The neon lights were buzzin', the walls were stacked with every kink under the sun.
"Leave a review and get free lube!" Carrie exulted, pointin' at the sign. "Where's my phone?"
Zach barely looked up from where he was starin' at a locked glass case labeled Extreme Cages. "Babe, you are not leavin' a review just for a two-ounce bottle of off-brand silicone dick slick."
Carrie scoffed. "What if it's good lube? What if it's the best lube I ever had? What if I die one day never knowin' I coulda had this lube for free?"
Squirrel snorted, flippin' through a stack of discount DVDs. "She's got a point. Free lube's free lube."
Carrie snapped her fingers at Zach. "Gimme your phone."
"No."
"Gimme your phone."
Zach held it tighter, eyes narrowing. "You're gonna write somethin' insane."
Carrie gasped, hand over her heart. "Me?"
"Yes, you."
Squirrel cut in, grinning. "Let her do it. What's the worst that happens? The Pink Pussycat becomes a tourist destination?"
Carrie was already typing. "This store changed my LIFE. Never have I encountered such an extensive, affordable, innovative collection of erotic goods and novelties. The staff? Angelic. The selection? Biblically overwhelming. The vibes? Immaculate. My marriage? Saved. My ass? Destroyed. Five stars."
Zach groaned. "Jesus Christ, Carrie."
She hit submit and held up the tiny bottle of lube in triumph. "Winner winner, chicken dinner."
Squirrel pocketed a handful of discount nipple clamps. "I love this for us."
They wandered deeper into the store, takin' their time, touchin' everything. Vibrators, harnesses, leather masks, a wall of dildos sorted by size from "Starter PokΓ©mon" to "You Need To See A Priest." The staff watched 'em with a mixture of amusement and disbelief, the unspoken question hangin' in the air: Do these idiots have jobs?
Squirrel stopped by a display of long, opera-style latex gloves, pullin' one on up to her elbow. "Classy as hell. You think I could do crimes in these?"
Carrie was across the aisle, holdin' up a slingshot bikini made of what barely qualified as fabric. "What I wanna know is if the Girls* would fit in these sexy little outfits."*
Zach, still trailin' behind, arms crossed, deadpan as ever, sighed. "You never wear sexy outfits."
Carrie turned, hands on hips, eyes gleamin'. "Yeah, Zach. And why--" she gestured broadly at her tits "--plant trees in front of Mount Rushmore?"
Squirrel whistled low. "Damn."
One of the employees choked on their gum.
Carrie tossed the bikini back onto the rack. "C'mon, let's go look at the ridiculous shit. Bet they got a strap bigger than your arm in here."
Squirrel grinned, already headin' that way. "What, like a challenge?"
And then they found it.
The Luxor.
Eighteen inches of latex and spite. A monstrosity. A weapon forged in the darkest depths of hell, designed not for pleasure but for intimidation. The kinda thing that made lesser people reevaluate their life choices just by lookin' at it. Acres of rubber tree plants died for each of the massive dildos.
Carrie dropped to her knees in front of the display, arms raised in reverence. "We are but ants before a god."
Squirrel stared. Just stared. "That's not a dildo. That's a hate crime."
Zach, standin' between 'em, looked like he wanted to evaporate into the drywall. His voice was weak, barely above a whisper. "Why would anyone need that?"
Carrie shot him a wicked grin. "Need? Baby, it's not about need. It's about sending a message."
Squirrel nodded solemnly. "A message that says, 'Do not enter unless you have battle experience and a strong core.'"
Zach exhaled through his nose, long and sufferin'. "I wanna go home."
But they weren't done.
Toward the back, tucked between the more exotic selections, they found her.
A life-sized redheaded latex doll--with Squirrel's exact face.
There was a beat of silence.
Carrie's hands went to her hips. "Oh, come the fuck on."
Zach made a small, thoughtful noise. Too thoughtful.
Squirrel, arms crossed, inspectin' her synthetic twin with narrowed eyes, nodded sagely. "I want royalties."
Carrie turned to her, incredulous. "That's your takeaway?"
Squirrel gestured at the doll's absurd proportions. "Well, yeah. Clearly, someone got real inspired. I'm not sayin' I deserve a cut, but I'm also not sayin' that."
Zach cleared his throat, still starin' at the doll. "I mean. They got the--uh. The shape. Pretty accurate."
Carrie whipped her head around so fast her hair nearly smacked him in the face. "Zachary Noah Rannis, do you wanna die tonight?"
He blinked rapidly. "Nope! Nope. I'm good. Let's go. Right now. Leavin'."