The life I left behind was the beginning of a world anew, filled with excitement and possibilities, far from any violence not born within me. After hours of riding at night, I arrived in the big city in the morning. Everything looked like it came out of a movie: lots of stores, fancy cars, and ...

The flow of memories brought me back to my childhood. We lived in a small town near the state’s capital, and our community was like all other small ones in our country: embrace tradition, go to church, and avoid sin. My mother, Susan, was a beautiful, fair-skinned blond woman. She was suspicious about me being ...

“Ugh…” My ears buzzed, louder and louder. A headache joined it and amplified the pain tingling through my body. My neck, arms, back, and legs all ached. Pain pulsed through me. That was good, though. Pain brought me closer to reality. I tried to move, but that made everything hurt more. I growled with discomfort, ...