Copyrighted © to MissMaryGrace (DO NOT STEAL)
I know this town like the back of my hand. The dark alleyways and Southcrest park were my homes. I tried to stay away from the Warehouse as much as I could.
I woke up with a crick in my neck from a kick on my ratted sneakers. I opened my eyes and found myself surrounded in a long blue tube. It was mid-march and Spring warmth was spreading throughout the city. I looked behind me and saw a kid, no older than six, staring at me incredulously. I stretched for a second, grabbed my backpack-pillow, then pulled myself out of the other end, into the glaring sunlight. As I stood up, I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the sun. The kid ran through the tube and shoved past me down the slide. What a brat.
I rummaged through my backpack until I grabbed some dollar store sunglasses. Wrapping my jacket around my waist, I pulled them over my eyes and began on my way.
When had everything gone so wrong?
I sat on the graffitied concrete table with my friends. I lit the cigarette and inhaled a long puff into my lungs. My body buzzed to life and I laid back on Terry’s shoulder.
“Can life get any better guys?” I giggled.
I skipped school earlier that week and continued skipping for the past few days. All I wanted to do was stay high. Life with no worries or cares seemed like an amazing way to live. I sighed contentedly as Terry pulled out a plastic bag.
“Dudes, I bought some pills,” he held the candy colored pills up in the bag and shook it around. “Anyone in?”
“No way! Molly?” Trish grinned.
“Yeah way, dude,” He nodded.
Everyone grabbed at the pills but me. I only smoked. I wasn’t letting myself get caught up in that mess. Smoking was easy to contain control over, but definitely not some of the hard stuff.
The group was floating high for a solid twenty minutes until loud sirens blared around the alley corner.
“Run!” we heard from some other stoners far off. Everyone began to panic and I jumped up, grabbing my backpack, and took off in any direction away from the sirens. After running for what seemed like an hour I found myself at a fenced off abandoned warehouse. I could still hear the sirens out in the distance, so I quickly ducted through a break in the fence and made my way towards a broken window. I jumped in and fell hard on the floor.
I didn’t know the place was inhabited.
I didn’t know that would be the last time I went to school or saw my friends.
I didn’t know I would from then on become property.
I saw more parents enter the park as the sun came out. They might contact someone if some dirty, creepy, girl was standing on top of their children’s fantasy ground. I grabbed the sliding pole and swung down, hitting the ground harder than intended. I clenched my teeth and bit back the pain.
Was it meeting day? Most likely.
I sighed heavily and began walking back to the place I despised the most, the Warehouse. I stopped by a hot dog cart on my way to ask the time.
“Eleven-thirty,” the man replied.
I cursed under my breath and took off running. It was only twenty blocks from here but to be late was to get punished, and no one wanted that. So, I ran as fast as I could down the streets, narrowly avoiding people.When I saw the Warehouse gate I quickly checked behind me--couldn’t have anyone following me--and ducked under the broken wire.
I ran to the window and jumped through, slicing a thin line in my already torn pants. The line was already forming and I slyly made my way into it next to my best friend Caster.
“Close call, eh, Red?” she grinned up at me. She spent all of her time here, not that she had anyone to go to. Not that if she did she’d be allowed.
“Yeah, overslept,” I explained sheepishly.
“You really should get some type of an ala-” Caster quickly shut her mouth as the boss entered.
“Roll call!” he smiled deviously. “Annabelle?”
“Here!”
“Astrid!”
“Here, sir.”
“Bail!”
“Here.”
…
“Caster!”
I tuned out until I heard Caster’s name. He walked over to her, “Caster?”
Caster had a small smile but I saw a tiny flick of fear across her eyes as he walked up. Everyone was afraid of him, even me, and you better bet that you would show no disrespect to him.
Caster wasn’t as formal as the rest, she grinned, “I’m here!”
“Quite happy today, yes?”
She nodded.
He turned to me, “Red! I’m so happy you’re here on time. I was quite upset at last time, but you do know that rules are rules, understand?”
He pulled me into a hug, and I hugged back, “Hello Erik, of course I understand.”
“Good,” he nodded and finished the roll.
You could say Caster and I were his favorites. He definitely was kinder to us, on occasion.
I had fallen onto the hard stone below. Faces turned and stared and names were yelled out. I was grabbed harshly by two guys in their twenties. Some girls snarled at me while we passed, the others had pitying looks in their eyes. I was thrown on the ground in a small, office like room. I looked up angrily at the men.
“What do you think you’re doing!”
“Hush,” someone behind me commanded. I turned swiftly around to see a boy my age holding a gun up at me. All of my confidence died, and my knees grew weak. I backed up into the two men, who only shoved me forward.
The boy seemed to study me. I did the same to him. The guy had to be 6’4”. His cheekbones were strong and his brown hair was slightly curly. He had stubble accenting on his jaw and fierce eyes.
“Why are you here?” he barked.
“I was running from the cops,” I tried to explain.
“Check her eyes.”
The two men grabbed me and again and as I fought one opened my eyelid and stared.
“She’s high.”
“Does she look in good condition from the rest of her,” the boy asked angrily.
“Yeah..?”
“Good, make her comfortable. Show her to Caster.”
“You sure she isn’t a spy boss?”
“A spy wouldn’t be high, now would she?” he rolled his eyes and set down the gun.
He gave me one more look over and a smirk played on his mouth.
“Welcome to the Bloody Roses.”
