Love Lies Bleeding

Lou, a creature of habit, found solace in the rhythmic clang of iron and the musky scent of exertion that permeated the walls of her rundown gym. She was a ghost in her own domain, content to exist on the periphery of other people’s ambitions, silently fixing malfunctioning equipment and dodging the unwelcome advances of her boisterous co-worker, Daisy. Then, Jackie stormed in, a whirlwind of sculpted muscle and steely determination. Unlike the transient clientele Lou was used to, Jackie possessed a focus that crackled in the air. She was a warrior in transit, her physique a testament to relentless pursuit of a dream – a bodybuilding competition in Las Vegas that promised to change her life. Lou, initially captivated by Jackie’s fierce spirit, found herself drawn into the woman’s orbit. A hesitant flicker of connection sparked between them, a fragile thing threatened by the undercurrents of violence that simmered beneath the surface of Lou’s life. This wasn’t just a love story blossoming in the unlikely confines of a weight room; it was a descent into a world Lou had desperately tried to outrun. Her past, a tangled web of criminal ties, was about to ensnare not just her, but Jackie as well, dragging them both into a whirlpool of violence that could shatter their fragile connection and leave their dreams in bloody ruins.