A Brother Knows

By Fernando Aranda

In A Brother Knows, a young boy named Alejandro mysteriously vanished without a trace from a small town in Mexico. He had been taken by a Mexican drug lord for punishment of the boy's father having stolen funds from him. Alejandro is taken to the United States and was brainwashed to believe his name is Alex now and has a new family and leads a n

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stratton Press
• Release date: Aug 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781648955389

Fernando Aranda

Fernando S. Aranda is a freelance writer and holds a bachelor's degree in finance, an executive MBA, and a master's in psychology. He also served in the United States Air Force. With his parents being born and raised in Mexico, he has roots and family history in various towns described in his book. Although he has worked in the insurance and banking industry for over twenty years, his true passion has always been writing.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Missing

It was a muggy summer in May 1985 in a little town in Mexico. There was a young boy named Alejandro who was very active and loved playing basketball. He had light skin, brown wavy hair, brown eyes, and was a bit scrawny since he was always on the move. Alejandro loved to explore and was therefore always coming home a bit dirty at the end of the day. He lived in the mining town in Cloete, Coahuila, Mexico, where the residents knew each other very well and looked out for other children such as Alejandro. Children there could leave their homes early in the morning in summer, go out and play with their friends, eat at their houses, and come home later in the evening. There was never any cause for concern for their well-being since it was a very peaceful town.

Cloete was not known to have any major crime or violent activities; it was a nice place to live and grow up in. Just about everyone knew each other and helped out when help was needed. Local convenience stores usually gave residents monthly credit allowances for food and drinks, knowing they would get paid at the beginning of the next month. When anyone would go buy items, the clerk would open up a journal, write the date and total amount of merchandise being bought, and tallied the balance. Hardly anyone defaulted on these credits, and everyone loved the stores that worked well with the residents. This was before the mines stopped running and jobs started disappearing.

Many older generations of the citizens of Cloete had worked in the coal mines, which provided good steady work for everyone. However, the mining operations had since stopped producing, leaving the old mines deserted and many hills of coal lying still in the entrance of the town near the mines.

Cloete had its own elementary school and a very nice Catholic church located in the town square. The town was approximately ten minutes away from the few larger metropolitan cities of Nueva Rosita and Sabinas, but far enough off the main road to be secluded. If you were to be driving on the main highway between Nueva Rosita and Sabinas, you would miss the turn into Cloete. Most of the shopping and jobs were located now in these two larger towns, so residents of Cloete had to travel by car or bus just to get there.

Alejandro was about five years old and was the youngest in the family. His older brother Eduardo was about eleven years old and was at the plaza playing with his friends. Their parents had separated when Alejandro was around four years old, and they had not seen their father since then. It had been around four months since he left them and never heard from him again. Neither Alejandro nor Eduardo knew why their father had left, but managed to get along just fine without him. Eduardo had taken on the fatherly role in the house, making sure that Alejandro was okay and doing chores as needed. Eduardo was a very good brother. He had short straight brown hair, a little darker skin color, and was tall for his age. You could say that he took care of the family very well, and he did not mind being in that role. His main concern was the safety of his brother and helping his mother out.

It was early in the evening, and Alejandro knew that for him to get to the plaza and play basketball with his brother, he needed to walk through an alley that was long, dark, and scary at night. The alley was between his house and an old abandoned elementary school. The school was used as a playground for kids during the day and was usually empty at night since it was very dark. Just behind his house next to the alley was an older home that had chickens running around the backyard and a mean old dog that loved to bark when people passed by the alley. His home was a very cozy home that had all of the newer amenities. It was by no means fancy, but rather a humble house. There was a nice backyard to play in, but had no basketball goal to play with.

Alejandro told his mother that he would be back in a few hours and that he was going to meet up with Eduardo in the plaza. His mother, Rocio Diaz, was a loving mother as any mother in Cloete would be. She had fallen into a deep depression since her husband left, but tried to maintain a positive attitude when her boys were around. Rocio was in her early thirties and was a very beautiful woman. It had not been easy since her husband left, but she did as best she could to keep the family as stable as possible. Besides, she had Eduardo, who helped her quite a lot around the house.

Before Alejandro left for the plaza, Rocio kissed him on his forehead and told him to be careful and have a good time. With her right hand, she made the sign of the cross on his forehead and let him go to the plaza to play with his brother. He bid her goodbye and walked out of the house and over to the corner of their lot. He stood at the entrance of the alley, looking all the way down to the end. He could see the plaza in his sight and could even see his brother’s friends playing basketball off in the distance. It was not that he was afraid of the dark or the alley, but of the of rumors about a large-sized bird that looked like an owl always watching over the alley and waiting to cause harm to anyone crossing alone at night.

The town legend named this bird la lechuza, and if you heard whistling from this bird or are around it, you would wake up with bruises the next day, but would not remember how you got them. Others said that the bird would sometimes take the children to feed at night.

Having heard these stories was enough to make Alejandro wonder about crossing the long dark alley alone. In the back of his mind, he knew it was all a made-up story, but his heart was racing, wondering if there was a chance that this story was true. He looked around, trying to see if anyone else would be trying to cross the alley. However, no one else was around since it was a very small town, and most of the adults were in their homes unwinding after dinner, and the children were at the plaza already.

Alejandro took a few small steps into the alley and walked very carefully. As he took a few more steps, he began getting farther into the darkness. He walked slowly, feeling his way by touching the old wooden fence that surrounded the alley on one side. He would consider running, but knew that there were rocks and potholes in the ground that would make him trip and fall, and he did not want that to happen. He had previously fallen many times in the alley; however, it was usually in the daytime and usually ended up with cuts on his legs from the sharp rocks on the ground.

There was nothing but dirt and sharp rocks on the path, and the dirt would kick up when you walked on by. He knew that stumbling and falling would not be good, especially at night. That would only give the large bird a chance to get him, so he knew he had to walk slowly and carefully. As he walked, he could feel the wooden planks with his right hand on the fence give way to his touch. The wooden planks were very old and had lots of splinters on them. That was why he had to be careful feeling around to avoid getting splinters while making his way along the fence with his right hand guiding him. The other side of the wall had concrete with sharp edges sticking out, which made it hard to feel around as well. He just knew it was easier to follow the wooden side since he knew where the cracks were.

Alejandro took a few more steps, almost nearing what would be the back of his house and closer to the middle of the alley. By now it was very dark all around, with only the faint light coming from the plaza at the end of the alley. His heart was pounding even faster when he heard the leaves move from a branch that was hanging from a large tree in the playground at the abandoned elementary school. He tried to look up to see if anything was there, but was not able to focus his sight due to the darkness that surrounded the tree. Alejandro knew he shouldn’t stop, so he moved forward ever so slowly, feeling his way around the fence.

Suddenly, he thought he heard what appeared to be someone whistling, but could not tell where it was coming from. The leaves from the branch were falling and hitting his head, so he knew something or someone was there watching him. Alejandro thought he could hear his name being called out. Who could it be? he wondered. Why would anyone be hidden in the dark in the alley? He wanted to scream out to his brother, but no words came out from his mouth. It was like a lump formed in his throat, preventing him from speaking. Alejandro was stuck in the middle of the darkness, with no one hearing his muted voice and no one around to help him.

Alejandro clasped the rosary he always carried very tightly in the palm of his hand. He started praying to the Virgin Mary, asking that she would protect him and let no harm come to him. He decided to close his eyes since he couldn’t see anyway and started walking one step at a time. Keeping one hand on the fence and the rosary on the other, he knew his faith would lead him to the end of the alley. He could hear his brother’s voice as he played with his friends down at the plaza, but his brother could not see him since he was still engulfed in the dark alley. Alejandro still had around thirty yards to reach the end of the alley. He was close, but it still felt miles away. All he could do was move forward and keep praying.

Alejandro could hear the branches moving as he moved along the alley. He thought he could also hear his name being called out again. Alejandro, come here, he heard from somewhere in the darkness.

He kept saying to himself in a soft voice, There is nothing there, there is nothing there, but he knew there really was something in the darkness. The light from the plaza was getting brighter as he was able to see the rest of the alley and the wooden fence he had been touching along the way.

There was a large break in the fence about ten yards ahead, and he could not see what was on the other side of the fence since it was still a little dark. The odd thing was that on the other side of the break was supposed to be the mean dog barking at him. For some reason, it was very silent from the other side of the concrete wall, and that was not normal. Alejandro believed that someone or something had done something to the dog, and he was next. He knew he had to keep going and not stop, but his fright was taking a hold of his better judgment.

He kept hearing his name being called out, not only from behind him now, but also in front of him, even from the break in the fence. He stopped, took a deep breath, turned around, and looked behind and all around. His heart was pounding so hard that he could hear it thumping in the lonely alley.

There was nothing there.

He looked carefully around, searching just about every dark space he could see, but could not find anything, but he knew he was not alone. He took a few more steps toward the plaza, and he started believing he was going to be all right. Alejandro had to believe that he would be all right and that he was just imaging everything. The Virgin Mary helped him through the alley and made sure he was safe.

Alejandro starting calming down, almost chuckling, and knew that he worked himself up to such a fright. He believed he was imagining his name being called out, but that couldn’t be the reality since he could not see anyone else in or around the alley. He just had twenty yards to go now to get to his brother in the plaza ahead. He turned back to the remaining alley in front of him, took his hand off the fence he had been feeling all the way, and took a step forward. There was just that break a few feet in front of him in the fence standing in his way to the plaza and his brother.

Just as he was taking his second step, he heard his voice being called from behind the break in the fence. Alejandro, come here, he heard very clearly now.

He dropped his rosary in fright and started praying again. Before he could realize what was happening, he could hear voices next to him, but could not make out who it was. As he started crossing the place in the fence that had the break, he was grabbed by someone and was whisked into the darkness. Alejandro tried to yell out his brother’s name, but it was too late. He had passed out in fright. When he passed out, he fell to the ground and hit the back of his head. He was out cold, not knowing what just happened, who had taken him, or what would happen to him. Someone was definitely there waiting for him, and for now, he would be lost in the darkness.

***

Later that evening, Eduardo finished playing basketball in the plaza with his friends. They all needed to go through the alley to get to their homes and didn’t even think about the stories of la lechuza. All they knew was that it was a legend and that nobody had been taken from their small town, and no one they knew of who had woken up with unexplained bruises the next morning. They were older, so they never really gave that big bird a second thought. It was the job of the older kids to scare the little kids with these stories, and they seemed to work out nicely.

As Eduardo and his friends started down the alley, he felt there was something wrong. He could not explain why, but he could sense that something was not right. He started wondering what was missing or what didn’t seem right that night. Then he realized that for some reason, his brother did not come around as he normally would. He knew that Alejandro would surely come to the plaza as he did every night. However, this time he didn’t show up, and that was very odd. He had seen him earlier in the day and knew he was looking forward to playing with him at the plaza.

He took a few more steps into the alley when his friend Ricardo asked, Isn’t that a rosary on the ground?

Eduardo looked where Ricardo pointed to, bent down, picked up the rosary, and knew it was Alejandro’s rosary. But what could the rosary be being doing there on the ground in the alley? Where was Alejandro, and what could have caused him to drop the rosary? He knew for a fact that Alejandro never went anywhere without his rosary, so he knew something was wrong. This was certainly not normal, and something must have happened to him. His gut told him Alejandro was not around. But where could he be?

Eduardo and his friends rushed through the alley to get to his house. As they crossed the alley, they were yelling, Alejandro, where are you? There was no response.

Eduardo got to his home, kicked the front gate open, and rushed inside to his mother. He asked her where Alejandro was. Rocio said, He went to the plaza to go play with you a few hours ago. Isn’t he with you?

Eduardo couldn’t speak. His heart was racing, knowing that something terrible had happened to his brother.

Mom, Eduardo said, I found his rosary near the end of the alley by the plaza, but I never saw him.

His mother dropped to her knees. What are you saying, Eduardo?

Mom, Alejandro did not show up at the plaza.

"Mijito, where is my mijito!" she yelled.

Eduardo’s friends all came in, saying they could not find him.

Mijo, donde estas? Rocio yelled. She started sobbing and calling out Alejandro’s name in hopes he would hear her voice and return. She was frantic now, and Eduardo had tears in his eyes, thinking that his brother was missing.

I’ll go tell everyone that he’s missing, and we will find him, Eduardo said. He told his friends to go tell their neighbors and the local police as well.

Without hesitation, they rushed out of the house to search and tell everyone. They did not stop looking throughout the entire night until the reality of him missing was starting to sink in. The citizens of Cloete were in deep shock for the disappearance of this well-loved boy and felt sympathy for Rocio and Eduardo.

Everyone in the town searched desperately for days and weeks, but Alejandro was never found. Not a trace existed of what happened to him, but only rumors that la lechuza took him. Others were more suspicious and knew that something more terrible probably happened. Eduardo held on to his brother’s rosary and never took it off his neck. He was not about to believe that he would never see his brother again and vowed to always continue looking for him. He knew his brother was alive, and he would find him.

As time passed, Rocio became more depressed and never left her house. With her husband having left a few months earlier, she somehow knew that his leaving was a cause for the disappearance of her son. She stayed praying in her room, devoted to the Virgin Mary, with candles lit at all times. Rocio was in her own world now, keeping sharp vigil every day and night until her mijito came home.

Eduardo knew he had to do something, but he was only eleven at the time. All he could do was tend to his mother and make sure she was okay, but continued searching across the town and the surrounding ranches. He was not about to give up until he knew for certain what had happened to his brother.

Chapter 2

Family History

Nearly fourteen years earlier in 1971, before she married and had children, Rocio was a senior in high school and was considered a shy but very caring individual. She had light skin, was thin in nature, and had beautiful straight brown hair to go along with her lovely brown eyes. Rocio lived and grew up in Cloete, Mexico, and lived a very humble life with her mother, father, and her older sister Maria. Maria was about four years older than Rocio, and they always took care of her since she was the youngest.

Maria was a very kind individual and worked hard at the local factory in Sabinas. She helped her mother when she got home from work and made sure Rocio was taken care of as well. Maria was looking at moving to Sabinas since it was closer to her work, and her friends were there as well.

Rocio also had an older brother, Juan, who married and moved to Eagle Pass, Texas, to work. Juan, just like his sister Maria, was a hard worker. He managed to get work in construction and was a very dedicated worker. He was a rugged individual, but had a gentle heart when it came to his wife and family. His wife Juanita did not work and tended to their house. Juanita had met Juan many years ago during a visit to her family in Cloete. She was an excellent cook, and everyone loved her tortillas she made from scratch. She learned how to cook from her mother, and everyone knew she had a passion for cooking.

Rocio’s father, Carlos Ponce, had worked in the mines and was gone most of the time because of work. He provided enough for his family to have a decent home and food on the table. He was a dedicated worker, with a great mind and strong physique, yet quiet in nature. Working in the mines made him that way. He was not a man of many words, but when he spoke, he spoke with caring words and offered life advice to anyone who would listen. After work, he loved sitting on the front porch in his rocking chair, reading his paper and drinking an ice-cold beer. Nothing made him more relaxed than enjoying his beer after shifts. More importantly, he loved taking walks in the plaza with his wife. His own father had worked in the mines, and his grandfather had worked in the mines as well. This was customary for the men of Cloete to work in the mines.

Rocio’s mother Elizabeth was an elementary teacher at the school located next to their home on the other side of the long alley leading to the plaza. The building was very old and unstable and was getting too dangerous to allow the school to remain open. The school was very small, but big enough to help make a difference in the community. She loved teaching, and the fact that her home was across the alley made it easy to get home. Everyone loved Elizabeth for whenever she heard that someone was ill, she would cook a delicious dish or bake a cake and deliver it to that individual. She would make the room glow just by her presence alone.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Ponce lived a humble life, always having an open door for anyone who wanted to spend time together.

Next door to the Ponces lived a young man by the name of Agustin Diaz who grew up with Rocio. Being neighbors made it easy to be together. Agustin was about two years older and had already graduated from high school. He lived alone since his parents had died a few years earlier in a horrible auto accident. He was a very smart individual and learned to survive at his young age. He was now working as the accountant to the Del Monte family, who were well known throughout Mexico. Agustin was a very nice gentleman and was very well liked by everyone in town.

Agustin always had strong feelings for Rocio, but would never really tell her how he felt, thinking he was not good enough to be with her. Rocio also liked him and waited for him to ask her out, but he never did. Agustin seemed to have enough money to pay his living expenses, and everyone believed that his parents left him a little money and that his work with the Del Monte family earned him a good living. Everyone knew how he felt for Rocio. He would give her subtle hints of how he felt, but never said them directly to her. Rocio wondered if he felt the same, but since he never asked her to be his girlfriend, she never really knew if he truly loved her.

As time passed, since Augustin never got the courage to ask her out, he knew he could not compete with her boyfriend.

Rocio knew another young man named Vicente Del Monte, who was part of her life. He came from the very wealthy family whom Agustin was working for. His family owned many oil and mineral rights throughout the region and had most of the control of the Mexican state of Coahuila. They also owned the mines in Cloete, Mexico, but lived in Sabinas, Mexico, which was just about fifteen miles to the south of Cloete. Vicente met Rocio about two years earlier as he was visiting the mining plant that his family owned in Cloete. He saw her in the plaza buying soda and chips. He fell in love instantly and made it his mission to introduce himself and ask her out. Vicente did just that, and two years later, he was still with Rocio, who was just about to graduate from high school. He