I knelt at his side and cradled him as he began to cough blood. “Don’t talk, Jess. Just hang in there, okay? Just hang in there.” My brother looked so frail and tired in my arms, not the strong 17-year-old who a day before was knocking me upside my head. He closed his eyes again and his breathing slowed.    
   “It’s all right, Rudy––think I’ll just go home now . . . promise you’ll stop the bleeding . . . no more blood, Rudy. No more bl—”
   His last word was more of a hiss and then he felt heavy in my arms. “Jess?” I gasped.
   “Oh, God, no,” someone cried out behind me. “He’s dead!”
   The word felt dull in my head. Dead?
   A male voice called out, “Did someone get 911?”
   “They’re on their way. They’re coming!”
   In the distance I could hear the wail of an approaching siren. Help was on the way for Jesse, but help was too late.
   I lifted my eyes from his limp body and shouted at the top of my lungs, “Nooooooo!”
   It was then and there I decided I hated Elgin Jeffrey with everything that was in me.  
 
Sixteen-year-old Rudy “El Gato” Galvez comes from a fighting family, but he’s never faced an opponent like this before. This time it is for the very fight of his life. 

In only his sophomore year of high school, Rudy discovers that tomorrow is promised to no one as life on the mean streets of Los Angeles is far more ruthless than he had ever imagined. As matters unfold, his oldest brother is jailed for murder, another is tragically gunned down, and his loving family quickly unravels.

Yet despite every attempt to fight his way back from pain and despair, Rudy finds himself caught in the middle of racial violence between two rival gangs, and learns his once promising future as a fighter may be lost forever.

Can there be true hope for what lies ahead?

COMMENTARY by Ben Alirez

When I first began writing “El Gato” in 2007, I anticipated a single novel. Strange thing about stories, however, they almost seem to take on a life of their own. The story of Rudy Galvez is no different, and as I've discovered, it's a story that can't be told so simply. What I hope to accomplish in the story is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, and powerful piece of literature that will resonate in the hearts and minds of people of all ages, not just young adult readers. However, I truly believe the young people of today are special in that they are our legacy, and unless we build them up with a strong sense of direction and purpose, we fall short of our responsibility.

It is for that reason that I have centered my latest story on a young Hispanic male in Los Angeles, California. The character, Rudy “El Gato” Galvez, is an aspiring Golden Gloves boxing champion whose world is turned upside down. He is a person dealing with loneliness, anger, and hate––a person trying to find himself in this crazy mixed up world. Sadly, a turbulent life is something many young people face today, especially those we would term “At-Risk” or troubled teens. It is truly unfortunate that racial tensions continue to escalate in many of our high schools, or senseless violence continues to dominate our headlines as witnessed in countless drive-by shootings.

If you’re familiar with my first novel, “Brothers in Arms”––co-written with Paul Langan––then you know the issue of gangs was central to the theme. It’s a very difficult subject to explore and there are never any easy answers. However, it shouldn’t keep us from seeking them, nor should we simply throw up our hands and turn away. The young people of our day have so much to offer, and maybe all they really need is a chance at hope and someone to believe in them.

My latest literary effort––I’m pleased to announce––will provide much of the same content found in “Brothers in Arms” with a bit of a twist. This time around I will include several eye-catching illustrations. Also, a small dictionary on some of the more difficult words, a cast of characters, and what I hope are answers to a life lived in pain and despair await you in this Web site. I hope you will find the story moving now that it is finally made available, and consider making it a part of your personal library. In the meantime, feel free to browse BenAlirez.com.