Don't Sleep With the Drummer

♤ 1. Kayla ♤

When the cops arrested her, Kayla Chambers thought of the summer she ran up the hill, chased by two Dachshund dogs. You know, the wiener dogs that had that ridiculously lengthy, elongated body and short, stout legs. It was the last time, as a child, she remembered feeling real fear.

This moment, though, was creeping up to take over the top spot.

The police officers, holding her close to the cruiser, had their attention split. Their radio was blasting an announcement about a man on foot, walking around the downtown arts district with a machete.

It was July, and as many Californians knew, it was also the height of crime. Los Angeles' homicide rate had decreased earlier in the year. Like clockwork though, every time summer came along, the spike reached a new high right in the middle of the hot sun.

"Put your hands together like you're praying," the female officer advised. "We'll take you to Exodus Urgent Care immediately."

Urgent Care?

Did they think I was suicidal?

Her thoughts went through a whirlwind.

She settled on one vital question, though.

"I'm not going to be taken to jail?"

Air spilled out of the woman's lips. She brought her hand to her mouth, dotting away the sweat that had begun to pool along her upper lip. "Ma'am, you are not going to be arrested. We see that you are in crisis. This won't be solved by sending you to the county jail. You are going to be safe, ok? Do you hear me?"

"Yes," Kayla exclaimed, speaking loudly so that she didn't have to repeat herself.

Fourth of July was today. You couldn't tell by the looks of the Chambers household. The morning started off slow; no arguments and no violence woke up any of the family members. That was a first. Since the city black out, an unbearable heat wave had struck both the Chambers household as well as the city of Los Angeles.

About the wiener dogs, though.

Once more, they came to mind when she hopped into the police cruiser. She had handcuffs on for the first time. The metal was cold, nipping at the flesh of her boney wrists. Her heart was pumping just as fast as that day, going up that hill, focusing on the back of her sister as she ran ahead of her and away from the dogs.

They were in search of tulips.

Mary, her sister, said that she saw them on her way back from summer school. But right when they made it across the grassy hill, they got greeted by the owner of those tulips. Their home had no gate, no fence, but had two dogs guarding the plot of land.

She thought of that day, more often than any other, because it was her sister who sprouted the idea to get the flowers, eventually leading to getting chased by dogs. They would've been safe if they stayed home.

Same pattern appeared here.

Her sister was the reason why Kayla was trapped into this police car. This fourth of July morning got put on a bad start when Kayla brought up her niece.

"How can she be having a second kid?" Kayla had inquired, far too loud and far too bold, in the presence of her mother. They were seated in her mother's bedroom after all, so there was no intent in feeling scared. Kayla was sure her mother would protect her—or so she thought.

Her mother, Linda, shook her head. "You should be happy for her."

"Why?"

"She's your oldest sister. Show respect."

"She called me terrible things when she found my birth control."

"I'm sure she apologized for that." Mother noted, patting the space beside her. "You surprised us all when we found that bag of yours. I was concerned what you were doing at night with all those condoms."