Just a little something that popped into my head. There will be other characters later in the story. Might be Mark/Maureen, might be Roger/Maureen, might be Mimi/Mark... who knows? (smiles) Please read it.
-Anglina
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Maureen Johnson drug her feet along the snowy side walk. It was the middle of December and there was snow everywhere. She shivered and pulled her ratty once-bright red wool coat around her body. The color had now changed to an almost blood red due to the fact that it hadn't been washed in who knows how long. It was the last thing she had that she could call her own. Everything else was Colleen's. The coat was warm, but it didn't do a thing for her legs which were covered only in black fishnets with calf-high black heeled boots.
"Hey baby! Where you going?" someone whistled from across the street.
Maureen just shook her head and continued to shuffle along. She knew where she was headed and she knew she was late. And because of that, there'd be hell to pay. Ring, ring! She was startled out of her reverie by the cell phone's ringing. She stopped and fumbled around in her pocket for a bit. Her lip curled up into a sneer when she saw the number on the screen. 887-4561. Colleen's number, the club's number. Of course it would her calling, it's Her cell phone. The tall girl thought bitterly. Colleen liked to keep an eye on her… employees. She flipped open the phone's cover and held it up to her ear. "Yes, Colleen?" she said with as much blandness as she was able to muster.
"Where are you? You were supposed to be here 10 minutes ago!"
"I'm sorry, Colleen, but you know that I can only get there by walking. I-" she started but was cut off.
"I don't give a damn! There's a new girl and you're training her. And not only that, you're closing tonight. So get your white ass over here. People are asking for you. And if I don't deliver you, you lose money, which means I loose money, and when I loose money, it makes me upset." Her tone had changed from upset to condescending in less than a minute. But that was Colleen, quick-change comedian. She could make you want to kill yourself while sipping tea.
"And you know what happens when I get upset, don't you?"
Maureen felt tears well up in her eyes.
"Yes, you do. Now don't let me down. Your costume is waiting for you. I told them you'd be on in 45 min. Don't forget the new girl." Her tone changed again.
"What's her name?" Maureen asked, curiosity creeping into her voice. New blood… that would be nice. The others were ok, but they hated Maureen. Since she was the one training her, maybe she could make a friend. She laughed bitterly. A friend… HA! Not in her lifetime. She didn't have friends, she had acquaintances. But they were all she needed. They were her connections in the underworld. She focused her attention back to the phone where Colleen was still talking.
"… is Marima. Apparently her father dropped her off and told her to make a living."
Maureen looked up, half listening to the chatter. There it was: her work. The only thing she could do without a high school education. Not that she was stupid, school just never interested her. Not once she found boys. "Colleen, I'm right outside the building. I'll see you inside." She quickly closed the phone and shoved it into her pocket.
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I need a nickname/stage name for Maureen. Any ideas? Kudos for you if you can figure the character out. (smiles) Critique is more than welcome.
