I won this novella in an author event hosted by Darkfuse.

The story takes place in Las Vegas, but it is not the Vegas that it used to be. All the water is gone. Is a desert city with no water still a tourist attraction? The answer is no. In fact, most Vegas residents have already left.
The story follows a boxer who suddenly has no fights. He's worked all his life to get close to a heavyweight title and now there's no one to fight. He trains by running in the desert where he finds a small trickle of water to slake his thirst.
I don't want to give away anything more about the story. I,(a boxing fan), very much enjoyed it, but I think it's an enjoyable read for a non boxing fan as well. I firmly put this novella into the category of dark fiction. I enjoyed the main characters very much, the strange environment of the new Vegas, and the bit of intrigue that develops throughout.
I also like being left with a few questions. Was this a deal with the devil or some other devilish group? Will we ever find out what caused the dust cloud or what the dust cloud is?
If you like your stories all neatly tied up in a pretty package, this may not be the story for you. If you like some ambiguity and thinking a bit about the story, I would highly recommend this one. ( )

Eerie and intense, the perfect Brian Hodge story

The only negative thing I can say about this story is that I desperately want to know what happens next.

With an economy of words, Hodge creates a desolate landscape peopled with fully fleshed out characters that truly touched me.

I highly recommend this and anything else by this author. ( )