Available Light

The Home of Mercy migrant shelter rules are listed on a poster taped to the wall: guest stays may not exceed a period of seventy-two hours; men are not permitted in the women’s dormitory; lights must be out at 10 PM; beds must be made every morning and the sleeping quarters must be swept regularly;...

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The woman slumped on the edge of the sagging couch, its cushions flattened over time by the weight of countless sweating bodies. The synthetic upholstery had gone from white to the color of boiled oatmeal. Her hair drifted in wild, loose tangles, framing a pair of eyes that stared, vacant and wide with fear out...

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