Arturo Steps Up

By Leticia Gordon

1
The August sun blazed down on Arturo, relentless and inescapable. He shambled
across the sandy expanse of Wilkins Beach, trailing sluggishly after his younger
brother Julian. It was a Tuesday and they had the shore to themselves, but Arturo
couldn’t think of a more miserable way to spend the afternoon.
2
Arturo had worked all week at Pizza Palace, eight-hour days on his feet in the
sweaty, greasy kitchen, and all he wanted to do now was relax in the shady depths
of his bedroom, alone and unperturbed. Instead, he was stuck babysitting Julian,
who was seven years old and too young to be left to his own devices. Julian had had
his heart set on a trip to the beach, and after nagging Arturo for three hours that
morning, he had finally convinced him to pack up the second-hand station wagon
and head to the shore. So now Arturo found himself sweating once again, this time
far from a pizza oven but much closer to Julian’s never-ending antics. It was times
like these that Arturo resented his status as the oldest sibling, as well as all of the
duties that came along with that role.
3
Julian, on the other hand, was apparently unaware of his brother’s moodiness, or
perhaps he was simply so accustomed to it that he no longer let it bother him. He
had already chosen his spot on the beach, unfurling his oversized towel with a grand
gesture. After setting down his belongings, he pranced toward the rolling waves and
leaped in, too eager to bother with his lifejacket, which remained crumpled up on his
towel.
4
Observing his brother’s ostentatious performance out of the corner of his eye,
Arturo shook his head irritably and laid out his own towel. He rummaged around in
his totebag to find his portable music player. With a few clicks, he had turned on his
favorite album and tuned out Julian almost completely. He lay back on his towel and
covered his eyes with a floppy sunhat that Julian had discarded in the sand. Arturo’s
mind drifted along with the music, forgetting about Pizza Palace and the upcoming
school year, with all of its projects and exams. He let his mind wander to a less
stressful place, where he didn’t have to worry about money or grades or keeping up
with Julian. The music played on and on and Arturo felt himself unwind. Maybe a day
at the beach wasn’t such a bad idea after all….
5
But something wasn’t right. Through the sounds of his favorite song, Arturo heard a
strange, almost imperceptible noise. With a sickening feeling in his stomach, he sat
bolt upright and whipped off the sunhat. It was Julian. Without thinking, Arturo
sprang up from the sand and raced toward the water where—far in the distance—he
could see Julian’s head barely bobbing above the water, crying out for help. Arturo
dove in, fighting through the waves to reach his brother.
6
“I’m coming to get you, Julian!” he screamed, desperately hoping he would get
there in time.
7
At last he reached Julian, who was thrashing helplessly in an attempt to stay afloat.
Arturo heaved him up onto his back and paddled toward the shore, struggling under
his brother’s extra weight, but determined not to give up. When he finally felt the
squishy but solid sand beneath his feet, he was filled with a sense of relief. As he
made his way out of the water, he eased Julian down and walked him toward the
towels. Out of breath, the two brothers sat side by side for a long, quiet moment.
Arturo blinked back his tears as he thought about what might have happened.
8
“Want to build a sandcastle?” Julian suddenly asked, oblivious to the tragedy that
had almost unfolded.
9
Arturo smiled, realizing that Julian was going to be just fine. Julian picked up his
pail and shovel and they walked back toward the water, where the sand was damp
and perfect for castle construction. (Still shaken, Arturo made sure they kept a safe
distance between themselves and the waves.) Julian quickly set to work while Arturo
watched. Arturo remembered his own days of building sandcastles, back when he
was Julian’s age. He used to come to the beach with his parents, playing for hours
and hours. Things had been much simpler in those days, back then when his only
job was to build sandcastles. He had even used that same pail and shovel, building
elaborate and imposing structures, futilely wishing that they would last forever. As
Arturo reminisced, Julian’s castle grew to impressive heights. Featuring four towers
and a deep moat, the castle was trimmed with pebbles and shells from the shore.
Arturo helped him with the finishing touches, a few stray seagull feathers for flags
and a small piece of driftwood for the drawbridge. They stood back and admired
their handiwork.
10
“This tower is for me,” Julian told Arturo, gesturing enthusiastically. “And this one
can be for
you.”
11
“Thanks, buddy,” Arturo told him, without an ounce of his usual sarcasm.
12
By then, it had grown late. As the sun began to sink, Arturo shook out their towels
and packed up their belongings. He looked toward the water and saw that the tide
was coming in, steadily lapping at the sandcastle. The eastern side, where Arturo’s
tower stood, was already starting to crumble. Soon, it would wash away entirely and
only their memory of it would remain.
13
“Do we have to go already?” Julian asked, his eyes imploring Arturo to let them
stay longer.
14
Arturo was surprised to find that he had actually started to enjoy himself, but he
knew that they were due home. Although it would be fun to stay out past curfew, he
needed to step up and be the adult. “Yes,” Arturo told him. “It’s time.”