In Desire City, the only sound that broke the serene buzz of the pastel beach town was the sharp screech of tires. Heads turned—shop owners paused mid-conversation, surfers halted mid-wave, and beach house residents peeked out from their balconies. All eyes were on the sleek car careening down the sandy street, its driver recklessly sticking their head out the window.
The car jerked to a sudden halt in front of a sun-bleached beach house, its brakes squealing in protest. Everyone, including me, stood frozen in surprise as the driver stepped out—a towering figure of 7'6", with a curvy, commanding presence. Her long, flowing white hair shimmered in the sunlight, stark against her sun-kissed skin. Despite her silver locks, she didn't look a day over fifty, radiating a strength and grace that made the entire scene feel like something out of a dream.
"Honey, I'm home!"
The booming voice echoed through the quiet, sunlit streets of the Golden Shoals beach district. Heads turned as the towering woman stepped out of her sleek, freshly waxed car, her sunglasses glinting under the pastel hues of Desire City's sky. Everyone recognized her instantly—Lana Peck, the infamous fourth member of The Edge Gang.
With an easy confidence, Lana spun a ring of keys around her finger before tossing them to a visibly flustered woman in a pencil skirt and crisp white button-up, who was juggling a handful of shopping bags. "Be careful with the wax job," Lana said with a sly chuckle before strutting up the stairs of the biggest house on the block.
As she climbed, her voice carried back to the residents below, loud and unapologetic:
"I got the house of my dreams,
All my friends are gone,
I'm single, and I'm living
On beautiful Desire beach!"
She punctuated the impromptu song with a spin, then unlocked her front door with dramatic flair.
The locals exchanged horrified glances.
"I can't believe that monster is here," one man muttered, clutching his grocery bags like a shield.
"There goes the neighborhood…" sighed a surfer, shaking her head as she adjusted her board.
Meanwhile, the woman Lana had handed her keys to stood frozen by the car, her jaw tightening with indignation.
Liora Declan, leader of the Homeowners' Committee, was not amused.
"She thinks I'm a valet?! A valet?!" Liora hissed under her breath, sliding the keys into the dashboard with barely concealed fury. "Me! Liora Declan! Leader of the most exclusive committee in this entire district!" She fumed as she looked up at the sprawling mansion Lana had claimed as her own.
"How did I even let her into my community?!" Liora's inner monologue spiraled into full-blown rage. "Oh, right. She applied online. I am so firing the guy who did the background check!"
Her voice rose slightly as she stepped back, glaring at the house. "And why—WHY—did I give her the biggest house on the beach?!"
From an open window on the top floor, Lana's carefree laughter drifted down. If she noticed Liora's seething fury, she didn't care.
Liora stormed off, her heels clicking sharply against the cobblestones as she marched to her own house—which, comically enough, was right next door to Lana's. She ascended the stairs with all the grace of a queen preparing for war, but the moment she stepped inside, the energy seemed to drain from her.
Her house was neat, well-kept… and utterly barren.
A single small bed sat in the corner of the room, neatly made but uninviting. No sofa, no vibrant decorations, just a lone chair at a tiny table that seemed out of place in the otherwise sterile space. Liora sighed, lowering herself into the chair with a calculated elegance, though her mind was anything but calm.
She tapped her finger against her chin, her brow furrowing in frustration. "Can I really just sit here and pretend nothing's wrong?" she muttered, the question hanging in the quiet air. "A criminal—in my beautiful beach neighborhood?"
Her voice grew sharper as indignation bubbled up inside her. She pushed back the chair abruptly, the legs scraping against the hardwood floor with a screech that echoed through the empty room.
Liora snatched her phone from the table and began dialing furiously, her fingers flying over the screen as her thoughts raced. When the line connected, she didn't wait for a greeting.
"Mandatory meeting!" she barked into the receiver. "Right now! No excuses!"
She slammed the phone down with a flourish, her resolve firm as she turned her gaze toward the window, where Lana's obnoxiously large mansion loomed in the near distance.
"This is my neighborhood," Liora muttered under her breath, her jaw tightening. "And I'm not letting that woman ruin it."
Later that night, under the glow of the moon and the crackling light of a beach bonfire, Liora stood on the sand, her arms crossed in front of ten other neighborhood members. The gentle waves lapped at the shore behind them, but the tension in the group was anything but serene.
Joe Hudson, an elderly man with round glasses and a perpetually grumpy demeanor, scribbled notes into his worn leather notebook. Without looking up, he muttered, "I think we all know why we're here." His voice carried a world-weary tone as his pen scratched across the page.
All eyes drifted toward the towering silhouette of Lana Peck's ostentatious mansion, its gaudy presence casting a shadow even in the moonlight.
Skye May, a curvaceous woman with a sharp tongue, smacked her lips in annoyance. "She called me Big Mama today," she huffed, crossing her arms and then her legs dramatically. "Look, I know I'm a little… well, okay, a lot… chubby. And yeah, I'm a mom. But it hurt like a bitch!" She jabbed a finger in Lana's direction, as if the woman could feel the accusation from afar.
Liora's fists clenched tightly at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. Her eyes burned with determination as she stepped forward, her silhouette framed by the roaring bonfire behind her. "I will not let that gangster piece of crap ruin my neighborhood!" she shouted, her voice carrying over the crashing waves. The fire seemed to flare up behind her as if responding to her fury, the flames licking the night sky like a dragon breathing its first breath.
The group fell silent for a moment—until Gabe Wood, a broad-shouldered man with more muscle than sense, suddenly stomped toward the fire.
"Who the hell put all this wood in the fire?!" he yelled, his deep voice echoing across the beach as he kicked at the base of the flames. His stomping only stirred the embers, sending a spray of sparks flying. One rogue flame latched onto his sleeve.
"AHH! IT GOT ON MY ARM!" Gabe shrieked, flailing wildly before darting straight into the ocean. The others watched in stunned silence as he thrashed in the shallow waves, looking every bit the fool.
Skye pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is why we don't let you near anything involving fire."
Joe sighed, closing his notebook with a snap. "Well, that's one way to add to the minutes."
Liora ignored the chaos behind her, her gaze fixed on the mansion with an intensity that rivaled the bonfire. "We're going to take her down," she declared firmly. "One way or another."
"Take who down?"
The voice sent a collective shiver through the group, and they spun around to see none other than Lana Peck—infamous fourth member of The Edge Gang—standing casually behind them. She was wearing a sleek swimsuit, her surfboard tucked under one arm, and a smirk playing on her lips like she'd just walked in on a private joke.
Liora's jaw dropped. "Who invited her into the committee?!" she demanded, her voice rising an octave as she pointed an accusatory finger.
The reaction from the committee was instant and comically over-the-top: every single member collapsed to the sand like an exaggerated anime pratfall, their legs sticking up in the air as though the sheer terror of Lana's presence had knocked the wind out of them.
Sky cleared her throat awkwardly, standing and brushing sand off her pants. "Uh… wow, would you look at the time?" She tapped an imaginary watch on her wrist and avoided eye contact.
Liora's eyes narrowed, her hands planted firmly on her hips. "I'M GONNA HURT YOU, SKY!" she groaned, throwing her hands up in frustration.
"She helped me with my groceries. I'm a nice person, deal with it." Sky said, plopping back down onto the sand with a satisfied sigh.
Liora's face was the color of a storm cloud, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles were white. The air around her seemed to hum with her fury. She was angry.
"You're damn right I'm angry!" Liora snapped, turning to glare at Lana with a burning intensity. Her voice rang out, loud and sharp enough to make the birds nearby scatter.
But Liora didn't stop there.
She threw her head back and yelled toward the heavens. "You're not helping!"
The committee froze, looking between Liora and the empty sky with wide eyes. It was as if she'd just yelled at a god.
Liora, utterly unfazed by the odd looks, continued to shout at the sky as though expecting a response. "Why do you always do this?!"
The others exchanged uneasy glances.
Liora, it seemed, had lost it. She was now angrily shouting at some omnipotent force that nobody else could see.
Lana effortlessly grabbed the front of her car and dragged it over to the committee, her hands working like she was pushing a toy. With a casual grace, she climbed onto the roof, settling herself as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "What's the topic? Am I gonna have to bury something?" she asked, her tone dripping with menace, the weight of her words hanging in the air like a storm cloud.
Sky's eyes went wide with fear. "I-is she gonna bury a body?!"
Joe, ever the seasoned member of the committee, simply thought, "I'm too old for this shit."
Liora's face paled, her hands trembling as she bit her lip in anxiety. "Please, Gods, don't let her kill me…" She glanced nervously at Lana, half-expecting a shovel to magically appear.
But then, as though flipping a switch, Lana's mood shifted. She smiled sweetly, almost innocent. "Because when you're burying flowers, you need to have a nice patch like this," she said, kneeling down and effortlessly starting to dig a hole in the sand.
The committee collectively blinked, confusion washing over them.
"SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT ACTUAL BURYING?!"
The entire committee froze in shock before, in perfect comic synchronization, they all collapsed to the sand in exaggerated shock, their legs sticking up in the air like cartoon characters.
Sky coughed, half-relieved, half-confused. "I… I guess that makes more sense?"
Liora, still in shock, could barely find the words. "What the hell just happened?"
Liora's frustration bubbled over as she marched toward Lana, her fists clenched. "Listen here," she growled, voice steady but fierce. "I don't think this is going to work. You have to leave. This place is mine to protect."
Lana slowly stood, her height making Liora feel even smaller as she looked down with a smirk, unfazed. "I've paid my mortgage, contributed to your little committee, and I've even joined it. Legally, you can't kick me out." Her tone dripped with a mix of arrogance and amusement, leaning in closer.
Liora took a step back, her gaze narrowing. "Is that a challenge?" she snapped, her pulse racing with anticipation.
Lana's smirk only deepened as she leaned even closer, their faces inches apart. "A promise," she said, her voice low and steady, sending a chill through the air.
VERSUS!
The next day, Liora Declan paced restlessly inside her modest home, her hands running through her hair as she thought about Lana Peck. That woman is a problem. Liora had spent the last few days stewing over Lana's presence in her community—her towering house, her intimidating reputation as the fourth member of The Edge Gang, and her casual attitude. But, to make matters worse, Lana had done the one thing Liora never expected: she was nice to Sky.
Liora's first instinct was to find out more about Lana. She couldn't allow a "gangster" to move into her pristine neighborhood without knowing everything. So, with a mix of determination and suspicion, Liora set out for a full day of covert surveillance.
The First Sightings; Swimming with the Dolphins.
Liora stood at the edge of her porch, clutching binoculars like a seasoned spy. Her gaze locked onto the horizon, where, impossibly far out in the water, she spotted Lana. "The current's supposed to be intense today... How the hell is she out there?" she muttered under her breath, her mind racing. Is she some kind of... monster?
Through the binoculars, she saw Lana cutting through the waves, moving with effortless grace, like a dolphin. The current was powerful, but Lana swam through it like it was nothing, her body moving in harmony with the water, a genuine, almost nostalgic smile on her face. It was a smile that seemed to say, This is something I can't do with anyone else anymore.
"SHE'S LITERALLY SWIMMING WITH THE DOLPHINS!" Liora shouted, pointing dramatically at Lana, who was now surrounded by five playful dolphins. The scene looked almost surreal.
Fueled by a mix of frustration and curiosity, Liora bolted toward the water, determined to catch something—anything—to use against this woman. But just as she neared the shore, one of the dolphins leaped from the water, sending a giant splash right into her face.
"DAMN DOLPHIN!" Liora sputtered, wiping water from her eyes. She stumbled and ended up crashing into Joe, who was casually lounging on the beach.
"U-uhm, Liora, you're a nice woman and all, but I... I see you like a daughter..." Joe stammered, completely caught off guard by the sudden intrusion.
"SHUT UP, JOE!" Liora snapped, quickly climbing to her feet. She glanced up and froze, her blood running cold at the sight of Lana, now standing in front of her, towel in hand, as if she'd been waiting for this moment.
"Hey, president of the committee," Lana said, flashing a playful grin. "Be careful with the ocean today." She tossed her towel off with a flourish, spinning it around before lightly smacking Liora on the behind.
Liora's face immediately turned crimson. "You DAMN CRIMINAL!" she yelped, her hands flying to her hips as she glared up at Lana, still trying to process the situation.
The Second Sighting: Helping the Lost Tourist
Liora had spent the morning pacing in her house, unable to shake the image of Lana swimming with dolphins. She's not who she appears to be, Liora thought, clenching her fists in frustration. I've got to find something, anything, that proves she's not just some harmless weirdo!
Later that afternoon, Liora spotted Lana again, this time near the beach café, talking to a distraught tourist who seemed completely lost. The tourist, a middle-aged man, was looking at a map in his hands, looking utterly confused as he tried to find his way around the area. Liora, with her binoculars at the ready, noticed Lana leaning down to help him.
"Need some help?" Lana asked, her tone smooth and friendly. The tourist nodded gratefully, explaining how he was supposed to meet someone but had no idea where the meeting spot was.
Liora's grip tightened on the binoculars. This is it. I'm going to catch her in the act— But then she saw something that made her freeze.
Lana, despite her tough exterior, was gently guiding the tourist, patiently explaining directions. Her voice was kind and soothing, not a hint of sarcasm or arrogance in it. After a few minutes, she even offered him some water from her own thermos. She smiled and waved him off when he finally got his bearings, her demeanor surprisingly warm and caring.
Liora's jaw dropped. She's… helping him? she thought, narrowing her eyes. "What the hell?" She muttered under her breath. "I thought she was a criminal… This… this isn't what I was expecting."
The sight of Lana being so compassionate and selfless shook Liora to her core. The gangster who smacked her on the behind and seemed so untouchable, was now just a regular person, helping a stranger. For a brief moment, Liora felt an uncomfortable knot form in her stomach. Maybe I've been wrong about her…
The tourist, flustered, accidentally spilled his juice all over Lana. Liora gasped, her heart racing. This is it! She's done for now!
She quickly whipped out her phone, ready to capture the moment. This is the evidence I've been waiting for!
Lana stood still for a moment, huffing in irritation. Then, with a slight roll of her eyes, she reached behind her and pulled something out. Here it comes, the big moment... Liora thought, leaning in with anticipation.
"Someone's gonna have to clean this up," Lana muttered, her tone dripping with menace.
Liora's grin grew wider. Yes! She's gonna lose it!
But then, to Liora's utter shock, Lana pulled out a napkin from her bag, her expression shifting to something far more practical. "It's me, of course," she said with a shrug, dabbing at the juice. "I got spilled on, so I'll clean it up."
Liora blinked, confused. Wait, what?
Lana handed the tourist a map, smiling brightly. "Here, this'll help you get to where you need to go."
The tourist grinned in relief. "Thank you, kind lady."
Liora's face drained of color as she stood there, utterly flabbergasted. This... this doesn't make sense!
She shook her head, muttering to herself. "This damn gangster..." Her fists clenched, her frustration mounting. "She's gotta be up to something!"
Without thinking, Liora stormed toward Lana, but as she stepped forward, she slipped on a patch of wet sand and fell flat on her stomach with an embarrassing thud.
Lana raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a mischievous grin. "Someone should really put a warning sign here, President," she teased, walking over Liora as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Before Liora could recover, Lana smacked her behind lightly with a towel, chuckling to herself. "Clean yourself up," she said, tossing the towel on Liora's back.
Liora lay there, staring at the towel, feeling both humiliated and completely thrown off balance. "What the hell just happened?"
The last sighting
The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm golden glow over the beach. Liora sat at a bench overlooking the ocean, her binoculars resting on her lap. She'd been following Lana all day, but this time, something felt different. Lana wasn't causing trouble or acting like a gangster. Instead, she was sitting by herself on a secluded part of the beach, staring out at the horizon with a blank expression.
Liora's gaze softened as she watched Lana, who seemed so out of place in her usual tough demeanor. She had her arms wrapped around her knees, her head resting on them as she gazed at the waves crashing in the distance. It wasn't the kind of image Liora had expected from the infamous fourth member of The Edge Gang.
"This... This doesn't make sense," Liora thought. She's always surrounded by people, always acting so confident and tough... "but now, she looks so... empty."
Liora couldn't help but notice how Lana's usual confident, almost intimidating stance was gone. There were no loud laughs or taunting remarks. Just a quiet woman, alone.
Liora stood up, her eyes still on Lana. She debated for a moment, a tug in her chest growing stronger. "Should I... approach her?"
As if on cue, Lana looked up, her expression still distant. She wasn't looking at anything in particular. She was just lost in thought. There was no smirk, no cocky attitude, just an air of loneliness hanging around her.
Liora's heart softened. She wasn't sure what it was exactly—maybe it was the way the light reflected off Lana's features, or the fact that she was so far from the tough persona she had built—but for the first time, Liora saw past the gangster reputation.
Liora took a step forward, her mind racing. "Could it be that... she's just as lonely as me?"
Suddenly, Lana's head tilted up, catching sight of Liora. Her eyes flickered with surprise, but there was no animosity, no challenge. Just a quiet acknowledgment of another person in the same lonely space.
"...You're here," Lana said softly, her voice almost unrecognizable in its gentleness.
Liora didn't know how to respond at first, so she simply nodded, her eyes softening. "Maybe I was wrong about her."
"I didn't expect to see anyone out here," Lana said, sitting up slightly, her gaze shifting to the ocean again. "This place... it's peaceful, you know?"
Liora took a deep breath, her voice quieter than usual. "Yeah... it is."
The silence lingered for a moment, neither woman knowing what to say. But for the first time, it wasn't uncomfortable. It felt... real. They were two people, alone in a world where they didn't quite fit in.
Liora sat down a few feet away from Lana, their unspoken understanding hanging in the air between them.
Liora stood there, taken aback by Lana's unexpected confession. She didn't know what to say at first. Lana, the tough, untouchable member of The Edge Gang, now sitting on the sand with her head buried in her knees?
"How did you, Lana Peck, the fourth member of The Edge Gang, get here?" Liora asked, her voice softer than she intended.
Lana flinched slightly at the question, her shoulders sagging as she let out a deep sigh. "I'm lonely," she muttered, her voice barely a whisper.
Liora wasn't sure how to react, so she stayed silent as Lana continued.
"I was the only girl in a gang full of men... I was one of the strongest. It was a good time, you know? We walked around like we owned the world. Like nothing could touch us."
Lana's voice wavered, and her feet dragged through the sand in an absent motion, the quiet sound of the waves somehow amplifying the weight of her words.
"Then... one day, I wasn't there, and the next day, I saw on the news that they were all dead. Fatally wounded by a rival gang." She paused, her voice thickening. "I ran. I couldn't stay in that world without them."
Liora's heart twinged at the rawness in Lana's voice. She was no longer the tough, unbreakable woman who'd smirked her way through every interaction. This was someone who had lost everything.
Lana wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, still looking down at her feet.
"I came here, and everyone was so nice, so... normal," she continued, her voice still strained. "I joined the committee hoping to find friends, to feel like I belonged somewhere again. But... everyone sees me as a monster. I'm just... I'm just a ghost of who I used to be."
Liora's throat tightened as she watched Lana, realizing for the first time just how much pain and isolation this woman carried. The fierce, untouchable gangster she had once feared now seemed so small, so vulnerable.
Without thinking, Liora sat down next to Lana, her anger and judgment melting away. "You're not a monster, Lana," she said quietly. "You're... you're just human. And you've been through a lot."
Lana didn't respond at first, but she didn't pull away either. There was something about the way she held herself, the vulnerability she finally allowed to show, that made Liora feel like maybe—just maybe—they weren't so different after all.
The silence between them was no longer awkward or uncomfortable. It was peaceful, in a way neither of them had felt in a long time.
Liora's voice softened as she spoke, a sense of vulnerability creeping into her words. "I'm lonely too, Lana," she admitted, her gaze drifting to the sand between them. "My house—it's one of the biggest in the area. But everything in there feels... empty. Like it's meant for a house of one, you know? I created the committee hoping to make friends, but instead, my competitive nature makes me come off like some kind of dictator."
She paused, feeling the weight of her own confession, and Lana looked at her with quiet understanding.
"Maybe we don't have to be rivals," Liora added, her voice tentative but sincere. "Maybe we can... be friends. Just two people who don't fit in anywhere else."
Lana gave a small nod, the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Yeah... Maybe we can."
And so, in the heart of the picturesque suburb, the controlling president of the Desire Committee found an unexpected ally in the former fourth member of the Edge Gang. Their unlikely friendship, born out of shared loneliness and the desire for connection, began to grow amidst the sunsets and gentle waves of Desire City.
The end.
Character
Liora Declan – Leader of the homeowner committee in Desire City, a strong-willed and somewhat frustrated character.
Lana Peck – A notorious member of The Edge Gang and a formidable woman with a fearsome reputation, she appears to be both a threat and a source of tension for Liora.
Sky May – A member of the committee, who is often caught in awkward situations, such as with Lana.
Joe Hudson – An older committee member who often provides a more cynical, exasperated perspective.
Gabe Wood – A strong man who is part of the committee, involved in the comical moment with the bonfire.