0005: In One Piece

0005: The red dress. There. Between the colorful tapestry of this Halloween rave, hunching over a large portable trash bin, is Everly's roommate.

Her back arches and her hands grip the rancid side of the plastic bin as she spews her insides out.

Everly’s eyes narrow with disgust as she imagines the 711 turkey and swiss sandwich they shared on the drive down to Irvine making a resurgence into the receptacle full of cups and half-eaten ghost-shaped canapes.

Everly places her cell phone into her purse. Sure, Hayley was her roommate, but she was also Everly’s high school best-y, whom SHE had convinced to move to LA with her after they graduated from their respective colleges.

She’s responsible.

After all, it isn’t Hayley’s dream to make it big in Hollywood. It’s hers.

Everly maneuvers through the crowd and places a hand on Hayley’s back. She rubs it in circles, like a mother whose child is sick. “Alright, you’re okay.”

Hayley moans, “I didn’t even drink that much.”

Everly wrangles Sexy Ketchup’s thick, dark hair in one of her hands as she continues to caress her back with her other hand.

Hayley presses the back of her hand against her lips. “I think it’s food poisoning.”

“Let’s get out of here.” Everly helps Hayley stand and leads her out of the warehouse and into the empty night streets. It’s a three-block walk in a bad part of town back to the apartment the pre-partied at.

The crisp air licks at Everly’s cheeks, evaporating the salty warmth of the party.

She looks around, a sudden trepidation at the hollow quiet of the dark sidewalks. Her ears vibrate with the effort to fill the sudden silence.

Everly clutches Hayley’s hand, and yanks her into the darkness...

---
Written by Michelle Lang
Image by  Mid Journey

Copyright 2024 Michelle Lang