The flashing strobe lights of the strip joint flashed cruelly off the highly polished and reflective stage. It cut sharply in her eyes and for a moment she squinted into the light as though

she was confused as to what she was doing up there on that stage. "Yeah shake it baby!" the hungry cat calls from the crowd pulled her back to reality and she stared down into the

hungry sweating faces with a cold detachment that seemed to only make them cheer more. Her head was swimming from the sickening smell of perfume, smoke, sweat and

something else that she couldn't define but made her skin crawl all the same. It was amateur night at Cat's Meow, where any girl that was legally of age (or at least looked it) could

hop onto the stage and make some extra money for a night. It was a degrading way to make fifty bucks or so but she didn't care. It would keep her supplied and besides, she

choked back the lump that was forming in her throat as she dropped down to the floor in splits, she deserved it. It was her punishment for what she had done or if she was wrong, if

she hadn't been the one that did it then it was her punishment for not being able to protect an innocent child. "All right" her song was ending and she quickly gathered the clothes

that she had thrown aside as the greasy haired announcer stepped on stage. "Well, I know that got my heart pumping." The crowed roared in response but she didn't care she just

wanted to get out of there and away form the smell. "If you liked what you saw then my lovely assistant Lacy," a long legged girl with long black hair stepped up and smiled

wickedly a large plastic jug held in her hands "then fill this bucket for" he turned his head away from the microphone "what's your name toots?" "Mike." She mumbled softly

"What is it?"

"Mike…sir" he eyed her, trying to tell if she was pulling one over on him but her face was empty of any emotion at all.

"Michelle. Give it up for Michelle everyone." Mike bit her tongue as the crowd roared like a hungry animal, it didn't matter what he said her name was, maybe she didn't even

deserve a name. half an hour later she slipped out the back door of the place, a hundred dollars jammed into her pocket and some new sugar that one of the girls had given her

dancing through her veins. Tears ran down her face and she sobbed openly as she stumbled down the street. Humiliation at what she had done burned deep inside of her and made

her stomach clench. This wasn't how she had been raised, her parents had been good to her and loved her and Sam… she fell to her knees as she stomach heaved and she threw

up into the gutter. She choked, coughing and retching. Oh please, she silently begged who ever would listen if anyone was listening, kill me now. Jesus please just kill me now.

After a while her stomach stopped heaving and she was able to shakily climb to her feet and woozily stagger down the street towards the park.