One Invincible Summer

Chapter 1:

Emily couldn't believe that she had been caught. Yes, she had been taking a risk but her New Years resolution had been to live life to the fullest. She hadn't even put the joint in her mouth yet! Damn cops, she thought while staring out the dirty window of the yellow school bus. The girl who sat in the isle across kept moaning about her kitten, she was obviously high. Emily had never touched more than her daily pack of cigs and occasionally some Mariana. It was no wonder that when Layla had presented the cocaine joint Emily jumped at the new experience. And now it had landed her in a smelly, dirty, yellow school bus, teaming with high teenagers. Narcotics Anonymous, here i come!

The bus bumped along a dirt path, snaking its way through the woods. Emily's head slammed against the window and she was jolted awake. Inside, the bus was silent, only the rattling of luggage could be heard every time they passed over a rock. Outside, the world was black. Night had fallen and stars rippled the expansive sky. Emily peered up through the window at its silly curtains. The moon was full and bright eluminating the woods around her, and for the first time she was glad for the bus protection.

Emily wondered what it would be like if she had taken the joint. She longed to know what it made her feel, what it made her do. Instinctively she reached into her back pocket for te signature Marlboro cigaretts she always kept, then withdrew her hand once she realized they weren't there.

Emily didnt like thinking. There was too much to think about, that's why she loved the feeling of inhaling the smoke into her lungs, letting it swirl and bubble, then releasing it out through her mouth, trying to form an "O".

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The bus bumped along well into the deep hours of the night and wasnt until the small hours of the morning was upon them that they arrived at the building.

It was tall, red brick with a white trim around the windows and doors; Industrial looking. The windows had bars over them, cages to keep these animals in place. Emily noted how out of place the whole thing seemed. Just stretching over the top of the canopy, the roof was shingled, tiny panels of brown wood coming together to form one.

"Ladies, welcome! I am Ms. Majors and i will be helping you all grow and recover here at Bensely Correctional Center. I know many of you are involved in the Natcotics Anonymous program, so those of you in that program please make your way to this line. Self harm and depression victims, this line, Alcoholics Anonymous, this line and...." The laidies voice trailed off into the night, disappearing amongst the sound of shuffling feet and groans so like the trails of smoke Emily longed for.

She laughed inwardly at the irony of the situation. Narcotics Anonymous, meaning they weren't supposed to be known, yet there she stood clearly segrageted from the large group, plain in site for the whole world to see.

But no one was looking, not yet anyway. No judgements had been made, no scrutinizing, analyzing eyes feeding on others pain. No, not yet. But Emily knew this was soon to come. The woman resumed her talking and Emily turned her zombie like head towards the front.

"We will now begin looking through your stuff," she paused letting the information sink in, "thoroughly" she added. Emily watched as they ripped the suitcase apart of the girl in front of her, and noted how it was all the same down all the lines. Bags of weed were removed from socks, nail clippers doubled as knifes, whiskey shoved into shampoo bottles stuffed in underwear. Emily wondered how stupid some people could be, until she remebered her own contraband: her daily pack of cigs were suffed into one of her tampon boxes, surly they wouldn't find that.

"Next." Emily shuffled forward and through her duffel on the table. The searcher was a man and Emily felt a swell of embarasemt as he removed her bras and underwear. His hands pawed through the mess and tangle of t-shirts, jeans and shorts a long with the occasional notebook or stray tampon. If the man was disgusted by the mess in her duffel, his face certainly didnt show it. To keep her mind from wandering she looked over the man. Mid fourties, tired looking. Emily wondered if he would be helping with counseling.