Beautiful Exit: The Bunny Ranch Murders

Trial pt. 7: Natalie Brown

Lights out! Lights out! The guards said as they walked down the hall. It's been 8 months and I still haven't gotten use to this. The first 4 months were hell, I literally had to fight to keep the butch women off me. Once they found out I came from the Ranch they all thought I was easy pickings. Every day I'd hear "Hey there sweet thang!" or "You just need a real woman to treat you right". I was beat up and nearly raped 4 times. Once my attorney found out about the assaults I was moved to a different hall of the facility. This side had women that had done low collar crimes. They didn't know anything about the Bunny Ranch nor did they bother me.

I did what I knew Sapphire would tell me to do and that's keep my head down and don't bother anybody. I spend most of my time sketching. I sketch at least 10 photos of Sapphire a day to keep her memory fresh in my mind. I think about her every day. I think about where we'd be if we'd left the week of her suicide attempt. She pleaded with me said she had more than enough money to take care of us and that we could take the red eye to New York and never look back. I was stupid because I said no. I wanted to stay till my birthday and make sure Zora got out as well. Don't get me wrong I love my sister to death but I think she maybe addicted to this lifestyle more than I am.

Psst...Psst...Natalie! You sleep? You know I don't sleep in here I whispered to her. Tell me more about the Ranch. Karlie you don't want to hear about that. I do I'd heard it existed but I'd never met one of the infamous Bunnies. Infamous huh! Yeah I hear the girls on the strip talking about how they wish they could have been there at the height of everything. Trust me they were better off not being there. So what happened to those girls the ones that started messing with your sister? They disappeared. No one ever saw them again. That's crazy how they just disappeared. It's not as crazy as you think it was common for girls to come and go in the ranch. Some see the ranch as this big spectacular place when in reality it was hell with crystal chandeliers.

So what were you going to do when you left? New York! New York! Yeah Art school, I'd already been conditionally accepted into a program. I've seen your drawings they are beautiful. Thanks! Hey Natalie! Yeah Karlie. Do you think they are going to reopen the ranch once you get out? Why would they do that? I don't know I mean there are so many girls out there that could use a place like that. I don't mean the dancing and the sex parties. I mean the place where someone gives you a chance to get back on your feet. Hmm I don't know I guess that would be up to Diamond. Well I hope she changes her mind about keeping it closed cause I definitely know there are a lot of girls out there that could use the place.

Karlie what are you in here for? Check fraud. Check fraud! Yeah I used to take my step mothers checks. I'd make out the checks to myself and then cash them. She wouldn't give you money? My step mother was evil, the only reason I did it was to take care of my little brother she wouldn't feed us or anything. The only way I could get the money is to steal it from her. What happened to your brother? Here she said sliding a picture of him under the door. I picked up the picture. He's in college. Yeah he got a scholarship. I am so proud of him. When I get out I am gonna make him proud. Yeah you will I said sliding the picture back over to her. When you leave you'll make her proud too. Who! The girl that you keep drawing, whoever she is you're going to make her proud. Thanks Karli. No problem. Get some rest you got a big day in court tomorrow. Yeah I do I said staring at my wrist with Cameron and my name on it.

For the first time since I got here I actually slept. Not deeply, but enough to re-power myself. I remembered the night Zora finally saw our dance. While Emerald was calming her down Sapphire and I snuck away to the roof.

"Sapphire! Go away Natalie! Sapphire I am sorry! Did you not hear me tell you to go away? I am not going! I knew it was mistake messing with you! You don't mean that? I don't your sister just slapped the hell out of me and knocked me off the stage. She's lucky if I don't kill her ass. You wouldn't kill my sister would you? She didn't say anything she just looked out into the distance. Sapphire look at me I said grabbing her face. Natalie! What you gone hurt me? You gon hit me! Hit me Sapphire do it. I want you to hit me do what you want to do to Zora to me. She backed up from me breathing heavily. Go just go now before I do something I'll regret. Fine I'll go! But I am going to say one last thing to you and I want you to remember it. Stop running from me I love you, I don't know how many times and what I have to do make you realize it but I do."