The first two quotes are from the novel “The Tears of Autumn” by Charles McCarry. Notice the unusual descriptions utilized in each one.

• They were alone on the sidewalk, and when they reached Connecticut Avenue the broad street was empty of cars, though the automatic traffic signals went on working; the lights changed to red along its whole steep length, like cards falling out of a shuffler’s hand.

• Charcoal fires burned down the length of a long street, like a herd of red eyes in the black night. Nsango dropped on all fours in front of a tin hovel and crawled inside. It was constructed of flattened gasoline cans and other bits of scavenged metal, and it stood in a row of houses that looked like mouths with the teeth knocked out.

• The third quote was shared by one of our group members.

I have to keep on writing to remember who I am.