Thread: Hard Times (loneiysong & CrimsonMaster)

The Great depression hit many countries around the world starting in 1929. But none was hit harder and nowhere did it last longer then in the United States of America. Millions lost everything, people who lost their jobs soon lost their homes and were left with nothing. Even the rich had been hurt, but they showed the affects of this depression a lot less then those who didn't have much at the beginning. One of those families who had little was the Baxter's of Texarkana, Arkansas. The Baxter's had a farm 10 miles south of town. It wasn't a lot, but it was theirs, until money became harder to find then ice cubes in hell. Samuel Sam Baxter, his wife Audrey and their two daughters, Samantha Sammy 15 and Emily 14. When times got bad, life went downhill quickly. Along with the depression, a major drought hit the farmlands of America. Midwest farms were turned into dust bowls. The farms in the southern U.S. didn't fair any better. On the Baxter farm, most of the crops failed. There wasn't enough food to feed everyone, or even sell in town. It became a time of tough choices to make. Sam Audrey decided to send Emily to live with Sam's brother wife in Texas. They lived in the small town of Redwater, Texas where they owned a general store. Sam's brother didn't have any child so he welcomed Emily in. She would only stay until things got better at the farm or until Sam Audrey wanted her back. This left them with Sammy and the hope the three of them could turn things around. Farm life wasn't easy. Fields needed worked, animals needed feeding. Sadly, as hard as the Baxter's worked, things continued to go downhill. Audrey became pregnant and more crops failed. Sam had to put his land and home up for money to pay other bills and buy food. Normally, they grew everything they needed, even feed for the animals. Now Sam was forced to buy everything from a store. A store where he once sold his own goods too. 1929 had been a hard year and 1930 wasn't looking any better. Sam suddenly found himself between a rock and a hard place when the bank loan came due. The payment was put off until it could no longer be pushed back. Sam Audrey were faced with losing what little they had left. The bank gave them a week to come up with some kind of payment. If no payment was made, the bank would take the house and the land. 25 dollars was a lot of money and took time to make. That was the least they could pay and keep what was theirs. Audrey had worked at a brothel before marrying Sam. She was pregnant now and didn't believe she could earn what they needed. The fact that Audrey once worked in a brothel wasn't kept from Sammy. When she turned 15, year mother explained her past life and what was involved. Sam Audrey were forced to make a choice neither really wanted to do. But, they had no other choices. Sam Audrey waited until the work day was over and the family meal was finished. They called a family meeting, which wasn't uncommon. They always explained too Sammy what was going on. She was the oldest and expected to work around the farm. Only Emily who was living her her aunt uncle was kept in the dark on certain matters. Normally, the family meetings happened in the living room or at the kitchen table. This evening was different. The meeting would take place in Sam Audrey's bedroom, on their bed. The parents need to explain too Sammy that they wanted her to sell her body to men for money or whatever she could get. It certainly wouldn't be easy to tell her she was becoming a whore and her parents would be pimping her out. They could only hope she understood. Both Sam Audrey were sitting on the bed when Sammy was called into the room. She knew the meeting was coming. Her mother had told her earlier that day.