Free Scavengers by Rosalyn Wraight Page B

lord.

    I expected Claudia to stop me, but instead, she grabbed my hand, suddenly oblivious to what others thought, and walked into the aisle with me.

    "Hey, you guys. Any luck finding a ‘hot dame'?” I asked.

    Alison spontaneously grabbed the camera from her jacket pocket, aimed it at me, and said,
    “Yeah, in fact, I just did. Say ‘cheese!’”

    I was about to remind her that she knew my name, but before I could, Lisa had literally jumped between us.

    "I told you, you lying bitch! I told you you had the hots for her!"

    "Lisa—” both Alison and Claudia said at the same time.

    Lisa called her a few more choice words and made a few detailed accusations, and then I saw all attention in the grand palace turn toward us. Alison's eyes welled with tears, and both Claudia and I stared her down, our eyes screaming, “Don't take this crap from anyone!” She saw us. She knew what we meant. I knew she did. I prayed she did. We both nodded our heads, a psychic
    “Go for it!"

    "Just shut up, Lisa! For God's sake, shut up. I am so sick of the way you treat me...” Every word and thought she had been hoarding came out in a free fall, but she didn't stoop to Lisa's level. She called her no names. She kept her voice low and controlled even though she seethed.

    And then I heard those words that I wanted to make her tattoo backwards on her forehead:I deserve better than this!

    "Fuck you!” Lisa shouted. She then turned to me and added the same directive. Then the mad/cow/woman stomped her way out the front door.

    As soon as we deemed it safe, the both of us starting high-fiving Alison, who suddenly seemed so relieved and confident. Every woman in the store—all of whom had names or was a clerk—
    applauded. I knew that eventually Alison would hurt, and maybe even change her mind, but for the moment she relished her emancipation.

    "Just keep going,” Claudia encouraged. “Just finish the clue on your own, find a hot dame, and let Kris and Ginny worry about the change to your team."

    "I already have a picture of a hot dame,” she maintained. “And I'm turning it—No, wait! I have a better idea.” She signaled for the rest of our group to join us. When we were all together, she moved us around until we were all nearly smashed together. She eased herself into the collage and then turned the camera on us with an outstretched hand.

    "Hottest dames, I know,” she declared, and for once, we all agreed on something.

    After the impromptu party broke up, I scanned the building one more time. There were still no nameless women there. A few of the guys I recognized from before, and a few faces were new.
    Still, the elusive hot dame had not landed. I wandered around a bit more, and then suddenly I felt the bright light of an idea scorch the top of my head. I quickly found Claudia and said, “I have an idea. A brilliant idea! Head out to the car and make sure it's parked under an overhead light. Take Alison with you so I know you're safe."

    She seemed game, scooped up Alison, and made a beeline out of Peter's Palace. I slid into the next aisle, searched for what I needed, and headed to the checkout.

    When I got back to the car, I threw a box at the two of them and ordered, “Start blowing!"

    Claudia's eyes practically popped out of her head. She tilted the box toward the light and read,
    “'Wrap Around Lover Doll.’ Oh my God!"

    "You don't like her? I'm sorry. The other ones all had names, and pretty raunchy ones at that!
    Now blow, you guys. Frickin’ blow! I'm going to run back inside—I know it's not the safest thing to do, but man, I gotta pee."

    I ran back toward the shop, leaving several “Blow!” orders in my wake.

    As I neared the bathroom, I caught a glimpse of Laura slipping a fifty-dollar bill to some young, scruffy faced guy. I did not even want to know what hell that could have been for, my mind refusing to let it register.

    I used the facilities, scrubbing myself clean before exiting. As I sped