January 16, 1994

This short story is about a young boy who comes to America illegally.

January 16, 1994


         Dear journal,
                It seems like we’ve been on this boat forever! I’m hungry and tired. All we’ve had to eat this week was old water and dried beans. I’m seasick and all I can taste is my…


                 
Sorry about that. We must have hit a sea- reef. The boat reeks of human urine and feces. Ma-ma and Pa-pa are sharing stories with all the other immigrants. We are all escaping communism in Cuba. I can’t help but to feel happiness and sorrow at the same time. A thing I thought could never happen. I’m happy about having a new home and life, but I regret leaving Cuba. Fidel Castro sickens me. He took our family’s land and kept it for himself as a private beach. Wha-Whats that noise? I think we’ve reached land. Oh-no, we’ve been caught! I’ve go to go for now. We’re escaping down the trapped door. Bye-Bye
              Signed, Jose Santiago Lopez