"So, the rumors about how he is treating the people." I interject, breathing heavily as all this swirls around my brain and her hands clench and unclench as we get back up to speed in a new flow of faster traffic. I can feel her inner battle as her mind tells her that vulnerability is a weakness, while her heart begs to be allowed to grieve. Conflict thick around her.

"Juan likes to exert his dominance on anyone who doesn't march to the beat of his drum. Others were in the tanks for punishment when I was. It was one of them who came back for me, convinced the guards...