The city's dark corners treacherously reveal it for what it truly is. Like last nights garbage, the facade of organization and beauty is gone, leaving just the bones of the situation.
They are not pretty bones.
They are dark, dirty, and angry. Puckered and broken and used. Revealed, like this, in the eyes of a scrounger, in the vomit of a drunk, it becomes even more clear that something is wrong.
Old news.
She moves quickly though the alley, always escaping, always somewhere better to be. Just like everyone else. The thought stops her and she decides that on this note, it would be good to have a cigarette. She leans against the brick wall, and lights a flame in the curtain of dark, unruly hair. She makes quite the picture there, with her Mona Lisa smile surronded by the wreckage of society. Ironic how the compassionate have become the rebellion.
Green eyes catch a glimpse of the For Your Pleasure wagon slide past, the women and children placed to display their best attributes. Eden snarls in disgust. The government calls them criminals of treason. Mostly for saying the wrong word, or helping the wrong person. Treason is nearly the only thing anyone is arrested for anymore. The goverment's last ditch effort to win the people before they revolted entirely had indeed saved them and cast the country into a riotous and selfish revolution where anything was acceptable, as long as it was 'right for you.', The new laws, so very 'open-minded' and widely accepted, were known as the "Me Doctrine". After all, if something gives me momentary satifaction or joy who has the right to stop me? The woman I am raping? The child I'm neglecting in exchange for more time with my needle? The man I'm beating for a conceived insult? All these things and more, not only accepted, but encouraged. 'For Your Pleasure' was just one of many companies jumping in the new market of humans, drugs, and greed. And the government, just on for the ride, trying to keep everyone distracted from the job they'd failed so badly at.
"Eden, darling, would you mind too much loaning me one of your cigarettes?" The words snap Eden out of the well-worn pathways of her mind, and she looks up. Mrs. Briley is standing in all her old and worn-out glory. Riches to rags, long ago, and she now lives off the streets and her addictions. Mrs. Briley was old-world royalty and it is always amusing to see the prideful stride and hear the southern lady beneath her streetwoman clothing. Like putting pearls on a pig. Briley'd left an empty bank account and a couple of empty hearts when she left her family to live for herself and herself only. Same old, same old.
With a sigh and a smirk Eden whipped another out of her pocket, "Sure, Mrs. Briley. What's one more when I'm already owed 109?"
"110. But it's no matter anyway because I will pay you back as soon as I get back on my feet. Any day now, y'hear?."
Eden nodded and lowered her head as Mrs. Briley lit the cigarette with shaking fingers and inhaled with the sigh of someone returning to a long lost friend. Eden shuddered in pain and pity for the woman beside her. There were times when she was overcome with disgust over the pain Briley caused in her selfishness, but more often then not Eden just saw a damaged and lonely old woman. This was one of those times.
Her hand slipped up to Mrs. Briley's stooped shoulders and she patted it softly, careful not to break her, "Take care of yourself, Mrs. Briley. I'll see you around." Eden's hand slipped off that shoulder as she started away, And she spent the greater part of her walk home, hoping her last sentence was true.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just a short little peice. I really just want to know if anyone thinks it'd be worth continuing. And if it could make a novel. And if you awnser yes to either of those questions, then a thourogh critique would be appreciated. Thanks!
Gender:
Points: 1140
Reviews: 25