Little Lady

Chapter 2

3 Years Later

It was precisely 1 AM. Alice's hair was all over her face, and she sat in the uncomfortable chair. Her skirt was too short, too tight, and had 2 holes in the side. Her corset was suffocating her. She wore the same fishnet stockings she did the first time she was in the dining room she was in now. Her eyes were fuzzy and puffy and red. Her feet hurt from such a long day of walking in stilletos that she had to unfasten and refasten every time she had to get out of bed.

This was her life.

"Give me the money, Alice," Klaus said. His voice was gentle today. He was either drunk or had found a new whore to bang. It could've been both. It could've been neither. Alice didn't care. Her mind was reeling and she could barely stand up straight. Her back was poised against the chair. She was going to black out any minute. Alice reached into her bra and pulled out a large wad of cash. "How much is in here?" That was all Alice heard. She didn't remember how much she earned today, but it definitely wasn't up to Klaus's par of what he expected from her. "How much is in here?" the voice enunciated. Alice couldn't muster up the strength to answer. "Answer me bitch," Klaus roared, and a slap was awarded to her. Alice winced, closing her eyes, the slap stung. It ripped her out from her subconsciousness.

"I don't know...I can't remember how much is in there," she whispered. Her voice was raggedy and hoarse. Her lips were white. They weren't healthy and full and red like they once were. Her lungs felt like they were stuck to her chest. She felt like they weren't even functioning. She needed some cash. She needed the crack cocaine and she needed it now.

"Well curse you for not knowing." A blow was delivered to her left eye. Alice flinched. She wanted to run away and never see Klaus again. Klaus disgusted her. He made her feel like she would never be worth more than a dirty whore. "What is this shit? I expect way more than 100 pounds," Klaus spat in her face.

"Leave me alone," Alice screamed with rage, mustering the last of her power to kick Klaus in the chest. It did no good. Klaus looked at her incredulously. What had she done?

"Bitch, you're never doing that again." With those words, Klaus ripped her body from the chair and threw her across the dining room, letting her land in a heap against the wall, crashing into new silverware and ancient china. She gasped as she knocked over a glass of newly poured red wine.

Pain radiated in the back of her head. Blood oozed out of the fresh wound. Klaus looked at her contemptuously, left about 30 pounds on the table and walked away. Tears sprung out of her eyes, her hair matted to the blood, which was already beginning to clot. Alice bit her lip, coiling into the corner. Glass was all over the floor, forks and spoons decorated the linolium tiles, covered in the blood that was spewing from her head. She knew she would be expected to clean all of this up soon.

Alice dragged herself upstairs. Her pale ghostly hand reached towards the light switch, and she flipped it in slow motion. There was one bed and one nightstand with a small lamp. Clothes were all over the place. Her clothes were covered in blood already. She needed a bandage for her head. Alice hunched over to her bathroom, grabbing an old rag and pressing it against her wound. She cringed as she looked in the mirror. Welts were forming on her face, and glass was stuck into the back of her head.

Alice slowly picked out the shards of glass, washing out the blood carefully and slowly. If Alice didn't want another beating when she got back, she would have to get more money. 100 euros wasn't a lot and Klaus knew it. She knew it too. Alice threw the dirty clothes into the hamper, slipping into an old tube top and shorts.

A choking sob emitted from her throat when she looked into the mirror once more. She had endured 3 years of this. Her mother thought she was going to graduate high school early to head off to college.

She didn't even go to school anymore.

"I'm doing this for you mum," Alice whispered softly to herself, kissing the gold locket. All of that money was stowed away in a bank account. All the extra was sent to her mother. All of this to avoid mishaps that Klaus promised would happen to her mum.

Alice grabbed the trenchcoat on the smelly coat rack and slammed the door shut. It was frigid at 1:47 AM. She hunkered down into the comfortable thing from her past. It smelled like home. Her hands were stuffed deep down into the velvet-lined pockets and a beanie covered her head. Alice's shoes made a click-clack noise on the pavement. Cars occasionally zoomed past her shady figure.

Her drive and her hunger didn't stop until she made the turn at the avenue down an alley way where no one but the wrong types crossed.

"Do you have it?" Alice mumbled under her breath, the cold frosty air chilling her bones. She looked indirectly at a man in a suit, sitting on top of a dumpster while smoking from a fancy looking pipe.

He snickered and nodded. The man hopped down effortlessly from the dumpster, landing on his feet, nimble as a cat. "How much do you have?" His raspy voice was no comfort to Alice today. Alice hurridly pulled out the 30 euros she had pocketed. She tapped her feet impatiently, her urges getting greater as every second passed. Her heartbeat increased gradually. Hurry hurry hurry hurry.

"Darling, this won't get you very much," the man in the suit said. Alice knew and she pouted at him sadly. She just wanted the crack. Why wouldn't he just hand it to her? "I'll cut you some slack. I've known you for a while." He handed her a small plastic baggie with tiny pieces of crystalline structures in them. Alice grabbed it as he safely tucked the money away. He began walking away as Alice stood there in the cold with a precious 30 pound plastic baggie in her fingers. "Oh and sweetie, happy birthday," he added, before he disappeared into the wee hours of the morning.

She remained frozen and immobile. She could see her breath, see the world stop moving and the moment when time seemed to stop. Someone had remembered her birthday today.

Alice poured the crack into the palm of her hand and began to snort it.

Happy birthday Alice.