,! ,SULPHURS ( ,SANTIAGUITO ,PEOPLE 3 ,AU?OR 3 ,MI*AEL ,S*MIDT ,TEXT 3 ,SMOKY CL\D ROLL$ D[N FROM %R\D$ CR[N ( ! VOLCANO ,SANTIAGUITO1 *ILL+ MY SK91 AS YELL[-RIMM$ FISSURES HISS$ /9K+ SULFUR ACROSS ! RUTT$ TRACK4 ,F> BEL[1 ON ! SLOPES1 ,MAYAN PEASANTS 9 FU*SIA BL\SES1 LOOK+ = ALL ! WORLD LIKE GIANT FRANGIPANIS1 HACK$ AT ! MUD ) HOES4 ,A D5T$ PICK-UP TRUCK HAD JU/ DROPP$ MYSELF & MY COMPANION HI< UP 9 ! M\NTA9S ( ,GUATEMALA4 ,AN E!REAL PEACE SEEP$ ?R\< ! SC5E -- ,SANTIAGUITO WAS DORMANT AFT] ALL1 ITS LA/ B\T ( BAD BEHAVIOR HAV+ BE5 ! #aib LEVEL+ ( ! NE>BY M\NTA9 CITY ( ,QUEZALT5ANGO -- BUT AS SO MU* ) ?IS TR\BL$ L&1 ALL WAS NOT AS IT SEEM$4 ,IT WAS E>LY #a#i#i#f1 AT ! BITT] 5D ( A DRAWN-\T #c#f-YE> CIVIL W>1 ! LONGE/ 9 ,LAT9 ,AM]ICA'S GORE-SPATT]$ HI/ORY1 & SOME:]E SOMEONE WAS ALWAYS DY+4 ,! NEWSPAP]S W]E FULL ( LURIDLY ILLU/RAT$ WAYS TO DIE -- NONE ( !M RELAT$ TO ! W>4 ,SOME GUY HAD BE5 DECAPITAT$ & !RE SAT HIS HEAD1 LIFE-SIZE & ON ! FRONT PAGE1 ) BITS ( GRASS /UCK 9 HIS HAIR & HIS EYELIDS GLU$ %UT BY A SA% ( DRI$ BLOOD4 ,OR TWO LOV]S :O HAD COMMITT$ SUICIDE BY MEANS ( A %OTGUN4 ,A FULL-COLOR PHOTOGRAPH %[$ ! RU9S ( !IR SKULLS COLLAPS$ TOGE!R1 !IR BRA9S SPATT]+ ! WALL BEH9D4 ,A PASS5G] JET HAD JU/ GONE D[N (F ,CUBA & ! ,T,V FOOTAGE %[$ SAILORS WIELD+ BOAT-HOOKS1 GAFF+ ! BLOAT$ CORPSES LIKE TUNA & DUMP+ !M ON ! DECK ( A TRAWL]4 ,! FACT ?AT TWO ( !M W]E ,POLI% ,M,PS BE DAMN$4 ,IT WAS EASY TO DIE 9 ,GUATEMALA 9 ?OSE DAYS -- BUT JU/ AS EASY TO LIVE AS IF Y\ W]5'T 9 ! RIE /ONE-L9$ POOL1 TOPP$ UP BY A PIP+ HOT SPR+ GU%+ FROM ! BLACK BREA/ ( ! VOLCANO1 FR+$ ) F]NS1 AT ,FU5TES ,GEORG9AS1 A R>E GEM SET 9 ! RA9=E/4 ,/ONE LIPS DROOL$ COOL+ JETS ( WAT] D[N 9TO L[] POOLS :]E FLAGG$ PA?WAYS W\ND >\ND TREE-F]NS 9TO ! =E/4 ,:5EV] ,I TIR$ ( ! HEAT 9 MY BONES1 ,I C\LD SLI!R UP A ROCK LIKE A IGUANA & /EAM 9TO ! COOL AIR :ILE SIPP+ A ,CUBA ,LIBRE3 RUM @& COKE4 ,I C\LD HAVE OV]NID-FAC+ >\ND ?OSE COOL C\RTY>DS ?AT ,C5TRAL ,AM]ICANS FAVOR -- P]HAPS 9 REFLECTION ( !IR [N AV]SION TO ! GRIM REALITY \TSIDE4 ,:5 WE >RIV$1 MY COMPANION'S ,G]MAN BOYFRI5D TOLD US ?AT HIS HIKE 9TO ! SAME M\NTA9S ?AT DAY TO VISIT ANO!R1 MORE 9DIG5\S & PROMIS+LY COLORFUL ,MAYAN SETTLEM5T HAD MET ) DISA/]4 0,WE GOT !RE & ! :OLE VILLAGE WAS JU/ SMOK+ RU9S40 HE SAID1 A\ND & WE K9DA N]V\SLY ASK$ !M :AT HAPP5$4 ,!Y TOLD US ',!RE WAS A SICKNESS H]E -- SO WE BURNT IT \T'40 ,! NOTORI\SLY VICI\S ,GUATEMALAN >MY -- NICKNAM$ ! 0SPOTT$ ONES0 BECAUSE ( !IR CAM\FLAGE -- HAD 9 ! #a#i#hS ADOPT$ ! PRACTICE ( T>GET+ ,MAYAN COMMUNITIES SUSPECT$ ( SUPPORT+ ! GU]RILLA 9SURG5CY4 ,ON OCCASION1 !Y HAD BE5 KN[N TO R\ND EV]YONE UP1 WOM5 & *ILDR5 9CLUD$1 CORRAL !M 9 ! *UR*1 ?R[ 9 A FEW GR5ADES & BURN ! 5TIRE T[N TO ! GR\ND4 ,9 ?IS TWI/$ SCOR*$ E>? POLICY1 EV]Y GOAT1 DOG & *ICK5 WAS SLAUY #a#i#i#f1 ?IS W>-BY-PROXY1 F\RI$ TO ! ,BELGIAN CONSUL TO ,GUATEMALA4 ,:I* WAS :Y ,I HAD DECID$ TO V5TURE 9TO ! W>-ZONE -- & P>TLY :Y ?IS TALE ( BUT*]Y HIT A RAW N]VE4 ,I'D NAIVELY EXPECT$ MY TRIP TO BE AN EMOTIONAL J\RNEY ( RECONNECTION4 ,BUT ! BONDS ,I F\ND ?AT /ILL B9D ME TO ,GUATEMALA W]E NOT ! K9D FAMILIAL ONES ,I HAD EXPECT$4 ,RA!R !Y W]E LIKE ! VICI\S TWI/ ( B>B$ WIRE ?AT B9DS ! WRI/S ( ! CONDEMN$4 ,9 ONE ( ?OSE ROOMS ) FIVE R[S ( PLA/IC SEATS & A VIDEO MA*9E ?AT PASS$ AS MOVIE !AT]S ?R\<\T MU* ( ,GUATEMALA1 ,I SAW A MOVIE CALL$ ,LA ,HIJA DEL ,PUMA 7,! ,SI/] ( ! ,PUMA74 ,IT DRAMATIZ$ JU/ SU* A MASSACRE & WAS BE+ CL&E/9ELY CIRCULAT$ BY >*ITECTURE /UD5TS FROM ! UNIV]SITY 9 ,GUATEMALA ,CITY4 ,B>ELY A MON? PREVI\SLY1 UND] A WEEP+ SKY1 ,I HAD PICK$ MY WAY ?R\< A ?ORN ?ICKET ON A MUDDY HILLSIDE 9 ,%OBA%OBANE1 ,KWA,ZULU-,NATAL TO F9D ! MAGGOTY BODY ( A MAN HACK$ TO DEA? ON ,*RI/MAS ,DAY = ! CRIME ( LIV+ 9 AN ,A,N,C VILLAGE SURR\ND$ BY ,I,F,P VILLAGES4 ,!RE WAS ANO!R WOMAN1 FACE-D[N1 ! BACK ( H] SCALP ALREADY *EW$ (F BY MANGY DOGS4 ,& ,KIPHA ,NYAWOSE1 ! ,A,N,C LEAD]1 HAD HAD ! DUBI\S HONOR ( BE+ DISEMB[EL$ 7TO RELEASE ! SPIRIT7 :ILE AT ! SAME TIME HAV+ HIS P5IS CUT (F 9 9SULT4 ,! /5* ( !IR CORPSES /ILL P]MEAT$ MY S9USES & ,I LEFT ! MOVIE !AT] 9 TE>S1 *OK+ \T TO ! FIFTY-SOME?+ ,AM]ICAN HIPPIE3 0,I'VE JU/ COME FROM !RE6 ,I KN[ :AT !Y MEAN40 ,H] GLAZ$ 9COMPREH5SION 9FURIAT$ ME & ,I /ORM$ \T4 ,BUT BACK 9 ,QUEZALT5ANGO1 ,I WALK$ ! O!R SIDE ( ! 9VISIBLE L9E ?AT T\RI/S CROSS 9 W>-ZONES1 PUR*AS+ ,MAYAN C>PETS WOV5 9 LU/R\S BURGUNDY & OXBLOOD1 EAT+ ,AM]ICAN-/YLE PIZZAS & WAT*+ A ,SPANI%-DUBB$ ,SIGORNEY ,WEAV] GO %IT-KICK+ 9 ,ALI5S3 EL ,REGRESSO AT ! LOCAL BUG-H\SE4 ,KN[N BY ! ,MAYANS AS ,XELA1 ! CITY IS A BIG C5T] = ,SPANI%-LANGUAGE /UDIES & ! B>S1 CAFES & RE/AURANTS W]E CR[D$ ) /UD5TS1 MO/LY ,AM]ICANS1 APP>5TLY OBLIVI\S TO ! FACT ?AT !IR GOV]NM5T HAD L>GELY FUND$ ! G5OCIDE4 ,! CONFLICT HAD ALSO DRAWN C]TA9 SPECIES ( W> :ORES3 SCRUFFY J\RNALI/S TRY+ TO LOOK LIKE ,JAMES ,WOODS 9 ,SALVADOR2 FUN]EAL /RONG-M5 ( 9DET]M9ATE CRIM9AL AFFILIATION 9 BLACK *9OS & %9Y WAI/COA/S1 PROBABLY CONCEAL+ SWIT*BLADES2 WE>Y AID WORK]S TRY+ TO WORK 9 BESIEG$ ,MAYAN T[NS2 LAZY ,U,N OBS]V]S ( A CEASEFIRE :I* HAD NOT YET HAPP5$2 *ATTY ,CA?OLIC PRIE/S ON SABBATICAL2 $GY ,C,I,A AG5TS :O NEV] SPOKE AT ALL2 & FAT P$]A/S ) A NOSE = ! COCA9E TRAIL4 ,W> T\RISM LEAVES A TA/E 9 MY M\? AS METALLIC AS OLD BLOOD4 ,NONE BUT ! MO/ M]C5>Y CAN S]I\SLY 9DULGE 9 SU* TA/ES4 ,BUT HAV+ MYSELF TRAVEL$ TO ,GUATEMALA FROM A T\R ( ,ZAPATI/A-HELD ,*IAPAS 7ON A SP9E-HAMM]+ #cKM BUS TRIP ?AT CO/ ONLY SIX QUETZALES71 P]HAPS ,I WASN'T SO 9NOC5T EI!R4 ,WI]D CONV]SATIONS W]E NOT 9 %ORT SUPPLY4 ,LIKE TRY+ TO EXPLA9 TO AN E>NE/ Y\NG GIRL FROM A PROGRESSIVE ,DUT* ,RE=M$ UNIV]SITY 9 ! ,AM]ICAN ,MIDWE/ ?AT 9 ,S\? ,AFRICA1 H] 0,DUT* ,DE=M$0 FAI? LAY AT ! ROOT ( ! CALV>Y ( AP>!ID4 ,SO1 H[ DOES ONE LIVE AS A =EIGN] 9 ! MID/ ( SU* UNREL5T+1 YET UNDECL>$ PA98 ,I DI/RACT$ MYSELF BY PAY+ A VISIT TO ONE ( ! M>IMBA S*OOLS = :I* ! CITY WAS FAM\S4 ,& ,I W5T TO ! CREEPY & DU/Y 0NATURAL0 HI/ORY MUSEUM :I* SEEM$ TO BOA/ MORE ?AN ITS FAIR %>E ( FREAKS3 SIX-LEGG$ GOATS & SU*4 ,9 ! E>?QUAKE-WRECK$ OLD CAPITAL ( ,ANTIGUA ,GUATEMALA1 ANO!R BUS J\RNEY EA/W>DS D[N ! SP9E ( ! M\NTA9S1 ,I WAT*$ A ,JAPANESE T\RI/ & A ,MAYAN FLUTE-SELL] P]=M AN IMPROMPTU FLUTI/'S DUEL 9 ! MA9 SQU>E4 ,!RE WAS A *ILL 9 ! AIR & ! %AD[S W]E L5G!N+ FROM ! RU9$ CORNICES ( ,CONQUI/ADOR-]A *UR*S1 BUT ! SQU>E WAS FULL ( (F-DUTY CIVIL S]VANTS1 ,MAYANS -- LIKE A MO!R & H] T9Y GIRL-*ILD DRESS$ 9 MAT*+ COBALT TRADITIONAL WRAPS -- :O SOLD CRAFTS TO COA*-LOADS ( DAY-TRIPP]S UP FROM ,GUATEMALA ,CITY4 ,! LANKY ,JAPANESE Y\? SELECT$ A PAN PIPE FROM ?OSE ON (F] & BEGAN TO PLAY4 ,! ,MAYAN JO9$ 9 ) GU/O1 ! TWO S\ND+ = ALL ! WORLD LIKE A ,PANIC V]SION ( ?AT SONG AB\T ! CONTE/ BETWE5 ! DEVIL & ! FIDDL]4 ,! JAUNTY NOTES DRIFT$ OV] ! GLOOMY SQU>E1 PROVID+ AN O!RWORLDLY S\ND-TRACK TO ! %AD[$ L&SCAPE4 ,:ILE ,I ATE A HE>TY BREAKFA/ ( *ILI CON C>NE 9 A COZY FAMILY-RUN RE/AURANT1 LOOK+ \T ?R\< ! WR\O ,>ZU BY RAMM+ HIM ) A TRUCK :ILE HE WAS \T HORSE-RID+4 ,! MILKMAN MAY HAVE ONLY BE5 DRUNK1 BUT WAS %OT DEAD ANYWAY4 ,JU/ BE=E ,I >RIV$1 TWO ,BRITI% GIRLS HAD BE5 EXECUT$ AT A ROADSIDE4 ,NEI!R ROBB$ NOR RAP$4 ,JU/ %OT 9 ! HEAD & LEFT = ! POLITICAL VULTURES TO SWAP BLAME = ! ATROCITY4 ,?IS WAS AFT] ALL ! C\NTRY :]E !IR V]SION ( ,>*BI%OP ,TUTU WAS LAT] BLUDGEON$ TO DEA? ) CONCRETE BLOCKS 9 HIS [N DRIVEWAY4 ,BUT AS ?IS MAEL/ROM HAPP5$ >\ND ME1 ,I WAS SITT+ AT ! ,SUNSET ,B> ON ! BEA* AT ,PANAJA*EL1 A T9Y T[N1 SEV]AL H\RS BY BUS TO ! S\?-S\?-EA/ ( ,XELA1 A ,GUATEMALAN V]SION ( ,GOA ?AT WAS NICK-NAM$ ,GR+OT5ANGO BECAUSE ( ITS POPULATION ( FAD$ GR+O DROP-\TS4 ,BUILT ON A SPIT ( ALLUVIAL L& /RET*+ 9TO ,LAKE ,ATITLAN1 A COLD & V]Y DEEP VOLCANIC CALD]A :I* SPORT$ MILLIONAIRES' MANSIONS ON ONE %ORE & ! PALM-FROND HUTS ( DUG\T-PADDL+ FI%]M5 ON ! O!R4 ,! BLOND B>MAID TURN$ \T TO BE A C\S9 ( ,ICEL&IC ELV5 SIR5 ,BJORK & PLAY$ ME SOME ( ! LATT]'S R>E & UNRELEAS$ BLUES CUTS1 !N1 KN[+ ,I WAS ,AFRICAN TREAT$ ME TO ,JULUKA'S ,SCATT]L+S ( ,AFRICA4 ,AS ,I NURS$ MY COLD ,GALLO BE] ALONE ) H] AT ! B>1 ,I REFLECT$ ?AT ,I WAS 9 SOME WAYS ALSO A SCATT]L+ ( ,C5TRAL ,AM]ICA1 EV5 ?\< TRAWL+ ?R\< PHONE-BOOKS HAD FAIL$ TO TURN UP ANY TRACE ( MY DILUT$ BLOODL9E4 ,BUT ,I HAD F\ND ANO!R BLOOD-TIE3 ?AT :I* UNITES NATIONS :I* HAVE SUFF]$ UND] ! %AD[ ( DEA?-SQUADS2 ?AT :I* UNITES ?OSE :O HAVE WALK$ ?R\< ! SLAUHEAD$ ! G5OCIDE 9 ! #a#i#hS1 HAS JU/ HAD HIS LEGAL RE/RICTION ON MAK+ A PLAY = ! ,GUATEMALAN PRESID5CY REVOK$4 ,AN E>?QUAKE TAKES PLACE 9 MY HE>T & ! /5* ( DEA? IS 9 MY NO/RILS ONCE AGA94 ,SUDD5LY ,I'M BACK ON ! SULFUR\S SLOPES ( ,SANTIAGUITO1 KN[+ ?IS TIME ?AT UNHE>D & UNSE51 BEYOND ! MI/S1 PEOPLE >E DY+4 7,S\RCE3 ,RETRIEV$ ON #e? ,AUGU/ #bba FROM AN>KISMO4NET47 ,FROM 3 ,!,AN>*I/,LIBR>Y4ORG4 ,*RONOLOGY 3 ,FEBRU>Y #a#e1 #bbb 3 ,! ,SULPHURS ( ,SANTIAGUITO -- ,ADD$4 FILE G5]AT$ FROM 3 HTTP3_/_/WWW4,REVOLT,LIB4COM_/