~~0~~

Bette opened her dark eyes and lifted her head feeling as if shed been run over by a cement truck. Her mouth was gravelly and her eyes felt like her eye lids were held open and sand was dumped in. Turning over on to her back Bette sat up looking around. She was still out where she had fallen however long ago.

People in this town must be really fucked up to see strange people lying on the sidewalk and not to even do anything for them. No matter. Bette needed to get used to being stepped on like the scum that she was. Carefully standing up she wavered as her legs almost buckled but was able to stand on her own.

Look ma no hands, Bette mumbled to herself

With sudden clarity she remembered the man that attacked her last night. Stole all of her money and her bag. Reaching quickly inside of her pocket Bette felt it, the bottle, her lifeline. Good thing that ***** hadnt searched her person. He could have sold these off too.

Feeling something in her other pocket Bette reached in and pulled out a wad of cash. Frowning at this she wondered where shed gotten this. The ***** ***** couldnt have given her money as he had so violently taken it from her. Bette still felt a tightening, a painful pull, against her left shoulder.

A sudden flash, a memory, came. Bette had stuffed the remainder of her cash that shed had with her in her pocket before going to that ATM. It hadnt been much. Maybe forty dollars but it may be enough to get a room for the night.

Running her fingers through her grimy hair in an effort to make it more presentable Bette headed off in the direction of the Vacancy sign. Opening the door she heard the jangling of a bell, tolling her final end, and walked up to the counter. An old woman with greying hair and large glasses that made her eyes look abnormally large was sitting behind the counter.

May I help you, she asked without looking up from her Readers Digest