Excerpt of An Angel in the Mail by Callie Hutton

A small wooden table in the corner drew her. She placed the glass on the table and eased her sore and tired body onto the chair. One leg shorter than the other three, the chair rocked as she settled. A woman the size of the counterman came through a curtain separating the area from whatever was in the back. With a brisk nod in Angel's direction, she headed her way.

"Y'all one of them new whores Dolly's expectin'? She asked me to look out for ya." She jerked her thumb in the counterman's direction. "Jedediah'll git you out there as soon as the stage pulls out. Dolly's sure needin' the help. She cain't never take a break herself."

Angel sat in silence, her eyes wide and mouth slack as the woman continued. "Ya'll gonna have to git rid of them black clothes, though. Dolly'll fix ya up nice and fancy."

Tears sprang to her eyes and she gasped, vigorously shaking her head. "No, ma'am, I am not one of the new wh–whores." She stumbled on the word, and backed the rickety chair against the wall.

"Well, gosh darn. Thadda be a pity." The woman shifted a wad of tobacco from one cheek to the other, expelling a stream of juice right next to Angel's shoe. Her gaze roamed over her. "A looker like you'd make a lot of money for yerself. Men around here are dying for some new faces." Then she thought for a minute and grinned. "And new bodies, too." She threw her head back in laughter, spaces from missing teeth exposed.

"Jedediah, git yoreself back to work." The woman shouted in the counterman's direction as she returned to the back area.

Angel got up from the table and quickly headed for the door. I'd rather sit in the blazing sun. What have I gotten myself into?"