can a frustrated single mom and failed big city journalist save her family and salvage her career by returning to a town run by a gang of bungling thugs?


“The Resurrection of Puerto Cielo” is a novella published in serial form, 43 posts.




12


At her desk, Espy’s fingers were on fire. This is going to get the Star back on its feet, she thought as a torrent of words streamed across the computer screen.

The front door bell tinkled. Espy looked up and heard a familiar voice.

“Does it ever stop raining in this town?”

Espy smiled. Manny was back.

CRASH!

Shrieks!

Espy burst into the entry.

Surrounded by shards of broken glass, two wild eyed children stared at her.

Espy saw a brick laying at their feet. It had one word painted on it.

“STOP!”

Ferocious barking blared through the shattered pane and Espy’s eyes shot outside. A fat face sneered back at her from an open car window.

She glanced at the tears streaming down her children’s cheeks, then launched herself through the door. Slipping on the rain splattered street, she fell on her face. Raising up, she saw an obscene finger waving at her as tires squealed on the wet pavement. A dog yelped as the black SUV raced away.

Jumping up, rain streaming down her face, Espy screamed,

“Bastards!” 

“Mom!” Manny wailed.

Espy looked down.

Manny and Gabe were kneeling over a small body lying motionless in a puddle. Gabe was gently stroking Arnold’s head as Lazy urgently licked his little friends face.

From the shelter of their porch, the Bernie brothers watched two fists rage against the pounding rain.

“Damn you, Ricky Ruiz!”

***

To be continued-

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