Six Sentence Sunday - "Moon Lantern"

Here it is--my first foray into the world of Six Sentence Sunday.  I found it challenging to find six sentences that I felt were enough to show character, setting, atmosphere and also not leave off in the middle of a thought.  It appears many of my paragraphs run five sentences.

For my first try, I dug into my short story, "Moon Lantern," which was published in 2004 by Abyss & Apex.  It felt safest to use something I already know worked for somebody.  Even so, as I look at it now, I see one place where I would cut were I editing it today.  Here you go!

Most nights I sleep behind the bar at The Moon Lantern. There’s a shadow there, away from the Lantern light. I can lie in that thin rectangle of darkness, safe from the light, and breathe the smell of the day’s customers. Some of the girls wear heavy perfume. Not the good stuff — the stuff that comes in little aerosol cans that say “just like Calvin Klein” on the labels. The smell lingers like something that died under the porch.

My inner editor twitches with the desire to excise the phrase, "safe from the light," but that's how it was published and how it shall stand.

Next time will be harder.  I'll have to dive into something untested.  Should be fun!