an employee left the cafeteria and stopped beside him.

"Here Boy !!... take it!"

Guaracy only realized that someone was talking with him when the employee put a hamburger in his hand.

"...thanks ?"

"Now get out... you're bothering the customers"

Everything lost its importance for him, he could only see the sandwich, Guaracy only remembered something important, when he was close to finishing, hmm… since they are bothered, maybe they will get me more food .. Would he give me an ice cream?

Guaracy was already smiling while eating, but he got even more excited when he thought about the possibility of eating a chocolate ice cream, he turned around trying to find that employee, but what he saw was another street boy.

The boy seeing Guaracy's silly smile, decided to smile back, a red and mocking smile.

Guaracy froze seeing that smile, the boy's teeth were covered in blood and he had bruises all over his body, Guaracy almost dropped the sandwich.

"Hey... wait...", but Guaracy had taken too long, the boy had already mingled in the crowd.

*

*

Once again to the corner, but this will be the last time, Guaracy, now 13, could no longer keep his eyes closed, he had tried to separate the fight many times in the past, but he always ended up making the situation worse.

When Guaracy saw his mother being beaten again, he couldn't stand it and took a knife.

"ENOUGH! Get away from my mother! "

"Put that knife down kid, before I make you regret it"

"I will not put the knife down until you walk away from my mother and leave this house"

"Wait, Guaracy, he'll stop doing this ..."

"Shut up, woman, who do you think you are, kid?… Do you think you can boss me around? inside my own house?" he said as he took a gun from his pocket.

Guaracy froze when he saw the gun pointed at his face, but the noise and the pain woke him up, if she hadn't interfered, the shot wouldn't have lacerated just his cheek and ear.

Guaracy's bloody face was contorted with anger and pain, Guaracy jumped with the knife, the guy tried to stop Guaracy, but she grabbed his arm, the knife went in his shoulder, he tried to push it and the knife cut his arm, he jumped back and the knife cut the thigh.

She knew there was no turning back, Guaracy had nothing on his mind but hate, the memory was blurred in this part, it only became clear again, when he found himself waking up handcuffed in a hospital bed.

Guaracy looked around trying to understand the situation, he was alone in the room, he tried to call someone, but then, he felt pain and when he put his hand on the bandages, which covered part of his face, he felt that something was missing.

"HEEEEY!!! SOMEONEEEE!!"

"WHY AM I TIEEEED?!!"

*

*

The next memory was only 1 month ahead, this time he was in a building made to house children like him, the decoration consisted of some bars, fences and some faded drawings on the wall.

The decoration tried to give the impression that at some time in the past this place was cheerful, perhaps for a few seconds before the inauguration.

Guaracy had a huge cut on his face, which ran from his cheek to the missing part of his ear, it was noon and he was sitting with many other boys.

"Heey Scar, is today the day you leave, right?"

"Yes... they found my aunt" said Guaracy as he tried to finish lunch.

"Does she live far away?"

"Haha... she lives in the same community as me, but because my mother was fighting with the family, I had never seen her, maybe she already saw me, when I was very young".

One of the employees came up to the table and said "Guaracy, get your things and go to the lobby, you will be released in a few minutes".

Guaracy had nothing to pick up, so he only said goodbye to some colleagues he had made at the shelter and went straight to the lobby.

In addition to the usual employees, Guaracy saw a middle-aged couple, they looked uncomfortable there, as if they had been forced to be here.

Her name is Maria and she was dressed like some women he saw entering church, only her head and hands were uncovered. Guaracy always thought it was funny how they could dress like that in the Summer, otherwise she looked like him, straight black hair, reddish skin and 1.50 meters tall.

They took the bus to the community and arrived in a simple townhouse, Are they rich? Guaracy was really impressed with the size of the house.

However, his opinion changed a lot, when he discovered that 15 people lived in that house and that his bed would be a piece of fabric in the corner of one of the rooms.

While they were introducing him to the other members of the family, one of his uncles said "What about your mother? had she appeared?"

"Haha ... And be arrested?" said the uncle who brought him.

Guaracy looked at him and said "She will definitely be back ..."

"It's been over a month ..." said the uncle.

"When she needs money, she'll show up ..." said his aunt while getting some clothes for Guaracy to wear "she had always been like this ..."