Ivonn watched Liddy lift it up, a look of total disorientation on the girl’s face. Welcome back to civilization.

She watched as Liddy undressed, enjoyed the girl’s obvious discomfort. Oh, she’d have a good time with Hogan. Another perv, not from the same soul-sucking set as Gary, but there was a reason he came up north for his dates.

A pair of black stilettos with scraped toes, a size too small. Liddy stood up, grimaced, walked unsteadily towards the door.

“Remember, twenty back here, A.S.A.P. Got it?” She tapped a sharp nail on Liddy’s shoulder.

Anger, nervousness, fear all swirling around behind the bravado. Ivonn savored it as Liddy nodded and walked out the door.

Ivonn watched her totter down the street. Trying to hold her head high. She was caught in the meat grinder now, and one way or another, her blood would fall.

Ivonn laughed and walked back into her bedroom, to where the day’s money was kept, in a little wooden box on her dresser. She placed her hands atop its splintered surface, the dying dreams of all her addicts gathered beneath, with the help of Frankie, her psychopathic woodcutter.

She could practically feel Liddy’s heart beating inside.