The Savior Rises Read Free Page A

even felt a jar in her shins. Sometimes she wondered if she was Super-Girl, and the yellow sun gave her indestructible, supernatural powers.
    In the end, nothing had been able to save her mother, though. Her family was all dead, gone, and buried. The only thing she had from her voided past was the Raggedy Ann doll propped on her bed pillows. That doll had been her constant companion all of these years, and it was the only thing in which she felt comfortable confiding.
    “AAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhgggggggggggggg,” she screamed, as a huge mass of black, vile-smelling liquid hurled from her mouth into the waiting toilet.
    “Are you ok?” she heard from the hallway. One of her roommates sounded concerned.
    “I’m fine,” she replied, not even convincing herself as the false words fell from her lips, hanging in the stale, putrid air.
    Whatever was forcing its way out of her throat smelled as foul as it looked. Maybe I’m dying. The thought should have disturbed her, but death had been a very close companion for most of her life.
    She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and stepped into the already running shower. Water always calmed her down and helped her relax, it seemed. She stood under the hot, stinging spray for several minutes before beginning her grooming ritual. It was time to wash her hair again. She had skipped the last couple of days.
    Stefani always thought it was odd not to wash her hair every day, but somewhere, sometime, she had been told you could not douse your hair with lathering suds on a continual basis and keep it healthy. Apparently, the soap strips the hair of the chemicals it needs to survive.  She wondered how long the chemicals of her soul could continue to be stripped away. Maybe she would wither and die, as well.
    She finished and started gathering the things she needed for her night’s work. She was going to be a devil tonight, not that her polished roommates had any idea of her evening occupation. She wondered if they would kick her out of the apartment if they had any inkling she was a stripper. What did it matter anyway? She had saved enough money in the few years she had been working to get a place of her own if she wanted to. All she did was work. She had no social life.
    The door closed behind her as she left her little home, slinging her bag over her shoulder and heading down the stairs. All she carried was her outfit for the evening and her Raggedy Ann doll. That damn doll went with her everywhere. It was beat up, but she would kill anyone before she would allow it to be discarded. In the back of her mind, she knew it wasn’t healthy, but the doll was her only friend.
    Stefani entered the rear exit door of the Gold Club where she had worked for the better part of two years. Nobody spoke to her anymore, save a grunt hello or a passing nod. Some of the girls were friends with each other, but everyone knew she didn’t like small talk and had no desire to get acquainted with anyone on any level.
    She was slated to go on stage in an hour, so she got dressed and made her way to the floor. It was a necessary part of the job to mingle with the guests as they gawked at whoever might be on stage.
    The sitting area was actually where you made the bulk of your tip money. Grabbing a guy and taking him in back for a private dance could be lucrative if you played your role well, and Stefani knew how to use her body to maximize profits.
    Most girls heading to the back performed whatever act the client requested, but not her. San Francisco’s strip clubs are nothing more than brothels, really. But she would never lower herself to have sex with any of the losers who frequented the Gold Club, no matter how much money they offered her.
    She laughed to herself at the thought. She was probably the only 21-year-old virgin stripper on the planet. She had never had time for boys. All she did in life was train for the moment when she would meet up with him again. That was all she cared about really –