His first murder was in the summer of 1984. From March through June of the following year he killed ten people in the cities of Rosemead, Montery Park, Monrovia, Burbank and Pico Rivera. I lived in East L.A, a nearby city. A very nearby city. 1985 was Los Angeles' hottest summer in 100 years. Thick, wool-blanket-heat covered the city and suffocated in its inhabitants the slightest hint of motivation. I was 7 years old. My cousins Lorrie and Arlene were 7 and 9, respectively. My childhood summers cannot be recalled without them. Each of us was the youngest sibling, drawn to each other by the same sense of mischief and curiosity. Neither of us big fans of dolls or mini plastic baking ovens, I think we watched movies like The Goonies and Monster Squad while imagining ourselves as those brave, adventure-seeking youngsters. We spent most of our days in and around Arlene's house - a white single-story, three-bedroom in San Gabriel, with a detached garage and an overgrown backyard -
In the game of Lotería we're each destined the cards that decide our fate as players. The following is a collection of short stories, each inspired by a particular Loteria card.