Smoke and Strobe Lights

         

Sullivan          5

Smoke and Strobe Lights

Hellyna makes her way to the stage while the intro to "Closer" softly plays in the background as Marco introduces her,
         "Welcome to the arena the beautiful and seductive, Hell Rodriguez!" Nicknamed Hell by her mother because she believes she made her life a living hell, catchy. The music gets louder drowning out the screams and hollers from the men below her. The lights flashed at a pace that could cause someone to have a raging seizure. The smoke from the fog machine slowly started swirling up her skin giving her goose bumps, and the world around her started to slowly disappear. When she is dancing under the lights and smoke to music so loud it could make someone deaf, she feels free. Free from her father beating her every night, her mother drinking herself into death while whoring around the neighborhood, hiding from her stalker ex-girlfriend, the two other jobs she has, and the constant urge to relapse on drugs or self-harm. The perfect distraction because even though she is a stripper it is the least tragic thing in her life; everything is her choice, her decision.
         The regular pigs are sitting in the front row as always; Beer Belly, Money Bags and last but not least, Snake. These men have names, but their nicknames are more suiting. Beer Belly is the short man with skinny legs and a pregnant belly. He always wears a wife-beater, and never seems to be clean. There is always some kind of food stuck in his un-groomed Santa beard and low-and-behold there is a beer in his hand. Money is an average looking guy who tries, and fails to look like he is a million bucks. Word on the street is that he is some benefitted drug dealer, but you would think with all the money he throws around her nightly he could find himself a better suit. His hair is always slicked back, and not in the good way, if you ran your fingers through it your hand would get stuck. Now Snake is a different story. He is the tall, mysterious, sex radiating man any girl would throw herself at, but what ruins it is the big ass rattle snake tattoo going down his face. Some say it's a memorial to his brother who died of a snake bite while in the desert somewhere, and others say he lost a bet and that was his punishment. Money was throwing ones on stage so viciously half of them were not even making their way into the damn stage. She dances closer to the edge of the stage so they could get a closer look hoping they don't get too handsy, Beer Belly learned that lesson the hard way. The look in their eyes is disgusting, it's like they have never seen a woman before. As she takes her top off the sexual frustration just explodes in their eyes. Snake leans forward to hand her a 10$ while his eyes caress her body, and he leans in to grab Hellynas' ass.
         "You touch me I will happily kick your balls in so hard you'll spit them out", she whispered into his ear, and started working her way back to the pole as the ending words of the song started to fade into the background. Hell picks up her top and walks off stage; while the men applaud and yell perverted comments after her.
When Hell enters the backroom she finds Ginger, the only girl who words here she has a genuine relationship with, mostly because she actually knows how to use her brain. Of all the girls she is the tallest 5'9" and has dark skin with bright ass red hair. She doesn't have much meat on her bones but she can work it more than some of the voluptuous women here. Ginger wears these full black contacts when she dances, mostly because Marco calls her Satan, so she might as well look the part. Ginger was wiping away a few tears that were running down her face.
         "Hey sugar how was your set?"
         "It was fine no one got handsy. Snake tried to touch my ass but I put him in his place. Is everything okay?"
         "Yeah everything is fine nothing I can't handle".
         "Ging... you sure you don't want to talk about it"
         "Yeah, well not here anyways I'll tell you tomorrow in a place that isn't so fucking nasty. I mean look this shit.", and they both just laughed it off after that. That's why their friendship works so well, they don't prod and pry where they don't belong.
         "You ready for tomorrow baby cakes?" she asked while she was putting her contacts in.
         "Fuck yes! 10 years I've been stuck in that sorry ass excuse for a home, and now I'm finally getting my out! Hallelujah!"
         "Girl, can you believe we found something so cheap?"
         "Well it is down the street from a low grade strip club and someone did die in the building Ginger," Hellyna laughs and takes a seat on the counter.
         "Hey I don't see it as a bad thing, just brings character to the place baby". Ginger got called to the stage; so she kissed Hell on the cheek softly before walking out the door.
         "See you in the morning angel".
Hellyna looks at herself in the mirror and even in ripped fishnets, red stilettos, and a leather two piece she somehow still seemed attractive. Long black dreads flowed down her body, she couldn't have been more than 5'3, and while she leans closer to inspect her eyebrows she runs her finger along the scar slightly above her left brow.
         "I hope that bastard is passed out drunk when I get home I don't feel like being his punching bag tonight", she whispered to herself. Hell is grateful that her skin is tan or the scars and bruises her father leaves would be more visible. Some of the bigger ones are covered with tattoos like the cross and rosary for her grandmother covering up where he sliced her leg with a beer bottle that was smashed on that ugly green side table in the living room. The other tattoo, "No Te Rindas" or don't give up in Spanish, covers cigarette butt burns that are scattered across her chest. Father of the year huh?
         By the end of the night she was tired, sweaty, and covered with regret as usual. Taking her time walking home gives the old man more time to drink so he will hopefully be passed out by the time she gets there. While walking up to the front door she silently prays that he is asleep. When she opens the door all the lights are off except the faint glow of the TV screen flashing in the living room. Hell leans against the wall listening to any sign that big man is asleep... and there it is. He was passed out from another drunken binge; her shoes come off, she hastily runs up the stairs, and softly closes the door. Hell crawls into bed not even bothering to remove her clothing, grabs the vodka from under her bed, takes a few long swigs, and puts it back feeling her body starting to tingle. The day is finally over and tonight sleep will come quickly because she knows tomorrow will be a new beginning.

...

         "Well sugar tits welcome home", Ginger squeals as the two girls collapse on the couch looking around their living room.
         "Man it must suck being rich and having all that bullshit to put away when you move"
         "Oh honey the rich are lazy they have their British butlers and what not to do it for them!"
         "Ging, thanks for not being a pain in my ass"
         "Oh baby you'd love be regardless even if I was"
         "Oh shut up you know what I mean", Hell rolls two blunts for Ginger and herself.
         "Ginger I propose a toast to a new start and a new life".
         "Ditto", they take a long hit and Hell relaxes into her new reality.