The Gaiety Theater
Stave 8
Meara knew sooner or later she would have to go home, so she said goodbye and left. Her parents didn't care what happened to her, but people from the school would contact the police if she was truant. Also, Esme, Danny, Stephen and the rest were all wonderful people, but they had their own problems, and they couldn't take care of her.
Not that she needed it. She could fend for herself. She had been doing it for fourteen years.
Her dad loved Xanax. He loved it more than anything else in the world, and he did whatever he could to get it. He gave a very good illusion of being clean though. He went to work every day in tie. Her mom was a part time waitress, and she knew that Meara knew that she was an alcoholic. Her dad didn't care if Meara knew or didn't know.
When Meara came in, her mother burst into tears. Her father just smiled.
"Go to bed." He said, his voice gentle, but there was something in it that made her very uncomfortable. Suppressing a shudder, Meara went upstairs, and soon was alseep.
When she woke up, it was still night. A light flashed in her eyes, and she groaned.
It took a little while through her sleepy haze for her to understand that she wasn't wearing anything.
Screaming, she bolted up.
"Lie back down, bitch! You ruined a good photo!"
"What are you doing to me?!"
"You're worth money. I need money. You're a smart girl. Does it make sense?"
Her father was behind a camera, taking pictures of her, completely naked. Too horrified to say, Meara searched for her clothes.
"Stand up and pose! I said stand up and pose!" Her father screamed at her. Gasping, and starting to cry, she still looked for anything to put over herself.
"I swear to God, bitch......"
She felt his hands on her shoulders, and then felt an incredible force throw her against the floor. Kicking her in the stomach, her father bent over her forced her up.
"You're gonna get that times a million if you don't do what I say. Now pose!"
"No!"
Meara ran out of the room, and she heard him running behind her. Her clothes were lying on the floor of the kitchen. She grabbed them and ran out the door, regardless of how late it was and that she wasn't wearing any clothing.
"You'll pay for that! You're coming back sooner or later!"
Stopping behind a building, Meara put her clothes on.
How many pictures of me did he take before I woke up? She wondered, but that was a thought that she was too sickened to entertain. Her body. That was her own body, nobody else's, and now? She was being exchanged for Xanax!
Horrified, she threw up in the bushes, and collapsed, right on the sidewalk. Wiping tears off of her face, she felt a warm substande. Blood. Coming from her hairline.
She ran. Ran as fast as she could. Ran away from a place where something as special as her body, the body of the only Meara Milani in the world, could be traded for Xanax and a path to self destruction.
The Gaiety was still up. She could hear Stephen telling Kurt to play quietly, and Alexander snickering. Was Esme still there?
She lifted up her hand to open the door, but it was trembling so much that she had to stop. Trying to force her thoughts away proved unsuccessful, and she broke down right in the alley. But somebody in the theatre heard her, because the door opened, and she pushed herself in, and away from the sickness and the corruption that burdened her like the weight of the world.
Not that she needed it. She could fend for herself. She had been doing it for fourteen years.
Her dad loved Xanax. He loved it more than anything else in the world, and he did whatever he could to get it. He gave a very good illusion of being clean though. He went to work every day in tie. Her mom was a part time waitress, and she knew that Meara knew that she was an alcoholic. Her dad didn't care if Meara knew or didn't know.
When Meara came in, her mother burst into tears. Her father just smiled.
"Go to bed." He said, his voice gentle, but there was something in it that made her very uncomfortable. Suppressing a shudder, Meara went upstairs, and soon was alseep.
When she woke up, it was still night. A light flashed in her eyes, and she groaned.
It took a little while through her sleepy haze for her to understand that she wasn't wearing anything.
Screaming, she bolted up.
"Lie back down, bitch! You ruined a good photo!"
"What are you doing to me?!"
"You're worth money. I need money. You're a smart girl. Does it make sense?"
Her father was behind a camera, taking pictures of her, completely naked. Too horrified to say, Meara searched for her clothes.
"Stand up and pose! I said stand up and pose!" Her father screamed at her. Gasping, and starting to cry, she still looked for anything to put over herself.
"I swear to God, bitch......"
She felt his hands on her shoulders, and then felt an incredible force throw her against the floor. Kicking her in the stomach, her father bent over her forced her up.
"You're gonna get that times a million if you don't do what I say. Now pose!"
"No!"
Meara ran out of the room, and she heard him running behind her. Her clothes were lying on the floor of the kitchen. She grabbed them and ran out the door, regardless of how late it was and that she wasn't wearing any clothing.
"You'll pay for that! You're coming back sooner or later!"
Stopping behind a building, Meara put her clothes on.
How many pictures of me did he take before I woke up? She wondered, but that was a thought that she was too sickened to entertain. Her body. That was her own body, nobody else's, and now? She was being exchanged for Xanax!
Horrified, she threw up in the bushes, and collapsed, right on the sidewalk. Wiping tears off of her face, she felt a warm substande. Blood. Coming from her hairline.
She ran. Ran as fast as she could. Ran away from a place where something as special as her body, the body of the only Meara Milani in the world, could be traded for Xanax and a path to self destruction.
The Gaiety was still up. She could hear Stephen telling Kurt to play quietly, and Alexander snickering. Was Esme still there?
She lifted up her hand to open the door, but it was trembling so much that she had to stop. Trying to force her thoughts away proved unsuccessful, and she broke down right in the alley. But somebody in the theatre heard her, because the door opened, and she pushed herself in, and away from the sickness and the corruption that burdened her like the weight of the world.