The early morning light washed over the narrow streets of the gray zone. Behind a row of small shops, a young woman dragged a large sack across the ground toward a rusted metal dumpster.
The bag scraped against the concrete while she hauled it forward with both hands.
When she reached the dumpster, she lifted the sack with a strained grunt and shoved it over the rim.
The trash landed inside with a dull thump.
She leaned forward with both palms on her knees, breathing heavily as sweat ran along the side of her face.
Lifting one hand, she wiped her forehead and glanced over her shoulder toward someone standing farther down the alley.
"I'm telling you, Xia," she said, her voice rough from exertion. "Three of them. Young guys. They keep jumping people at night."
Shaking her dry dirty hands, she straightened up.
