Pulling Through

PUSSYCAT

-Ok guys, see you next month- Tony said shaking both Gus´s and Saul´s hands- It´s gonna be a tight fit cause we won´t be having the spare time of a holiday so you can rest, but I know you can all manage.

-Yeah, don´t worry man- Gus replied smiling back at him- We can handle a little weariness, and besides you´ll get to save the money of the extra hotel night.

-Perfect! Well, see you then- Tony patted their backs- Have a safe trip back home.

They all climbed into their vehicles and prepared to hit the road.

It was mid-morning when Ally and Gus arrived at their place after dropping Jo and Saul home. Gus approached his parking space and, as he was pulling over, they spotted Lauren waiting for them at the entrance of the building. Her eyes red and puffy and her clothes disheveled. Her face contorted in hysterics.

Gus hurried himself to jump out of the truck and ran to her, followed by Ally.

-What is it Lauren? – He asked worriedly as she threw herself into his arms, bawling her eyes out.

-It´s Christie!- she sobbed- I´m sorry, I didn´t know where else to go! She was acting erratically since Friday afternoon, then I found out she´d  bought a lot of s**t online when we got a ridiculous amount of packages delivered later that day and we had a huge fight about it…  After that, she ended storming out the door. She hasn´t come back since, she´s not answering her phone and I´m worried to death.

-Ok Lauren- Ally said hugging her too- we´ll find her, don´t worry. Now please, I need you to focus. Are there any places she´s been frequenting a lot in the last few weeks? I think we should start there.

They drove around the city, stopping by a few bars and restaurants that Lauren said they used to go to  often. Asking people around, showing them all a picture of her, to no avail.

Lauren sat at the passenger seat growing more anxious by the minute and dialing Christie´s number incessantly, her tears flowing harder every time she ended being transferred to voicemail. She must have left her a thousand messages already, and her mailbox was full by now.

They went to all their favorite spots and to their not so favorite ones, they even visited a few motels Lauren said they´ve been to once or twice.

When it was starting to get dark, Lauren suddenly remembered something, and she grabbed Ally´s arm intensely as her nails dug into her skin.

-I have an idea!- she screeched- There ´s this sketchy bar she told me about once… One she used to go to with her brother before he OD´d. She hated it, but I don´t know, the way she talked about it… I have a hunch she might be in there.

Gus slowed the truck a little and nodded- Ok Lauren, I´ve heard about that place before, let´s go there but be warned, it´s not a nice one.

They drove for what felt like hours, Lauren´s hand clutching Ally´s arm tightly. When they arrived to a patchy looking street with a few strip clubs and shady pubs scattered around, Gus parked his truck at the most illuminated spot he could find.

Gus turned the engine off and looked at both of them, sighing.

-Ok, I would usually tell you two to stay on the truck. But right now, I fear you staying here is just as dangerous as going in there with me, so you´re both coming.... Stick to my side, don´t make eye contact and let me do the talking.

He paused, staring at them both. He looked at Ally´s old jeans and shirt and shrugged a little in relief. Then he turned to Lauren´s frame and winced. Reaching his arm to the back of his seat, he pulled out a large black hoodie and thew it at her.

-Here Lauren, wear this and zip it all the way up- he stared at his hands on the wheel for one more second, then he groaned- Ok let´s go.

They exited the vehicle and Gus locked the doors closed. They walked surrounded by shadows, deliberately staying on the middle of the street, each of them flanking Gus. A few feet away on a corner, stood a dilapidated looking building with a small neon sign hanging at the entrance displaying the name: The PussyCat.

A few motorcycles were parked outside and the stench of sweat and urine could be smelled from a few feet away.

The three of them entered the dark place. At least a dozen of drunken dudes sat dispersed at the rickety tables, playing cards and drinking games.

A couple sickly looking waitresses sat at the edge of the room, wearing skimpy clothes and apparently waiting for something as they remained perched on their stools

Gus beelined for the counter, where and old tattooed man was manning the bar, followed closely by Ally and Lauren.

-Hey man, have you seen this girl around? – Gus asked producing his phone from his pocket and showing him a picture.

The guy eyed him suspiciously as he kept cleaning the counter with a filthy looking rag.

-Are you cops?- His raspy voice asked as he tilted his jaw at Gus in disdain.

-No Pal- Gus said raising his hands a bit- We´re just looking for a missing friend.

The man held Gus´s sight for a moment, studying him, before frowning.

-This is a bar, buddy, either you drink, or you walk.

-Fair enough- Gus replied calmly, glancing at Ally and Lauren and nodding briefly at them - hit us with some beer then.

The guy´s tense expression finally relaxed somewhat, and he put three bottles in front of them. They all took theirs silently and started sipping at them.

-I used to know her, she was a sweet girl back then, I was never sure why she even came here- he said at last as they were mid-through their beer- She used to visit one of our regulars all the time, but then we stopped seeing both, the guy and her for years… that was until a couple months ago.

He stopped and Gus looked at him fiercely, urging him to continue.

-One day she just walked through that door and she just kept coming back- He shrugged a little- she´s been doing a lot of crazy stuff if you ask me… and talking a lot of crazy s**t too. Last time I saw her was maybe three or four hours ago. She came here making a scene, shouting and babbling some crap about building the largest skyscraper in town. She was upsetting the clients. So, I threw her ass out.

-Thanks man- Gus hurried himself to say, placing a hundred on the counter and ushering Ally and Lauren out of there.

Once outside Lauren couldn´t hold her tears any longer.

-Do you think she´s using, like… Chase? I never knew him and she loathed what he did to himself, but…- She sobbed, burying her head into Gus´s chest.

-I… I honestly don´t know, Lauren- Gus said, his eyes scanning their surroundings cautiously- But we need to get out of here right now.

He helped them climb onto the truck, peeling the f**k out of there and not stopping until he felt safe enough to take a long breath in.

Lauren had been looking out the window, the wheels in her brain spinning at forced gears.

-Oh my god!- she suddenly exclaimed- I know where she is. We were walking through this place downtown a few months back and I remember there was this huge vacant land lot, she said something about how it would be so cool to have a skyscraper built over there!

They arrived at the site and Lauren jumped out of Gus´s truck as soon as he slowed down enough, sprinting for the deserted property.

Gus and Ally tried to follow her steps as fast as they could.

The landscape was almost completely barren except for a tiny battered wooden construction stall at the edge of the lot. They could see Lauren bolting to it, and a minute later they heard a piercing scream that made their skin crawl.

-I found her!- she cried.