Blood and Moonlight

The bartender watched the stranger avoiding a lap dance from a nude saloon dancer named Penny. She was one of a group of dancers that put on a show each weekend for the local men who spent their days on the range, working long hours under the hot sun.

The stranger entered the saloon less than an hour ago and seemed disinterested in the woman who was now grinding her backside into his chest. She was looking for a tip and was getting pissed that she wasn’t getting any response at all.

“What’s wrong buddy? You don’t like girls?” Penny asked. The stranger raised his hat brim just enough to make eye contact with the woman. “You

need to shave,” the stranger replied. “What the jell are you doing?” Penny asked. “You look like you haven’t had a bath or shave in a

month.”

“I haven’t,” the man replied. “Now get me a drink.”

“I’m not a barmaid. If you want a drink, get it yourself,” the woman replied. Frustrated, she spotted another lonely man across the bar, and zeroed in on him.

The stranger then stood up and walked to the bar; dressed in dirty clothes he looked like he hadn’t been out of the countryside in years. Strapped to his waist was a gun belt and pistol, and tied to his belt loop was a bag that contained his money.

“What can I get you?” the bartender asked.

“Beer,” the stranger replied. The bartender popped open a bottle of beer and poured it into a tall glass stopping before the head spilled over. The stranger tossed a coin on the counter and took his beer to his lips for a drink. At room temperature, it had a bite. “I need a girl,” the stranger stated looking over at better looking nude dancer.

“A girl?” the bartender asked.

“You know, to fuck. Not like that dog that was humping me.”

“Oh, those girls are strictly for dancing, they aren’t working girls, those girls are upstairs,” the bartender replied pointing to the rooms that lined the upper floor of the building. “You can get there from the stairs over there,” he added pointing towards the entrance door to the saloon.

“Do I pay you?” the stranger asked.

“No, stop at room number three, knock and talk to the madam that lives there, she’ll hook you up.”

“Thanks,” the stranger replied and took a long chug of his beer finishing it off in three swallows. He set the mug on the counter and walked over to the stairs. As he crossed the room, all eyes were on him watching to see what he would do.

It didn’t take long for the stranger to climb the stairs to the balcony above and find room three.

He knocked on the door and waited for the madam to respond.

The door opened and a woman answered the door. The stranger expected to see an old woman with no teeth and an angry disposition, but what he met looked more like a school teacher.

“What can I do for you?” the madam asked. She knew the answer, but was being polite.

“I need a woman,” the stranger replied.

“I see, step inside so we can talk.”

The stranger stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him. He took a quick look around at the room and noticed a very feminine touch. Lots of frilly decorations filled the space and dolls sat like they were waiting for a party.

“What kind of girl are you looking for?” the madam asked.

“Don’t matter, I need to get laid,” the stranger replied.

“I have several girls I can set you up with, do you like a large girl? Or maybe a petite one? I have a set of twins if you like, you have to pay double, but it’s worth it.”

“How much?”

“Depends on the girl, if you want a white girl its one dollar, if you want a Mexican or black, its twenty five cents. The twins are expensive, they get a dollar and a half each.”

The stranger stood and thought for a moment. He looked around again at the decorations that filled the room and felt his money bag. “I’ll take a Mexican,” he replied.

“I have three, Maria, Anna and Claudia. Would you like to take a look?”

“Yes,” the stranger replied. He was getting frustrated and felt like he was getting the run around.

“Follow me,” the madam said and walked to the door. As she passed the stranger, she brushed up against his money bag to try to feel how much he was carrying. She led the stranger down the balcony to room five and entered the room. Sitting on the bed was a Hispanic woman dressed only in a long shirt, two others were lying on the bed talking when they noticed the stranger and madam enter and stood up in attention. “These are

my Mexican girls,” the madam stated holding out her hand as to offer them up.

“Which one is the best one?”

“They all do a very good job,” the madam replied.

“They look like they’re twelve years old.”

“I think Maria is fourteen, right Maria?” the madam asked.

“Yes ma’am” Maria replied.

The stranger smiled and rubbed his crotch. “I’ll take Maria,” he said. “And her as well,” he added pointing to Claudia.

“That will be fifty cents,” the madam said.

The stranger stood for a moment like he was lost in thought. “I changed my mind, I’ll take Maria, that’s all.”

“I can make you a deal, I can give you all three girls for fifty cents.”

“No, I just want the one,” the stranger replied.

“Alright, I need twenty five cents then,” the madam stated holding out her hand.

The stranger fished into his money bag and pulled out a coin. He placed it in the madam’s hand and waited for the other women to leave.

“You have one hour,” the madam said and motioned for Claudia and Anna to follow her outside.

Once the door was shut, the stranger stood staring at Maria like she was the last meal to a starving man. He didn’t move, he just seemed to be thinking and this scared Maria.

“What’s wrong?” Maria asked in her thick Hispanic accent.

“Strip,” the stranger said. Like he was talking to a slave.

Maria pulled her long shirt over her head and tossed it on the bed. She stood naked

across the room nervously trying not to shake.

“Are you scared of me?” he asked.

“You make me nervous, yes,” Maria asked.

“Why?”

“You’re so quiet, I don’t understand you.”

“I paid to get laid, what’s there to understand?