Flashing Lights

Baking Powder On The Stove

(Flashback)

"Lana! Go get ya sister, tell her she's got company." Big Ron yelled from the smoke filled living room. Lana slammed her room door shut and walked out to the backyard.

"Lo daddy had a client who payed big money for you. You better get in there fast and don't keep him waiting." Lolita rolled her eyes under her heart shaped sunglasses.

"Ugh. I'm sick of all of daddy's clients, why don't they pay for a half an hour with you instead Lana?" Lolita sat up from the grass and began to pick at it, freshly cut green grass had always been her favorite to lay in during the hot Florida summer days.

"Once you pass the age of 17 Lo I promise you they won't even be interested anymore. You only have two years left until then, believe me you'll make it." Lolita walked to the sliding door and looked back at her sister who threw her a smile and a thumbs up, Lolita giggled and walked inside, she was cooking for the clients again. Rita had always been the one to make the baking powder stuff, Big Ron would find his clientele, then Lana and Lolita would sell, not only the drugs, but their bodies as well. Lolita walked past her daddy's gun case and all the money and baggies on the table and gave her dad a kiss on the cheek.

" A new one today?" she asked sweetly.

"Of course babydoll, I wouldn't let the same man touch you twice, unless they're paying double." he let out this crackle and Lolita couldn't help but laugh, her daddy had always been funny like that.

Lolita made her way down the narrow hall of her 70's style home, the door at the end of the hallway was shut, like it always was. As she entered, she closed the door, and locked it as she did every time. 

"Hey pretty lil thang." The room reeked of cigarettes, as the man with the business suit unbuttoned his white polo shirt.

"Well hi there." Lolita winked. She had a routine. She would wink, play innocent, as if she hadn't been touched by a million men, and then let them take their course of action. But this man in particular just sat there and looked at her. His eyes wide, she felt the nervousness in her soul as it reverberated off the light pink walls and back to her.

"Is everything okay mister? If you need water or something to get you going I could always ask my daddy." Lana kept her pitch up, as she played with her pigtails.

"Listen girl, whatever you do just be quiet, and don't move. Just put your hands up, and get against the wall." The request was odd, she raised an eyebrow to the instructions she had just been given. The nervous man stood up from the lime green flower printed sheets. She could see a gun handle tucked in his black dress pants, and something shiny tucked into his chest pocket.

"Sir, what is this about?" Lolita stared down, and then looked at the door. She had never been scared of her daddy's clients, but now she was feeling uneasy.

"Just keep quiet, whatever you hear, whatever you see, just. Keep. Quiet." The man walked over to the door, and checked it was locked. They sat there in silence for what felt like hours, and then she heard it. I kick at the front door, and the sound of glass shattering. She looked the man in the eyes once more and ran for the door. "Daddy! Lana! Momma!" She screamed as the man threw her away from the door, and onto the tan carpet that was once white. She could hear all of the commotion. What started as shouting, "GET ON THE GROUND!" ended with gunfire, the man opened the door to peer out and confirmed his position.

"I GOT THE GIRL!" Lolita jumped up and ran to the window, whatever strength she had now was all adrenaline. Her ankle rolled as it hit the concrete driveway.

"NO! PLEASE, LEAVE HER ALONE SHE'S JUST A BABY" Lolita heard her mom scream from a block away. Then a single shot fired. As her mother called out Carmen's name Lolita felt her heart shatter into pieces. Her comfort was now gone.