Smallara

Charity felt the swing before she understood it. The stale warmth of Alejandra’s old plaid bag closed around her ribs like a cage padded with cash and the leftover scents…

The SUV looked almost ashamed to still be here, parked off to the side behind the garage like a forgotten toy in a spoiled child’s backyard. Charity’s toy. Alejandra paused…

Charity watched helplessly as the massive bag she’d spent what felt like an eternity inside was lifted without her in it. The simple act, Alejandra’s fingers closing around the straps…

Charity didn’t remember falling asleep in the darkness of Alejandra’s battered backpack, only the numb black of it, the stale air, the scratchy fabric pressing against her cheek as the…

Alejandra Jiménez trudged up the winding driveway that once made her feel so small. Every step up the wide, perfectly paved path was its own quiet victory. It was late…