Viper

Initiation

WARNING - STRONG, MATURED LANGUAGE AND ADULT SITUATIONS. READER DISCRETION STRONGLY ADVISED. 

Liz had never been this far from home on her own and she was cherishing every moment. Every mile was an accomplishment to her.

"You ever been to the beach before?" asked Lola of her quiet passenger.

"Yeah," said Liz. Paranoid that her appearance was such that Lola would ask that question. Who in So. Cal had never been to the beach after all?

"Well I promise you, you've never been to it like this," said Lola sure of her statement without knowing anything about Liz. She was right though.

"No, not like this," confirmed Liz.

Liz had figured this was where they were headed through the scenery and smell of the ocean and the breeze that were unique to the area. Even having been to the beach a few times Liz could feel the ocean was near.

The road was wide and clean, though confusing to navigate to someone unfamiliar with them. There dozens of lines on the road that appeared to cross and curve on each other. The streets turned and broke around structures that seemed to rise out of nowhere. The building got crowded really fast making everything more confusing and hectic. Still, everything around was clean, even the streets.

The lights were bright and the stores looked new and modern. Not the usual run down, pop shops on the littered streets with pot holes. Even the street reflectors on the road looked new. Making Liz think at first they were driving though a construction site since that was the only time she saw working reflector on the road. She could not see it yet, but if she closed her eyes Liz swore she could hear the ocean.

The house they went into was active. Full of people she did not know and some she did not expect to see. There were white, beach types in the house, blacks and Hispanics dressed in tight jeans and t-shirts and even Asians. Everyone was smoking and drinking. The smell of pot was undeniable as well as cigarettes and everyone had red plastic cups which Liz figured were not full of apple juice. Everyone was young. Not as young as Liz but no older than David. There was a huge T.V. in the center of the living room that was playing a video game. A war based game as far as she could tell.

Music was also playing through the house. Liz started to wonder in when Lola called her.

"Liz! Follow me."

They went outside to the patio where Liz finally recognized someone.

"T.J. look what I bought," said Lola greeting her cousin.

"Hey, shorty. Long time no see," said T.J. as he greeted Liz with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Tay, the older girl at school, phat man and the other goons that had been at the Quizeañera were there as well. Liz recognized all of them right away.

"Glad you could make it," said Tay.

"No problem," said Liz as she tried to figure out what was going on.

"So you know what you are here for right?" asked Tay.

"Getting initiated," replied Liz.

"And you sure you want this?" asked Tay again.

"Yes, I mean I don't know what I need to do but I want to join the crew," said Liz.

"Wait she doesn't know what she's going to do?" Liz heard someone say in the crowd that she did not recognize followed by others laughing.

"So what am I going to be doing?" Liz asked for the first time.

"Don't worry. It's no big deal," said Tay unreassuringly as she walked away from Liz whose paranoia was now getting the better of her.