Loaded Guns- Lose

                                                   Loaded Guns
                                                                Losé




The petite brunette sits next to the end of the bar as she swings her legs. The man behind the bar rests a drink in front of her. She slides it closer to her, leaving a trail of perspiration from the bottle on the green bar top.
"This place is pretty bare today, Prin…" The man declares, drying a glass with a rag. The girl rests her cheek on her hand and observes the ice in her drink leisurely rise and fall.
"It's a bit chilly out today, Silas … People are not looking for a cold one. I'm sorry." The girl apologizes as she drags her finger through the moisture from her glass on top of the bar. The front door jingles as it opens, and two shapes enter the dark lit establishment. Prin gazes over towards the sound, and her eyes become wide at the sight.
"Silas?" Prin whispers hoarsely to the man behind the bar.
"Oui, mon petit pet?" He answers, resting his elbow on the bar before the small teen.
"Silas… who's that?" Prin asks, looking over to the door.

Her head is covered with a sock hat, but her famed pink tassels stick out as the tall pale man helps her through the dim room. Silas reaches into his pocket and takes out his watch. "Right on time." He chuckles, taking the joint from his mouth.
"Is she human, Silas?" Prin asks, in a giddy voice.
"What the fuck are you talking about, chéri?" Silas frowns, leaning forward and resting both of his elbows on the green bar top and then places the joint between his lips.
Prin turns to Silas and frowns, taking a sip from her fizzy green pop. "Do you know her?" She asks sticking out her tongue.
"Oui…" Silas answers, lifting the bar door up to exit to the open floor.
"What do you mean 'Oui'?" Prin whimpers.
Silas turns to the young girl and takes her hand. "Oh Prin, you know I am not like that… I'll introduce you to her." He smiles, and turns away. The girl slides off her chair and follows in foot of her guardian.
"Devyn, I didn't expect you here for another few hours?" The man smiles holding out his hand.
"What are you talking about, Silas; you said three." Devyn answers, shaking the man's hand.
"Yes, but you usually keep me waiting a few extra hours after I request a meeting." Silas smiles, and takes the joint from his lips.

The four stands facing one other: Losé facing Prin, Devyn facing Silas.
"How old are you?" Prin asks the girl before her.
"Seventeen… you?" Losé asks, blushing a bit.
Prin blushes at the girl's cuteness and swallows. "I'm fifteen…"
The two men look at both of them with eyes wide. Slowly a chuckle rumbles from Silas' chest and Devyn joins in with a laugh. The two girls shiver and look at their male friends.
"Losé, would you like to play with Prin while Silas and I talk?" Devyn asks, placing his hand on the girls back. Losé's eyes become slits and she glares at the man next to her. "What was that?" She growls.
"I'm sorry, Losé! Uh, I mean…" Devyn stumbles.
"Go…" Losé grumbles, facing the ground with brows knit.
"Please, I'll try to quiet! Uh, Come Silas, we have much to discuss…" Devyn hesitates, walking towards the office door of the bar.
Silas turns to Losé and takes her hand and brings it to his lips. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mademoiselle Losé." He smiles and gently kisses her hand. He then turns to Prin and takes her hand, and brings it to his lips. "Prendre en charge, mon petit bonbon." He smiles at the small girl. Prin blushes and giggles as he kisses her hand again, and leaves for the back office.

Losé and Prin sit at the bar in silence. Prin lays her hands around her sweating drink as Losé plays with her hat on the bar, picking fuzzies off of it.
"So, where do you live?" Prin asks, lifting her drink.
"New York."
"How are things there?"
"Oh, fine, 'cept they want to tear down the Empire. They're saying it's a living hazard, but no one lives over there anymore… They should keep it up for old times sake, let time take it down."
"Yeah… I saw it last summer, and it looks sturdy to me. Is anything else developing?"
"Not really. The train ride here was a bit disturbing, they're so many people living on the bridge."
"Now that's a living hazard. I hear maintenance on that thing has plummeted since the beginning of the war…"
"Pleasantly, the new train system is about the only thing to use to get around, I haven't seen a car in years."
"Yeah, unless they are antiques. Silas has an old Hummer that hasn't moved in like ages. It looks ancient.
"Well, that's what happens when a country wages war against itself, no winnings to collect so no usable power to put into reconstruction." Losé adds.
"True…" Prin looks down at her drink. "So, does he talk to you like that, a lot?" Prin asks, as she kicks her feet in the air.
"Devyn? No, not really, but when he does…" Losé answers with a laugh.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Silas tends to do the same, probs 'cause of the age difference. By the way, what are the years between you and Monsieur Blanc?"
"Monsieur Blanc?" Losé questions.
Prin blushes, cupping her cheek in her hand. "Oh, pardon moi, it is only a pet name Silas gave to your Devyn…" Prin assures.
"May I ask what it means?" Losé chuckles.
"It's French for 'Sir White'." Prin giggles uncomfortably.
Losé erupts in laughter. "I can see where he could get that kind'ov name."
"Yeah… Him and Silas are rather close. Every few weeks they meet and go to the back room and talk for hours." Prin adds with wonder.
"What do they talk about?" Losé asks, leaning forward to get a better listen.
"I don't know, I'm not allowed to go back there when Silas is with someone."
"That's stupid… What could be so bad?" Losé shrugs.
"Well, I think it's about drugs." Prin whispers.
"Why drugs?" Losé asks in a stale tone.
"'Cause both Silas and Devyn do 'em."
"What's wrong with smoking?" The girl asks a bit hurt.
"Its bad, that's what's wrong."
"Not really… But think about it; what they are doing can't be illegal.
I don't think Devyn is like that."
"Yeah… I don't think Silas is like that either." Prin adds.
"Then it would be fine to listen in, we won't be ashamed of our boys and they shouldn't mind us listening!" Losé declares.
"It's their privacy, Losé." Prin adds.
"Just a listen?" Losé pleads.
"Why?" Prin asks.
"'Cause I want to know what they're talking about." Losé playfully whines.
"It's probably boring business stuff." Prin shrugs
"Yeah, but it might be something else." Losé grins.
Prin looks at Losé in thought. "You're weird." She states.
"Thank you…" Losé replies sarcastically, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Oh, no I meant that you're a very strange girl, one that I have never met like before. It's not a bad thing." Prin assures.
"Oh… well, then thank you for-real." Losé grins.
Prin looks at her for a while, but Losé just keeps picking at her hat. "You know what I think?" Prin asks.
"Hm?" Losé responses.
"You're just like Devyn…"
"In what way?"
"All kinds. I've known him for awhile, and you and him are a lot like."
"Explain?"
"You're very kind to me, and treat me like a friend. Just like Devyn did when he first met me. Usually, the women who come along with their men to meet with Silas ignore me and treat me like a child even though many are still in their early twenties. Silas always tells me that one day my best friend will walk through the door, and that I shouldn't worry about those snotty femmes."
"He sounds like a sensible romantic guy, he must love you a lot?"
"Yeah…" Prin smiles to herself.
"How long have you two been dating?" Losé asks.
"What?" Prin asks in surprise. "I am not dating Silas."
"Really, but you two, back there, I mean he-you…" She tries, but gives up. "I am sorry for assuming." Losé sighs in exhaustion.
"It's al'right. Silas is only my guardian and nothing more…" Prin answers, sinking into her chair.
"You sure?" Losé asks. "Him kissing your hand like that was pretty romantic." Losé smiles.
"It's how he says hello… 'sides he did it to you as well." Prin highlights.
"Yeah, but not with those eyes he was giving you, and he kissed your hand twice."
"He did?" Prin asks in surprise.
"M-hm." Losé grins.
"But we can't be together." Prin murmurs.
"And why not?" Losé inquires in a higher tone.
"Losé, the man is six years older than me." Prin complains.
"So, Devyn is seven years older than me."
"Really?"
"Yeah, so what's the problem?"
"I just think that Silas would find it uncomfortable… I mean I've known Silas since I was very little… he's like an older brother to me."
"I don't want to seem pushy, but it seemed to me that he sees you as something other than a little sister… if that doesn't sound wrong to you or something?"
"No… but only if it was true. I believe that if Silas did love me romantically, it would possibly lose him business, it being frowned upon for a couple to be together with such an age difference especially me being only fifteen…" Prin looks down at her hands and then jumps and looks ahead at Losé. "Oh, but I mean I see you and Devyn as a perfect match, and a bit envious that you two can be together. And that the notion of what other people think does not get to you…" The small girl trails off, letting her eyes graze over the wooden floors.
Losé places her hand on Prin's and smiles at her as Prin looks up to greet the grin.
"If Silas truly does love you romantically, I don't think he would give a hoot what others saw him as…" She beams, causing Prin to smile as well.
"I guess you are right… and I shouldn't mind either…"
"Ya'know what I think?" Losé wonders, taking Prin's hand in hers.
"Quoi?" Prin peeps.
"That you and I should be besties, as kiddish as that sounds, but keep each other company when 'Our men' discuss their business." She declares, sticking her tongue out at the office door. Prin giggles, raising her shoulders into a smile. "Agreed!"
"So, are you allowed to go on sleepovers?" Losé asks.
"Oh, um… I'm sure I am, I mean I am fifteen." Prin answers maturely.
"Wanna have one tonight? I haven't had someone over before!" Losé rose in giddiness.
"Sure, let me just ask Silas…" Prin smiles as she sits up straight.
Losé sat watching her for a few moments. Prin sat still in waiting, watching the clock on the wall.
"Ah, jeez…" Losé curses.

"And what am I s'pose to do with it?" Silas wonders, shifting through some papers.
"Keep it in storage, until I need it." Devyn answers as he picks dirt from under his nails with a knife.
"Bullshit! Why can't you just keep it at the tenement?"
"'Cause I don't want Losé finding it." Devyn responds flicking the knife into the wall.
Silas stares him down in disapproval. "This is my bar, Devyn. I'd like for you to not do that."
Devyn sticks out his tongue and than suddenly shifts his eyes towards the door.
Silas takes notice and stands up silently and goes over to it. He unlatches the lock gently and flings the door open. Losé and Prin stumble in with terror, but Losé catches Prin before she eats the floor. They both gasp and as soon as Losé recovers, she looks up at Devyn. "Not to be rude, but what are you keeping from me?" She asks a bit flustered.
Devyn groans. "Its not bad, Losé."
Losé looks over the man with her brows knit. "It better not be." She scowls and then looks over at Prin with a smile. Prin looks back at her and frowns; she then looks up at Silas who is towering over both of them with a look of surprise.
"Pardon moi, Silas, but Losé has invited me to spend the night at her place… and I was wondering…" Prin trails off looking to the side.
Both Silas and Devyn's eye become wide as they look at the girls. "You mean, like a 'slumber party'?" Silas implies in his French accent.
"Yes!" Losé grins.
"A-wah?" Devyn's jaw drops.
"A slumber party… c'mon!" Losé barks.
"Why are you asking me, chéri?" Silas looks down at the small girl.
Prin blushes, and looks at Losé. "Because she just wants to let you know were she will be…" Losé covers, smiling up at the tall blonde man.
"Oh, but of course… jeune Prin is compelled to make friends." He grins down at her.
"Sweet! Let's go get your things, Prin." Losé jumps.
"Okay!" She giggles, and exits the room with Losé.
"Little Losé, is obedient towards you, no?" Silas grins over at Devyn.
"She can be…" Devyn sighs, crossing his arms.
"Oh, obedient girlfriend, always nice." Silas teases.
"Pardon moi, Frenchman, but Losé is not my girlfriend." Devyn bites.
"No? You two seem to be together…" Silas frowns sitting back in his chair.
"She is just staying with me, you know how things are? I live in an apartment building there is plenty of room." Devyn spoke bluntly. "And what about you and little Prin? What is the deal with you two?"
"Oh no, I am only her keeper and nothing more…" Silas said looking away.


"So you share a room with Silas?" Losé questions as she enters the room.
"Yeah, 'cept Silas doesn't go to bed until closing, which is two a.m. and I am already asleep by then. I sleep here." Prin says as she sits on the smaller bed diagonally from the larger one. "And Silas sleeps there." She points to the unmade bed. Losé walks over to Prin and sits on the bed next to her. They sit in silence as Prin looks at Silas' bed and Losé stares at the floor. Prin slowly reaches to the side of her and grabs her pillow and drags it to her lap. She clutches and light brown pillow in her arms, keeping her eyes on the additional bed in the room.
"You really do care for him romantically, don't you?" Losé asks, causing Prin to jump. "I can see your struggle…" Losé softly adds. Prin slowly turns her head and looks at the pink haired girl and nods. "Why must I be so young? If I am to be with him, I really am not looking forward to waiting until I am of age." Prin frowns, sticking her tongue out and accidentally licking the cold pillow. She develops a look of instant distaste and pulls the pillow farther from her face. She looks back at Losé and studies the girl's profile. "What should I do?"
"All I can tell you is that you should talk to him…" Losé answers.
Prin stuffs her face into the tan pillow and whines. "I knew you were going to say that."
"What else is there to say, Prin?" Losé giggles. "C'mon let's just go have a fun sleep over and forget about boys for tonight!" She smiles.
"Al'right…" Prin sullenly slips off the bed taking the pillow with her.
"We have extra sheets at my place, so then just grab a pair of pj's."


"I did not know you lived with Devyn!" Prin exclaims, looking up at the tenement.
"Oh… well, yeah. I have been for the past few months."
"Really, why haven't you ever come with Devyn to Silas' before?"
"I didn't know where he was going, and I wanted to mind my own business." Losé chuckles.

"Is this a pull-out couch, Losé?" Prin calls from the living room.
"I don't think so, I've never tried it before." Losé calls back as she looks through the cupboards in the kitchen. With no luck in finding a snack she walks back through the door to the living room and stops. "Prin, where did you get that?" Losé asks.
"It--it was in the couch…" She answers.
"Really?" Losé wonders, as she walks over to Prin. "Is it loaded?"
"I don't know, I don't know how to check or open it…" Prin responds, holding the gun in both hands.
"Can I see it?" Losé asks and takes the gun from Prin. "I can't believe Devyn has a gun, and he didn't tell me"
"What kind is it?" Prin asks.
"How should I know?" Losé answers looking over the gun. "But it looks like a 40 caliber pistol." She looks it over. She presses a button on its left hand side and releases the magazine.

"I just can't believe Devyn has a gun in the house…" Losé sits staring at the gun on the coffee table as her and Prin sit on the old couch.
"It's probably for protection…" Prin suggests, looking at Losé.
"Prin, it isn't even loaded."
"So…"
"Not much of a 'protection' if the gun isn't loaded, Prin." Losé frowns holding the gun by its grip, and then pops the magazine back in. She looks at the gun for a moment and then quickly clicks the magazine catch and releases the magazine, again. She pulls back on the slide, pushing up on the slide stop, and looks into the opening of the chamber. "This gun has been fired recently."
"How can you tell?"
"The smell…" Losé states calmly.
"What smell?" Prin asks leaning forward.
Losé holds the disarmed gun to Prin's face. The little thing inhales through her nose and then leans back and shrugs.
"We should burry it…" Prin adds.
"What, why?"
"I don't know, I feel uncomfortably with a weapon in the house."
"Prin, you're s'pose to feel safe with this kind of thing around."
"Do you know how to use it, Losé?"
Losé looks down at the gun in her hand. She admires the detailed checker marks and the silver shine of the slide. "I don't know…"
"How did you know how to open it?"
"I don't know…"
"Show me…"
"Show you what?"
"Losé, I know you can do it. Just pretend there are bullets."
Losé looks back down at the pistol. She leans forward and picks up the magazine. She looks at Prin who is squirming with anticipation, and then looks down at the weapon. Suddenly she inserts the magazine into the gun, letting it click. She then opens the slide, by pulling it back and then snapping the slide closed with the sound of the fake round in the chamber. She cocks the gun and holds it up with both hands.
"How did you do that?" Prin slowly asks in awe.
"Watching too many action films, that's how." Losé sighs, disarming the gun and setting it down on the table.
"What now?" Prin wonders.
"Put it back where we found it and not tell Devyn…" Losé responds.
The two stare down at the gun as the fading sunlight attempts to fill the room with light, before it disappears behind the Earth's horizon.

The tenement is dark when Devyn arrives home from Silas' pub. He quietly shuts the front door, latching the locks that Losé had left unhinged for him. He softly hikes up the stairs, making sure not to step on the ones that squeak. The apartment door is unlocked, as he slowly pushes it open. Suddenly he hears a click from the middle of the room- the click of a gun being cocked. He stops in his tracks, holding his breath as he listens. He opens his eyes wide, trying to see the shapes in the dark. He slowly reaches behind his back, lifting his shirt and taking another gun from his back pants. He keeps it behind his back as he takes his lighter from his pocket. He holds it up and grips the gun bringing it to his side. He flicks the lighter on, filling the room with shallow light. Losé and Prin lay asleep on the floor surrounded by sheets and quilts. Devyn slowly makes his way to the two girls, keeping his steps silent. He checks his room, finding it empty. His bed is missing a pillow, which Losé had taken for her. He checks the kitchen seeing the cupboard's doors open as if someone looked through them. He checks the back screen door, but it is still locked. The living room is silent, except for the girl's low breathing as Devyn re-enters it. The bathroom door is shut so he slowly makes his way to it. He turns the knob and enters with his flame. The room is empty.
"Must have been my imagination." He thought, as he exits the room.
He sighs, leaning against the bathroom door after shutting it. He looks at the girls again and then flicks the lighter off, and then enters his room.
Losé kept her eyes open as she lay on her side. Her heart races as Devyn goes to each room and then disappears into his own bedroom. She had tried the gun again, feeling the sensation of familiarity with holding it. The feeling of it resting in her palm, and her three digits wrap around its grip frame and her thumb on the safety. The trigger under her pointer finger made her entire arm tingle. She hadn't heard Devyn enter the room until after she cocked the gun. She silently placed it back into the couch and layback down, before Devyn flicked his lighter on.
"What was I thinking?" She thought, closing her eyes.

Losé holds up the silver gun as her eyes shiver and her hands tremble. The noise of the round in the chamber rattles, as she points it ahead.
"I know what you did…" She speaks jaggedly.
"What do you think this is?" A man's voice echoes in the blue light.
Suddenly everything goes dark and a stale silence is broken by the loud sound of the gun going off.
Losé's eyes rip open and she gasps as if she had forgotten to breath. She silently sits up as sweat trickles down her face. Her breathing is hard and her hands are quivering.
"What was that?" She questions herself.
The sun is just coming up and the room is orange. She thinks of the blue haze that filled her dreams, as she lies back down.

"What time did you guys get to sleep last night?" Devyn asks shutting the cupboards.
Prin looks at Losé in thought.
"Maybe, like two…" Losé informs with a grin. "What time did you get back last night?"
"Like around four…"
"I guess you and Silas had a lot to talk about?" Prin comments, looking over at Losé.
"Yep." Devyn answers, pouring milk into his bowl, and then putting it back into the fridge. "Must'ov been a pretty boring sleepover last night without me around, huh?" Devyn chuckles.
"No, we were fine…" Losé softly spoke looking at her bowl of cereal.
"Oh, well then. I guess I'll eat my cereal on the couch, else where." He sticks his tongue out and walks over to the living room door. Both Losé and Prin stand up from the table and go after him. The two flop down on the couch, before the man can even get to it. "What's the deal?" He asks, looking down at them.
"You can sit there." Losé points to the chair.
Devyn looks over at the chair and then back at Losé. "Fine…" He whines, walking over to it. "So what's the plan for today?" He asks shoveling the cereal into his mouth. Prin and Losé look at each other.
"I dunno…" Losé responds.
Devyn stops eating and looks deep into Losé's eyes. He gazes for what seems like forever.
"What's going on with you, Losé?"
"Nothing, I'm fine, nothing's wrong with me…"
"Prin?" Devyn asks.
The girl looks over at him with fear in her eyes. "Nothing, Devyn. Like Losé said."
"Are you two sure?"
"YES!" They both chime.
"That hurts, what did I do to be outside the circle of friendship?"
"Devyn, seriously we're fine." Losé adds.
"Really now?" He stands and sets his bowl on the chair and moves over to her. He leans close to her face, resting his hand against the back top of the couch. "Honest?" He asks, looking into Losé's eyes with deep deluded curiosity. His hair brushes against her forehead as they stare down each other. Prin backs away from them, resting her back on the arm of the couch.
"Why do you have a gun?" Losé asks simply in a low solid voice.
Devyn stands back up, away from the girl. "Why do you ask that?"
"I found one in the couch…"
"Show me." Devyn commands gently.
Losé looks at Prin to stand and she moves away. Losé reaches between the arm of the couch and the cushion and takes out the pistol. She holds it by the grip, with her finger on the trigger. She looks at the gun and at the barrel, she blinks and the splatter of blood splashes against the silver. She then blinks again and the blood is gone. She slowly takes it in both hands and gives it to Devyn. Devyn looks at her face, which is towards the gun as he takes it from her hand.
"It's not loaded…" He quietly states.
"I know…"
"You didn't try firing it, did you?" He asks a bit fearful.
"No, I took out the magazine and checked the chamber…" She answers softly.
"I see…" He answers.
"Devyn, has it been used recently?" Losé asks.
"No." He responses.
"But you said--" Prin begins, but Losé shoots her a look.
"I'll put this away…" Devyn softly says and then enters his room.
"Losé?" Prin silently calls.
"Its fine, Prin."