Summary

In "The Halt," Markham writes about a forced bus strike that was enacted in El Salvador in July 2015. Gangs threatened to kill any driver who went to work and many stayed home, leaving commuters stranded. This continued for days and businesses closed because people couldn't get to work. After a little over a week, the gangs ended the forced strike, but not before eight people were killed and the country lost over $60 million in commerce. Everyone could see how powerful the gangs were.

Chapter 10: By summer 2015, the twins were living independently, doing well in summer school, and working a lot. However, Raul's mental health was faltering. In August, he lost his wallet with $100 cash in it. This was money they had been planning to send back to their family. Their debt was up to nearly $20,000, and drought in El Salvador compromised...