Light Avenue

So much light, celebrating different things. In the middle of it all. November 7, 2016.

The Strip welcomed the party of five through the strip through its generous paved roads. The open-top jeep passed through the many casinos flying the great American flag.

The sky was alight, the sky was loud. Shot after shot as fireworks were launched into the air to celebrate the new President as the final votes were tallied up. The streaks of red, white, and blue were of course the star of the show.

The giant screens installed onto one of the heavier-handed concrete walls illuminated the new President's face as the decisive victory was display for all to see.

"Is that what we're all expecting?" Tyler poured the champagne for all of his friends in the vehicle in the moment.

"Well, my dad held a fundraiser, I'd tell you that." Jerry laughed. "Doesn't matter to any of us."

"My head is filled with ideas." Kayla shot at him. "About the exact country!"

"Brutal!" Melanie screamed out of the open-air, evoking some people's attention. "Let's stop giving a heck about this garbage. Kayla, you called a few on your birthday. You do this every year!"

"Are you unhappy about that, sis?" She grabbed the cheek of a person who is clearly not her sister. "Are you unhappy? Fine! Next year, we fly to Hawaii."

"I'll Hawaii your butt, little girl." Kayla put her fist in Tyler's stomach.

Her toppled slightly backwards, spilling his glass, and nearing falling out of the car in the process.

The car howled with laughter. Tyler held onto the locked car door before pulling himself back up, and angrily casting the glass off to the asphalt, shattering it and nearly caused cuts to someone.

"Learn to use your jello legs, little girl." Jerry set off another round of laughs.

The four waltzed through the poker tables. The unnamed fifth had to catch something else.

The entire hall was dark, save for the spotlights that were strategically aimed at the table and the colored filters that were overlaying the ones on the floor to create visual effects. Many stood around the final table, but thankfully, they were pretty tall.

"This is what I call a losing hand." Jerry pointed randomly to a man holding pocket threes with another three on the flop in front of him. The player tapped the table twice to ask for a check.

"You idiot. That is prime. Favorite." Melanie rebutted. "Isn't that right, Kayla?"

"That guy is on a straight." She pointed to a TV that faced away from the table as cameras moved around the table to catch a view.

Jerry stared at her as if she has been playing poker her entire life.

"What?" She barked at him.

There was the sound of chips rattling against the table, and the spectators were on their feet, and in slight pandemonium. They're not even on the turn card yet.

"Right."

The bouncer took each of their fingerprints and verified them before he reluctantly opened the heavy-duty doors into the side room.

They entered to see a fistfight where two boys about their age wrestled each other to the floor. The colors of their cheeks tells the entire story.

The entire room was filled with people of their class. Most they recognized, some they don't.

"What's going on here?" Kayla asked one of them that emerged out of the back.

"Some punch out."

"Ew." Tyler threatened to physically kick them as Kayla reacted in slight disgust while one coughed and threw up.

"Whatever you say, Ace of Spades. You're almost late."

The crowd outside erupted in cheers.