Your House Will Pay

Ava Matthews wakes up Shawn on a Saturday morning. Aunt Sheila asked them to buy some milk for breakfast. This is normally Ray’s job, but he likely got high and slept at Duncan’s the night before. Ava puts on Ray’s Dodger hat, and she and Shawn walk to the store. They walk past Frank’s Liquor, by habit, and go two more blocks to Figueroa Liquor Mart. When they walk in, the Korean woman behind the counter looks at them suspiciously. Mr. Han, the one usually behind the counter, would nod at them with recognition, but this woman—Jang-Ja Han—looks at them “like we’re wearing ski masks” (106).

Ava picks up one of the milk bottles, puts it in her sweater pocket, and walks to the counter. The woman behind the counter shouts at Ava, accusing her of trying to steal the milk. The bottle is not hidden, and Ava puts her hands up, but the woman reaches from behind the counter and grabs her. In self-defense, Ava punches the woman while Shawn yells at her to stop. The woman lets go of Ava, and Ava reaches for the milk—only to be shot. Milk and blood spill on the floor.