<div style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:black;"><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">I
really<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" data-mce-style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>enjoyed this poem. <o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">It defines
the English victory garden<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">. It has a
nice rhythm and good sounds. <o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">There is a
good amount of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" data-mce-style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>alliteration and r
sounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" data-mce-style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">Beautiful.
No wasted words. </span></u></i></b><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"><br>
                                               
“NEEDS MUST.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; text-decoration: underline;"> sub
for Oct<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; text-decoration: underline;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; text-decoration: underline;"> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">Massive
paws lumbering along<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">familiar
English garden paths,<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">my aunt’s
gentle mastiffs are perplexed<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">to find
roses replaced by rhubarb.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">Where
larkspur and lavender flourished,<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">courgettes
and carrots await harvesting.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">What are
courcettes <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">Near dark,
gnarled yew trees from which<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">the ancient
house takes its name,<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">What are
corcettes? What is the house’s name.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;" data-mce-style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">rows of
potatoes and peas are nourished<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">By soil and
sun in a ravaged<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">and
rationed nation’s victory garden.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" data-mce-style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u></i></b><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">I am<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" data-mce-style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>particularly fond of these last three lines.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">nature’s
abundance will feed<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">the
homefront until, Hitler defeated,<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">English
roses bloom again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">Love the
ending.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;" data-mce-style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background: white;" data-mce-style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;">By Sally
Rosenthal<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>------<div><br></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Deanna sub for October 21<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Wow. Surprise ending. It was a woman.  <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Yu did a good job of 
describing all the characters in this scenario. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You also displayed a good command of male vocabulary  . <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Somehow, that all conspired 
to lead the reader into a surprise trap. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The   reader’s sympathy is
definitely on the female’s side.  <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You made murder seem like a 
reasonable thing.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">By
DeAnna Quietwater Noriega<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Arie Carter swerved her VW into the driveway at her grandmother's house. 
She set the parking brake and noticed Kiki Vanderholt sprawled on a
lounge-chair in the front yard next door.  Kiki's blonde opulent figure
threatened to escape from the thong bikini she wore.  It was a glorious
summer day--Arie had to admit--but didn't the girl know about the risks of
skin-cancer and the aging effects of sun tanning?  Not for Kiki apparently
-- the privacy of a backyard sunbath, when she could soak up the rays and
admiration of any handy male-members of the population.  Her audience
seemed a bit thin today. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Across the street, that creepy Mathews guy with the tattoos was absorbed in
working on his car.  In the yard on the other side of Granddee's was Mike
Tanner, crouched over his mother's flower bed pulling weeds.  He is too
shy to pay much attention to girls guessed Arie.  As she slid from the
car, she glanced down at her lanky six-foot jean-clad self.  Arie’s
cupid-bow lips quirked in to a wry smile. There was no competition here for the
golden sun-worshiper. Shaking back her mop of dark hair, Arie glanced at her
watch.  One-thirty already? If she hurried, she could get the shopping
done and make it back to help Granddee fix dinner.  Then they would have
time to relax and talk until Mable returned from her day off.  Arie
stretched and headed up the walk to fetch granddee's shopping list. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Biff Mathews gave a sidelong glance to the candy-apple red bug as it pulled
into the driveway across the road.  "Here comes the piece with the
legs!  Man oh man, would he like to have those wrapped around him in the
backseat of his wheels!  Not much on top, for true, but she was real
class.  Not like the fat-assed bitch living next door to the old
lady.  She was a cock-tease by the look of her, parading around, letting
it all hang-out.  Bet the Tanner geek was getting an eyeful.  Why
else would he be out pretending to help his mommy in the yard?  Now the
hot tamale working at Safeway on Saturdays had primo tits, but she thought she
was too good for a guy with grease under his nails.  She oughta be glad a
white guy was even interested in her.  But no!  She hadda go running
off crying like a little kid.  If those headlights hadn't turned into the
lot, he would have shown her what a real man was like!"<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Kiki turned her head lazily to watch old Mrs. Carter's goody-goody
granddaughter pull her beetle into the driveway next door.  Guess she
didn't have anything better to do on a Sunday afternoon than to run errands for
the old bat, (considering she had a figure like a boy and legs like Olive Oyl
from the Popeye cartoons.)  Her hair looked like she'd stuck her finger in
a light socket or something.  How she ever scrunched herself in to that
dinky car anyway was a mystery.  Good, she pulled far enough into the
drive not to block Mikey's view.  He's a nerd, but maybe if Biff noticed
him <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Double ifs. Did you mean
one of them to mean  (she?) Is Kiki still
doing the talking here?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">looking he'd get a
little jealous.  Now there's a real hunk!  Kiki considered getting up
and casually strolling over to ask if he wanted a cold drink -- it being so hot
and all.  She wondered if ma would notice if she snagged a  couple of beers?  Biff didn't look like
the type to go for a diet coke. <b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Michael Tanner grunted as he hauled another strand of Bermuda-grass out of his
experimental (bloom all growing season) bed of bulbs.  Ah here she
is.  He sat back on his heels to watch Ariana flow out of her cute red
car.  She stretched like a panther and moved gracefully up the walk,
tossing her cloud of raven curls back.  Her hair gleamed like ruffled
midnight satin against the red top she wore with her tapered jeans.  She
moved like a dancer making walking a symphony of motion.  Maybe he should
cut some of the red tulips that matched her shirt and take them over to Mrs.
Carter when Ariana came back with the groceries.  They might invite him in
for iced-tea and some of those chocolate chip cookies with cashews Mrs. Carter
baked.  Michael shoved his glasses back up on his freckled nose and wished
he were taller.  Ariana would never pay attention to a guy who had to look
up to meet those beautiful brown eyes with the amber flecks in them.  If
they did invite him in, he could at least watch her laughing and talking with
her grandmother for awhile.  As he bent to resume his weeding, he noted
that Kiki was out trying to catch the attention of Bertram Mathews, the
incredible hulk across the street.  He hoped she didn't end up with a
painful sun-burn for her trouble.  Poor little butter-cup was wasting her
time on that moron.  The jerk wasn't worth half the effort she put into
the project. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Delia Carter leaned out of her wheelchair to pull back the curtains.  She
heard the distinctive burr, like an overgrown lawn mower, of her
granddaughter's ridiculous little slug-bug as it turned into the drive. 
Ariana Marie Carter, you're late as usual my girl!  A fond smile touched Delia's
lips, as she watched Arie unfold from the car and arch her spine.  Lord!
The girl was wearing one of those elastic tube tops that barely covered enough
to be decent!  The red shade was nice though.  It made her skin glow
like mother-of-pearl.  It brought out the highlights in the black mane
flowing in a glossy cascade over the girl's bare-shoulders.  She had
David's height and Amanda's high cheekbones and delicate features.  She
was definitely going to be a heart-breaker when she finally out-grew the coltish
stage -- not like that chubby little Vanderholt girl next door.  By the
time Kiki (what a silly name) reached thirty, her bust would be drooping down
to her navel.  By then, Arie would have become an elegant
head-turner.  Delia reached for her shopping list as she watched the child
lope up the walk.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Danny Martinez slowed his Mustang as he turned on to the street.  Yeh,
there was the shit-head messing with the engine of his crappy old junker. 
Witnesses?  A babe across the street--looked like maybe she was asleep, a
skinny kid going into the house next to that and an old guy digging in the dirt
-- no problemo!  Danny checked to see if Angel was ready.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
"Angel-of-death, that's me, steady the barrel of the gun on the frame of
the open car window.  Time to say bye-bye ass-hole, gently squeeze the
trigger." <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
At the crack of the gunshot, Arie spun to see the old Ford with chrome rims
speed up to lay down rubber as it rounded the corner.  She watched in
horror as the Mathews guy slowly slid off the engine of his car and crumpled to
the ground.   A red stain blossomed on his dirty tee-shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">              
"Granddee call for an ambulance and phone the police! Someone’s been
shot!" Arie sprinted across the street.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Michael Tanner jumped at the loud bang.  He glanced at the car that had
just passed.  It sped up and squealed into the turn onto Oak at the end of
the block.  He noted that the license-plate read (494 DAY).  At
Ariana's shout, his eyes followed her dash across the street to kneel beside
Bert Mathews.  He scrambled to his feet to follow her to offer what help
he could. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Kiki looked through her lashes as the forest green car approached. She wondered
if she should shop for a coat in that shade for school next fall.  It was
a good color to bring out the green of her eyes and the gold of her hair. 
She saw that the Mexican guy driving was checking her out as the car
slowed.  The second guy was turned away, but he looked to be a greaser
too.  She frowned at the loud back-fire and wrinkled her nose in disgust
as the old heap sped up and turned the corner.  She yawned and then jerked
to a sitting position as Carrie? Mary? Terrie? whatever her name was  ran
across the street.  She began to scream when she saw Biff lying on the
ground in a widening pool of blood. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <b><u>Who did the
screaming?<o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Delia Carter had turned her chair away from the window to greet Ariana when her
granddaughter spun back out of the doorway shouting about police and an
ambulance.  Delia reached for the cell phone holstered at her waist. She
wheeled to the open door to see what had gotten Ariana all worked up.  As
she dialed, she saw Mike Tanner run across to join Arie, where she knelt
checking for a pulse in the wrist of the man on the ground. "Oh lord! it
was that hoodlum, the Mathews boy!"  Mike's ash-blonde head bent
close to Arie's ebony one.  He pulled a bandana from his pocket and
appeared to be pressing it against the wound.  "Good! Arie had
someone sensible to help her until the authorities arrived."  <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Officer Jeff Phelps frowned as he finished keying in his notes from the
eye-witness accounts.  God he hated these drive-by shootings.  At
least this one seemed to have gone off without involving any innocent little
kids or anything.  The license number was a bust.  It came off 
a maroon SUV that belonged to the manager of a super market six blocks from the
shooting.  The owner had no idea when it had been lifted, since he always
parked his car at the back of the lot where he worked.  The victim
appeared to be the type to get himself into trouble, but had no known gang
affiliation.  Too bad he was DOA and couldn't explain why anyone wanted to
put out his lights.  This one was probably not going to go anywhere,
unless they could tie him to a particular run-in with one of the Hispanic
street gangs.  Even then, looking for an older dark green muscle car
wasn't going to be that easy." <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Angel sat on the edge of Anita's bed, gently stroking the silky dark hair
spread across the pillow.  "It's going to be okay Mija.  That
bastard won't ever try to lay a hand on you or hurt any other girl again! 
I have to get back to base now, cuz my unit is shipping out to the middle
east.  You do good in school and try to forget that pendejo ever
existed.  Danny will look out for you.  Say your rosary for me and
the guys every night chica."  Sergeant Angela Martinez kissed her
sister's cheek, squared her shoulders, rising to stride out of the r</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">-------</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Deanna sub for October 21<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Wow. Surprise ending. It was a woman.  <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Yu did a good job of 
describing all the characters in this scenario. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You also displayed a good command of male vocabulary  . <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Somehow, that all conspired 
to lead the reader into a surprise trap. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The   reader’s sympathy is
definitely on the female’s side.  <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You made murder seem like a 
reasonable thing.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">By
DeAnna Quietwater Noriega<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Arie Carter swerved her VW into the driveway at her grandmother's house. 
She set the parking brake and noticed Kiki Vanderholt sprawled on a
lounge-chair in the front yard next door.  Kiki's blonde opulent figure
threatened to escape from the thong bikini she wore.  It was a glorious
summer day--Arie had to admit--but didn't the girl know about the risks of
skin-cancer and the aging effects of sun tanning?  Not for Kiki apparently
-- the privacy of a backyard sunbath, when she could soak up the rays and
admiration of any handy male-members of the population.  Her audience
seemed a bit thin today. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Across the street, that creepy Mathews guy with the tattoos was absorbed in
working on his car.  In the yard on the other side of Granddee's was Mike
Tanner, crouched over his mother's flower bed pulling weeds.  He is too
shy to pay much attention to girls guessed Arie.  As she slid from the
car, she glanced down at her lanky six-foot jean-clad self.  Arie’s
cupid-bow lips quirked in to a wry smile. There was no competition here for the
golden sun-worshiper. Shaking back her mop of dark hair, Arie glanced at her
watch.  One-thirty already? If she hurried, she could get the shopping
done and make it back to help Granddee fix dinner.  Then they would have
time to relax and talk until Mable returned from her day off.  Arie
stretched and headed up the walk to fetch granddee's shopping list. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Biff Mathews gave a sidelong glance to the candy-apple red bug as it pulled
into the driveway across the road.  "Here comes the piece with the
legs!  Man oh man, would he like to have those wrapped around him in the
backseat of his wheels!  Not much on top, for true, but she was real
class.  Not like the fat-assed bitch living next door to the old
lady.  She was a cock-tease by the look of her, parading around, letting
it all hang-out.  Bet the Tanner geek was getting an eyeful.  Why
else would he be out pretending to help his mommy in the yard?  Now the
hot tamale working at Safeway on Saturdays had primo tits, but she thought she
was too good for a guy with grease under his nails.  She oughta be glad a
white guy was even interested in her.  But no!  She hadda go running
off crying like a little kid.  If those headlights hadn't turned into the
lot, he would have shown her what a real man was like!"<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Kiki turned her head lazily to watch old Mrs. Carter's goody-goody
granddaughter pull her beetle into the driveway next door.  Guess she
didn't have anything better to do on a Sunday afternoon than to run errands for
the old bat, (considering she had a figure like a boy and legs like Olive Oyl
from the Popeye cartoons.)  Her hair looked like she'd stuck her finger in
a light socket or something.  How she ever scrunched herself in to that
dinky car anyway was a mystery.  Good, she pulled far enough into the
drive not to block Mikey's view.  He's a nerd, but maybe if Biff noticed
him <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Double ifs. Did you mean
one of them to mean  (she?) Is Kiki still
doing the talking here?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">looking he'd get a
little jealous.  Now there's a real hunk!  Kiki considered getting up
and casually strolling over to ask if he wanted a cold drink -- it being so hot
and all.  She wondered if ma would notice if she snagged a  couple of beers?  Biff didn't look like
the type to go for a diet coke. <b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Michael Tanner grunted as he hauled another strand of Bermuda-grass out of his
experimental (bloom all growing season) bed of bulbs.  Ah here she
is.  He sat back on his heels to watch Ariana flow out of her cute red
car.  She stretched like a panther and moved gracefully up the walk,
tossing her cloud of raven curls back.  Her hair gleamed like ruffled
midnight satin against the red top she wore with her tapered jeans.  She
moved like a dancer making walking a symphony of motion.  Maybe he should
cut some of the red tulips that matched her shirt and take them over to Mrs.
Carter when Ariana came back with the groceries.  They might invite him in
for iced-tea and some of those chocolate chip cookies with cashews Mrs. Carter
baked.  Michael shoved his glasses back up on his freckled nose and wished
he were taller.  Ariana would never pay attention to a guy who had to look
up to meet those beautiful brown eyes with the amber flecks in them.  If
they did invite him in, he could at least watch her laughing and talking with
her grandmother for awhile.  As he bent to resume his weeding, he noted
that Kiki was out trying to catch the attention of Bertram Mathews, the
incredible hulk across the street.  He hoped she didn't end up with a
painful sun-burn for her trouble.  Poor little butter-cup was wasting her
time on that moron.  The jerk wasn't worth half the effort she put into
the project. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Delia Carter leaned out of her wheelchair to pull back the curtains.  She
heard the distinctive burr, like an overgrown lawn mower, of her
granddaughter's ridiculous little slug-bug as it turned into the drive. 
Ariana Marie Carter, you're late as usual my girl!  A fond smile touched Delia's
lips, as she watched Arie unfold from the car and arch her spine.  Lord!
The girl was wearing one of those elastic tube tops that barely covered enough
to be decent!  The red shade was nice though.  It made her skin glow
like mother-of-pearl.  It brought out the highlights in the black mane
flowing in a glossy cascade over the girl's bare-shoulders.  She had
David's height and Amanda's high cheekbones and delicate features.  She
was definitely going to be a heart-breaker when she finally out-grew the coltish
stage -- not like that chubby little Vanderholt girl next door.  By the
time Kiki (what a silly name) reached thirty, her bust would be drooping down
to her navel.  By then, Arie would have become an elegant
head-turner.  Delia reached for her shopping list as she watched the child
lope up the walk.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Danny Martinez slowed his Mustang as he turned on to the street.  Yeh,
there was the shit-head messing with the engine of his crappy old junker. 
Witnesses?  A babe across the street--looked like maybe she was asleep, a
skinny kid going into the house next to that and an old guy digging in the dirt
-- no problemo!  Danny checked to see if Angel was ready.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
"Angel-of-death, that's me, steady the barrel of the gun on the frame of
the open car window.  Time to say bye-bye ass-hole, gently squeeze the
trigger." <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
At the crack of the gunshot, Arie spun to see the old Ford with chrome rims
speed up to lay down rubber as it rounded the corner.  She watched in
horror as the Mathews guy slowly slid off the engine of his car and crumpled to
the ground.   A red stain blossomed on his dirty tee-shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">              
"Granddee call for an ambulance and phone the police! Someone’s been
shot!" Arie sprinted across the street.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Michael Tanner jumped at the loud bang.  He glanced at the car that had
just passed.  It sped up and squealed into the turn onto Oak at the end of
the block.  He noted that the license-plate read (494 DAY).  At
Ariana's shout, his eyes followed her dash across the street to kneel beside
Bert Mathews.  He scrambled to his feet to follow her to offer what help
he could. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Kiki looked through her lashes as the forest green car approached. She wondered
if she should shop for a coat in that shade for school next fall.  It was
a good color to bring out the green of her eyes and the gold of her hair. 
She saw that the Mexican guy driving was checking her out as the car
slowed.  The second guy was turned away, but he looked to be a greaser
too.  She frowned at the loud back-fire and wrinkled her nose in disgust
as the old heap sped up and turned the corner.  She yawned and then jerked
to a sitting position as Carrie? Mary? Terrie? whatever her name was  ran
across the street.  She began to scream when she saw Biff lying on the
ground in a widening pool of blood. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <b><u>Who did the
screaming?<o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Delia Carter had turned her chair away from the window to greet Ariana when her
granddaughter spun back out of the doorway shouting about police and an
ambulance.  Delia reached for the cell phone holstered at her waist. She
wheeled to the open door to see what had gotten Ariana all worked up.  As
she dialed, she saw Mike Tanner run across to join Arie, where she knelt
checking for a pulse in the wrist of the man on the ground. "Oh lord! it
was that hoodlum, the Mathews boy!"  Mike's ash-blonde head bent
close to Arie's ebony one.  He pulled a bandana from his pocket and
appeared to be pressing it against the wound.  "Good! Arie had
someone sensible to help her until the authorities arrived."  <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Officer Jeff Phelps frowned as he finished keying in his notes from the
eye-witness accounts.  God he hated these drive-by shootings.  At
least this one seemed to have gone off without involving any innocent little
kids or anything.  The license number was a bust.  It came off 
a maroon SUV that belonged to the manager of a super market six blocks from the
shooting.  The owner had no idea when it had been lifted, since he always
parked his car at the back of the lot where he worked.  The victim
appeared to be the type to get himself into trouble, but had no known gang
affiliation.  Too bad he was DOA and couldn't explain why anyone wanted to
put out his lights.  This one was probably not going to go anywhere,
unless they could tie him to a particular run-in with one of the Hispanic
street gangs.  Even then, looking for an older dark green muscle car
wasn't going to be that easy." <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Angel sat on the edge of Anita's bed, gently stroking the silky dark hair
spread across the pillow.  "It's going to be okay Mija.  That
bastard won't ever try to lay a hand on you or hurt any other girl again! 
I have to get back to base now, cuz my unit is shipping out to the middle
east.  You do good in school and try to forget that pendejo ever
existed.  Danny will look out for you.  Say your rosary for me and
the guys every night chica."  Sergeant Angela Martinez kissed her
sister's cheek, squared her shoulders, rising to stride out of the room.  <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> -------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Cleora<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m Terrible at 
this kind of thng.  <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What you have sounds fine to me. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It has taken some of the main themes of the
story  and expressed them in a minimal
amount of words. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The themes sound interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Cleora sub for October 21, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">63 words<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">elevator pitch for Legend of Sly duck<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I'm currently working on a story about a
visually impaired duck who starts out walking south for the winter because she
runs into things when she tries to fly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">On her journey, she befriends a grasshopper,
receives an adaptive device to help her fly, and proves her worth by saving a
kingdom from an evil monarch. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">_______________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Group1 mailing list<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><a href="mailto:Group1@bluegrasspals.com"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:blue">Group1@bluegrasspals.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><a href="https://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/group1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:blue">https://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/group1</span></a><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">



































</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">































































































</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: center;" data-mce-style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: center;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Deanna sub for October 21<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Wow. Surprise ending. It was a woman.  <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Yu did a good job of 
describing all the characters in this scenario. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You also displayed a good command of male vocabulary  . <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Somehow, that all conspired 
to lead the reader into a surprise trap. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The   reader’s sympathy is
definitely on the female’s side.  <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You made murder seem like a 
reasonable thing.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">By
DeAnna Quietwater Noriega<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Arie Carter swerved her VW into the driveway at her grandmother's house. 
She set the parking brake and noticed Kiki Vanderholt sprawled on a
lounge-chair in the front yard next door.  Kiki's blonde opulent figure
threatened to escape from the thong bikini she wore.  It was a glorious
summer day--Arie had to admit--but didn't the girl know about the risks of
skin-cancer and the aging effects of sun tanning?  Not for Kiki apparently
-- the privacy of a backyard sunbath, when she could soak up the rays and
admiration of any handy male-members of the population.  Her audience
seemed a bit thin today. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Across the street, that creepy Mathews guy with the tattoos was absorbed in
working on his car.  In the yard on the other side of Granddee's was Mike
Tanner, crouched over his mother's flower bed pulling weeds.  He is too
shy to pay much attention to girls guessed Arie.  As she slid from the
car, she glanced down at her lanky six-foot jean-clad self.  Arie’s
cupid-bow lips quirked in to a wry smile. There was no competition here for the
golden sun-worshiper. Shaking back her mop of dark hair, Arie glanced at her
watch.  One-thirty already? If she hurried, she could get the shopping
done and make it back to help Granddee fix dinner.  Then they would have
time to relax and talk until Mable returned from her day off.  Arie
stretched and headed up the walk to fetch granddee's shopping list. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Biff Mathews gave a sidelong glance to the candy-apple red bug as it pulled
into the driveway across the road.  "Here comes the piece with the
legs!  Man oh man, would he like to have those wrapped around him in the
backseat of his wheels!  Not much on top, for true, but she was real
class.  Not like the fat-assed bitch living next door to the old
lady.  She was a cock-tease by the look of her, parading around, letting
it all hang-out.  Bet the Tanner geek was getting an eyeful.  Why
else would he be out pretending to help his mommy in the yard?  Now the
hot tamale working at Safeway on Saturdays had primo tits, but she thought she
was too good for a guy with grease under his nails.  She oughta be glad a
white guy was even interested in her.  But no!  She hadda go running
off crying like a little kid.  If those headlights hadn't turned into the
lot, he would have shown her what a real man was like!"<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Kiki turned her head lazily to watch old Mrs. Carter's goody-goody
granddaughter pull her beetle into the driveway next door.  Guess she
didn't have anything better to do on a Sunday afternoon than to run errands for
the old bat, (considering she had a figure like a boy and legs like Olive Oyl
from the Popeye cartoons.)  Her hair looked like she'd stuck her finger in
a light socket or something.  How she ever scrunched herself in to that
dinky car anyway was a mystery.  Good, she pulled far enough into the
drive not to block Mikey's view.  He's a nerd, but maybe if Biff noticed
him <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Double ifs. Did you mean
one of them to mean  (she?) Is Kiki still
doing the talking here?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">looking he'd get a
little jealous.  Now there's a real hunk!  Kiki considered getting up
and casually strolling over to ask if he wanted a cold drink -- it being so hot
and all.  She wondered if ma would notice if she snagged a  couple of beers?  Biff didn't look like
the type to go for a diet coke. <b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Michael Tanner grunted as he hauled another strand of Bermuda-grass out of his
experimental (bloom all growing season) bed of bulbs.  Ah here she
is.  He sat back on his heels to watch Ariana flow out of her cute red
car.  She stretched like a panther and moved gracefully up the walk,
tossing her cloud of raven curls back.  Her hair gleamed like ruffled
midnight satin against the red top she wore with her tapered jeans.  She
moved like a dancer making walking a symphony of motion.  Maybe he should
cut some of the red tulips that matched her shirt and take them over to Mrs.
Carter when Ariana came back with the groceries.  They might invite him in
for iced-tea and some of those chocolate chip cookies with cashews Mrs. Carter
baked.  Michael shoved his glasses back up on his freckled nose and wished
he were taller.  Ariana would never pay attention to a guy who had to look
up to meet those beautiful brown eyes with the amber flecks in them.  If
they did invite him in, he could at least watch her laughing and talking with
her grandmother for awhile.  As he bent to resume his weeding, he noted
that Kiki was out trying to catch the attention of Bertram Mathews, the
incredible hulk across the street.  He hoped she didn't end up with a
painful sun-burn for her trouble.  Poor little butter-cup was wasting her
time on that moron.  The jerk wasn't worth half the effort she put into
the project. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Delia Carter leaned out of her wheelchair to pull back the curtains.  She
heard the distinctive burr, like an overgrown lawn mower, of her
granddaughter's ridiculous little slug-bug as it turned into the drive. 
Ariana Marie Carter, you're late as usual my girl!  A fond smile touched Delia's
lips, as she watched Arie unfold from the car and arch her spine.  Lord!
The girl was wearing one of those elastic tube tops that barely covered enough
to be decent!  The red shade was nice though.  It made her skin glow
like mother-of-pearl.  It brought out the highlights in the black mane
flowing in a glossy cascade over the girl's bare-shoulders.  She had
David's height and Amanda's high cheekbones and delicate features.  She
was definitely going to be a heart-breaker when she finally out-grew the coltish
stage -- not like that chubby little Vanderholt girl next door.  By the
time Kiki (what a silly name) reached thirty, her bust would be drooping down
to her navel.  By then, Arie would have become an elegant
head-turner.  Delia reached for her shopping list as she watched the child
lope up the walk.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Danny Martinez slowed his Mustang as he turned on to the street.  Yeh,
there was the shit-head messing with the engine of his crappy old junker. 
Witnesses?  A babe across the street--looked like maybe she was asleep, a
skinny kid going into the house next to that and an old guy digging in the dirt
-- no problemo!  Danny checked to see if Angel was ready.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
"Angel-of-death, that's me, steady the barrel of the gun on the frame of
the open car window.  Time to say bye-bye ass-hole, gently squeeze the
trigger." <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
At the crack of the gunshot, Arie spun to see the old Ford with chrome rims
speed up to lay down rubber as it rounded the corner.  She watched in
horror as the Mathews guy slowly slid off the engine of his car and crumpled to
the ground.   A red stain blossomed on his dirty tee-shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">              
"Granddee call for an ambulance and phone the police! Someone’s been
shot!" Arie sprinted across the street.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Michael Tanner jumped at the loud bang.  He glanced at the car that had
just passed.  It sped up and squealed into the turn onto Oak at the end of
the block.  He noted that the license-plate read (494 DAY).  At
Ariana's shout, his eyes followed her dash across the street to kneel beside
Bert Mathews.  He scrambled to his feet to follow her to offer what help
he could. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Kiki looked through her lashes as the forest green car approached. She wondered
if she should shop for a coat in that shade for school next fall.  It was
a good color to bring out the green of her eyes and the gold of her hair. 
She saw that the Mexican guy driving was checking her out as the car
slowed.  The second guy was turned away, but he looked to be a greaser
too.  She frowned at the loud back-fire and wrinkled her nose in disgust
as the old heap sped up and turned the corner.  She yawned and then jerked
to a sitting position as Carrie? Mary? Terrie? whatever her name was  ran
across the street.  She began to scream when she saw Biff lying on the
ground in a widening pool of blood. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <b><u>Who did the
screaming?<o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Delia Carter had turned her chair away from the window to greet Ariana when her
granddaughter spun back out of the doorway shouting about police and an
ambulance.  Delia reached for the cell phone holstered at her waist. She
wheeled to the open door to see what had gotten Ariana all worked up.  As
she dialed, she saw Mike Tanner run across to join Arie, where she knelt
checking for a pulse in the wrist of the man on the ground. "Oh lord! it
was that hoodlum, the Mathews boy!"  Mike's ash-blonde head bent
close to Arie's ebony one.  He pulled a bandana from his pocket and
appeared to be pressing it against the wound.  "Good! Arie had
someone sensible to help her until the authorities arrived."  <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Officer Jeff Phelps frowned as he finished keying in his notes from the
eye-witness accounts.  God he hated these drive-by shootings.  At
least this one seemed to have gone off without involving any innocent little
kids or anything.  The license number was a bust.  It came off 
a maroon SUV that belonged to the manager of a super market six blocks from the
shooting.  The owner had no idea when it had been lifted, since he always
parked his car at the back of the lot where he worked.  The victim
appeared to be the type to get himself into trouble, but had no known gang
affiliation.  Too bad he was DOA and couldn't explain why anyone wanted to
put out his lights.  This one was probably not going to go anywhere,
unless they could tie him to a particular run-in with one of the Hispanic
street gangs.  Even then, looking for an older dark green muscle car
wasn't going to be that easy." <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; line-height: 21pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">               
Angel sat on the edge of Anita's bed, gently stroking the silky dark hair
spread across the pillow.  "It's going to be okay Mija.  That
bastard won't ever try to lay a hand on you or hurt any other girl again! 
I have to get back to base now, cuz my unit is shipping out to the middle
east.  You do good in school and try to forget that pendejo ever
existed.  Danny will look out for you.  Say your rosary for me and
the guys every night chica."  Sergeant Angela Martinez kissed her
sister's cheek, squared her shoulders, rising to stride out of the room.  <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" data-mce-style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" data-mce-style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><div>Sally</div><div><br></div></div></div>