A Girl and Three Duffle Bags

Prija flicked the butt of her cigarette as she straightened her stockings and sunglasses. The night was spent on some unfamiliar couch, the aim was to get back to the room and prepare afresh for the evening. The smell of cheap perfume muddled with the old tobacco and booze from the night before only pressed her want to shower. A Hyrdroaid bottle was shoved under her nose and Prija was greeted by jiggling breasts as Allura stuck her hip out and cracked her own bottle.
"I got yours for free because I flirted with the store man," she bragged.
"Gee thanks." Prija rose to her feet, simultaneously slinging their bag over shoulder and continued along the path.
It had just hit summer and the local area was host to a long tradition of what had become known as Breaking Week. A small but sinister pun on the fact it was the first week or summer break and The Prowlers, those who preyed on the inexperienced, the desire to "break in" unsuspecting and naive youths, be it drugs or whatever "experience" they could manipulate them into.

Returning to their small motel room they rested before showering and glitzing up for the night, smoking weed in the bathroom as their makeup dried. It hadn't been long since Prija was kicked out of home, a few months probably. She'd survived occasionally couch surfing but was otherwise homeless, living out of the duffle bag she carried. Prija had come to consider herself relatively street smart and prided herself on guiding someone like Allura, who was sweet but not sharp and prone to being manipulated by others. They had only known each other briefly these few months, mostly communing over weed and the occasional rave, but to both a week long excuse to party wasn't an opportunity to miss.
Allura stubbed a cigarette out on the basin, "Are you ready?"
"Of course not, are you?" Prija asked, standing in her bra , fishnets and black leather mini skirt. She looked Allura up and down. who had settled on some small denim shorts, a black bikini top, pink lipstick and some clunky, white platform heels.
"No I wear tops, Lu." Prija finished off her fire-engine red lipstick which matched her fire-engine red hair. Her eyes dark. Makeup often helped her not be bothered for identification over cigarettes. Though Allura had a talent for making men buy her alcohol and had stocked up for the trip, she started downing shots as Prija rummaged through her bag. Prija's figure was slim and not as full as Allura. She chose a black lace, triangle singlet top, it at least gave her A-cups a little lift. After about an hour of drinking Prija donned her platformed tartan boots, and they exited the room.

The Boulevard was alive. Lanterns arched from street pole to street pole, eateries displayed no intention of closing, reaping the rewards of the masses. Prija saw a person bouncing high in the air off in the distance, a circle of people on the beach flinging them up with parachute material. The town didn't sleep for Breaking Week, small carnival rides had been erected. Families were out enjoying the early atmosphere and business men were drinking, laughing, rubbing shoulders.
"Let's gong on The Twister!" Allura exclaimed.
"You drank a bit, won't you be sick?"
"Don't be stupid. I'm fine."
Allura squeed as The Twister spun them round and round. Prija took in the view of the Boulevard, the glow of the lanterns, the gatherings of people laughing on the street, the moment was picturesque.
"I'm going to get some cotton candy!" Allura exclaimed as they hopped of the ride. She quickly bounced over to a nearby cart returning with a giant stick of pink cotton candy. "Well!? I can't eat this by myself!"
Prija sighed but smirked as she tore off a sizable piece and they continued their walk down The Boulevard. The families had gone, youths, drunks and delinquents had come out to play. They were gifted shots for cotton candy down on the beach, lost at shooting ducks, but each got alien headbands for playing.
"Hey alien! Nice candy!"
Allura turned to see a thin but attractive man sitting on the steps of a closed shop, he winked as she caught his eye.
"Prija why don't you go get us some more smokes."
Prija shot Allura a look. "Okay.." And headed across the road to the corner shop.

She grabbed some gum and a couple more Hydroaids, the booze on the beach had pushed her a bit beyond tipsy.
"Marlboro Red please." Prija placed the other items on the counter and looked out the store front. Allura was still there, the guy was standing now, both clearly flirting. Prija paid for the goods, lit up a cigarette and, and sipped at her Hydroaid while she sat at outside at one of the rickety plastic tables. She watched as Allura trotted over, and handed her a joint herself and the guy had just lit. Prija greedily took a few deep drags.
"So Cedar said he can take us to get on."
"Cedar? Fucken hippy name.. We have some weed left at the motel?"
"Yeah but not very much, plus we can get some pills."
God that does sound appealing... "You know he's like twenty, he's a Prowler dude, you know that right? What if he's just going take you somewhere and rape you?"
"Oh come on," Allura whined as she fixed her bikini top, "there's two of us isn't there? We'll be fine."
Drugs would be nice. Prija had become accustomed to those enjoyments and they were running low. "Okay. But please, don't fuck this guy. I don't want to be left in some room alone with some weird other guy."
"God no! I just want something good to ride the night out on." Allura flicked her blonde hair as she drew from the joint.
"Okay cool." Prija stomped on the butt of her cigarette and followed Allura back across the street.
Alliura flirted and giggled with Cedar as Prija trailed behind. The night was different now. More places had shut up shop, people were lolling about in the gutters despite broken glass, and girls had grown tired of their heels. They followed Cedar until they stopped outside a large sky-rise hotel.
Cedar punched in a quick dial on his phone. "Hey, yeah two clients.. Nah, girls. Okay no problem." Cedar ended the call and turned toward the girls. "Okay only two allowed up at a time, yeah? So I can't go with you, don't worry, you'll be fine, these guys are really nice."
Prija shot a dubious look at Allura.
"Okay sure! Where do we go?"
"Floor 8. Room 04. So 804. Got it?"
"Cool!" Allura bounced off and as Prija caught up she had already stepped into the elevator.
"Seriously Lu, "Two clients, female"? This is rape city dude."
"Oh don't be stupid. Prowlers often peddle drugs."
"Yeah, they often rape girls too."
Allura rolled her eyes and the elevator slowed to a stop. Floor 8.

Room 804 was only a few doors down to the left from the elevator, Allura eagerly knocked on the door. Locks slid on their chains and clunked as the heavy hotel room door opened. They were greeted by a tall muscular man, who would have been in his thirties, head shaven, broad shouldered, neck and sleeve tattoos, a strong jaw. Allura worked her magic right away.
"Hey handsome!" She chirped as she wiggled her way through the hallway and into the main bedroom. Prija looked at the tattooed man who gave no expression as she followed Allura inside.
Another man sat on the double beds in the room, thinner than the last, tanner, greasier. Three black duffle bags sat at the end of the bed, open.
On the far end Prija could see ounces of weed, the middle was filled with cream coloured pills, I've had those before, she tingled with excitement. The closest smallest duffle bag presented something unfamiliar, some packets of a yellow gold powder.
"Hey ladies. What are you looking for?"
Allura giggled and stuck her hip out. "Probably just some weed and pills honey."
"Cool cool, we've got all that. Oh, gimme a sec. He took out his phone, Hey, what!? Fuck. OK." The call ended and he stood up. "Okay girls look I don't give a fuck about money but you need to get out of here now. Take whatever you want and go. Now."
Prija and Allura exchanged a confused look.
"Whatever we want..?"
"YES! GO!"
Allura looked at Prija, confused. Prija took the initiative and grabbed at least four bags of weed and two bags of pills and stuffed them in her bag, she looked at the yellow powder. Do I just snort it? Ugh, I have enough. Allura followed suit, grabbing the same. They rushed out the door as Tattoo Man held it open and Prija jammed the elevator button repeatedly. The elevator took it's sweet time, and Allura grabbed on to Prija's arm as they began to hear a large group of footsteps coming up the stairwell. The elevator doors opened and the girls jumped inside as Prija began spamming the "G" and "Close Door" buttons. The elevator door closed as the footsteps sounded half a level away. They both fell against the walls of the elevator, staring at each other, the anxiety not quite over. The elevator gently glided them down to the ground floor. The lobby was eerily empty save for the receptionist and the bell hop. They attempted to shuffle through the lobby quickly and inconspicuously.
"Good Evening ladies!" The bell hop nodded as they scurried through the open door.
"E-Evening!" Prija managed as they exited into the night.
"Where is Cedar?" Allura looked around the front of the hotel.
"Who fucking cares!? We need to go." Prija insisted as she spied the glints of a few black cars parked in the distance.
They clopped off down the street, back toward their musty motel room.
"Pretty good score huh?" Allura chirped.
"Allura that was honestly terrifying, I'm never following your plan again."
"You got drugs right!?"
"Yeah but I think that was a serious raid we almost go caught up in."
"Whatever, you'll feel better once you take your heels off and we can get back to the motel and celebrate."
I suppose she's right.

At the motel they smoked and drank, they'd never possessed so much in their life. The pills they agreed to keep for the next night. The following evening they met various people in their elated stupor and took advantage to sell a small amount they had taken out with them. Allujra attached herself to some attractive young guy and disappeared into the night.
Events began to blur together until Prija found herself waking at dawn face down on the road. She picked herself up and wiped the gravel from her cheek and gathered her bearings. When she returned to the motel, Allura's bags were gone. Oh well, the rooms paid for and I guess I can enjoy myself. She'd at least left some bottles of alcohol.

Over the following remaining days of Breaking Week, Prija took advantage of the shortening supply of drugs. She made many one night friends. But that was her style. Attach to no one. With the days dwindling she packed her things and the remaining supplies she had kept for herself. She didn't expect to hear from Allura again. Not that it was something callous. She knew their friendship had run its course. She stuffed some hundreds of dollars into a pocket of her handbag. Finally, she had a chance to find a home. She stepped out of the hotel room and lit a cigarette as she approached the nearest bus stop. She flicked the butt into the gutter as the bus approached and slung her duffle bag over her shoulder. Looking toward whatever new town that peaked her fancy.

This is an original piece written by me, plagiarism of my work will not be tolerated.