Insatiable Desire.

d Florida Capital, but I felt you should read it before meeting with someo

ertain he has no idea. We're just pocket change to a fi

"I h

, but my mouth is dry, and the swallow gets stuck

er again. My hands quiver. This is how see

tone is unconvincing. She squints into

out the term.

r, Diana glancing at the drunk and scratching her stomach. My previous resolve to pull the pirate

pressing thoughts. "Every year, the obese, elderly guys with puffy shirts and eye patches

ting to calm me

dirty palm on my black pencil skirt. "Whoever thought the St. Augustine Pillage and Village Fest w

hink the cops will

should have planned this meeting after the

ally dancing arou

u

ement after a night out. It's not like we didn't raid the village

er me up by reminiscing about our wi

because it's ridiculously warm for February in Florida. I'm sweating because it's inconceivable to believe

now—will recognize our business for what it is. We are a newspaper. We deal with

nce. "Come on. We aren't t

e St. Augustine Times." I let out a ch

what did you say to me when your father died? This is your legacy. You adore this. Fighting for wh

y-tower crap

ieve in the paper. Otherwis

world. When I'm having a rough day, I frequently remember a remark from Spider Jerusalem, my favorite dystopian comic book character: "Journali

dropped, kicked, and filled with muck.

uilding alone is worth what

well aware of the terrible situation. Everything depends on this encounter. My career. My newspaper. My whole l

b

ands between me

n snatched from my comfortable environment and thrown into another re

reams out to me in a loud voice, "Ana, the pol

y a few years away from retiring. Sweet, white-haired Larry, who used to purchase my brother and me Rocket Pops from the ic

ough? He disappears inside. I may be the one to appreciate L

y thumbnail. My red polish has not chipped. Yet. Diana's el

show up today, Ana. He's probably una

soon after the purchase. Furthermore, he appears to own a real estate investment firm and owns a variety of o

even work i

forgotten I even exist. "It's been ten, twelve years since we last saw each other." I

2 months,

keep track

at the drunk. I cringe as the pi

s," I m

to turn back when there is a halt in the stairs and a beat of quiet. My heart beats in sync with the pou

hrough some difficult times. I wasn't expectin

attractive. I haven't heard it in a long time, yet it's as comforting and tempti

endez de