Evening Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 The house buzzed with chatter, and the clinking of cocktails, spiced pumpkins, and warm cinnamon hit you as you walked in the door. It was Tatiana’s annual adult Halloween bash, and having gotten a pretty signed invitation through the mail slot, Garin and Lyrou had decided to go. Having just arrived and had her coat taken, Lyrou stood alone at the edge of the crowded living room, drifti...

Evening Wednesday, August 30th, 2023 Headlights circled, tires burned smoke as souped-up cars spun donuts in the intersection. Paulo had taken Lyrou to a takeover. It wasn’t the sleek beige tank top and high-waisted tailored black shorts, or her momness, or her vertiginous nerves, or her language barrier that made her feel like a tourist. It was Paulo himself; he was so much this scene that he made the cultural ethno-ling...

Afternoon Friday, August 4th, 2023 Garin and Joseph met at the outdoor range biannually. Garin brought the same bolt-action Springfield he’d ever had, which was an old gift from Joey himself. Joseph was there to try out his new precision chassis. Under the least drizzle and a fickle breeze, Joseph loaded his box magazine, “There is the standard cost of living to income per capita, and if the gap between them isn’t wide en...