Gonzo Garza reclines in his bed, watching the storm rage outside. The rain falls in heavy curtains, obscuring his view of the Capitol’s pink dome.   Tori Mangonel sits naked on the other side of the bed, facing the wall.  Gonzo stares at her back.   “Where’s your car?” he asks.   Mangonel ignores him… Read More

“I’ve been workin four tens, and then I’m doin this now on my days off.  The money’s good.” He purses his lips, and nods slowly, “I’m thinkin about doin it full time.”   Carol Ann King does not respond, and the man seems to realize that he’s said too much.  He smiles sheepishly.   King… Read More

Ellie Endsley wakes when the heavy door in a neighboring hotel room slams shut.   The computer on which Endlsey was working when she fell asleep comes to life. She squeezes her eyes shut and turns away. “Off” she pleads, and the light is extinguished.   It’s late. Through the wall, she hears a man’s… Read More

They’ve been putting out yard signs for more than 12 hours, and it’s just after midnight on a Thursday. Bud’s driving, and Kerry is curled up in the passenger seat, trying to sleep.   “He’s the one, right?” Bud asks again.   Kerry moans plaintively. She tries to turn farther away from Bud, but her… Read More

“I don’t care if you’re black, white, brown, or yellow. I don’t care if you’re homosexual, heterosexual, or asexual. I don’t care if your family has been in the United States for generations, or if you just got off a boat from the far-east yesterday. If you wanna work hard, and you wanna make some… Read More

James Carlos Cates bends down and flips through the mid-20th century steel and iron signs leaning against the wall at the top of the stairs.   “Fresh brewed coffee”’ “Yes, we’re OPEN!” “SHELL” “Route 66”   Some of the signs are decaying so badly that the floor underneath them is dusted with rust.   He… Read More