WIP Wednesday - Degenerates Deserve Death - ADULT CONTENT

Greetings to everyone!

I've a had a pretty eventful last few days and missed my Sunday Confession, sorry for that.  Archer Girl went of to 5th grade camp (*sigh) and I had my second root canal in eight days; plus a TON of running around to get my brother to all the places the county mental health facility is making him go to in order to (possibly) get some damn help.  So, without further ado; and no more bitching today - I give you my next excerpt from my WIP "Degenerates Deserve Death".  As always, there is adult content and I LOVE to read feedback!

Thanks.

“Do you think anyone else saw her?”

“I think the little girl peeking outta the back of that guys big rig saw her, and I don’t think she was suppose to be peeking either” she stares into my eyes, like I wouldn’t understand what she’s saying.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?  Which one?” I whisper.

“No, and you are the only person I know that can take care of this fucker.  It’s the third time he’s been through here in six months, all three times he’s coming from the Salton Sea; and every time – see a different girl.  He’s the younger, cleaner one.  I’d have called you, but you’ve never given me your goddamn phone number!”

I rock back in shock at the venom in her voice.  Is she pissed at me?  When did I become the savior of the world?

“What makes you think I can fix this?” I look at her incredulously.

“You fixed Arnold didn’t you?  I’m here and I’ll help with whatever I have to, he usually sleeps through the day after he’s filled up on my good food and takes off just after dusk.  I think he likes to only travel at night.”

“Yeah, less cops on the road; most of these guys are on that schedule” I say, my mind is already trying to plot out how this will go down.  “Do you still have that nice mobile home up this road?”

“Yes, here are the keys.  How old is that girl you got?” she doesn’t even blink, she must trust me to be on the side of right.

“She’s nine.”

“She needs clothes?”

“Yes”

“I’ve got some old stuff of my Charlene’s up there in a box labeled ‘memories’; you can help yourself to it.  They’re old, but they’ll work” she looks like she’s about to cry all of a sudden.

“Who’s Charlene?” I’ve known this woman eight years and never heard about a kid.

“She’s my daughter.  I haven’t seen her since 1988” her voice cracks.

“Ok, that’s a story for another time.  I gotta go.  When your lunch relief comes in, make your way up to the mobile home – until then, keep an eye on our ‘friend’ and try to get the license plate and his name” I hand her my card, “and here are my numbers, the cell is on and” I look down at my phone “I’ve got coverage here, so call if it looks like he’s leaving”

“Will do.  Can I ask you a question?”

“Yeah”

“You do this a lot, don’t you?”

I smile.  “Ma, this is not what I do; because I don’t usually deal with kids, I get the fuckers alone.  I think you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I guess I did.” She smiles back at me.

“Go back inside.  Please act normal.”

“I can act normal, I did it for years” she replies with a bitterness I haven’t heard before.

I open the door and get in.  “Count to 100 and then you can get up”

“One, two, three…”

My mind is racing.  Fuckers are buying and taking the girls on the road with them now?  This is a new development I was unaware of, when did this shit start happening and why didn’t Jake alert me?  I’ve got to get a message to him, we need a meeting immediately.

“One hundred” she at least has the good sense to uncover her head slowly, she’s duly acting repentant so I offer her a small smile.

“You do understand the severity of our situation, right?”

“Yes, I guess, but really – we haven’t done anything wrong; right?” she winks at me!

“Shit! girl you are funny!” I laugh out loud.

“Well, can I help it if George was a nasty, evil drunk who abused me for years and then died in a drunken accident; just as you were walking around to take some sunrise shots of the sea?”  I stare at her.  God, she almost convinced me that is how it happened.

“That’s your story, and your stickin’ to it, is that right?”

“Absolutely, that is what happened.  You are a good Samaritan that freaked out when I lost my mind and all you could think about was taking care of me – maternal instincts and all that.”  Wow!  She’s really good.

“You think anyone would believe that I’ve got maternal instincts?” I laugh out loud. 

“You are better than me, older and wiser – I bet you can convince anyone of anything; can’t you?” she sure is confident of my abilities, I’d hate to burst her bubble.  Truth is, I’m one of the best liars around – my whole life is a lie, so it comes naturally.  I must be slipping because I hadn’t even thought of a cover story, it hadn’t occurred to me to prepare one – how stupid is that?  This nine year old is up one on me in the common sense department.

“Where are we going?” she asks.

“Well, here’s the thing.  We’ve had a change in plans.  Seems there is a guy back there that has a girl in his truck and if it was his daughter, he’d have brought her inside for food; ya know?”

“Yeah, I get what you’re saying.  What are you gonna do?”

“I haven’t quite got is all figured out yet.  There is a safe place at the end of this road, where you can get showered and get dressed while I try to figure this shit out.”

“Okay.” she whispers.

“What’s wrong now?” I ask.

“It would be cool if it was my sister” 

WIP Wednesdays-Degenerates Deserve Death: Adult Content

Here we are, at my first official WIP Wednesday and I'm posting an excerpt of my NaNo Novel; which is still under construction.  This is from the first draft, no revisions have been made; but you'll get the gist.  Enjoy! WARNING: ADULT CONTENT

“My name is Lorraine” I grind out.

“Lorraine.  What is that triple D tattoo on your arm?  Does it mean something?” She asks all innocence.

“Yeah, it stands for something.  It’s kinda my life’s motto.  Degenerates Deserve Death, triple D”

“Uh, what is ‘degenerates’?  Is that what George was?” yeah, she’s not a retard; this girl obviously has a whip smart mind.

“Yes, that is exactly what George was and that is why he got what he deserved” my voice sounds tense.  Why am I tense?  I’ve been doing this for four years, I don’t get tense and I don’t feel regret – every one of those assholes that meet me, deserves what I give them.  George deserved more than he got, he deserved prolonged pain more than anyone else; and I didn’t have the time to give it to him.  Fuck, that must be it; my only regret is that I didn’t make him suffer more.

“I’m hungry” she says as her stomach growls loud enough for me to hear over the radio.

“Ok, I’ll stop at the next truck stop; but you’ll have to stay out of sight – you’ll draw attention if anyone sees you” I warn.

“Whatever you say, I’m just really hungry.  We’d been out of food for two days, George used his pension on tequila again” she admits.

“Do you like pancakes?  This place has fantastic pancakes, they put apples and cinnamon in the batter.”

“That sounds good” her tone is so nonchalant, I wonder how long she’s had that mastered.  It’s a defense mechanism, never let anyone see you excited about anything, so they won’t know how to disappoint you.  I remember that, it must be a universal trait in seriously fucked up kids.

“Can I have some eggs and bacon too?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely!”

She smiles at me.  I probably shouldn’t curse in front of her, most adults would say that is bad; but with what she’s been through and seen – what the fuck does cursing matter?  I pull off the highway and head for Ma’s Truck Stop, I’ve known Ma for years – she’s a good one, with a good heart.  She’s never asked questions, but she’s smart and I think she knows more than she lets on.  I don’t worry about her though, not after I broke it up when her husband was beating the shit out of her two years ago.  A quick, couple jabs; one to the nasion, one to the philtrum, and she helped me bury him out in the desert.  I think that gives us an understanding.  Shit, she’s never charged me a dime for anything since – its definitely a win-win!

“Stay down on the floor, don’t get up for anything till I tell you to; you break this rule and you could fuck this up for both of us” I’m hoping she understands the severity of our situation, she seems really bright; but kids are kids and they don’t listen all the time.

She crouches down and I cover her with the blanket from my back seat.  I crack all the windows so she has air, it won’t get too hot for another hour.  Ma always says how it isn’t “hot as hell” till about ten in the morning.  I hear a muffled “I’m good, I’ll stay put” and I get out and hit the alarm.

“Well howdy stranger!” Ma clears the counter and wraps her big arms around my waist, at five foot nothing she can’t reach any higher on my six foot frame.

“Hi Ma!  You got any of that special pancake batter ready?” I wink as I ask.

“For you, anything…you want the works?” she winks back at me.

“Abso-fucking-lutely, Ma.  Load me up!”

I sit down at the counter and she pours me a cup of her fantastic burned, thick coffee – just the way I like it.

“You just sit right there, give me ten minutes” and she’s off to the cook shack.  She never lets anyone cook my food but her.  She’s got a new cook it looks like, and he is confused as hell as to why he is being shushed out to the front to cover the counter.  I duck my head down to cover my smile, at least there are only a couple of long-haulers in here – I missed the breakfast rush.

“Hey, you want your eggs over-easy like usual?” Ma hollars out the service window at me.

“No. Let’s change it up today, just do ‘em scrambled”

She raises an eyebrow at me, but shrugs and heads back to the cook top.  Shit, I don’t need to raise any red flags; but I need that girl to eat and there are few kids that eat over-easy eggs.  Fuck it, it’ll be fine.

I use my peripheral to check out my counter buddies, one looks like he’s been on the road for a week; no shower.  Glad he’s all the way down at the end, but the one closer to me seems familiar.  Why would I know him?  Have I seen him in here before?  As I’m trying to figure this out, he looks up at me and winks.  Gross, he thinks I’m checking him out.  Cocky fucker; I wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole.  I haven’t been with a man since Keith, and I haven’t missed it yet.  He isn’t bad though, looks like your normal Joe-blow trucker; but with a solid frame of muscle instead of a think layering of fat.  I kinda like his dark hair and blue eyes, that’s a good combination on a man.  Ma backs out of the swinging door with her arms loaded with plates, oh shit!

“Ma, I’m sorry; I can’t stay.  Can you box it up?”

“What?  You ain’t staying for a visit?”  She looks hurt.  I guess it has been awhile since I’ve been through here.

“ I can’t.  I’m really sorry, but I’ve got to get back on the road”

“I’ll box it up right now.  But I need to talk to you, move your car around back and I’ll meet you out at my smoke spot” she looks really serious, what the hell is up with her?

“Ok” and I head outside.

As I chirp off the alarm and unlock the doors, I see a head barely peeking out, “Fucking shit!”

I open the door and get in.  I count to three before I speak so that I don’t start screaming at her.

“Stay down, do not get up.  Isn’t that what I said to you?  No, don’t get up now!  It’s light out and anyone inside can see you.  I’m pulling around back and you are going to get back under that fucking blanket and stay there until I tell you otherwise.  If you cannot do that, I’ll drive you out to the desert and drop you off – alone, then you can figure your shit out on your own.  I’m trying to help you, but I will not allow you to jeopardize my situation by being stupid.  Do you understand me?” my nostrils are flaring, fuck she’s got me pissed, but I managed to keep my voice calm.

I hear a very meek “Yes, I understand” and I pull into the shade of the overhang that Ma installed so she could be a bit more comfortable when she takes a break to smoke.  She’s added misters, huh, that’s new.  I bet they feel good when the sun is cooking all the crazy people out here in the desert.

Ma opens the back door and I jump out of the car to meet her.  She hands me the food and says “I saw what you got in your car, girl couldn’t keep her head down to save her life, huh?”

Fuck, I knew it.