Free American Monsters by Sezin Koehler

car-jacking in Hollywood, and the murder of a celebrity debutante. But first, stay tuned for the weather.
    The camera pulls away from her bleached teeth up into the red sky where Kaleanathi, the smog goddess, roils in anticipation. Clouds are forming, localized around one particular hill. Her cauldron is the city as it begins to boil with life for the night. The bubbles venture their way to her gathering. The white tendrils wrap their way around trees and houses as they travel to the designated location, The Motel Chain Mansion.
    A quick cut to the inside of a young woman’s car. The driver is Barren. She chain smokes cigarettes as she heads down the freeway.
    Barren:
    I love that you guys force me to go out and then make me drive. What is that?
    Barren rolls her eyes and puffs on her cigarette. When she exhales, the smoke shifts into the shape of a uterus. It dissolves as the camera watches it. She’s with Dioxin and Saline, two of her closest friends. Dioxin is dressed as a bloody tampon, string and all, and Saline is identifiable by her oversized, unreal breasts. The two of them have been trying to get Barren out to a rave for ages, and found the perfect time when she developed severe gynecological problems. Barren’s been depressed and withdrawn, and both Saline and Dioxin agreed that a party and some ecstasy would at least temporarily ease her mind. This night will be the first time that Barren has ever done the drug.
    Saline:
    Stop griping. We both know the only reason you are pissy is for things that have absolutely nothing to do with tonight, so just relax. We are going to have so much fun, you just don’t even know.
    Barren:
    I don’t know about E though. I don’t usually do things like that. What if I get too fucked up? What if I can’t snap out of it or get really sick or something?
    Dioxin:
    Seriously sweetie, don’t even worry about it. You are just going to feel really good and want to hug everyone. It’ll be a blast.
    Saline:
    And it is so much fun to dance! So much! Oh and wait until you taste a lollipop: It’s unbelievable. You’ll just love it.
    Barren:
    Whatever. Okay.
    Dioxin:
    No whatever. We’re going to have such a good night. Girls time, you know. Just smile and say you’ll relax and have fun.
    Barren (smiling, sort of, and smoking):
    Okay, I’ll relax and try to have a good time.
    Saline:
    No, you will have a good time.
    Barren:
    All right, Jeez. I’ll definitely have a good time, ‘kay?
    Saline:
    Just give me one of those cigarettes.
    Barren passes a cigarette and lighter to Saline. Barren drifts into her own worries about the night. She sighs and lights up another cigarette. She gets off the freeway and heads into Hollywood. She drives for a few minutes while Dioxin and Saline sing along to Madonna’s new song on the radio. Then, traffic slows. Saline quiets down and looks at the flier for the address.
    Saline:
    Oh, it’s not that far from here. I bet this is the traffic for the party.
    Dioxin:
    Does it say on there how many tickets they would have? This is a fucking lot of cars.
    Saline:
    Um... oh, weird. It’s unlimited. Have you ever heard of that before?
    Dioxin:
    No, but maybe it's a really big place. Maybe no amount of people could be a fire hazard there.
    Barren:
    Any people is a fire hazard.
    Saline:
    Thanks, ray of sunshine. Turn the music up, we’ll be here for a while.
    As Barren reaches for the volume button, the camera squeezes out of the half-open passenger window. It drifts above the line of cars turtling their way down Hollywood Boulevard.

9:30 P.M.
    A block ahead of Barren, Saline, and Dioxin, a car makes a left turn. It too holds party kids on the way to FULL LUNACY, The Motel Chain Party. They're looking for a short-cut. The moon above is full and ringed with red, a sign of trouble. An orange and green monster truck shaped like a habanero pepper that was behind the raver car follows it down the street.
    The Party Kids think the person behind them is also trying