Samuel Wright

I yawn and stretch, having been woken up by the light pouring through the window. I quietly get up, not wanting to wake Amanda. I watch the sun’s golden rays paint the waves as they wash up along Nukolii Beach. I breathe in, savoring the saltiness of the sea. Not forty-eight hours ago, Amanda and I were still just engaged. Now, we both have our whole life in front of us.

Felipe Sousa

The sun beats down on me from above. Through the cornstalks, I can hear the others hard at work. I wipe the sweat from my brow, and keep moving. I don’t have time for breaks. Not if I want to meet today’s quota. They upped it from last week, as if it wasn’t already high enough. But I need every penny I can scrounge up if I’m ever going to make a better life for myself. So I put my head down and push on.

Giovanni Rossi

I rush home, cursing myself for taking so long to close up the shop. As the sun sets, the street lamps start to turn on, although they are few and far between. I promised myself I wouldn’t keep putting myself in this situation. Even now, in the last of the dying light, I can see the occasional thug hiding in the alleyways. This neighborhood has gone downhill so fast. The local authorities turn a blind eye to us. Many of the locals suspect corruption, although no one can confirm anything. I just need to get home. They won’t bother me once I’m safe at home.