Drama Dolls: A Novel: [Dark, Suspenseful, Fast-paced, Exhilarating]

by Tanamor, Jason

  Screaming at the top of her lungs, Barb said, “Brittney!”

  Brittney’s head collapsed on her chest, causing her to slide down the side of the building.

  Barb flexed her thighs, pushing the Doll back up straight. “Brittney!” When there was no response, Barb said, “Jeffrey!” Using her elbow to keep the distressed Drama Doll standing, Barb slapped her across the face. Stepping in closer, Barb said, “Jeffrey!”

  Opening her eyes, through the little holes, Brittney could see Barb’s face was very close. There was a sham smile in view. Barb’s artificial eyes were open wide. The recovering cheerleader could see the thermosoftening plastic stretched out. The tear strength and heat resistant face was a quality product.

  Waving her hand in front of the lightheaded Drama Doll, Barb said, “You alright, Jeffrey?”

  In and out of focus, shaking her head, the mask rearranged itself around Brittney’s face. She said, “You never call me Jeffrey.”

  Under their feet, narrow cuff bracelets, triple-wrap leather, and waxed cord bracelets rolled down the acute slope, some down the street, and others into cracks. More bracelets, thick bangle bracelets, into the sewer.

  Pushing Barb away from her, running toward the drain, Brittney said, “Nooooo!”

  Behind her, Barb, she said, “It’s OK. It’s OK.”

  Turning around, Brittney screamed in panic. Her hands grabbing at jewels as they rolled past. In desperation, she said, “Don’t just stand there! Help!”

  Running to her side, Barb kneeled to retrieve the valuables. The both of them on hands and knees. In full costume getup, they were searching the alley for lost jewels.

  Brittney was frantic. She was also hungry. Her body starting to shake from not eating.

  The Drama Dolls threw earrings into the bags as they found them. Tossing various bracelets on top of the earrings.

  The voice of worried reason, it was screaming at Brittney to keep looking.

  Ripping off her mask so she could see better, Brittney continued the search. Collecting the jewelry, returning them to the pillowcases, Brittney started to calm down.

  Rolling through the dark alley, the car’s headlights off, the engine’s purr was a stray cat. Lena flashed her lights. Leaning closer to the windshield, looking out into the alley, Lena said, “What the...?”

  Brittney and Barb’s silhouettes were like animals grazing. Eyes half closed from the sudden flash, Brittney motioned for Lena to come out.

  Sliding out of the getaway car, Lena said, “What’s going on?”

  Her face in disarray, Brittney said, “Don’t talk. Just help.”

  Open pillowcases surrounding them, the contents were wet and filled with gravel. The three cheerleaders ensuring each piece returned to the bags.

  Pain in her gut, stomach growling, Brittney crawled over to the drain and looked down into the water. Her knees were scraped from the sharp rocks on the pavement. Dirt on her gloves, Brittney’s uniform was getting brown from the filth. Pressing her face into the sewer cover, the rust and mud stained Brittney’s cosmetics-riddled face. Orange and black splattered across her smile. Her hair began clumping together from the debris.

  Barb looked at Lena. She shook her head and then turned and began tossing the bags into the backseat. Filled from previous heists, Barb had trouble closing the door. Pushing the pillowcases into each other, the opposite door opened.

  Falling out of the car, her body half out, Emily’s mask fell off her head and onto the pebbles.

  “Emily!” Brittney said, standing from her crouch. Running toward her, she stopped suddenly. Turning to Lena, she said, “Where’s my mask?”

  The car was running, the alley smelling like a buffet, and Lena was scanning the pavement for Brittney’s mask. Spotting it near the foot of a dumpster, she reached down, wiped off the debris, and picked it up.

  “Here you go,” Lena said, handing it over to Brittney.

  Brittney, replacing her expression so the passed out Doll would not see her that way, retrieved Emily’s mask. It was dirty from the fall. Brittney brushed the plastic appearance on her leg. Rubbing the mask hard, slapping it across her knee, Brittney scraped some filth off the mask’s forehead.

  Barb was pulling Emily back into the car when Lena appeared behind Brittney.

  Putting her hand on Brittney’s shoulder, Lena said, “We’ve got to go.” Tapping her softly, attempting to calm the cheerleader down, Lena said, “Now.”

  Ignoring her counterpart, Brittney continued to wipe down the plastic. When the disguise was free of rubbish, she leaned into the window and replaced the mask, straightening it until she looked beautiful again.

  Stomach growling, a pain deep in her gut, Brittney said, “I need to eat.”

  The mask’s thick plastic material stifled the words as they rang through the speaker. The food order was faint and inaudible.

  Exiting the speaker system, cracking into the air, the voice said, “Free what?” The employee working the night shift said, “I can’t understand you, ma’am.”

  The car’s engine at a hum, positioned on the drive-thru censor, Lena shifted into park. Speaking louder and enunciating each word, she said, “I'll take three number sevens!”

  Out the speaker, the voice, repeating what it had heard, said, “Free never heaven? I don’t know what you’re saying, miss.” Annoyed, the voice said, “Please speak clearly into the speaker.”

  The food menu was bright in the darkness of the night. The value meal options were surrounding the speaker, each item numbered for easy ordering. The glow of the large sign shined through the distance.

  Littering the spaces of the near empty parking lot was a trickle of cars.

  Lifting up the mask above her mouth, Lena shouted into the speaker holes, “Three number sevens.”

  Emily, falling down in her seat, her head leaned back on the headrest. Her arms were flailed out across her from the drive. Her knees spread eagle in front of her. Next to her, on the floor mat between her shoes, were bags piled on top of each other.

  “What do you want to drink with the meals?”

  Lena, pinching the bottom part of her mask, curling it up over her lips, said, “Three Cokes.”

  “Anything else?” the voice in the speaker said.

  “That’s all.” Lena pulled the phony expression down over her chin.

  The voice, loud and echoing, said, “Please pull forward.”

  The neon lights under the fast food restaurant’s roof illuminated the car’s interior. A trio of glowing bodies sitting upright with one shadowed from herself. Bags of jewelry cramped together throughout the back seat and the floor mats. The car was packed tight like a can of sardines.

  In front of the Buick, a group of young men exited a parked sedan and then entered into the restaurant.

  Rolling up to the window, the cheerleaders stopped in front of the glass box of the restaurant.

  The teenager working the shift stuck her head out to greet the ghostly crew. Lena’s mask was in the window. She had a smile with perfect teeth. Her lips were a nude rose color. Big blue eyes, Lena’s eyelashes were fanned out evenly across her forehead. She had circles for cheeks. Pin holes for nostrils. And her hair was combed down the sides of her face.

  Startled, the window employee whispered /screamed, “Jesus!” Her heart skipping a beat, she placed her palm on her chest. Her mouth falling open, she had no idea what to think. Staring into the car window, the ghostly mask silent, the window worker burst into laughter. “Jesus Christ!” she said in between chortles. Her body frozen, the employee’s laughter gave way to silence.

  Hearing the commotion, Brittney leaned forward and looked over Lena’s shoulder. Now there were two ghostly mugs in the drive-thru worker’s face. Two very happy, smiling doll faces wearing cheerleader outfits, ordering fast food in the middle of the night.

  “What the hell?” The window worker, once humored, was now ecstatic and frightened at the same time.

  The back window slowly rolle
d down. The employee’s reflection disappeared off the glass as the window bowled downward. There was another hollow expression in her sight. Turning back to address the driver, holding in a smile, she said, “That’ll be nineteen forty.” Swallowing hard, the employee’s eyes widened.

  Behind her, a co-worker appeared, holding a drink holder. There were three cups filled with soda. Peeking around the employee, the co-worker started laughing. The drink cups were shaking from the laughter. Almost dropping the cups out the drive-thru window, the colleague balanced the holder, straightening the drinks.

  Lena passed a twenty through the drive-up window. Her white gloved fingers pinching the bill. Her bare arm uncovered, the color of her skin a smidgen darker than the artificial skin on her mask.

  The employee, she said, “Tyrese, come look at this.” One by one, employee after employee, crowding into the small area, they all came to look at the freak show in the LeSabre.

  Heads peering around each other, the scene bled into the dining room of the joint. Customers stopping in after bar hopping, they all craned their heads, in between ordering, to witness the clown car. Stepping up on their toes to get a better look. Pointing, joining in on the excitement, one patron whipped out a cell phone to capture a photo.

  “Oh my God!” Tyrese said. He pointed past Barb. “There’s one sleeping.” Jumping up and down in excitement, he said, “Look at her!”

  As the food and drinks were being passed through the window, the fast food workers snapped their own pictures with cell phones. Unfazed, the Drama Dolls continued with their business as if nothing unusual was occurring.

  An employee, poking her head out to get a better look, said, “Thank you. Have a nice night.” Pulling in, she burst out laughing.

  Lena pulled out into the parking lot and stopped the car. Handing the burgers out to each cheerleader, fries soon after, the trio removed their masks and ate.

  Brittney, she stared into the bright yellow lights around the building throwing down a handful of french fries. The salt was burning her lips. The taste of potato paper on her tongue.

  The voice of hungry reasoning, it said, “I’m lovin’ this.”

  Stomach past the point of hunger, the feeling like something was squeezing her kidney, Brittney downed her food without ever enjoying a taste. Past the brink of tiredness, Brittney Doll just stared into the glittery lights of the restaurant.

  Lena, biting down into the burger, looked at Barb through the rearview.

  And Barb, she slowly eyed Brittney and then Emily. Then back again. Eating her burger with force, swallowing hard, Barb shook her head in revulsion. One fry at a time was popped into her mouth, as the three cheerleaders sat eating without a sound.

  Rolling into the garage, the car’s tires came to a screech. Lena shifted into park and then opened her door. The beeping of the getaway car door echoed in the stall as the garage door closed.

  The lingering smell of fast food filtered out into the bay. Brittney stepped out and moved around to the backseat.

  Grabbing the bags, one at a time, the Dolls threw them into the house until they were finished. Before Brittney could say a word, Barb said, “I know, let her sleep.” She slammed the door behind her.

  Emily, through the window, was slouched down against the door. Her head leaned back into the headrest. Shoes on backward, they were tied in knots. Her sweater was tucked into her skirt. Although the crop of hair was uncombed over her face, Emily was still beautiful.

  Barb and Lena took their positions in the living room, leaving Brittney behind.

  There were two big piles of stash, one called the soaking wet jewels and the other called gems to go through later. The bags of wet gems, soaked and muddy, sat in the corner of the room, away from them. There was a smell of muddy fabric hanging in the air above. The bags became crustier each second, drying to a crunchy material.

  The living room was sticky. Without a central air system, Brittney had resorted to putting air conditioning units in windows throughout the house. The stretch of hot days caused the room to feel humid. The dirty water from the soaked jewelry smelled stronger than usual.

  Barb pinched her sweater, pulling it away from her chest. Back and forth, in a quick fashion, the Drama Doll attempted to cool herself.

  Lena, alternatively, wiped the sweat from her bare arms.

  Pulling Emily into the house, Brittney brought the passed out cheerleader up the long flight of stairs. The punch drunk Doll’s legs dragging across the area rugs and hardwood in the process. Again, the emotional cheerleader made excuses for her being passed out. “She’s sick with the flu.” And, “I don’t want to leave her alone while in this condition.”

  The excuses, they were second nature to Brittney. Exiting her mouth like verbal diarrhea. “It’s been a long day.”

  Collecting tiny pockets of cool air with every pull of her shirt, Barb did not offer up a response for the excuse. Instead, she just rolled her eyes.

  Lena, though, played along. She said, “I understand. The flu could take you out for days.” Talking up the staircase, watching Brittney disappear with the useless cheerleader, Lena’s vision returned to Barb.

  Barb was staring at Lena with a dumbfounded look. Lena’s smile suddenly vanished. Looking at each other, surrounded by a pile of wet gems and muddy bags, Lena said, “What?”

  When Brittney was completely out of sight, Barb pulled out the tampon from her garter belt.

  Lena laughed. She said, “A beautiful cheerleader playing her part?”

  Flashing it in front of her, Barb’s eyes grew bigger. Her neck pushing forward, urging her on.

  “What?” Lena said. She bellowed a high phony laugh. “You’re getting into character. That’s hilarious!” Up above them, the two could hear footsteps moving from one side of the room to the other.

  Shaking her head, pointing to the drawn in circle on the tampon, Barb whispered, “This was in the garbage.” A loud crash overhead startled Barb. She looked up, her head ducking automatically.

  Lena shrugged, her hands palms up in the air. “So,” she said.

  Whispering each word carefully, Barb said, “This. Was. In. The. Garbage.” Up above, more footsteps circled the bed. The noise stopped for a moment, and then picked back up. Looking up to the ceiling, Barb could hear the steps moving toward the staircase.

  Lena, cocking her head toward the ceiling, displayed a gesture as if a lightbulb turned on in her head. She mouthed, “Oh!” and then the two became silent.

  Before another word could be uttered, hearing the faint talking from the staircase, Brittney emerged from the second floor.

  Acting as if everything was normal, Lena said, “Welcome back.”

  Barb, cupping the tampon in her hand against her wrist, smiled.

  Brittney sat down and the three began to sort.

  The stacks of random items shrank to a bearable few designated piles of necklaces, bracelets, rings, and tiaras. Lena placed a shiny tiara on her head. She was a queen posing, her arm in an angle with her hand flat, flicking back and forth. Her palm alternating with the top of her hand.

  Barb, placing the final tiara in its place, said, “All hail the queen.”

  Still cupping the tampon against her wrist, Barb slowly slid it behind her back away from view. “What do you want to do, Brittney?” she said.

  Brittney, painfully full and half-awake, said, “Let’s build a pyramid.” Her emotions running the full gamut, Brittney had experienced the five stages of grief all at once.

  The discovery of the gun had altered their routine while in the house. More times than not, Barb and Brittney would celebrate during the burglary. The feeling of getting away with something was liberating. Jumping on the bed, rolling around into the blankets like sardines, or building a fort with pillows were but a few of the joys they had partaken in.

  Now, though, the scene was getting weird.

  “Let’s what?” Barb said, the words coming out stifled. Dropping the tampon down the back of her skirt,
holding it close with the skirt’s garter, she said, “A pyramid?” Surveying the room, amidst the stack of jewels and the existing furniture, Barb said, “Here?”

  Lena, her body erect, she stood in a tree position. One leg bent outward, her foot on her inner thigh, her right arm straight into the air and her left arm, bent opposite her leg with her fist into her hip. “Brittney said, ‘Let’s build a pyramid,’” she echoed.

  Barb was cautious. She stood watching the two Drama Dolls make room for the three cheerleader pyramid. Without lending a hand, Barb’s body stiff and aloof, Lena gently nudged her to participate. They had a brief stare down, and before Barb could speak, Lena showed her clenched teeth.

  Barb, mouthing the word, “Tampon,” shook her head.

  Her neck jutting forward, the whites of her teeth in sight, eyes enlarging, Lena’s silent rage scared Barb into her body.

  Barb fell back, reserved for a moment, and then finally gave in.

  “C’mon,” Brittney said. “It’ll be fun!” Making room for the trio, Brittney rearranged the end tables. She pushed small stacks of valuables away from them. Scanning the area rug for loose pieces, she said, “You already dogged me out with the baseball game.”

  Interjecting, Lena said, “Which was fun by the way.”

  Building the base of one corner, kneeling on the floor with her hands flat in front of her, Brittney looked at Barb to follow suit.

  Begrudgingly, Barb caved in and dropped down to the floor. There was a long cylindrical bulge coming from the back of her skirt. Side by side, their bodies in yoga cow positions, Lena propped herself up to make the top.

  Feeling Lena’s knees in the small of her back, Brittney arched her body to accommodate the weight. The sharp kneecaps digging into her, Brittney adjusted her position. She slowly straightened out so Lena could balance properly. Sucking in her abs, her posture stiffened. The positioning caused Brittney’s arms to shake as if she was holding on to an electric fence.

  Flexing her triceps, steadying her arms, Brittney nudged Barb with her elbow. Staring into the sofa, she said, “You lead.”

  In her own tabletop position, Barb rolled her eyes. She said, “Ready?”