Valeria Garza Novels & Stories

ZARIA I hated the smell of tear gas, it crawled up my throat, settled on my tongue, and mixed with sweat, smoke, and screams. That day, it was everywhere, clinging to the protest like a parasite. The sun blazed overhead as I stood beside my mother. Her voice was loud and clear into the microphone. The crowd pulsed with energy, banners flew, chants rose, and fists punched the air. But it was her... my mom, who commanded it all…Isela Mendez, a warrior in a sunflower-yellow blouse, a political icon, a revolution in heels.

I turned back to Andrea briefly, but he only gave me an encouraging nod before taking a large swig of champagne. As I neared the group, I walked around so that I came to Gonzalez from the back. With my heart beating fast, I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. "Señor Gonzalez?" I said. "Si?" he said before turning around. His eyes scanned my face and then dropped to my chest before his face softened and his lips turned into a smile. "Americana, eh?" he asked. I nodded with a confident smile. "What brings you to Venezuela, Chica?" he asked. "And to my party?"

What gave us away most was the colour of our skin. "Have you been to the west?" Gregory asked me, and I shook my head. "It is a beautiful place, Luna, and unlike other parts of our world, women have rights and power in the west. They are most appreciated and allowed to take part in leadership. Unfortunately, our luna passed away after a brief illness at a tender age, so we do not have a luna. However, our Alpha is pressing on regardless. Try and pay us a visit someday." He said, and I nodded.

0 said and continue talking about things. Wow, this is Hilary's point of view when I am talking to her? Am I always this loud and I am telling a story? "Settle, please be sitted in your assigned seats." our professor said. She is Miss Ricafronte, she's our teacher in Calculus. She doesn't give high grades at all unless you gave her high scores on the quizzes, discussion, and assignments. So basically, what you give is what she encodes.

I tried to speak with my voice shaking both from pain and fear of losing my job. "Oh don't give me these silly excuses, pack your stuff and leave you're no longer needed here," "But…," I tried to explain. "And who do you think you're to fire her," All the eyes turned to a voice that was coming from a stranger supporting me. "What do think about the ridiculous uniform of the waitress here, what do think this place is a family high-end restaurant or strip club," "It is what it is," said the manager, staring glaring at the stranger beside me. "And as a guest I don't you have the right to interfere in the matter related to an employee here,"

“You know, with all the work that you’ve been having, the least that you can do is loosen up. And I figure that a girl in your room would be a little change for that.” She looked at Jade over her shoulder, and I could swear that I saw a hint of pain in the woman’s eyes. She didn’t look up at me, though. She just kept her eyes on the ground, giving me and my sister the privacy to talk as Valdez stood one step behind me.

Probably some guy gave her a fake number in the bar. "I know what it is. But who are you?" She again asks me anxiously. "I am secretary of the President of the Damison Group. My name is Ethan Stone." I reply to her irritatingly, as she is wasting my time. I need to go home and take a lavender bath with my rubber ducks.

Ingrid was a little hesitant to obey her alpha’s order since her health was at stake, and considering the fact that she just returned from a warfare and was supposed to eat healthy foods to help revitalize her system. “Yes, alpha.” Ingrid, who was in no position to question her alpha’s orders quietly replied, and started her way to the kitchen. “On second thoughts, I think I’ll like to have chilate de pollo (a fiery chicken soup) for lunch.” Isabel’s voice halted Ingrid in her tracks. “Still… Don’t forget my bottle of tequila.” She concluded through mind link before heading upstairs. She needed something hot and spicy as her emotions were all over the place. She needed something to keep her

The man and woman who were standing frowned in confusion at the gesture, but I knew that they could tell that something was wrong and thankfully, they chose not to ask any questions. I had to fight back rolling my eyes at his response and cleared my throat to find my voice. The tension that I felt in the room was one that I never thought that I would be experiencing or dealing with, and seeing as Alvize seemed to grow annoyed, I couldn’t help but feel out of place. “Elena Valdez,” I said, extending my hand to the woman. “My apologies for coming this way,” The woman smiled at my hand before shaking it, her touch gentle before she let go and I turned to the man. “Donatello and Maria, Alvize an

“We take her world apart, bone by bone.” Valeria’s Side Far beneath Zurich, Valeria stood inside a surgical theatre so white it hummed. A teenage girl was strapped to the table, drugged but awake—eyes rolling, lips whispering prayers to a god who wouldn’t hear her in this place. Valeria pulled on her gloves, calm as ever. “You see,” she said to the silent camera, “they call me evil. But all I’ve done… is show them who they really are.” She didn’t flinch as she made the first cut. The baby was removed quickly, almost clinically. She wrapped it in gold silk, kissed its head.