by Curt Spencer
Tiffany Collins and her friend Ellen sat talking and laughing as they reminisced about the past and speculated on future plans. Tiffany always enjoyed her trips to Amarillo to visit her friend, and living with only her dad since her mom had died, she occasionally needed another woman to confide in.
The two girls had been friends since early childhood, and now at nineteen, Tiffany still looked up to the slightly older young woman. They had always had much in common except that her friend had a bit more of a reckless nature. Ellen liked to pursue the excitement of life in the fast lane.
"Go ahead and try it!" Ellen encouraged. "It's perfectly harmless and you'll feel on top of the world!"
"I don't know," Tiffany said hesitantly. "I have to drive home, so maybe I'd better not."
Ellen laughed. "It's not like booze, silly. It enhances your awareness and makes you a better driver. I'm driving down to Lubbock later, and trust me, it won't be a problem."
Tiffany had known that Ellen dabbled in drug use, and it never seemed to bother her. She had politely declined in the past, but today she was tempted when Ellen invited her to try the white powdery mixture that her friend promised would give her a safe but incredible high.
Still skeptical about driving under the influence of drugs, Tiffany compromised and agreed to take a small sample to try later. Wishing her friend well, she said goodbye and started her trip home.
It was a hot summer's afternoon with only a few high clouds scattered across the wide Texas sky when Tiffany turned off the Interstate and onto the smaller highway. Reaching into her purse, she took out the small plastic bag of white powder her friend had given her and frowned as she fingered it thoughtfully. Ellen had made it sound inviting, but now she was having misgivings. If her dad found out, he would surely take his leather belt to her bottom, and it wouldn't be the belt that wore out first.
At her age, Tiffany felt she was too old to be spanked by her dad. But concerned that she hadn't yet learned to be responsible, he had informed her that as long as she lived under his roof, she would follow his rules. But he wouldn't resort to the belt unless it was for a good reason. She loved her dad, and as long as he wasn't too unreasonable, she wouldn't hurt him with open rebellion. The simplest thing was to not give him a reason. She looked down at the substance in her hand again, and deciding it wasn't worth the risk, she tossed it out the car window.
Off to the southwest, the prairie landscape gave way to the deep rocky gorges and colorful rock formations of the Palo Duro Canyon. But here, the earth stretched flat all the way to the horizon. The highway south toward her dad's ranch was straight and empty, and the engine of her new Porsche 911 purred smoothly.
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