Odds and Evens

[st_clare]

The tiny white ball on the roulette wheel bounced as it spun, and the small crowd around the table held their collective breath as it gradually slowed down. Stacks of chips had been placed on green felt, waiting to either be lost to the house or scooped back into the possession of their bettors. In Las Vegas, the casino business was booming.

Julianna had been telling Devin the truth. She didn't usually gamble, and she didn't really approve of the people who frequented such establishments. But she was so frustrated after the incident with Holiday that she'd purposely bought a few hundred dollars worth of chips to spend an evening at the tables. A gimlet sat near her left hand. She was not drunk, just slightly tipsy.

"Black 24. Black 24. The house wins."

The Watcher sampled her drink, watched the croupier collect the bets that had been placed as a mutter rose above the table. She should quit while she hadn't lost much, cut her losses. Not just with money, but with people as well. If the girl was determined to destroy herself, she couldn't stop her. She had quite enough guilt on her conscience, and Gregory's memory aside she didn't owe Holiday anything.

"Place your bets, please, the next spin is coming up."

Julianna placed some chips on Red 18, looked around for a server to get a refill. There were no bloody clocks in this place, and she'd left her watch on her bedside table. Never mind the time. She could leave once she'd lost the last of her chips.

Explain It To Me

[holiday_pirner]

Holly had been dreaming of the Underground. She had first seen a tube station when she was little, maybe 5 or 6. Or that was the first time she remembered. She had been afraid of it, the trains, the noise, the air rushing around her. It was one of the last times her mum and dad had gone out together, as a family.

Her father held her hand on the train and started talking about the mechanics, the history, every single boring detail he could pinpoint. Because if Holly was bored, she wasn’t afraid. If she understood, she wasn’t scared.

Something violently hit the wall by her head, and she woke with a start. The brunette wiped the back of her hand over her eyes, trying to adjust to the darkness. For once, she had turned the television off before going to bed. Her other hand began searching for the lamp, but stopped when she heard muffled words.

( Technical Details )

Home Decor

[wolfs_daughter]

Echo had decided the trailer needed some little touches, so she'd taken a drive up to Las Vegas to The Starlight Den to speak to Judy for advice. The tattooist had been so open and friendly that it had calmed even the hybrid's nerves about meeting new people, so she loitered around the shop while she dealt with other customers.

She got the name of a consignment shop and a couple of thrift stores, then thanked the other woman before giving a final glance at some of the artwork on the parlor's walls on her way out the door. The day was warm but not broiling since it was late afternoon.

Echo ended up buying a brightly colored rug, some tie-dyed shirts, and posters for framing. And a bong, which they had an assortment of in the back room of the consignment shop. She wasn't a heavy user, but she did like the occasional smoke. After a quick stop off to pick up some frames, she pointed the van back towards Searchlight, her purchases stowed in the back.

In the driveway, she left the doors of the vehicle open while she unloaded her things, padding back and forth while she emptied the storage area. When she'd finished, she poured a glass of tea in the kitchen, then drank it as she studied the walls of the living room.

She ended up hanging two of the posters in the living room and one in the bedroom. The rug she put down after shifting the coffee table. She wanted to buy something brighter to cover the bed, but she hadn't been able to find anything that day. She loved color, and she wanted to make this a real home.

She'd gotten a call from the grant foundation, and they'd given her a firm time for her interview. That meant clothes shopping, which meant buying more than T shirts. She would have to walk by Holly's motel and knock on her door. She could buy her lunch and they could make an afternoon of it.

This was turning into home sweet home.

Trouble In Nirvāṇa

[stakes_and_daggers]

It began with a screech.

A loud one; rubber biting into road as it battled against inertia. The vehicle finally coming to a halt and the pitch of engine changing as it was put into reverse. No traffic to impede its way, not out here. Especially with the onset of darkness.

For a few moments nothing happened. The occupant remaining within, squinting through the glass with an expression somewhere between dissatisfaction and curiosity. Then the door opened, allowing music to spill out into the night air, as female boots hit the ground and lifted their owner up out of the car. Someone who, from the looks of her, wouldn't have been out of place cruising along on a Harley-Davidson.

Of course, that wasn't too wise when you needed 100% insulation from the sun.

With an arrogant sniff, the figure spread out map upon the hood, using a small torch to observe the inked details of small print under moonlight. The ignition having been turned off, saving on the would-be annoyance of too many vibrations. There followed a pause... Head turning this way and that, as the woman looked around for some kind of identifying landmarks. Then back, again, to the map. The fingerless glove of one hand keeping the map straight and the other rubbing the back of head in frustration. The long-haired brunette giving a growl of annoyance soon after.

"No, no, nooo..."

Next came a slam of fist and curses whined out under breath, culminating in a disbelieving, "This...? This is fucking Searchlight?"

A small jig of feet and her boot met tyre in a sudden kick.

Katherine Williams was not a happy bunny.

Calm Water, Calm Soul

[wolfs_daughter]

Nevada wasn't much for beaches, but Echo had read about Cottonwood Cove on a brochure at the community center, so she packed a lunch and a jug of tea after her tai chi routine and drove out there once the sun started the day's trek across the sky. Maybe a slight change in scenery would give her some inspiration for her next piece.

She parked the van and got her cooler out of the back, hauling it towards the water's edge with a small blanket slung over her shoulder. The day was serene because of the early hour. The hybrid was surprised to discover another vehicle already parked not that far away, and her eyebrows went up when she recognized the other brunette standing on the sand.

"Holly?"

Her voice was at it's normal quiet pitch, the cooler still held in her arms. The other girl looked...what? Something. Echo shrugged the blanket off of her shoulder, then put the cooler down to smooth it out. She'd wanted to see Holly anyway, but something was off.

"You okay?"