This is The Writer's Voice, new fiction from The New Yorker.

I'm Deborah Treesman, fiction editor at The New Yorker.

On this episode of The Writer's Voice, we'll hear Christina Henriquez read her story,

Everything is Far from Here, from the July 24th, 2017 issue of the magazine.

Henriquez has published the story collection Come Together Fall Apart, and two novels, including

most recently, the Book of Unknown Americans. Now here's Christina Henriquez.

Everything is far from here.

On the first day, there's a sense of relief.

There are other feelings, too, but relief is among them.

She has arrived, at least.

After three weeks, after a broken sandal strap, sunburn on her cheeks, mud in her ears,

bugs in her hair, blisters around her ankles, bruises on her hips, boiled eggs, bottled water,

sour berries, pickup trucks and train cars and footsteps through the dirt,

sunrises and sunsets, nagging doubt and crackling hope.

She has arrived.

They tell her to sleep, but that can't be right.

First she has to find her son, who is supposed to be here too.

They were separated along the way overnight, a few days ago.

The man who was leading them here divided the group.

Twelve people drew too much attention, he claimed.

He had sectioned off the women,

silencing any protest with the back of his hand, swift to the jaw. Do you want to get there or not?

...