Sorry I haven't released anything in a week, I've been sick. Didn't want to sacrifice the quality of my story(hopefully it can be called quality). I'll be writing another chapter tomorrow and the day after to make up for this.
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"One thing I do know...there ain't no shame in looking for a better world." - Arthur Morgan, Red Dead Redemption 2
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Are you alright? It seems you're doing terribly in just about every way.
As Franklin drives down the streets of Los Santos, having a simple conversation with Jimmy, Alexandra lays in the back seat, teeth gritted, her entire being threatening to spontaneously combust. Her head pounds as if a nail is being driven into her skull, the sharp metal rapidly opening an ever-consuming fissure. Franklin looks back every couple of minutes, making sure she's fine. Nick acts fast.
Change is a concept that causes fear to erupt in the hearts of many. Feeling like you're losing the ever-comforting control you have in your life slipping away. It's something that's bound to happen. I'm sure you know that.
Nick ponders on what to say next, as, invisible to the outside world, a rift starts to grow.
...I've felt it before. Everyone has. It's not something you can run away from. But you can control it. Make sure that what you don't want to happen, doesn't... Sometimes, though, that inevitable change, the one you thought to control, actually turns out to be helpful.
The ink-like substance continues growing, currently at the size of a soccer ball.
As much as you might think the opposite, what just happened was one of those changes. I don't know what kind of life you lived before criminality, but the actions you took are those only found in one whose heart, even if encased in darkness, still has enough light to shine.
It starts to fluctuate. Nicholas quickly continues.
A life enshrouded in self-doubting thoughts never goes well. Take this coming from someone who's life ended from one. The subconscious is your strongest weapon; it can either be consumed by evil or emboldened by good, but at the end of the day, follow it and you'll find your purpose in life, Alexandra.
The fluctuating rift closes fast, almost as if imploding. Fury sighs in relief, hearing Alexandra's slight snoring. Franklin looks back and, seeing Alexandra asleep, initially panics. He goes to pull over and looks back again, before noticing her nose twitch as she turns. Jimmy looks back and notices, then looks down on her body, before hearing his new friend's sigh. Relief slowly appears on Franklin's face, before he pulls back onto the road.
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On the corner of Innocence and Strawberry, Chastity walked away from the Vanilla Unicorn after a successful but angering day at work. She sighs and huffs in anger, before pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, the clicks of her lighter drowned out by passing pedestrians. Ash falls onto her trench coat as she takes a drag, continuing her walk down Strawberry avenue.
'Who the fuck did that man think he was? To try hopping onto the stage like he did warrants some serious mental problems. Fucking asshole nearly pulled me off the stage. Luckily the bouncers got to him before he did anything, and I'm happy that I could take his money because he was passed out... But it still pisses me off...'
A white car passes by as Chastity stews in her anger, blowing out smoke as she calms herself. In her simmering thoughts, she turns onto Forum drive, before stopping next to the market's wall and stomping out her cigarette. She takes a deep breath and looks up, continuing her walk. Chastity looks towards the houses she passes by, wishing her own living space wasn't a decrepit apartment building filled with narcotics and std's. Passing by one of them, though, she witnesses a peculiar sight: someone was exiting a car, before walking over to the back doors and opening them, picking up a person familiar to her. Chastity's face darkens as she walks over.
"What happened to her?" she asks the colored man, looking at Zanna's face.
"Chastity? You just get off work? I thought you worked for a bit longer" he says, slightly on edge. He recognized her from the strip club, but knew only her name and work times.
"Never mind that, answer me; what happened?"
He looked at her suspiciously, before slightly dropping his guard.
"Shit, I don't know. She was holding her head, and then passed out" he says, refraining from elaborating on what had happened hours ago. Chastity takes a second to think before speaking.
"From what I understand she's mentally unstable. Put her back in your car. We'll take her to my place."
Franklin is about to respond, but then remembers his aunt exists and relents.
"Fine by me. Long as you're good with it."
He puts her back in the car and closes it, walking back to the driver's seat. Chastity enters the passenger seat.
"Down the street in Chamberlain Hills, at the apartment blocks, same road. Next to the basketball court, specifically."
Franklin backs up onto the street, before driving down it. They quickly reach the apartment blocks, and Franklin parks the car. He drags out Alexandra and picks her up, before following Chastity into the apartment.
Reaching Chastity's door, she pulls out her keys and opens it, before taking off her trench coat and tossing it onto the couch. She gestures for Franklin to come inside, hand dragging through her hair, and, once he's inside, closes the door, locking it.
Franklin places Alexandra onto the couch and turns to face Chastity, who's already in the small kitchen area, pulling out 2 bottles of beer from her fridge. She walks over and hands one to Franklin, before sitting on the sofa's arm, breathing a sigh of exhaustion.
"How'd you get to know Zanna?" Chastity asks.
"She walked past my house all bloody. Looked like a psychopath."
"She have a bandage around her arm?"
"How'd you know?"
"Because the night before she broke into my house for it."
"Damn. How'd that turn out?"
"Well we're acquaintances now, so you tell me."
"You said you were her friend earlier."
Chastity is silent, unable to come up with anything to refute him.
"Huh. Guess I am."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
Franklin looks at her confused as she looks down towards Alexandra, a blank look painted across her face.
"Could you move her to my bedroom?"
"Sure."
Franklin picks Alexandra back up and carries her into the room, gently placing her down on the silk sheets. Chastity reaches down to hold her face, then walks back out into the doorway.
"What's your name?"
"Franklin."
"Thank you, Franklin."
She hands him $200.
"Now please, leave. I need to watch her, make sure she's okay."
Franklin says nothing and walks towards the front door, opening and exiting from it. Chastity locks the door and sighs, taking off her corset and walking back towards the bedroom. She drags off her garter belt and slips into the bed, pulling Alexandra towards her bare body. Chastity slowly smooths the frayed hair of Alexandra, slowly humming.
She thinks over the interactions she's had with Zanna since their initial meeting, and the small bouts of fierce emotion the girl in her arms has shown. Her mind wanders to the questions scalding her mind, sticking to her brain like hot oil. Unable to get these questions out of her mind, she starts taking deep breaths to calm herself, eyes closing.
"Life is full of mysteries ready to be solved. Eventually all the clues will line up with this one, I just have to be patient."