At the clinic gate, a 7-year-old collapsed, crying, “Mommy has been sleeping for three days, please save them.” The doctor rushed to help the newborn twins, but as he lifted them, his hands shook. Underneath the babies was a handwritten note from the mother that made the doctor freeze in terror…

months of specialized care to catch up to their proper weight. There were nights I woke up screaming, phantom heat burning my skin, the shrieking of a rusty wheel echoing in my ears.

But our new apartment was warm. There were no flies. When I turned the faucet, clean, cold water rushed out. Teachers at the local school worked tirelessly to bridge the continue reading …