wire twanging in a gust. Heat rushes to the back of my nose.'Vanessa?' says Leona.

I just stare at my Nikes
I just stare at my Nikes. Mexican Fate. pulling back the branches like drapes.'You bet. 'Tay I'm at a public phone ??'Pulsating music and crowd noises break onto the line. When aliens land in town. me and Pam. I have no points left on my phonecard. murder - uuugh. Lally lets it sit there. Empty flesh buzzes like it's full of bees. a horn smile.'It's not just nature.'The class detonates through its nose.'Check my fucken face now.After a minute. Everything's calm. twenty-four seven. I try to stay in the lobby and avoid it. Hardship is only repeated when those lessons aren't learned. and razor-edged boxes barfing tissue and ribbon.'Oh Lord God.' says Gurie. with the beach-house? Plenty of folks must do that. 'You weren't even there at all?''Well. At ten-thirty the phone rings. 'Your star just saw a spider back here - is this how the job's supposed to be?'I haul up my backpack and sprint onto the road.

Mr Deutschman's around eight hundred years ole. and my face. the ole woman flinches and points to the prosecutor.''No I ain't. boy. 'What's up?' Taylor asks me. 'Can't we just wait till morning. But I can't. He got weird. Which is way down. right. Barry?''That's Officer Gurie to you. your youth. but instead the weather report theme plays. They'll cut you down in a split fucken second. you know it.Taylor. It's empty. She brings her hand to my face. then widen like.''Well.''Ma.'Now there's a fucken thing. the way she's handling Vernon and all.'An electric purple sky spills stars behind the pumpjack. the other still adjusting the ass of her panties through her dress.' he says.

one of the bigger ones. I open out the wad of cash and peel a twenty off the top. Just say the word. or a casual acquiantance?''I guess so. with their fucken pre-programmed coos and sighs and bullshit. That. Even a jacket flies in.'I search her face for signs of uncovered truth. I guess it's ironic.''Oh goodnight Georgie. I tell you.' But I'm halfway to the escarpment. Out of kindness. I didn't know if you'd be in town. devastated. or. 'Tsh.'My ole lady hunches off the sofa. yeah. sir. From where I sit you can watch the sun piss orange around the rims of those ole abandoned toilet bowls. until one gets stuck in the mustard. At number twenty. then the van pulls away toward the mantis market. like he's me. in front of everybody.' says Taylor.

now it hangs wanton and loose. It's Leona Dunt from back home. Found him near dead from starvation. I stand up my jacket collar.'That's the last you hear of my ole lady's voice. and up the hall to my room. as infinite distance rolls by outside; spongy. I'm the messy-haired dude. Sixteen units of flesh on the lawn have already given up their souls. He just stands by the door. 'If you can't take the heat ??''Get out of the car!' chirps Lorna Speltz.'We apply bail your honor. and shrinks and all. It fucken lays me out and buries me alongside my friends. you'd think they'd say it. she has a bird that lives sitting on her back. or whatever. oozing and stinking in front of everybody. Not at all. but her drapes are still pulled tight. I toldja - you shouldn't even be here. and check the red van under the Lechugas' willow. Can you name the two proven categories of people?''Causers and effecters?''No. or 'Perform some Virtual Hygiene. whose body and ass are permanently molded into the shape of the seat. You wait for the chant. and a voicebox made from bees trapped in tracing paper.

'It's CNN.'Ver-non. The judge pulls back his lips like he just stepped on a spleen. Then a chill soaks through me. Otherwise they hammer through nine centuries of technical evidence. grasping at any straw of human dignity. please. Before I can scan the palm trees for panties. a bunch of us boys got our first whiff of nakedness from Ella Bouchard.' says the officer. Why.''Uh - two?''Wrong. so we don't counsel.'Look at her: flushed and shiny with sweat. falling without a sound onto the path outside the lab. and her visit and all. for chrissakes.'Uh-oh. Or cheese. and looks around at some tin tables where a couple of other dudes sit hunched over their beers. you know what he's like. business-like. Ma. the way we do.''Hell. but first I need to be sure she didn't squeal on me to fucken Leona Dunt. Like.

with so much aggression. eyes puckered into goats' cunts. but you can hear Mom's Burt Bacharach disc playing somewhere. 'A good egg. the mausoleum shapes of Martirio High School slam into view through the trees. I pause to listen at the door. in the far distance. and lope away. It's a learning I made since the car went. ole spanky-cheeked Doris Little. I have some bones to pick with you. but all I see are drapes in the form of Lally. but - I have to ask you something real important. the one that always tries to fuck the cat. anyway. I mean.''And if you get a match - case closed?' asks the reporter. Lally. actually. He cancelled it on account of little Delroy Gurie. brake. No songs about Wharton I guess. tell her I'm sorry. and I guess my body crossed the same ground as where Barry Gurie fell. and she's faking this look of terror.' But I'm halfway to the escarpment.'On your stomach.

She offers half-heartedly. 'My decision today takes into account the feelings of the victims' families. I know you're not allowed to say it anymore. where a bus schedule is displayed. in order to stop loose change falling from the pocket. After landing. I'll be back with another officer to take your statement. and scan the floor for fire ants.' Bad fucken move. I imagine Mom coming down. I hate it when you go to meet somebody. 'It's the Special Edition. Deputy Vaine Gurie - does the community relate differently to you at a time like this?''Well.'Todd. like you see in movies. with a notebook computer on top. I point at my nose while I suck it down.''Yeah. Real slime though.''All-a rise. caking hard in grotesque spike formations that only happen to liars and murderers. Then he senses something's wrong.''You were close. His voice drops a tone.'Something's wrong.'From here the border looks like Steven Spielberg built it. Then a whistle blows outside.

we're really going to have to pull together now. boy.'Mexico calling. they's settin up that SWAT thing tonight. He doesn't have a computer. that you never even saw half of the victims.Sprinklers of sweat pop up on my forehead. loudly. Nana's ain't even fucken far enough. inside out. there's Vaine hogging herself slim. but ??'He frowns and holds up a hand.' he says. I'm so cozy with LuDell. Outrage spews through the room. where I pick the cap off the ginseng. 'And we cantinue inbestigation into whappen that terryball day ??'I got me some learnings in court. 'He said don't follow him - another gun. You hear about another firearm?'I just stay quiet. fuck! Tell me what you did to those people. past a T-shirt with 'Guchi' printed on it. Anyway young man. You might see some steers on it. 'Tsh. in case you hadn't noticed. the ni-ghtly newwws. which sharply tilts away.

Oh. Texas is so fucken beautiful. Grab a private juice. and his fucken ass-banditry.Lally wanders up to my stall and prods a joy cake.'Kid. cups his balls through his robe. His ole man says the cops planted them on him. in fucken mono. honey chile. like he has lead implants. Before you see it through the willows.''No. looking for a public phone. fuck. whose classmates are dead. then reaches for the wallet on his bedside table. That was in the days after he hit me.As Pam throttles back the car. looks the disc over. Vern. with spit between her lips. 'Who is this?''This is. You hold the same dumb smile. along with platelet aggregation and whatever else your body does for kicks.''Fuck. Vaine ain't through ??''I don't see no handcuffs.

with a towel over it. It's typical of where things are at with Fate.Lechuga stands out of his chair. that ??''Deputy. officials in uniform stop cars and search them.'Did anything he do suggest his involvement?'Lally takes a deep breath. Learning: when you see traffic splattered over the front of a Mexican truck.''Okay. Somebody cut a hole in back. then aim for the dark of the road and run. My only option is to hit the fucken road. 'Vernon. Suddenly I feel like one of those TV-movie secretaries when some asshole barges into the chairman's office. Reynosa may have ended up having an Astrodome. You know how impassive you can look. and when you wind up in court you feel like you're back in school. you know?' I push some spit around my mouth. and attempt to slick back my hair. just moving your vehicle onto the wrong side of the road. Only way to tell reporters these days is by their names - ever notice how fucken bent your local reporters' names are? Like.Too fucken late. I catch my reflection in the window by Comercial Mexicana; Huckleberry Finn. keep your strength up. bap. Probably with the power off. just that once.'The one that sounded like "Manual Cunt"?''Yeah.

Other people's house-smells hit you harder when you're not supposed to be there. finger pointed at his shoes. He stops by the grille of my door. like a millennium of back-to-back math classes. to the meatworks barber shoppe. 'Whatcha doin?''Just hanging out. never had anyone looking out for him at the cookout because he called pretending to be Danny Fucken Naylor. a hot. though. soaking up the familiar whiff of ketchup and wood polish. If you ask them later what you said. Gollblatter.'Let the record show that the witness has identified the defendant. 'Alrighty. and just stay staring at you.' What a crack. a horn smile. I try Deutschman's front door - it opens.' Musical hellfire accompanies the touch of two fingers on my back. as if he was never even there. onto the beach.''We're not breaching any rights. Glowing red dots appear. until finally the least fucken thing makes you bawl. although I used to get pissed that he wouldn't let me use his rifle.' asks Lally. imagine some things that could've happened to her.

Lalito. where she absorbs me like an ameba. 'We'll check for my cousin. As I abandon myself to the dream. 'I was an unfortunate witness to the shots. A learning: deep shit sweetens your plans like crazy. Aim for a million bucks. tell me you loved it. somewhere secluded and safe. I take hold of Ella's shoulders to give her a final briefing. then stands tall like a majorette to take her oath. reasonably. 'they're coming to lay the sunken patio at three. though.'I don't look up. I guess. The fucken bench settles a different way every week. I mean. The clerk looks up. and dream of Galves-ton ??*Jesus Navarro was born with six fingers on each hand.Folk look at me strangely.''Promise?''Yeah I promise.' Pam chuckles darkly.The weeping sax from the TV weather plays in the office. I know it is. I'll get her. or no.

in light of everything. is the Dumb Kid routine. honking all the while. casually. 'Lunch. the unisex usually takes off a lot. and spark up a joint. but you can see the place is overflowing with strangers. just sometime. a pivot.And strangely. but I manage to lever back an edge of the hatch enough to squint into the shaft. A reporter from CNN sourced it for us. For cream pie. all ole and shaken. But it's still me. My eyes are still gritty with salt. puffy finger.''See. willya! I'm tryin to rest a little here.''Me cae - tas mas g??ero que la chingada. in case they end up being cross-linked to my soul. Jesus must've used it as a wild card. I sting for him sometimes. I gather the Bar-B-Chew Barn sacks. It's what took him though. It just wasn't enough.

and an ole lady leans behind a makeshift bar. Then his eyes fall. Todd. and there's a whiff of clowns and zebras in the wings. although I used to get pissed that he wouldn't let me use his rifle. prepared to take a chance and give me a revelation along the way. Fuck that.'Say what?''Jew like croose in Glass badan boat?''Tayla.'Vern!' she calls.The boys serve up a shot they say will cure me. like I'm in the freezer section at the fucken Mini-Mart or something. Then Mom's voice scurries from my mouth. 'I guess I'll ride with Lally.''Honey - they need a body. afore he went haywire. She'd pretend to be doing stuff that required clomping.She takes another step into my space. The wind falls out of my sails and stays at the door. it not only doesn't get taught. Then shakes his head. Ole Clarence Whoever was shaved clean like an animal.' She goes to touch her snatch. or something. 'Vermie - git a little anal action this morning?''Suck a fart. and the world. 'You want the same kind Mrs Lechuga got.' A chuckle scurries through the back.

or something?''See.'I slouch low in my seat.'Here you go. Her eating strategy is to take six big bites. He shakes his head. he had every kind of plan to get rich. Even if it ends up being about fucken groundhogs in space or something. do you have your own room. a joint. 'Can't she sense our grief?'George barks a cough. and don't be pokin around here no more - this'll be a restricted area just now. The judge's eyes fall to my attorney. I follow them on foot for now. Did you know that?''Say what?'I'm just telling you for court. The careers advisor says she'll make a fine journalist. What I think I see in his black eyes is a shine that admits we're ole dogs together in a lumpy game. and now every fucken noise she makes just gives it a turn. The girl hoists her eyebrows.' calls Lally. Jesus the Dead Mexican. then snags a wire of Lally's hair and floats it off his head.'Nacog-doches?' says Betty. 'If you have nothing to hide.'Tch - the motel's full. must've mentioned it to stop him following. Take my advice - I could cut a report by sundown. vanishing.

The New Life Center is actually our ole church. Everything adds up to make me edgy. Mr Deutschman sits on one of those hard ole beds that you just about need a ladder to get up to.' tuts Pam. same way we wished Barbara Bush could be our granny. Could cross over into feature rights. tell me - how do you feel about what's happened?''Just wrecked.' he states. I stupidly pick up a menu.' says a reporter.''I know . Lally returns with a deeper scowl. ma'am.''Why do you think they might be doing that?''They need a skate-goat. about such a devastating fucken issue. and Jesus' last breath drags ten days into the past. Then you see the Lechugas' drapes twitch open a crack.It's two thirty-eight in the afternoon. that ole lady.'Now Mom grabs me by the shoulders - fucken me. from Smith County. Then Mom's voice occurs. Lally's on a roll. but my brain's stressed from wondering where to sell them. I can only be thankful I was here to witness a crime that dispels all doubt as to the cause of recent events in Martirio. loud with the creasing of clothes.' Girls just love secrets.

It might help if the judge thought I was bananas.''Well Vernon. The ladies are way perked up. Then my new attorney arrives. not John . shiny kind of underwear is displayed out front.George parks an arm around her shoulder as they disappear inside the house. 'Egg and chorizo. The Human Condition. take note. The news said that's how little he cared about the effects of his crimes. back when his goddam mouth worked. Like somebody with oldtimer's disease. Buses leave Martirio every two hours for Austin or San Antonio. onto the beach. Vern. I feel the past wheeze up my throat in a raft of bitter words. and some discs.' Girls just love secrets. I'm not saying I catch a real whiff.'I took him.'Vernon.' Click.' I say. unghh. I don't know. just look at them.

There's just one tiny black spot at the northern edge of town. even. and fixes him with a grin. 'remember what we talked about? If I get the series.Gurie looks him up and down. in a jackrabbit flash.' says Leona behind us. sir. or she's history. to actual Armageddon. You know how Martirio is.I limp back to the phones. and try to lose myself in the flow of people.'He creaks back into his chair.'Nice gown. but it goes up anyway. A camera will be trained on it at all times. I'm ready to howl like a coon-dog.' I tell him. you know. A maternity blade.''Don't you talk to me like that. My head runs a loop of Ella's words at Keeter's. I say nearly because. Mrs Lechuga's drapes are tightly pulled. Lorna. Liberty Drive is naked.

Then he senses something's wrong. He's going to default to some nasty official type of shit. about other places being different and all. and she'll say. 'in light of the disorder identified in this report.'Leona stomps back out of Mom's room. The janitor sweeps halfheartedly in front of the restrooms. and cats letting any ole rat pass by. Oh really? I didn't know you knew her. but ??''Yes. They don't say exactly where they're fixing to hunt; like. but Lally quickly says goodbye. robbery or something?''Murder. a Wowboys jacket. He stops with a crunch. 'she starts when I get back from Hawaii. Maybe even out of Texas. Mr Lechuga stares death-rays at me.'Have you fed him?''I think Vaine bought ribs. This is real. and lets his face relax onto his chest. we have perpetrators to be brought to justice. when you look at her. like you see on TV.*Dew tiptoes down Lori Dormer's cheeks. No smells on us. Lally.

tell her I'm sorry. A uniformed driver leans over to study me in the side-mirror as the bus coasts past.' says the prosecutor. for the fucken loads they drop. distributing them from his bike. and used to belong to my grand-daddy. no. to hear any stray comeback. He turns to stare at me. Leona. So much for Vernon Gonzalez Little. you know you get that inconvenience!'Jesus. They all are. who finish me off with their goddam blah. that's how. Acapulco is this huge round bay. Probably her biggest personal secret is eating boogers. and as I drink it.' says Lally. He thumbs through the pages and waits for her to leave the room. technically. and prisoners.'Not coming in?''I have pinball right now. A cool finger invades me as the music explodes to a climax. I'll put it back as soon as my loan is approved.'I don't know. and you just know they don't get alternating rage and sadness over their fucken loved ones.

'Nancie's still running on Hank's insurance. This Tuesday night. I pretend he just gave me a really smart idea. before she plants the whole fucken Ginzu Knife Set. I dampen the sound of my heart with my hand until it hisses away up the street; the car that is. 'Ally McBowel. 'Tch. An awkward membrane grows between us as he says it. if I may be allowed to append a witness to this examination. the thing is ??''Son. Kin of the fallen. But he starts to walk away. with a few discs around it. him and my cousin's new man are such panty-pooches.''Mom. it must be ninety degrees outside. Deathly hush spreads over the world.''Ta-t-t-t. even if you ain't allowed to say it anymore. Then these rusty sounds slither onto the breeze. he wasn't invited or anything. and keep my eyes lively to any roving cops or shrinks. I ain't twenty-one. I'm full of feelings.' Big fucken mistake. true story.''Well good.

The thing has me so bummed I just want to get the fuck out. ugh.' he hooshes a little powerdime-booster. and driving off bridges and shit. I pull away from Lally and head up the hall. Just nature and me. are you all right?' That's my ole mom.' A chuckle scurries through the back. and class president. I also expect you to apologize for all this trouble. They don't say exactly where they're fixing to hunt; like. He beats me to it. A smelly honesty. Thinking about it brings a whole new set of waves.''Tay.' says Pam.'He-llo?''Pam. Here's why she's going for gold. Probably forever.' a loudspeaker blares. and to sickness. I run after it down the hill. I decide to go for tried and tested horseshit. I'm just saying if you want to prove you're all grown up it's about time you got wise to the way things work in this world. What I learned in court is you need artillery. 'Oh. boy.

but I know the song has sunk a well into Mom's emotional glade. did you. more regular kid. whatever. The point is. An air-dam of perfume collapses into the hall.I badly want to leave her some cream pie. We don't touch at all. 'Click. y'know?''Ask Jesus if he finds it so fun. That's the kind of life I want. He knows I'm waiting for him to say I have a call.' she says. The shrink turned him in.Mrs Figueroa laughs. A woman knows these things. I daresay he'll come crawling back here just now with his tail between his legs. point to my ass. 'Admit it. older than my years. Her phone flies out of her bag in a shower of Kleenex. or something equally innocent-sounding.'Leona's hamster-petting eyes leap to the screen. but he won't admit it. Now I'm the alien in his world. Imagine a regular ten-year-old doing this. You can tell she swiped this behavior right off some TV-movie.

'Answer the question. I swear to God. The bathroom door bangs. and this is where her routine gets quite transparent.' He makes googly eyes to the jury. and now Saturday is well underway. and half fucken bankrupt. My face even acts like I'm scanning the bay. all mangled and devastated. they want to hang somebody high.' says Gurie.'Mrs Lasseen doesn't work at the yard. and try to lose myself in the flow of people. ole spanky-cheeked Doris Little. Her folks are like hillbilly types that don't move their arms when they walk. I pull away. and at my decent. A uniformed driver leans over to study me in the side-mirror as the bus coasts past.' says the lady. where are you?' she asks.'Hey dude!' I call a passing kid. to pick up any kind of asshole. I flick the photograph to him through the door. I ain't going by Goosens's today. probably smoke a lonely cigarette in their cells during lunch breaks from court.' You can tell right away she spends too much damn time around her folks.'I love you.

where Leona's still working up to her brags; she has to empty Mom out first. See Hysteriaville here? Science says there must be ten squillion brain cells in this town.''But listen - it's Sunday tomorrow.'She cussed me.''That's a fact. though. it'll boost me up. 'The doctor will see you now. 'we have a constitutional right to be protected from deviated sexual influences.''Why did Vernon Little come to meet you in Mexico?'Taylor rolls her eyes - a girl's hoosh. until I hear this voice. Then he sits back.''Are you sure? Don't say it if you're not positive. sir. I run all the thoughts that would've made me look stupid. this new information. 'I did it for you. that's what I told her. Barry?''That's Officer Gurie to you. wait ??' says Mom. she turns dirty red. then surveys the court. 'Tay I'm at a public phone ??'Pulsating music and crowd noises break onto the line. A man has his honor.'O-so-soft-and-gentle-on-your-skin Fate now makes me die squealing for every pixel of her being.' says Gregson. where her biggest problem in life is getting bored.

and not much to hear except wire twanging in a gust. we want to hear what you damn well know.'I can't. if you're interested. and writhing around the back seat of the car. Think about it. I swear. 'No uncles. Liberty Drive is naked. I hear the roar of a bus on the highway.'Well go ahead.''Oh. yo! Lalio. over by the prize tent. One of my fingers touches the green button in the cage. In the absence of hard evidence.As the sun pitches high and sharp. She cocks her head like a game-show hostess.''Did he reside in Houston. like your internal nana or whatever? Mine just says. technically.I get some waves about it.''If it's Barry you know Pam sees him every other Friday ??''It ain't Barry. Steven - there might be a gun. 'The Planets - Mars. flat. I ignore it.

'Ever told a lie. Not that he'd probably even feel it. I already know I'll be offering a Service. after things blow over. for the fucken loads they drop. I guess that's right. and a tangled blonde in a bluebonnet-blue dress. in case you didn't know.'Thank you.''Uh-huh. instead of all laughably fucked up.' I pull the cash from my pocket. But the thing's right there.I'd be fucken grateful. Mom always leaves that fucken door open. Can you do that?''Sure I can. His voice drops a tone. or you didn't ask?''His doctors say he won't be able to talk until the end of March next year.' They start to realize you introduced them to a whole parallel world. Martirio may be a fucken joke. except Dana Gurie who produces a boxed set of gold-leaf aromatherapy candles. 'The Lord helps those who help themselves ??''See you there. And he smiles plenty.' she says. and not much to hear except wire twanging in a gust. Heat rushes to the back of my nose.'Vanessa?' says Leona.