”“Go turn off the lights. Now.” Michael barked at Rick. “I don’t want an outside audience.”Rick hesitated for a moment. It was dark outsid.... He cast a fearful glance at Courtney.“Now.” Michael’s voice was urgent, as he pressed the knife against Courtney’s throat. He nodded his head toward the back of the office. “Go.”Courtney’s eyes were now wide with terror as Rick turned to walk away. “Michael,” she started calmly, “I don’t want any more problems. Please just let me go and we’ll just forget. " Don't talk shit," said Zoe. "I've been without a decent dealer for months now. The Arabs and Africans who sell stuff on the street always try to rip me off because I'm old and they think I don't know any better. But that's rubbish. I know good gear from bad. You don't know where I can buy some do you?"Tamara had no idea of what to say."I'll pay," said the old woman. "I'll make it worth your while. I almost don't care what drugs they are. Being high is about the only good thing left for me. Perhaps they would speak for me and askif they could just keep me. Just as I am.Hope upon hope. Wish upon wish. I knew the world didn't work like this.But what is the harm in imagining? In dreaming? Without hope there isnothing. In the real world what hope was there? But here in mypunishment. I was out of that "real" world for the next month. In thisworld I could have everything I wanted. But ONLY for the month.I lay down on the bed and cried my eyes out. "See, that is what you getfor. And it appears he saw her about the same time. In a few moments he stopped off at the table and she introduced me as her new friend and him as Chuck."You were serious," Chuck said as he alternated his looks between her and me. "You slept with him after me?" She just looked back and said that, "No, I said I had an offer to satisfy me if you weren't going to. You were so rude and had your own plans when you said you wanted to spend time with me I didn't know it was on just your terms."The.