The Law by Edgar Omar Avilés translated by Toshiya A. Kamei art by Marty D. Ison God was ready to strike the man who was about to shoot the tiger who was about to pounce on the hawk who was about to thrust its beak into the weasel who was about to kill the snake who was about to swallow the rat who was about to hunt the lizard who was about to eat the tarantula who was about to pinch the ant who was about to poison the louse who was about to bite the leaf. God was ready to strike the man down, but overcome by fear, turned back. Dios se disponía a fulminar a ese hombre que estaba por dispararle al tigre que estaba por saltar sobre el halcón que estaba por clavar su pico en la comadreja que estaba por matar a la culebra que estaba por deglutir a la rata que estaba por cazar a la lagartija que estaba por comerse a la tarántula que estaba por atenazar a la hormiga que estaba por envenenar al pulgón que estaba por morder la hoja. Dios se disponía a fulminar a ese hombre pero, lleno de pánico, volteó hacia atrás. All content in SmokeLong Quarterly copyright 2003-2013 by its authors.
	Edgar Omar Avilés was born in Morelia, Michoacán, México, on May 22, 1980. He studied Hispanic literature at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. His stories have appeared in literary journals and anthologies, including Los Mejores Cuentos Mexicanos 2004 (Joaquín Mortiz) and Novísimos Cuentos de la República Mexicana (Tierra Adentro, 2005). Toshiya A. Kamei is an MFA student in translation at the University of Arkansas. Toshiya's translations of Mexican short prose have appeared in Bonfire, Metamorphoses, Amarillo Bay, and Riot Angel. Read the interview.
	Issue Ten (September 15, 2005): Capsicum by Anne Marie Jackson «» Donat Bobet's Halloween by Bruce Holland Rogers «» The Arrival by Nathan Leslie «» The Law by Edgar Omar Avilés, translated by Toshiya A. Kamei «» Five Fat Men in a Hot Tub by Jeff Landon «» Hoover by Cally Taylor «» Are You Okay? by Joshua Hampel «» The Kindness of Strangers by Otis Brown «» Mrs. Krishnan by Kuzhali Manickavel «» Crossing the Orinoco by William Reese Hamilton «» The Elements of Summer by Laura Stallard Petza «» Closer to Paul by Patti Jazanoski «» Hawesville, Kentucky by Nance Knauer «» He Stayed for Breakfast by Astrid Schott «» Gardening by Antonios Maltezos «» Outer Space by Tom Saunders «» Blind Love by Robert Bradley «» Arks by Alan Girling «» Chitlins by Bob Arter «» Strange Fruit by Suzanne Lafetra «» Interviews: Anne Marie Jackson «» Bruce Holland Rogers «» Nathan Leslie «» Toshiya A. Kamei «» Jeff Landon «» Cally Taylor «» Joshua Hampel «» Otis Brown «» Kuzhali Manickavel «» William Reese Hamilton «» Laura Stallard Petza «» Patti Jazanoski «» Nance Knauer «» Astrid Schott «» Antonios Maltezos «» Tom Saunders «» Robert Bradley «» Alan Girling «» Bob Arter «» Suzanne Lafetra «» Joseph Young «» Cover Art "The Creation of Time and the Plagiarism of Bosch" by Marty D. Ison «» Letter From the Editor