Beauty In The Darkness

Chapter 1:

I forced the blade in deeper and deeper into my thigh. That release, that power of being in control is euphoric. The dark red blood rushed down my thigh and into the bathtub.

"Huh. Fuck" I sighed. As I sank further into the tub. Submerging myself under the water.

I laid there for a few minutes then pulled the plug out of the bath, with my toes and laid there while the blood-soaked water drained out of the tub. Once the water was gone, I stood up, stepped out of the bath, dried myself of got changed for work.

I tied my long brown wavy hair up into a high ponytail and put my works outfit on. A white shirt, with black suspenders with a long red tie on. Black jeans, and black trainers on.

I grabbed my bag-pack and headed out. I locked my door and headed down the stairs and out to the street. I live about a ten-minute walk from my work, it's not that bad.

The walk is awful though. I live on Winston Street, on Skid Row, Los Angeles. California. So, it's pretty dangerous but I'm used to it. I always carry a switch blade tied to my right thigh and carry pepper spray and a 9mm Glock 17 in my bag, wherever I go. Just for my own protection you know. Skid Row is filled with the homeless, and criminals.

I've been living here for three years now. Since I was eighteen. All I do is save up all my money so I can finally move out of this shit hole and be happy. Where I would move to though, well that's a whole different story.

Honestly, a nice peaceful, place beside the ocean, working a part time job in some dinner or café would be perfect. All I want is to be happy. Not living in constant fear that they will find me. Living a life where I can be me. Just be at peace.

I work at a shitty dive bar call the Varnish. Which sits just along the outskirts of skid row. A ten minuet walk away from my place. I work Monday to Thursday 5pm to 1am and Friday 5pm to 10pm. I make $12 an hour, which is around $16,700 a year.

I only had $2,000 in saving but my luck turned around when last year I won the lottery. $100,000. After tax of course. So, I have around $102,000 in savings. Hopefully, once I sell my flat, this time next year I should have around $450,000. So, enough for me to move someone new and start fresh.

Anyhow. I digress. It was 2nd of June, Monday night, 4:30pm and I just arrived at work. I headed into the staff room, placed my bag in my locker. Sat down, eat my dinner. Burger and fries from my work.

After I ate, I headed out to work behind the bar. Monday is normally pretty quiet. More people come in for the cocktails. I don't mind colleagues there nice enough but I'm not a fan of people normally.

I work the same shifts as four other colleagues. Two bartenders, Izzy Hull a 25-year-old, gorgeous blue eyes, blond haired women. She bubbly, kind and always tries to make friends with me. She invites me out all the time.

Next is Adam May, a 28-year-old, blue eyes short brown-haired man. He flirts with everyone; he can be nice sometimes but he's just a jackass. He's hot and he knows it. We have a lot in common but he's a dick.

Then there's one waitress, Lucy Case. A 27-year-old, green eyes, brown haired beautiful women. Who always speaks her mind and never lets anyway talk down to her. Whenever a customer gets handsy or chats any one up. She always steps in.

Lastly, there's one of our manager's June Grand. She's a 30-year-old, brown eyed blond haired stunning women. She's smart, honest, kind and she's a great manager. She genuinely cares about us.

Work went by quickly, at around 11pm a group of girls walked in. Three of them walked over to a table and sat down and the fourth one walked over to the bar and fuck me. She was gorgeous.