Drama Dolls: A Novel: [Dark, Suspenseful, Fast-paced, Exhilarating] (13 page)

Heart beating faster, Brittney said, “Is it loaded?”

Headlights came in through the window. The man cheerleaders ducked, the gun still between them. Barb shrugged. She said, “Should we take it?”

The headlights rolled across the walls and then disappeared. Almost pitch black in the room, the only illumination came from the flashlight pointing toward the vanity. The mirror revealed the shine and blinded Brittney for a moment.

“I don’t think so.” Her eyes went wide. Eyebrows up, Brittney said, “Put it back.”

Barb, she was frozen without movement.

Stepping backward to add separation, Brittney, she said, “Seriously, put it back.”

Barb nodded, her mask displaying a ghostly smile. “OK,” she said. Her voice, calm and non-threatening, she said, “I’ll put it back.” Her white gloved finger was holding the gun by its trigger guard. The semiautomatic swinging, its barrel swaying back and forth. Fingering the guard, Barb placed it into the drawer and put it back into the dresser.

The cheerleaders made eye contact. Barb through her mask and Brittney for real. They nodded, a mutual agreement, and then continued with the lift.

A hairbrush with clumped hair strands was stashed in a small nightstand beside the bed. Inhaling the brush’s scent, its aroma, reminded Brittney of Her. The smell of shampoo, Her scalp, emanating from the bristles. The similar scent, possibly the same shampoo and conditioner, made Brittney emotional. Her knees buckled, causing her to fall downward temporarily. Straightening her legs, Brittney stood like a statue, breathing in the smell under her nose.

The excitement from the ball game, the heist, it evaporated into depression. Brittney’s stomach began to convulse, a dry heave of crying pouring out of her. Pulling the brush into her, she rubbed her nostrils over the bristles. The brush tickled her nose. Scratching her nose with her finger, her eyes red and burning, Brittney wiped her eyes repeatedly. Standing in the dark, she closed her eyes tight.

Barb continued to pile the bags with goods, ignoring the scene in front of her. Grabbing items with her hand, whatever could fit in her palm, she threw down into the pillowcase.

A long humming escaped Brittney’s slightly opened mouth. A tear building, falling down her face. Shaking her head vigorously until the feelings went away, opening her eyes, Brittney exhaled. Mask falling from her hand, the fragrance from the brush causing her to drop it.

Barb moved from her position, stepping over articles of clothing, makeup containers, and a small garbage can. Looking down into the trash as she passed over it, something jumped out at her.

Reaching down inside the garbage, Barb found an unused tampon. The wrapper stuck to the inside of the trash can’s bag. She picked it out, its cloudy white surface fresh out of the packaging. There was a lipstick-drawn circle in the center. To mimic a period.

Barb looked over at Brittney as she breathed in the hair. Brittney’s mask still on the floor by her feet. Holding the tampon between her fingers, watching what Brittney had become, Barb stuffed the tampon down into her garter.

Coming out of her pity party, regaining composure, Brittney walked past Barb and moved to the next bedroom.

Another guest bedroom, used as a dumping ground, was bare. An area rug plopped down in the middle, positioned equidistant from each wall, was storage for moving boxes.

Rows of boxes with their flaps up, you could see the entire guts with one swoop. The contents were scattered in unorganized piles. The boxes filled to the top with mismatched jewels.

Sorting through the mess, searching for the valuable pieces of jewelry, Brittney picked out a couple different items. A diamond solitaire pendant in 18k white gold, a 14k gold double heart diamond pendant, a bracelet with a circular yellow gold photo locket, and a confetti drop necklace with diamonds.

Princess cut diamond solitaire studs, wisteria pearl earrings, white Kyocera opal earrings shaped like teardrops, the gems were all collected in one scoop. Kneeling on the carpet before the boxes, Brittney took her time digging through the valuables.

The voice of immature reason said, “It’s like a real life claw game.”

One box contained various types of trinkets. Chain bib necklaces, gold color hoop earrings, metal hinged bracelets, and polished bangle bracelets in sterling silver.

Necklaces knotted together were left behind. Earrings without pairs or backs, they were tossed aside. Cupping items in her hand, Barb’s footsteps moving down the hall behind her, Brittney got to her feet and examined the rest of the room.

The only other thing in the room was a moveable coat rack. Suits hanging from the rack’s rod, the pants folded over the hangers with their respective coats draped over, were color coordinated from light to dark.

“All the clothes in this house,” the voice of curious reason said.

Flipping through the selection, the suit sizes looked familiar. Brittney collected them all and stashed them into the pillowcase. Folding them in half and then pushing them into the bags, Brittney left the rack empty.

Barb screamed from downstairs, “Let’s roll!”

Running flat footed down the street, the weight of the bags were hard on her knees. With her skirt flailing from the motion, Brittney slowed to a jog.

Barb followed suit. The cheerleaders, they decreased their speed to a walk. The night was hot and sticky like the rest of them. High summer temperatures started to take their toll on the path to freedom. Holding the bags became harder and having their heads covered in plastic was a challenge.

Barb’s face was wet from trapped sweat underneath her mask. Lifting up her mask above her mouth so she could feel the air, Barb took a quick glance toward Brittney.

Plodding forward, steady in her pace, Brittney kept to herself.

Far enough away, pushing through the wooded escape trail, Barb moved the bags from shoulder to shoulder. Her pom-poms were lost in the stream. Her white shoes, they were peppered with brown mud spots. And her ankle socks were stained with dirty water.

Broaching the subject, Barb said, “What did you find in that room?” She was breathing heavy from the getaway and periodically would raise her mask to get some air on her face.

Taking short breaths, breathing hard out of her mouth, Brittney said, “Just some boxes filled with jewelry. All kinds.” Stepping over a branch, she said, “There were a shitload of diamond necklaces. Stuff like that.”

Showing concern for her friend, Barb said, “You feeling alright?”

“What do you mean?”

Walking ahead on the single lane trail, Barb said, “You broke down back there.”

“I’m fine.” The leaves breaking under her feet, Brittney watched a rabbit running alongside. The hopping sounded like a potato chip bag being twisted. The rabbit stopped, burying its face into a pile of leaves. When it pulled up to run away, the pile of leaves uncovered something shiny.

Brittney walked faster toward the object, the distance between her and Barb increasing.

Following behind, picking up her pace, Barb said, “What?”

Bending down, collecting the medium gauge curb chained piece, Brittney rose to her feet and held it up.

Her gait now a trot, edging up next to Brittney, Barb said, “Is that a necklace?”

Ducking into the alley, squatting behind the area where the dumpsters met the buildings, a smell of french fries touched Brittney’s nose. With nothing in her stomach all day save for the cup of coffee at the diner and the beer at the stadium, she was feeling woozy.

The foundation on her skin began to itch. The blush more like blobs than circles. Brittney could taste the lipstick on her tongue. The inside of the mask, its plastic was now a smeared maroon.

Breathing in the salty potatoes, the stench entering the tiny hole on the mask’s nose, her insides began to growl. Trapped underneath the plastic, the lingering fries surrounded her. Brittney pushed the dumpster away from her to gain some separation.

“You OK?” Barb said.

Nodding, breathing in the mix of Chinese food and mayonnaise-covered fries, Brittney closed her eyes. Her heart was racing. Her breathing heavy.

Her knees buckling from hunger, Brittney collapsed down onto the asphalt.

Dropping the pillowcases on the gravel, the tops came undone. The uneven streets caused pieces to fall out. Bracelets rolling into sewers, earrings into cracked pavement. Handfuls of jewelry spilling out onto the pavement.

Barb ran over to Brittney. Heaving her up, propping her against the building, Barb said, “Brittney!” Shaking her with no luck, she said, “Brittney!”

There were sounds of water drops below in the sewer. Plopping down the drain were bracelets and miscellaneous items.

Screaming at the top of her lungs, Barb said, “Brittney!”

Brittney’s head collapsed on her chest, causing her to slide down the side of the building.

Barb flexed her thighs, pushing the Doll back up straight. “Brittney!” When there was no response, Barb said, “Jeffrey!” Using her elbow to keep the distressed Drama Doll standing, Barb slapped her across the face. Stepping in closer, Barb said, “Jeffrey!”

Opening her eyes, through the little holes, Brittney could see Barb’s face was very close. There was a sham smile in view. Barb’s artificial eyes were open wide. The recovering cheerleader could see the thermosoftening plastic stretched out. The tear strength and heat resistant face was a quality product.

Waving her hand in front of the lightheaded Drama Doll, Barb said, “You alright, Jeffrey?”

In and out of focus, shaking her head, the mask rearranged itself around Brittney’s face. She said, “You never call me Jeffrey.”

Under their feet, narrow cuff bracelets, triple-wrap leather, and waxed cord bracelets rolled down the acute slope, some down the street, and others into cracks. More bracelets, thick bangle bracelets, into the sewer.

Pushing Barb away from her, running toward the drain, Brittney said, “Nooooo!”

Behind her, Barb, she said, “It’s OK. It’s OK.”

Turning around, Brittney screamed in panic. Her hands grabbing at jewels as they rolled past. In desperation, she said, “Don’t just stand there! Help!”

Running to her side, Barb kneeled to retrieve the valuables. The both of them on hands and knees. In full costume getup, they were searching the alley for lost jewels.

Brittney was frantic. She was also hungry. Her body starting to shake from not eating.

The Drama Dolls threw earrings into the bags as they found them. Tossing various bracelets on top of the earrings.

The voice of worried reason, it was screaming at Brittney to keep looking.

Ripping off her mask so she could see better, Brittney continued the search. Collecting the jewelry, returning them to the pillowcases, Brittney started to calm down.

Rolling through the dark alley, the car’s headlights off, the engine’s purr was a stray cat. Lena flashed her lights. Leaning closer to the windshield, looking out into the alley, Lena said, “What the...?”

Brittney and Barb’s silhouettes were like animals grazing. Eyes half closed from the sudden flash, Brittney motioned for Lena to come out.

Sliding out of the getaway car, Lena said, “What’s going on?”

Her face in disarray, Brittney said, “Don’t talk. Just help.”

Open pillowcases surrounding them, the contents were wet and filled with gravel. The three cheerleaders ensuring each piece returned to the bags.

Pain in her gut, stomach growling, Brittney crawled over to the drain and looked down into the water. Her knees were scraped from the sharp rocks on the pavement. Dirt on her gloves, Brittney’s uniform was getting brown from the filth. Pressing her face into the sewer cover, the rust and mud stained Brittney’s cosmetics-riddled face. Orange and black splattered across her smile. Her hair began clumping together from the debris.

Barb looked at Lena. She shook her head and then turned and began tossing the bags into the backseat. Filled from previous heists, Barb had trouble closing the door. Pushing the pillowcases into each other, the opposite door opened.

Falling out of the car, her body half out, Emily’s mask fell off her head and onto the pebbles.

“Emily!” Brittney said, standing from her crouch. Running toward her, she stopped suddenly. Turning to Lena, she said, “Where’s my mask?”

The car was running, the alley smelling like a buffet, and Lena was scanning the pavement for Brittney’s mask. Spotting it near the foot of a dumpster, she reached down, wiped off the debris, and picked it up.

“Here you go,” Lena said, handing it over to Brittney.

Brittney, replacing her expression so the passed out Doll would not see her that way, retrieved Emily’s mask. It was dirty from the fall. Brittney brushed the plastic appearance on her leg. Rubbing the mask hard, slapping it across her knee, Brittney scraped some filth off the mask’s forehead.

Barb was pulling Emily back into the car when Lena appeared behind Brittney.

Putting her hand on Brittney’s shoulder, Lena said, “We’ve got to go.” Tapping her softly, attempting to calm the cheerleader down, Lena said, “Now.”

Ignoring her counterpart, Brittney continued to wipe down the plastic. When the disguise was free of rubbish, she leaned into the window and replaced the mask, straightening it until she looked beautiful again.