Strange

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I felt myself go numb as Mark fell. I tried to scream. I couldn't make a sound. Everything froze before my eyes. I heard Violet shout, "go inside, Lydia!" I couldn't move. I couldn't take my eyes off of Mark's wounded body.

Violet roughly pulled me up and shoved me into a nearby washroom. Shutting the door, she mouthed, "stay here."

I folded my knees to my chest as I screamed. Over and over. My throat started burning. "Not Mark..please.." I whispered.
*

Knock.

What?

I looked around groggily. I was still in the washroom, and someone was knocking at the door. My heart beating fast, I looked around for a weapon. Nope, nothing.

"It's Violet," the person whispered.
Relieved, I opened the door. Violet came in and hugged me, tightly. "Is..is Mark alive?" I asked, urgently. She let go of me and held onto my shoulders. "No," she said, softly.

I broke down.
*

I kept sobbing into Violet's chest as she carried me to the master bedroom. There, she put me gently on the bed and helped me change out of my grubby red dress into soft cotton pajamas. Giving me two sleeping pills, she said "you need to sleep. The day has been..stressful." She rubbed her forehead. "God, stressful is the understatement of the century."

I nodded and took the pills. After a while, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

When I woke up, I saw Violet sitting with a man on the floor. "She's asleep?" The man asked. "Yeah, still asleep. How much to transport the cocaine?" I heard Violet ask.
"You know how much. Well, I can lower the price if you give me that woman."
"No, that one's mine. I'll give you your price. Take it tomorrow, at six."

I heard the man leave, and the door shut.

Violet is running a goddamn brothel, and transporting drugs.

Wow.
*****