Going Somewhere

"That's it! That is it! I'm so out of here." Alice grumbled shoving all she could fit into her duffle bag. "I'll prove them wrong! I will make something out of myself. Watch me. Just watch me."

Alice had gotten into a fight with her parents when she returned home from rehearsal. They did not approve of this silly dream. They did not approve of what she was doing with her life. Alice was sick and tired of constantly being told that she wasn't good enough. She was going to prove them wrong. With that idea in mind; she went to the bank, emptied her account, and bought a ticket for the next bus out of this place. Alice was going to leave this place for good.

She scribbled a note of apology to her parents, and was off into the dead of the night. "This is it, Alice Eloise Green, you are on your own now.There is no turning back." The brave girl told herself as she held her head up high, marched straight ahead, and never looked back at the house she once called home.

"Sweetie, time to wake up. This is your stop." An older man smiled in Alice's face. "Welcome to Los Angeles."

"Huh? Oh yeah, thanks mister." She replied with a yawn, wiping her eyes. It was the bus driver.

Well, this is it Alice. You made it here in one piece. Now what? She thought to herself as she gathered what little possessions she had. With a sigh, Alice climbed off the bus and into the cool air of her new home. Seriously, Alice, Now what? You're sixteen, alone, hungry, have no place to stay, and in a city that you've only seen in movies. You better think fast.

"Uhm, sir...? This probably sounds really, really stupid, but where can I find a place to sleep and maybe eat?" She asked the kind man who woke her.

"Believe it or not, I've heard that question thousands of times. Right down the street, on the left, is a diner. The girls there will be more than willing to help you. Good luck, young lady, I hope you'll be one of the lucky ones." With that he climbed back on the bus, gave her a salute, and drove away. Alice was left standing there, with no choice but to start walking.

The street was dark, but she could see the neon open sign from the diner. Alice adjusted the bag on her shoulder, and trudged on. It was a good three blocks ahead of her...the streets were scattered with addicts and vagrants. Everyone of them had the same stare. The stare that told her to go home, told her to run back to the loving arms of her family. Alice tried her best to ignore them, and the pleas for money. She had to save her money, no matter how bad she felt for them, or she would end up in the exact same spot.

A thin, young, lady matched pace with the now frightened, but determined, Alice. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

"A-A-Alice." She stammered. "W-w-what's yours?"

"They call me Echo, but my name is Florence." She replied, between trying to light her cigarette. "What are you doing here alone? You can't be older than fifteen or sixteen."

"I'm not. I came here to be an actress. I believe I can make it. I know that I can make it." They walked in silence for about half a block. Alice focused more intently on the sign, to try and avoid the stares.

"An actress, huh? That's what I came to Los Angeles for, as well... Come to think of it, I was about your age. I had dreams bigger than the sky. Everyone back home told me that I would never make it... I didn't believe them." Florence spoke between drags on her dwindling cigarette. "Let me tell you something, sweetheart... That is if I may offer a token of advice to you?" She questioned, to which Alice nodded. "You better pray. Pray, 'cause nobody ever survives."