“I’ve already sold the land. You have three days to leave.” Dona Conceição pressed the cell phone to her ear. Her lifeless eyes hadn’t cried in years, but her hands were trembling.

opened her bag, pulled out an old wallet, and counted with trembling fingers.

“— Forty-seven reais.”

Amparo was silent for a long moment.

“I’ll try calling him from my phone,” she finally said.

She dialed the number Conceição knew by heart.

The number you have dialed does not exist.

“Try again,” Conceição asked.

Amparo tried again.

“— Same thing. He changed continue reading …