Manuel Martinez

Paul Healy
ELA 11
10/15/15

He Will be Back Home

It was a normal afternoon and happiness was transmitted through the sound of
the birds that prepared their nests to sleep. People as usual were coming from their jobs
and they were enjoying the warm dazzling sun. All of the sudden my friend Freddy came
running to my house shouting my dads, my moms and even my name loudly. When he
got to our house he was out of control that we made him sit.
What happened, why are you being so loud for? My dad asked.
A war, He said. He started to hesitate even more.
What war? Dad asked.
A war has begun. The government wants to have control and they know that
guerillas [exist]...[and they] reinstated the death squads in order to combat the rebel
forces (Kane). Many people are getting killed and for others their homelands are being
bombed. They cant stay there so they have to evacuate and leave behind all they have
Answered Freddy.
In the news we heard that The FMLN progressed from using machetes and
small pistols to using grenade launchers and other imported arms (Kane). That was
when we realized that we had to do something about it, before the war got to our town.
I wanted to go as far away as possible from El Salvador (Interview). Our only strategy
was to prepare ourselves mentally. Days passed and nothing seemed to change. In the

news all we could hear was about more people being slain and both opponents wouldnt
agree in making peace. Days later we found out that La Guerrilla and the government
were recruiting civilians to fight with them. I was worried for my friends and family
because I didnt want them to get recruited. I didnt know what to do and I couldnt think
how I was going to react if the war reached my town and I had to let go of family
members. We prayed to God every night in our knees to keeps us safe.
Months passed and nothing had changed. Every day the war kept on expanding.
On a Monday morning we heard a gunshot and then another one. We were all shocked
and everybody panicked.
Fatima? my mom asked.
Im here, I responded.
Come over here quick! my dad stated.
I dashed towards them immediately. There was my father with her in the kitchen
waiting for me. In that moment I couldnt talk because I was afraid and I felt that if I talk,
they could find us and hurt us. We were sitting in the kitchen floor when suddenly
someone forced the door. In that moment I didnt want to move one muscle. When I
turned to my mom I could see tears in my her face and I without meaning to, I started to
do the same. Meanwhile we could hear objects being thrown everywhere. They
definitely knew someone was in this house. For a second everything went silent and I
could hear my heart beating. My dad was started to hug us and in a low voice he to both
of us that he loved us. He hadn't finish the sentence when a couple of uncovered young
men with a shotguns were pointing at us and saying with authority to get up and walk
out. They took us out pushing us and hitting my dad because he was trying to stay

inside. I was crying loudly and I tried to fight them but a fourteen year old girl was no
challenge for them. I also ended up getting hit in the face. I couldnt do anything else but
to obey. Once we got out they had two long lines of people older than eighteen.
Unfortunately I saw my dad being pulled away from us.
Don't worry, Ill be back safe. Take care of your mom and yourself he scream
said.
I will I answered.
I didnt want to see him being treated brutally, so I turned around and I ran
leaving mother by herself. All I wanted to do was to cry. There was nothing else I could
do but to cry and wait for him to come back as he had said.
Days and months passed and neither my mom nor I knew anything about my
father or about our friends. One day we found out through our neighbors that some of
the recruits escaped and came back home safe. That same day I went and looked for
them and I asked them about my father. Their faces changed from smiles to being
serious. They sat down with me.
Your father He said.
Yes, my father Jose I answered.
The last time I saw him was about a month ago, before I escaped. He was
planning to escape with us but sadly two days before we left, they separated him from
us.
But why? I asked.

I dont know, but I am sure that he is okay because your dad is a warrior and he
wont give up. Hell fight until the end and we will be here to watch him come back, He
answered.
Thanks, I said and I left with my head down.
I was a bit happy because he gave me hope about me dad coming back. I could
picture him coming home from my window and I could also picture having a great life.
My dream was to move out of the country and start all over because alI had seen and
heard was shocking to me.
Three more years passed and I didnt hear anything from my dad since some of
my neighbors escaped. Sometimes I ate because I was forced to. I couldnt sleep that
much because every time I went to bed I started to think about him. I was grateful that I
still had my mother. I kept repeating to myself that he was going to be back as he had
said. I hoped that once he came back we would have many happy and unforgettable
moments with him as a united family. I am 20 years old now and I am still waiting for
him, I know that hes alive and that he misses me as much as I miss him.

Work Cited
Kane, Maureen. "Civil War in El Salvador." Civil War in El Salvador. 1 Dec. 2002. Web.
16 Oct. 2015.
"La Masacre Que Qued Impune En El Salvador." BBC Mundo. 22 Aug. 2012. Web. 16
Oct. 2015.