Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Boy

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CONTENTS

Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Boy

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Art Gallery

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Articles

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Columns

By Ray Vukcevich

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Fiction

20 May 2002

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Poetry

I hope it isn't raining, but if it is raining, I hope the

Before Paphos by Loretta Casteen 8 January 2007 It starts again. The baby begins to cough and choke.

Locked Doors wind isn't blowing, but if the wind is blowing, I o Reviews hope there aren't a lot of puddles in the streets and by Stephanie Burgis cars zooming by to splash me, but if there are cars, o Archives I hope Karen isn't driving one of them, but if she is 1 January 2007 behind the wheel, I hope she doesn't see me, but if You can never let ABOUT US she does spot me, I hope she doesn't realize I'm anyone suspect, his Staff o not wearing the goofy earmuffs she gave me for the mother told him. That holidays, but if she does notice, I hope she'll stew was the first rule she o Guidelines slowly in silence instead of boiling over and calling taught him, and the her henchmen to snatch me off the street and drag last, before she left o Contact me back to the hacienda for torture by chili him here alone with It. peppers, but if it must be the heat for me, I hope I o Awards can be manly and not break down crying, "Karen, Heroic Measures o Banners Karen, please stop feeding me those red hot by Matthew Johnson peppers," burbling, breathing fire, babbling, SUPPORT US begging for water, water, water, like I didn't get enough out in the street where I hope it isn't raining,18 December 2006 o Donate but if it is raining, I hope there are no wet dogs Pale as he was, it was chasing me through the puddles, and cars honking, hard to believe he o Bookstore and drivers yelling, "Hey, get off the street, you would never rise from o Merchandise moron," but if there are dogs and puddles and this bed. Even in the honking and yelling and running and hiding in an darkest times, she had COMMUNITY alley behind some garbage cans, I hope there are never really feared for no rats, but maybe I shouldn't have mentioned the him; he had always o Forum rats, I hope Karen didn't hear me mention the rats, been strong, so strong. o Readers' but if she is listening, maybe from behind that Choice curtain in the window high up in the alley, or maybeLove Among the Talus she's actually inside one of the cans, hold on, let me check, nope, but if she does somehow hear about by Elizabeth Bear the rats, I hope she'll have too much on her mind to 11 December 2006 remember to use them on me when her henchmen finally find me and drag me back to the hacienda Nilufer raised her eyes for jalapeños, but if she remembers, maybe the rats to his. It was not what will be too smart for her, I hope they'll be too women did to men, smart for her, but if the rats are dumb, dumb and but she was a mean, all teeth and no brains, easy to catch and be princess, and he was transported back to the hacienda in little wire only a bandit. "I want cages, I hope they'll be gullible rats so I can make to be a Witch," she a deal with them, something like you don't eat my said. "A Witch and not eyes and maybe I won't blow up and burn down a Queen. I wish to be the place and everyone in it, which reminds me that not loved, but wise. burning down the place with everyone in it would Tell your bandit lord, if not be such a bad idea, you didn't hear me say he can give me that, I that, it's just that they're always so mean, Karen's might accept his gift." henchmen and the other inmates, no, kids, call