La Santisima

by T. Frohock

Sebastian's friend Carlos claims that La Santa Muerte watches over the poor, the ones that the Church abandons. He promises Sebastian that La Santa Muerte will be his patron saint, that she will protect him and grant his wishes.

Death comes for us all. Keep her as your friend.

Sebastian is disappointed as prayer after prayer is rejected by the saint, and he loses faith. One night his sister Lucía joins him, and La Santa Muerte answers their prayer to bring their brother home …

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories

21 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

I have a Patreon, where you can find short stories and articles on demonology and angelology.

Check out my newsletter for updates and more.

T. Frohock has turned a love of history and dark fantasy into tales of deliciously creepy fiction. A real-life cyborg, T has a cochlear implant, meaning she can turn you on or off with the flick of a switch. Make of that what you will. She currently lives in North Carolina, where she has long been accused of telling stories, which is a southern colloquialism for lying.

Reviews

[Anton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is available here: https://www.tfrohock.com/blog/2013/11...

Not at all what I expected... but beautifully written short story about a modern Mexican family with a slight supernatural ‘flavour’. It is a shame it is so short though!

[Melica Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

“La Santisima” is a heart-wrenching short story that explores the social and emotional depths of immigration. The story is brutally honest and painful to read, and I appreciate these qualities. From a Western lens many of us are blinded or numb to the truths of immigration, but Frohock makes the story relatable to all audiences. The text could serve as an autobiography for the thousands of immigrants who don’t complete their journey, and for their families who are left wondering about their loved ones. She introduces a humanitarian element in the text, allowing the reader to develop empathy, with the intention of possibly creating a more open discussion of immigration in our country.

What I found especially beautiful was the ways in which she explored and cultivated the ‘how’ and ‘why’ for the reader. Frohock mentions this in her ‘Afterword’ of the text, discussing the missing pieces of each person’s story and how she focuses “La Santisima” around these elements. Margaret Atwood would approve and applaud Frohock for successfully creating a piece of art that explores these elements. Atwood takes the same stance in her short story “Happy Endings” about the importance of the ‘how’ and ‘why’ as Frohock does in “La Santisima”. It’s never the beginning or ending that really matters, it’s what lives in between: the emotions felt, the experiences, the pain, and the growth. This is one of the best short stories I have ever read.

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A haunting and beautifully written short - the kind of piece to really make you think. I loved it.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating 4.5
Excellent short story. Just the nudge I needed to tackle Miserere: An Autumn Tale.

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

A freely available short story from author Frohock that, like her Miserere, centers itself around religion without becoming itself a religious fiction. The elevation of La Santa Muerte here is an intriguing way to acknowledge Mexican culture for unfamiliar readers, and Forhock's ability to create new avenues into exploring religion -- here tied to immigration -- is a welcome perspective.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and culturally relevant story.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skillfully written short story with lovely prose, great characters, and a lot of emotional impact.

[Zoe]

La Santisima is a fictional view on a very moral social aspect affecting people today. Frohock made it clear of her intensions in her afterward that she wanted to portray a forgotten portion of people; the lower class immigrants. While showcasing this group of people she shows us the humanity of everything. Touching upon the Narcos and the influence of gangs in their society reminded me of the prevalence of gang culture in America in the 1920's and the economic reliance the country had on them. Frohock was also very clear to describe to us the poverty that affects the family. During the first portion of the text when the family is in the doctor’s office, Frohock uses every opportunity she has to describe how desperate the situation is for the family. She uses objects like the clothing, the wheel chair and how Sebastian's side remarks about the grease on his brother’s knuckles and the glossiness of the pamphlet allow for a drastic representation of the family. The family unit of the five children is also very detailed. I personally enjoyed reading about them; their bonds as a family were visibly strong because of how each of their traits intertwined with each other. I noticed the mother wasn't a strong aspect in the story but that's okay because the story is about the children and their struggles with poverty, drug cartels and border control.
One line I drew from the text which was particularly strong described Lucia, "She defied pain the way I defied authority. If her body matched her spirit, she would be twelve feet tall with legs of thunder and eyes of flame. We all feared her might." Lucia is portrayed as the strongest character here and the only one who can keep her angry brother in check. The phrasing was not only strong in meaning but also linguistically. It is a beautiful piece of writing and out of all the descriptions stuck out at me the most. It was able to show Lucia's importance in the story. She isn't just a crippled girl who the family has to look afterwards. She is instead active in her role as a sister. She helps the younger girls with their homework, keeps her angry brother in check and consoles her mother when financial issues arise. Even though Lucia is a financial burden on the family, without her I don't think they would be able to survive as a unit. She is the glue that holds them together due to her endless persistence and love.
Overall the story was very enjoyable. I liked the balance between fiction and reality. La Santisima also was able to show for me how the children must step up to help their families. Although I know this occurs, I never saw it in such a personal aspect.

[Ambica Mehndiratta]

I found this story very interesting. It was a little different from what I have read before because it incorporated darker elements such as La Santa Muerte, yet also balanced it with concepts such as faith. While reading the story, I found the idea of faith to be slightly hidden behind such darkness which I thought was ironic. The family had faith in Jorge to cross the border first and prepare for a life in America where more and better opportunities were offered. That belief in Jorge was also due to the strong, fatherly role he had to step into for his family. That role made others believe that in him to accomplish their goal.

Sebastian also had faith in the icon, La Santa Muerte. He was taught to believe that “she would protect [him] and grant [his] wishes.” By having that belief, it implied that he did not have the control. His belief in the icon took had that control to watch over Sebastian and his family. It depicted how powerless he was just like the rest of his family and the poor situation they were in. There was also irony when it came to the icon because Sebastian was putting his trust in Saint Death’s hands to keep his life from harm.

There was Lucía as well and the faith she had in herself or at least the faith she made others believe she had in herself. Despite being a young, crippled girl, she had a lot of strength. Based on an emotional aspect, Lucía was probably the toughest out of them all. She barely complained about her condition and kept her composure unlike others like Sebastian. She knew when she had to be strong for her family. That didn't mean she had no fear. She did. Yet, again, it was another aspect that was hidden.

It depicted her maturity, but also brought attention the idea of age. Jorge and Lucía especially, had to step into roles that made them well above their age. Jorge was the backbone of the family who acted more like a father rather than older brother. He devoted his time to the family. He had the physical strength that was needed. In contrast, Lucía, being younger than both her brothers, sometimes overshadowed the mother because she had the emotional strength to combat the implications that resulted from her condition and the effects it had on her family members. Each family member had different things to offer which made it easier to depend on only themselves because they already knew how they all molded together. Without a person there, there was always going to be something lacking in their family which could eventually tear down all the individual aspects about them.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theresa Frohock’s “La Santisima” left me speechless after reading it. It was an otherworldly tale, and yet extremely relatable – the issue of Latin American immigrants who die trying to cross into the land of the free is all too present in our lives, and yet for many of us it is often overlooked because we live so far north of the Mexico border. The element of the supernatural, though, was what made this story so enticing and enjoyable to me. Just the name of Sebastian’s icon, La Santa Muerte, sent shivers down my spine, because it literally translates to “The Saint of Death”. Her introduction, and her importance to Sebastian, shows a sharp contrast to the older brother Jorge’s morals and character. He is portrayed as a gentle soul who wouldn’t hurt a thing, and yet at the same time he was fiercely protective of his disabled sister Lucía. Sebastian’s love for Lucía is shown in that different, darker shade, in the way he wishes pain and death on those who would dare hurt or upset her. Their financial struggles push Jorge to embark on the dangerous quest north, a quest which, for him, ends in tragedy – a tragedy that is all too real. But in the story, retribution is given by La Santa Muerte, the embodiment of death itself – a figure who gives closure to a troubled family, while swiftly dealing justice in the process.
In the real world, of course, there is no such figure who can give closure to thousands of families, no one who can identify the bodies found in the desert. For the families of those who are never found, their suffering and loss are even greater. Frohock’s afterword emulates how this fact, this truth, echoes throughout her story. Surely others in the city lost family members to the promise of better work on the other side of the border; Jorge and Sebastian and Lucía and their mother knew the risk he was taking with this journey. But he did it anyway, because for them, there was no other option. For thousands, there are medical bills to pay, rent to pay, food to buy, and like Jorge they must risk crossing the desert to try and find a better future for not just themselves, but their family. Frohock succeeds in portraying the world as the family of the unknowns found in the desert must see it. “La Santisima” was captivating, heartbreaking, and mind-opening. I can only thank the author for being willing to share her work with us.

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this story because of its dark, morbid and vivid imagery. I felt that the characters were so relatable and realistic and I was immediately attached to them from the beginning. The story centers on the issue of immigration and the struggle of the Mexican family who wants to desperately immigrate to the United States in order to find better economic opportunities to support their family. The family in the story is struggling and suffering in order to make ends meet because of their daughter’s medical bills. The family decides that the bother is the strongest and everyone agrees that he should be the one to cross the border with the coyotes for the greater good of the family. I can relate to this Story because living in California most of my life immigration was a very controversial issue. Many people were against allowing immigrants to pass the golden state borders because of the high unemployment, however many undocumented workers are extremely underpaid. Governor Jerry Brown signed into law that actively allowed immigrants involved in their passage to obtain drivers licenses, and to quality for California’s university’s and college systems. The bill known as the Trust Act prohibits law enforcement officers from turning over persons they detain to immigration authorities except for arrests for major felonies.
In the afterword the author mentions reading about many documentaries and migrant experiences. She was devastated by the conditions that many people had to live in but was inspired by their hope and motivation to find something better. She wanted to breath life into her story by making the characters relatable and giving them names and histories. Teresa Fronhock mentions, “I tried to imagine what would make someone want to cross a border with little more than the clothes on his or her back”(12). I can relate to her statement because I often wondered the same thing. My mother hired an undocumented worker to be our live-in nanny because she was too ill to care for us. Inez emigrated from Mexico after her husband and son were shot and killed. She was unemployed and had no means to support herself. She immigrated to the United States and began working for us since I was young. She had to start her life over and had nothing to her name but unlike in the story, “La Santisima” she found a new beginning and happiness.

[Julia Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "La Santisima" by Teresa Frohock, illegal immigration is discussed through the lens of a family in desperate need of a better financial situation. Frohock, as stated in her afterword essay, was not trying to fit the characters into a mold of a story that would market well to an audience. She was trying to be real, raw, and create authentic characters. She was also not trying to give an answer on the topic of immigration. She was attempting to depict a situation in which, on a deeper level, can be relatable to every single person that reads it. Obviously not everyone who reads this short story is going to have a direct experience with immigration. However, everyone who does read this can relate to the idea of people putting lives at risk for family members in need. Jorge leaves home in order to make money to pay for his sister’s motorized wheelchair. This is a noble act, unfortunately, also one that ends his young life too early.

This story can also be relatable to audience members on another level, a spiritual one. Sebastian finds comfort in La Santa Muerte, and the icon he keeps of her in his pocket. While many people may not typically find comfort in the goddess of death, many people do find comfort in religion, and religious figures. La Santa Muerte ends up helping Sebastian and his family avenge their brother’s death by essentially killing Hector, and allowing Jorge’s body to be found. The sense of comfort felt by Lucia and Sebastian in knowing that La Santa Muerte will look out for them is relatable to most people. Whether it is a religious figure, religion in general, or even just a friend/family member, there are many different outlets in which people seek relief in difficult times.

Frohock was not writing this in order to sell more copies and make money. Frohock did an excellent job bringing together real human experience and feeling through a story that was interesting and somewhat abstract, maybe unrelatable to most on the surface. But underneath the plot of an immigrant trying to find a better income, is a relatable tale, one that everyone can read and have an instant connection to.

[Mikey Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughout La Santisima, La Santa Muerte is described as an idol, Sebastian, and later his sister Lucia, trust in. The children both pray to the idol and worship it as a holy entity. She is believed to be a sort of guardian angel guiding them through their perpetual struggles. Rather than guiding them to prosperous lives, however, La Santa Muerte coaxes her worshipers to their deaths. After pleading to see their older brother Jorge again, La Santa Muerte answers Sebastian and Lucia’s prayers, giving them both a dream-vision of their brother’s fate – somewhere along his journey to the United States, he has broken his ankle and died in the desert. Although he is not able to end his family’s struggles, his personal pain is at least put to rest. The perspective here then switches to that of Hector, a man who makes a living smuggling immigrants across the border. When Jorge is injured, Hector promises to return later for him, but never comes. After stumbling upon Jorge’s corpse, an apparition of La Santa Muerte, coaxes Hector into suicide by overwhelming him with guilt for leaving Jorge and all the others he has left behind.
After claiming these two, La Santa Muerte coaxes Sebastian subconsciously towards his death. Knowing his brother has died trying to cross the border and put an end to his family’s suffering, Sebastian feels an urge, almost a responsibility to follow in his brother’s footsteps. He must be the next to attempt to cross the border, he must put an end his family’s suffering, even though he is now very aware he may not make it.
Although the Santa Muerte coaxes many characters towards their death, this luring, and even the deaths themselves, are not necessarily presented in a dismal manner. Death is instead presented indifferently as a real possibility, or even as a graceful pacifier of misery. The question of whether La Santa Muerte is a saint or a devil is not as clearly answered in La Santisima. The reader is simply presented with the constant struggles of life and the bluntness of death through an emotionally neutral and near nihilist lens.

[Katie Culik · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the tragedy of a lost father, to the bravery of his sons, this was a story that instantly drew me in, opened my mind, and touched my heart. The context of the story, Mexican immigration, is so perfectly fitting for each moral implication the story holds, and these morals were the reason the story really hit home for me. When the story opens, the pain and suffering of the family is immediately exposed. We hear of Lucía and the family’s inability to afford her the medical attention she needs. But at the same time, we see the undying loving and support of her family - her two brothers in particular. The story exposes the love and struggle of a family, the fight of a sick child, the passion and fight of a brother, and the strength and bravery of another. I would say some of the moral implications within this story consist of staying positive even when times are tough (Lucía), doing things the right way and realizing that cheating will not get you anywhere (Carlos and the drug trade), and that sometimes, even if you’ve done all you can do, not everything works out in the end (the death of Jorge). While a tragically sad story, this story is real. The characters, the context, everything is true and raw and in that sense, beautifully written.
Another reason why I absolutely loved this story was Frohock’s reasoning behind writing it. In the author’s afterward she writes, “I wanted to put myself in someone else’s life and see the world differently. I wanted to understand a complex problem by giving faces, names, and histories to the unknowns found in the desert.” I believe she truly has done just that. As the reader, I felt immersed in the story, taken to a different world, and given the opportunity to see the conflict and heartbreaking sadness of Mexican immigration as something other than a headache for the United States. In this sense, the story opened my mind in a sad and yet beautiful way. For that I am greatful.

[The Francophone Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the story “La Santisima”. As an immigrant myself, I was able to relate to the characters in the story. Just like Hector, Jorge’s brother, my grandmother had to leave our homeland to come to the United States in search of a better life so that she could financially support my mother and I. The author, Teresa Frohock, did a remarkable job in terms of showing how cruel and unfair life can be in undeveloped countries. Jorge’s family were really poor. In fact, his sisters, Ana and Jazmin, were not able to go to school every day because they had to take turn looking after their sister, Lucia. I also liked how the author also shows the struggles that a single parent in underdeveloped countries often go through. As a single parent, Jorge’s mother was not even able to afford the cost of child care for her daughter, Lucia. Both the fact that many, if not most, people who live in such countries suffer from great poverty made me realize how many times, we take what we possess for granted.
The story also gives readers an idea on why people tend to migrate to more developed countries, such as the United States. Because of the poverty that kept Jorge’s family under captivity, Hector had no choice but to look for a better life for the family. Hector left his homeland to come to the United States and hopefully find a job so that he can financially support the family. By using the example of how Hector scarifying his life to look for a better life elsewhere, readers are able to see and understand why people often want to leave their homeland and migrate to more developed countries, such as the United States. Overall, I really liked the story because I could relate to the characters of the story and their experiences. Also, while reading the story, I was able to realize the fact that often, people leave their homeland because they are simply looking for a better life conditions.

[Erica Scarpati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sebastian, one of the characters in the short story, “La Santisima”, focuses on his small statue of La Santa Muerte. He uses her as a guide and for protection. In Mexico, people celebrate Dia de Muertos or Day of the Dead. This holiday commemorates the lives that family members have lost. La Santa Muerte is present during this holiday because she is supposed to help recently deceased souls cross over into heaven. Frohock alludes to and creates La Santa Muerte as a main character in her story because she represents death and security. In Sebastian’s eyes, he believed that his statue was a symbol of hope and protection over his brother making his way past the border into the United States. When La Santa Muerte, Sebastian and Lucia discovered that their brother was dead, the saint and Sebastian sought for revenge. Their code is an eye for an eye because Hector offered no help to try and save Jorge and the family would have never heard from him again. A person wants La Santa Muerte to be in his or her favor because when she is against someone, it does not end well, “The woman measured the boy with her gaze. ‘What will you have?’ ‘I want my brother home,’” (page 9). She never kills Hector; she just leads him to end his own suffering.
Sebastian’s character developed throughout the story. He started out as an over-energetic, obnoxious, hotheaded and immature brother to his family. However, when his older brother Jorge left for the United States, he had to become the man of the house by taking care of his younger sisters and Lucia. Automatically, when his mother told Sebastian about Jorge’s death, he stepped up because he knew he was the next one to try and cross the desert. He became a man by the end of the “La Santisima” and knows that La Santa Muerte will be watching over his health.

[Stephen Perich · Rating 4 out of 5]

La Santisima is a well-written short story which looks at a financially struggling family pushed to having to cross the border to fund a surgery for their young girl's curved spine. In the afterword, the author describes that her initial plan for the story included a lot of action which would have attracted more readers. However, her idea shifted towards a more real depiction of a family in trouble. I really enjoyed Frohock's writing style. We don't get a lot of description of the setting. Personally, I get lost when there is too much description and find myself losing interest. Instead, Frohock uses her time to describe the characters through dialogue and Sebastian's thoughts. We see two young men in Sebastian and Jorge forced to mature due to their father passing and an incredibly strong young girl in Lucia demonstrates incredible resilience after being dealt a very unfortunate hand.
The supernatural element to this story was very interesting. Sebastian carries this icon because he has been told that la Santa Muerte watches over the poor. In troubling times, it's common to have this belief that someone is watching over you. Although this supernatural dream that the two siblings share has an element of fantasy, the story depicted by Frohock illustrates the reality of illegal immigration. She shows the desperation of those willing to make the dangerous trip up north. Frohock also includes the harsh reality that the immigrants often don't make it. This sad short story made me more appreciative of the life that I have and more respectful of the lives lived by those troubled with financial and medical problems. I'm positive that if the author took the route of her initial idea, I would have been more concerned with the drama and plot than the character development and message.

[Tim Donahoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

“La Santisima” by Teresa Frohock is an excellent portrayal of a family’s relationship with death. Each family member’s interaction with this entity, portrayed as La Santa Muerte in the story, is both unique and shared. Though the each character’s relationship with death is individual in a number of ways, some things are shared between all three main characters. For example, Sebastian, Lucia, and Jorge are all assisted in some way by La Santa Muerte. Lisa gain strength from her closeness with the saint of death. Being so close to death herself, Lisa is able to push past fear more easily, and is able to act with much greater strength and courage than would otherwise be possible. Sebastian uses death as a motivator, and as a tool, portrayed in both an ordinary and supernatural fashion. He is able to use his small idol to recover the body of his brother, but is also able to use his familiarity with death to avoid fear, allowing him to attempt to follow in his brother’s footsteps across the border despite the dangers. Jorge is an interesting case, as he dies during the story. Despite this, La Santa Muerte is still able to assist him, doling out retribution to the individual responsible for leaving him behind, and providing the means to bring his body home. Though the family’s relationship with death is not always a happy one, it is one from which they are able to draw strength and courage, allowing them to act with bravery where others would fail. All in all, La Santisima is a beautifully chilling tale displaying to the reader that a relationship with death does not necessitate fear. Where some are intimidated by the emptiness that accompanies death, others are able to find strength in it, and grow as humans. I, along with many readers, have much to learn from the way these characters face death with such courage.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

In La Santisima, Teresa Frohock takes an interesting look at the moral implications of illegal immigration, but from the other side of the border. As Americans we are often fed a line by the media describing the burden illegal immigrants place on our society, it is rare that these migrants are ever painted in a humaninzing light. It is even rarer still, that their struggles are discussed openly and the danger these people face is confronted. Though, this is exactly what Frohock does in her tale. La Santisima is an honest story about the extreme dangers faced by migrants, and the subsequent grief of losing loved ones along the way.

The story examines the brutality of the migration trade through the death of Jorge. Desperate to to help his family find a better life he embarks on the journey alone, and like so many before and after him, he perishes in the attempt. Yet, it is not at the hands of the border police or the narcos, but by the man who was supposed to help him cross the border safely. Jorge is left behind to die when he is injured on the trail. This moment signify's a devastatingly sad reality, which is that these migrants to both the people in the country they are trying to come to and the country they are leaving, are nothing more than numbers. The death of Jorge and thousands like him does not matter, these are people on the fringe, not protected by any type of human rights code. Even though the chances of falling to a similar fate are quite large, there is nothing else left but to continue to try, a fact driven home by Jorge's brother, Sebastian. It is so important for these stories to be told, to try and bring to light the struggle of these people, and to remind us that they are just that, people.

[Swathi Madala · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story. It was refreshing to read a story that described the hardships even people with the best intentions are forced to face. Every other story I have read or movie I have seen regarding crossing the border have typically resulted in successes. Despite the beginning of the story foreshadowing that Jorge would be dead, I was still heartbroken when he did later on because I was that immersed in the story and its series of events. This close-knit family does not let any hardship get in their way of helping Lucia. Despite his father dying followed by his brother dying, Sebastian still continues to do everything possible for Lucia’s well-being. The love that Sebastian and his family show towards Lucia is very commemorable.

The way that Frohock incorporated La Santa Muerte into the story keeps the reader very engaged. La Santa Muerte initially came across as a negative symbol, such as an omen. Since Sebastian’s mother especially would not have let him keep the icon, it was implied that the icon was frowned upon and represented a sort of evil. When reading the story with that implication in mind, it shocks the reader when Sebastian gives Lucia the icon to keep at the end. The icon had let them look into what had happened to Jorge regarding his death, making it a very powerful bond between Sebastian and Lucia. The icon represented a more positive symbol when Sebastian gave it to his little sister in order for her to watch over him every step of the way. The shift in representation from a tabooed icon to a cherished one throughout the story really made the reader engaged in the story.

[Shannon Nardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Authors are uniquely qualified to use stories as a way to make readers reconsider, if only for a moment, their perspectives on the world, and I think Frohock accomplished that with this story. I really enjoyed the afterward as it compared Frohock's initial intentions with the resulting story as a product of her extensive research. It's important to note that she made what could perhaps be considered an unpopular choice in writing to send a message instead of to make money, which I think is pretty admirable. In "La Santisima" Frohock transports the reader to a completely unfamiliar life situation and this story plays on the incredible human capacity for empathy.

One part of the afterword particularly resonated with me, which was where Frohock says that while making "La Santisima" fit her initial plans would make it more marketable, it would also have "broken Lucia and Sebastian's spirits" (13) which I think conveys her commitment to the art of storytelling. At it's core, the goal of storytelling is to pass on a message and make people feel something, and Frohock accomplishes that. She describes Lucia and Sebastian as though they are real people, and to a certain extent, as characters, they taken on a life of their own because of what and who they represent in the world today. Sebastian and Lucia aren't just characters; they are real humans experiencing tragedies like these every single day. Frohock's ability to tell their story makes their cause resonate with the reader, no matter their own personal life situation.

[Mubuvhora786 · Rating 5 out of 5]

“La Santisima” is an eye-opening story that perfectly captures the struggles of illegal immigrants and their reasons behind crossing the border. As people on the other side of the border we aren’t told the reasons behind the illegal immigration, only that it is bad, partially due to our media. But this fictional story can easily be the reality of many families. These families are forced to live in, as Frohock puts it, “conditions of…poverty and fear”. With no other options left, they decide attempt to cross the border facing many challenges along the way, including the border patrol, Narcos and just human accidents. The fact that the author chose to write this story instead of the one originally planned after doing research, sheds some light onto the character of the author as well. In fact, I believe that it made the story even likeable.
“La Santisima” is also an inspiring story that shows the strength of the family through hardship. The relationship between Jorge, Sebastian and Lucia is what holds the family together, once their father dies, Jorge and Lucia step into the role and keep the family strong. The unity of the siblings and the way they behave with one another really helped the characters grow up, especially Sebastian after his brother Jorge leaves. Also, the strength that Lucia displays, despite being a child with a crippling condition, shows that the hardship has really forced her to grow up as well, to support her mother and her siblings.

[Sam Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teresa Frohock’s “La Santisima” describes the struggles that are faced by a poor family whose matriarch is a widow and sister is quickly becoming crippled. The protagonist, Sebastian, has a bit of a temper and it is somewhat controlled by his prayers to La Santa Muerte, an icon that is his mother would disapprove of. When the family decides that one of the children must cross the border in search of better opportunities, Sebastian and his crippled sister, Lucia, pray to La Santa Muerte. Their prayer brings an image of their brother, Jorge, back to them in an eerie, supernatural manner. When both Sebastian and Lucia awake from their “dream,” and learn that they have both seen the same thing, they accept it for what it is and do not question how it possibly could have happened.

The scenario is somewhat the same for Kafka’s “The Metamorphasis” in that when the family discovers their son and brother has morphed into an insect, they do not question why or how it happened. Instead, the family is more concerned with a large insect in their home in place of their son. Even though the son’s transformation is not too similar to that of “La Santisima,” they both describe impossible events that the main characters believe in so much that their likelihood is not questioned. Overall, Frohock’s short story parallels Kafka’s in that it does not question how it was possible for the siblings to have predicted the news that their mother shared with them.

[Emma Huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

“La Santisima” is a haunting and highly emotional tale, and one of my new favorite short stories. Frohock takes a culturally relevant topic (illegal immigration to the US) and weaves an enthralling story of family and loss, while adding an element of fantasy. She creates a group of genuinely good people who love and care about each other (Sebastian’s family), and puts them in a terrible position, one that makes the reader feel for them deeply. Right from the beginning, I felt an emotional connection to the characters, especially Lucia. This connection, and Frohock’s beautiful writing, kept me completely absorbed and engaged in the story. Jorge’s death touches upon the morbid reality of Mexican migrants and the sacrifices they make to come to the United States. He, much like other migrants, makes the journey across the border solely to aid his struggling family and very ill sister. And, even after Jorge’s death, is brother is forced to make the journey next, knowing that he may not survive.
The supernatural element of the story is incredibly interesting. Its unexpected, and refreshing to find in a story dealing with unfortunate reality. Sebastian and Lucia’s encounters with La Santa Muerte, and their dreams of Jorge’s death are intriguing, and enjoyably haunting and creepy. I’d love to read more Frohock in the future.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short story is well written that includes vivid descriptions of the relationships between the characters. While reading La Santisima, it is very clear that Lucia has a strong heart. By carefully reading her as a character of life and death, it is clear that she is the center point of the story. Of course, Jorge and Sebastian are essential, but Lucia molds the events in the story. Lucia is not afraid of La Santa Muerta and has communicated with her during her dreams. Lucia has “lived on the periphery between the world of the living and the world of the dead.” I wonder if she has seen certain events through La Santa Muerta. Lucia was very persistent that Sebastian prays to La Santa Muerta to bring Jorge home. I wonder if she did that on purpose so Sebastian could see the same events as she has seen. Through Lucia’s dreams, she is able to communicate with La Santa Muerta. When Sebastian decides to go next, Lucia states that she will guide Sebastian home, just as La Santa Muerta did with Jorge in the dream the two had together. Therefore, the characters of Lucia and La Santa Muerta are the same character.

[Allison Koehler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frohock displays in this story just how eloquent of a writer she is. The language that she uses puts us in the street with Sebastian, Lucia, and Jorge. As Sebastian chases the man who was rude to them in the street, he turns to look at Lucia. "I whirled and met her hard glare. I saw myself reflected in her eyes, a boy made of rags and brittle shards of fury. Shame merely fueled the fires of helplessness that burned my gut." This is a great example of her articulate writing, bringing Lucia's personality and persuasive power over the family forward. While the middle of the story is a bit slow (according to Margaret Atwood, the hardest part of a story to write is the middle), it allows for clarification of the family's situation and background that sets more of a supernatural tone.
Frohock's afterword also revealed how she started writing this story, and how her original intentions just wouldn't work after she researched more of the topic. This shines lights towards the way many pieces are written--nowhere near their original ideas. A more personal connection to the author would have been beneficial, however, to see what brought her towards this idea in the first place.

[John Arcidiacono · Rating 5 out of 5]

La Santisima was a wonderfully written story by Teresa Frohock that showed a true family that is trying to beat poverty. The families daughter is very sick and is on the verge of dying if she does not get the money for her sugary. Jorge the strong brother who also plays a father figure role in this story sacrifices himself to be the first one to try and cross the border in search of more money to help his sister. Jorge is an inspiring character that I really liked because he was willing to sacrifice his own life for his family.

In a way this reminds me of a story that I read in class called "Sonnys Blues". Sonny blues is another story that showers what a true family is and what it means. A true family will do anything to support one another no matter what the consequence is. In the case of "La Santisima" Jorge sacrificed himself just to help his little sister get the care she needs to survive. Clearly in this story family loyalty plays a major role.

[Mair · Rating 4 out of 5]

La Santisima is a tear jerking story about the hardships of poverty, the love of family, and the coming of age. Frohock masterfully combines all three of these elements into one well written peace that was not only easy to get through but also very enjoyable. The coming of age in the story and the fear of not being able to live up to predetermined expectations is something that anyone can relate to, and so the reader can easily sympathize with the character of Sebastian. Jorge and Lucia are also very notable for their strength and role as the backbone of the family despite being children themselves. Overall the story promotes remaining strong and continuing on even in difficult times by utilizing the love of family and even comfort in the belief in a greater being (in this case La Santa Muerte).

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

LA SANTISIMA is a heart-wrenching short story, wholly relevant in this present time when poverty and immigration are among the increasingly controversial issues of our modern society.

It is refreshing to read something clearly written by a mature, sophisticated writer. No words are wasted, no thought irrelevant or superfluous. If I close my eyes, I can conjure clear images of the scenes Senora Frohock crafted. The painful emotions of the characters are palpable and engender sympathy. While most of us cannot really imagine the dire circumstances of the characters, Ms. Frohock certainly came as close as we could probably hope.

Por Dios Santo, read this short story. Free on the author's website or on Smashwords.

[Outis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non-escapist fantasy. A morbid short remarkable for its very efficient characterization.
I think it's written to play with the reader's expectations a bit (Chekhov's gun isn't fired for one thing) and the prose is fairly restrained in spite of the overlap of fantastical and realistic elements. Which are appropriate considering the topic.

Also because of the topic, I don't approve of the unusually pathetic situation the family is in however. First, it strikes me as a facile way to evoke sympathy. But more importantly, making their situation unusual takes away from the banality of the outcome. The political issue the story adresses is an important one precisely because such crossings aren't extraordinary.
In any case, the author's heart clearly is in the right place.