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Loreda and Ant had spent the last few hours helping flood victims in any way they could Loreda had found dry, war—their only real belongings now—sat in a box in the Communists’ tent She’d found a dress and sweater for Mo Mom asleep, Loreda had left the clothes for her Now Loreda sat in the Communists’ tent beside Natalia In front of the metal coffeepot and a nearly empty tray of sandwiches And a stack of flyers, very fehich had been taken, if any

Natalia lit up a cigarette, offered Loreda one

“No, thanks I’d rather eat than smoke”

Natalia leaned forward and took the last bologna sandwich, handing it to Loreda

Taking a bite, Loreda stared out at the diminished crowd There were fewer people out here now Most had been relocated or helped in some way

Out in the cordoned-off street, Jack threw a softball back and forth with Ant Loreda found herselfIt made her think about Daddy and who they’d all been before he left His leaving was still the worst thing that had happened to their fa them in the middle of it would hurt forever

She looked at Jack Even with all they’d been through, the long, terrible night, there was a strength in him that coht A ht for thes for them, and stayed in place If only her father had been more like Jack

A rebel instead of a dreaiven Loreda words; it was actions thatOr walking away

Loreda wanted to be like Jack, not like her faithless father She wanted to stand for so and tell the world she was better than this, that A her live this way

But look at the stack of flyers left on the table Very few had been taken People had taken coffee and sandwic

hes, but apparently they didn’t ords Especially not fighting words And the only nan-up sheet was Loreda’s

“How do you know Jack?” Loreda said, looking at him

“Iand full of ourselves” Natalia dropped her cigarette and stubbed it out with her fashionable shoe “He was the first person I know to start talking about workers’ rights in the fields He got us to fight the deportation of Mexicans a few years ago It was an ugly tiet scared when they lose their jobs and they tend to blame outsiders The first step is to call them criminals The rest is easy You know about that,” she said, eyeing Loreda

“I do”