Efren

Efren is the quasi-protagonist of As he lay dying.... He is of Filipino descent, black-haired and "no more than 14 years of age." In As he lay dying..., his ill-fated life is cut short when he joins a street gang, kills another boy, and is later shot dead by another gangster.

Background
Though little is known about Efren's background, it can be presumed that he lives in the shantytowns of an unspecified city in the Philippines. He does not appear to be religious at first, and appears to live in poverty. Though it is implied that he felt close to his parents, he appears to be closest to his brother Daniel.

While the story does not explicitly state which sibling is older, it is implied, through character actions and behaviour, that Efren is the younger brother.