Deal with the Devil

Chapter One

"Another slow night..." I sighed, leaning against the bar staring out at the almost empty club. "I don't know how I'm going to make rent this month. Living in New York has made me blow through my savings... even if I'm living in a dump ass apartment the size of a walk in closet in the Bronx."

"Bambi, you know how many people come to New York with hopes and dreams? You know how many of them end up homeless or end up running back home to mommy and daddy? 99% of them." My coworker named 'Cherry' said while puffing a cigarette. None of us used our real names at Diamond Girls, a hole in the wall strip club in the Bronx.

"I always wanted to be an actress. Born and raised here I thought I would have an advantage. Look at me now!" She laughed, throwing her hands up. Cherry takes one more drag of her cigarette that has already been smoked to the filter before putting it out on the bar and immediately lighting another.

"Ay! Cherry! Stop doing that to my bar. That's coming out your paycheck!" Yelled the bartender and owner, Jerome. 

All she did was roll her eyes and scowl. "Bite me."

"You know I heard about a man that could grant wishes." My other coworker 'Star' said.

"Oh, not this again Star!" Groaned Cherry. "Those are rumors!"

"I'm serious! Look, listen Bambi. He goes by the name 'The Devil' and frequents at that night club in Brooklyn. What's the name again? Oh yeah, Milan. I really did hear he has the power to make dreams come true."

Cherry scoffed again which made Star shoot her a nasty look.

"Can you shut the fuck up Cherry? I think Bambi has what it takes to make it. Look at her! Tall, slender and stunning, she has all those supermodel features. She just needs some help getting there."

"These are RUMORS Star! Have you even actually met the guy yourself? Or known anyone who has? Let alone hear about him doing anyone favors? "

"Well... no." Star solemnly said, eyes down.

"Exactly. New York fairy tales. Bambi, you don't need to go bothering guys like him. He's no one to be involved with. Getting yourself mixed up with those kind of people will cause you way more harm than good. It's all for their benefit. Never yours. Don't trust it. " Cherry warns.

"You're just saying all of this because you don't have the guts to go yourself."

"It's not that I don't have the guts, I'm just not stupid." Cherry says then turns her attention back to me, "Do what you want but I'm warning you... I lived here my entire life, nothing good ever comes out of crossing paths with men like that. New York is dangerous and so are the people. Being from the south where you can leave your front door unlocked while you sleep and where your kids can stay out past dark and the only crime you get in your little town is random break ins... yeah not here. You never know what day is your last here." She says, a solemn look flashes across her face for a split second before she beelines for a older male coming into the establishment. 

We all dropped the subject after that. At 3am, we all left with barely any tips made that night.

"Before long that place is going to be gone too." Cherry sneered as we both strutted down the sidewalk. We both knew she was right, the club was barely hanging on by a thread.

"What will you do after that?" I asked her, she shrugged. "I'll be on to the next strip club. I'll be dancing till I'm using a cane." She said before flagging down a cab. "Have a good night Bambi. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." She laughs and climbs inside the cab.