Hurricane

We had rented this little place behind this storage facility. Mikey had made friends with the owner, and we now lived in his spare "house". It was more decent than the motel rooms and the smell wasn't so bad. The bathroom worked and we had a nice bed. The only problem was rent.

By this time, I had grown numb to everything Mikey had done. I simply blocked out the thoughts of the killings, I didn't sleep too long; if I did I'd think about the killings. So, any idea Mikey threw at me, I was basically on board with; I didn't really have a choice.

"It's hard finding a job down here." Mikey had mentioned to me.

I was curled up in the bed, "I thought it would be easy...I mean, it's like, nobody lives down here." 

"We need money, Roo." He said softly.

I looked at him as he sat beside me, "For the rent."

"For the rent," he repeated after me, "I've tried these stupid odd jobs, but none of them pay half of minimum wage."

"I should look for a job." I finished what he had thought.

"There's an easy way to get what we need," he looked a bit excited, "there's a perfect job for you. Rudy's girlfriend works at this strip club down in town, and she makes a lot of money."

My jaw had dropped when he said that. A strip club. He wanted me to take my clothes off and dance for strangers.

"S-strip?" I mumbled. I remember looking at my half nude body under the covers.

"Yeah, you just dance and take your top off. Fuckin' easy! If I could do that, I would."

Mikey had made it seem like nothing, but I knew it wasn't. I had, had pride, once. I was innocent once, and I had no money troubles. Then, it was like I had nothing. Physically, monetarily, I was stripped.

"Is that what you want me to do?" I questioned him in disbelief.

"We need money, Rooney." He said sternly.

I didn't fight.


The owner of the strip club liked me. He said I was a natural beauty, but he disliked my hair color. He said blondes were played out, but he hired me anyway. I would dance on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. I was sick to my stomach when I showed up my first Tuesday.

I went into the locker room, having said bye to Mikey, and saw all the women getting ready. I shook obviously as I went to the locker I was assigned too. I opened it and saw an outfit waiting for me; it hit me hard.

"Hey honey. This your first night?" A woman with bleach-white hair stood beside me in her panties...nothing else.

I adverted my eyes from her chest, "Huh...uh, yes." 

"You look like a teeny thing! How old are you?"

Without thinking, I spoke honestly, "17--I mean, 22." I corrected.

The woman laughed, "Well...I have nothing against you, honey. Beit your age, what're you dancin' here for?"

This woman was the first to speak to me in weeks; "We need rent."

"We? You have a baby or something?" She began to put a bra on; thank the Lord.

"N-no. My boyfriend and I. We need money for the rent."

The woman frowned, "Oh, well, that bastard should get a job, 'stead havin' you dance here."

I smiled weakly at her, "He's trying."

The woman eyed me as I slowly began to put the revealing outfit on, "You ain't from 'round here, are you?" I shook my head, "Where you from?"

"New Jersey."

She nodded, giggling, "I knew it! I am so good with accents!"

I felt a little more welcomed here, "I never got your name."

"I'm Rae, what's yours?"

"M-Mandy." I mumbled.

She raised her brow, "Mandy?" She didn't believe me.

"Yes."

"OK, Mandy, have you ever stripped before?" 

I had shaken my head, forgetting all pride as I dressed fully in this dangly outfit. My breast were near out and my legs were exposed.

"You're a virgin-stripper?" I nodded, "Hmm...these dogs can smell a virgin from a mile away. The thing to do is to pretend you're at home dancin' in front of the mirror. Ever done that before?"

"Yeah." I mumbled, blushing.

Rae giggled again, "Good, all you gotta do is pretend you're home, in your bedroom, dancing in the mirror. The men will disappear like that." She snapped her fingers.

"Thank you." I told her.

"No problem, honey."

I had waved to Rae as she went on. I slipped on the heavy heels provided for me and waited to be called. I had watched from the side, seeing Rae dance. The woman seemed lost in her head, feeling herself for the hounds in the front row. I was more than nervous now.

"Hey, I heard Rae talkin' to you," a girl with red hair tapped my shoulder, "you nervous?"

"Yes." I exasperated slightly.

"I got something that'll make you feel better. Come with me." The girl took my hand and led me over by the vanities.

I finally saw myself, and really, I looked like a stranger. I didn't look like Ladonna...or Rooney. I looked like...someone else. I was a stranger to myself. I almost started to cry.

"I'm Jasey." The girl said, "Pop one of these, your veins will light on fire."

I broke my eyes from the mirror and saw a small blue pill Jasey had in her pale hand. I looked at her uneasily, and she nudge it closer to me.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Blue lightening." She giggled.

I took the pill, swallowing it whole and waited a moment. Jasey grinned, taking two and twirled, "Have fun."

I waved to her, and heard my "name" being called. I felt my skin began to warm and my veins catch fire, just like Jasey said. Music blare as I got on the stage, dim lighting hid me away and I suddenly felt the strange urge to dance. I clambered on the stage, shutting my eyes, dancing and imagining my full length mirror in my bedroom in Jersey. I pretended I was there, I was happy and I felt warm and good inside.

A lot of my clothes had shed and my mind drifted to a place I had missed. Soon, my 15 minutes were over and I picked up my money, and I got off the stage. I went into the back, still feeling on top of my imaginary world and went to my locker. I put my top back on, counted the cash, and put it away.

"How was it?" The owner; a broad shouldered man with a beard, had come in.

I looked at him and shrugged, "It was okay."

"Great. You can go mingle, lap dance, you know, like I told ya."

I nodded, "Do I give--"

He stopped me, "We'll deal with money later, just go mingle. The men are dying to meet you."

I gave another nod, and stood up. I followed him out towards the floor and saw a few men staring at me. A few held up 5, 10, and even 50 dollar bills for a dance from me. I was really inexperienced and felt nervous, not sick, as I tried to imagine myself in the mirror again. It worked for another two hours, and I was free to leave. The owner had explained my pay and I gave him what I owed him and then I dressed.

I exited the building and saw Mikey leaning against the latest car, smoking a cigarette. He gave me a meek smile and opened his arms for me to hug him. I walked over to him, wrapping my arms around him and kissing his cheek; the fire in my veins was subsiding.

"How'd you do?" He asked once he let me go.

"I made $580...is that good? I made more, but I had to give half to the owner." I looked up at him, like a dog, awaiting his approval.

Mikey's eyes lit up, "That's fucking great, Roo."

I dug into my jean pocket and have him the wad of money, "Here. It's all there."

Mikey put the money in his pocket, "Let's go home, we can celebrate and shit."