Skip to main content

A Deadly Shade of Red

 


Splash!
There it was again, the satisfying sound to the end of another nightmare she hit the speed dial on her cell phone.
‘Hi,’ the voice chimed.
‘We can’t keep this up, you know.' she responded.
‘Why not’ questioned the voice.
‘It isn’t right’ was her reply.
‘Oh don’t be silly, it’s fun’ said the voice hanging up.
The line went dead.

Driving back into town, she turned the rearview mirror towards herself, checking her cherry red lipstick was not smeared she hated the thought that someone may see her with smudged lipstick it was pet peeve she had, satisfied all was in order she twisted the mirror back into place. Driving to the condo garage she drew into her designated parking space, then shutting off the car engine, she again turned the rear-view mirror in her direction, withdrawing a handy wipe from her tote and proceeded to brutally clean every trace of the cherry red colouring from her face.

As she entered the condo she could hear the shower running and cried out 'I'm home.'
‘How was your day, have you eaten yet?’ Fran replied.
Removing her coat, she hung it on the hook by the door ignoring Fran’s question.
‘I waited for you.’ replied Fran.
Bending to place her tote below the small mahogany hall table, she could hear the water from the shower stop, then suddenly felt Fran’s hands on her hips, straightening she turned with a grin. She brushed Fran’s advances aside, walked to the liquor cabinet, lifting the bottle of single malt she began to pour herself a large double. Fran stood in the entryway, small pools of water dripped from her wet body onto the hardwood floor.

‘Do you have to' asked Fran 'we haven’t eaten yet.’
‘Don’t start, tonight’ she snapped back.
‘It’s just that you’ve been drinking more lately, what’s going on.’ replied Fran.
‘It’s a work thing’ she responded.
Lifting the glass to her lips she downed the drink in one gulp, pouring herself another, she walked to the sofa plonking her body down, raising her feet onto the coffee table she kicked off her shoes then, lifting the remote she flicked on the power to TV frustrated Fran walked to the bedroom and pulled on a brightly coloured floor-length kaftan, walking back into the room, she picked up their stash box from the shelving unit and laid it on the table, opening the box reached inside removed a pack of papers a clump of grass and rolled a joint, lighting she took a deep drag inhaling deeply then she passed it to her.

After dinner, they sat in their respective corners of the sofa and watched a couple of repeat shows on the box later they sat listening to the ten o’clock news as the announcer reading from a computer monitor stated.
‘DCI Charles Jones of the Norfolk police detachment reported there were still no new leads into last month’s disappearance of the young girl from Norfolk town square.’
The screen flashed a pre-recorded news clip.
‘I need the community to show their support by telling the police what they know.' said DCI Johns.
Smirking inwardly she stretched like a contented cat, raised herself from the settee and ambled across the room disrobing as she went.
‘Are you coming to bed?’ she asked.

The next morning, she awoke to rays of sunlight streaming through the window lazily she tossed back the duvet and walked out of the bedroom. She could smell the rich aroma of freshly brewed organic coffee, stepping to the counter she poured herself a cup, lifting it with both hands she walked across the living room to the balcony. Fran was already on her second cup as she sat down, both looked out towards the river, she looked over and smiled.
‘Good morning’ she said.
‘Are you going in today?’ Fran responded.
‘Maybe later’ she replied smiling. ‘How about you, have you any plans for today.’
‘I was thinking of going down to see my mom, then I thought I might do a bit of shopping in the Lanes while I’m there’ Fran responded.
Taking a sip from the cup Fran’s gaze drifted back across the river.
‘That’s nice’ she replied nonchalantly ‘to do some shopping I mean.’ Feeling she had to clarify her statement.
‘You want me to pick anything up while I’m there then’ Fran asked.
‘No, that’s fine.' she replied ‘Nice of you to ask though.’

After Fran left on her day trip to visit her mom in Brighton, she walked from the bedroom into the bathroom wearing only a black lace push up bra, scarlet garter belt and black stockings, she applied her makeup then pulled her hair back into a tight bun, slipping on her tight grey skirt and freshly starched white blouse admiringly she smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Stepping into the hallway she picked up her purse and began rummaging through it, finding the square red YSL limited edition studded case she removed the top, twisted the base and watched as the waxy solid fire-engine red stick emerged, she looked into the wall mirror and began to apply a heavy coat to her lips, ‘no need to hide this little indulgence today’ she thought, satisfied she replaced the cap and dropped the lipstick case into her purse, then entering the hallway she slipped on her black blazer noticing her warrant card had fallen out she slid it into her blazer pocket opened the door and stepped out closing it behind her. As the elevator descended she thought ‘I wonder who he will select to be our next victim?’

Two weeks later while reading the Morning Star newspaper she snickered while reading the story in the bottom right-hand column at the foot of page three, about the two young boys who made a gruesome discovery while playing along the riverbank and how they had found a rubbish bag containing the dismembered torso of a young female victim.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Journey

  It seemed like an eternity ago as the sunset over the marshland, darkness stealthy descended tightening its grip upon the land as the creatures of the deep along with the other demons of darkness stirred crawling from their cavernous dens in hunt of some unsuspecting prey. Then as night’s air grew cold and damp the moon slowly shed its silver rays over the land breaking the darkness only on the higher levels while the brumes gathered swirling like serpents sneaking into the voids and hollows between the rocks and bracken. The news had come to us from our friends, it was time to act, all arrangements had been made and by the light of the moon we would be transported over land under the cover of darkness to the port where we would board a ship to set sail for the new world. Hastily we collected our possessions and began placing them by the door, peering out of the small porch window I could see the outline of the stranger making his way down the frost encrusted pathway with his hor...
Post a Comment
Read more

Gallows Cove Road.

      It has been over four decades since I lived in the house at the top and to the left of Gallows Cove Road in Torbay.  The first, house to the right was bungalow owned by an older couple, the next across the road was a newer bungalow where I lived, and then further down to the right was a two-story cedar-covered house that was rented to a young couple from the US who were personal friends of mine at the time, he worked at the university in St. John’s, while his lady friend was an artist who lived at home. The fourth and last house was an old two-story Salt and Pepper style home occupied by two farmer brothers who were now retired and owned the land in front and around the house. This house was where they were born, grew up, and lived all their lives. They also owned the large garden running directly below the house which ran parallel to the road past their home for about another acre. At the end of the brothers’ property the pavement stopped a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Growing Up.

(Before the Deadly Shade of Red) Gazing woefully out the window, she watched as the rain and wind blew through the trees like some demonic demon. She recalled that day well, it was forever burned into her memory, she was fourteen and her mother had just died. All the family, the cousins and family friends half of whom she had never met had gathered for the occasion, as she sat by the window, the noise became unbearable, she had to escape the constant chatter, the pity that was being applied was like overly sweet icing on a cake all gooey and sickening. Rising herself from the chair, she edged her way across the room and out into the hallway down to her mother's room. It was empty now, quiet and lonely. Making her way over to the dresser, she began flicking aside things that were on top, pulling open drawers, she casually looked over the cut glass rings, necklaces and brooches. Something caught her eye, on closer inspection, she saw a small dimple located to the back of the drawe...
Post a Comment
Read more