Modern Red.

Ruby woke up to the annoying buzz of the alarm clock. Groaning she rolled lazily and with an outstretched hand pressed the sleep button. She lay there for a few minutes trying to decide to get up or sneaking in another hour or two of sleep. Her decision was made as her mam walked in; merrily humming some catchy song she’d heard on the radio. Her mam walked to the drawn curtains and threw them back, flooding the dark bedroom with light and causing another groan from Ruby. She rolled over and buried her head into the pillow in an attempt to block out the irritating light.1

“Come on. Awake now.” Her mam said, causing another, louder groan from Ruby.2

“Just give me twenty more minutes.” She said trying to bargain some more sleep that was all of a sudden vital to her. In response to this her mam walked over to her bed, bent over her head and gently whispered “No.” before quickly pulling back Ruby’s blanket. Ruby groaned and rolled over again, hand over eyes. She lowered her hand and blinked twice to get used to the light. “Now that I have your attention” her mam began “I need you to go to the shop in awhile and pick up some things for you’re grandma. She’s a little under the weather and can’t get out of the house at the minute.”3

“Why can’t you do it? She’s you’re mam after all”. Her mam’s face went red.4

“Don’t you dare speak to me like that! I have work to do, now get your ass of that bed.” She walked out of the room and slammed the door shut behind, ending all argument.5

Ruby got out of the shower and dried off. She walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out a pair of black trousers and a black band T-shirt that she had added fish-net sleeves too. She sat on her chair facing her dresser and started to put on her make up. White face powder to hide her freckles. Purple Eyeliner and lipstick to go with the bled through purple in her red hair.6

She walked out into the hallway and down the stairs. She picked up the list her mam had left on the hall table and crammed the list into her pocket. She pulled on her “New Rocks” and spent a few minutes making sure she hadn’t missed any straps or zips. She clipped on her MP3 player and left the house. She moved into the shuffling mass of bodies that seemed to be everywhere in the city. Occasionally she walked past people her own age, which gawked and stared. Pointing and laughing while the music of “Hurt Me” hammered into her skull. How fitting. If she wasn’t so used to it tears would have welled in her eyes.7

She was used to it though and hated them all for it. Hated them for the jeering and laughing. For the pointing and staring. For the drinks and food and stones they threw. She hated them for being raised in a society and by parents that shunned anything different to them. There were a few people who she liked; though they were few and far between. People who at least tried to understand and get to know her. Although they were quickly labelled as “freak” and “weirdo”. Some just couldn’t cope with the isolation that can bring. Michael had hung himself a few months ago and Charlet hadn’t been seen since she had tried to slit her wrists. 8

She walked into the shop and went about getting the stuff on the list. When she had everything she went to the checkout. She paid the casher who gave her more than one strange look. She picked up her bag of groceries and left the store. She had barely gotten a few feet when she bumped into someone and was knock to the ground.9

Some of the food she had been carrying had fallen and started rolling across the street. She pulled one of her earphones out in time to hear the man say “Watch where you’re going, freak.” before quickly walking off. She got to her knees and started to pick up the food. A hand picked up a jar that she was reaching for. 10

Now I’m in for it. She thought. A voice asked “Need a hand?” she looked up and standing in front of her was a powerfully built man in his mid-twenties. He had spiked black hair and a kind face. He was smiling at her and she couldn’t help but give a small smile back. He offered his hand and she took it, being pulled easy to her feet. “I think this is yours” he said handing her back the jar. “Some people are such jerks,” he said before asking “are you ok?” 11

“Ye I’m fine, you get used to it after awhile” he nodded his head in agreement and asked who her favourite band was. She said “Hurt Me” and asked what about you?12

“SelfConflicted are pretty good live. Seen them more than anyone else so I guess them.”13

They kept talking on the spot about music before switching to literature. She asked him if they could start walking.14

“Ye sure. Where are you heading?”15

“I have to go to my grandma’s. She’s sick and my mam is too lazy to go herself.”16

“Where does your grandma live?”17

“Over on fifth street. Number fifty four.” he nodded and they started walking again. After a little while he asked “What’s your name anyway?”18

“Ruby but my friends call me Red.”19

“Red?” he said, tasting the word on his tongue. “I like it.”20

“What’s yours?”21

“What?” He looked genuinely confused.22

“Your name. What’s your name.”23

“Oh, ye. Wolf, my name’s Wolf.” she laughed. “What’s so funny?” 24

“Wolf? You’re shitting me right? So it’s like little Red and big, bad Wolf? Pffft give me a break. So what’s you’re real name?”25

“I’m serious, it actually is Wolf. That’s just a pretty strange coincidence.” he started laughing.26

“Ok I believe you.” holding up her hands in mock submission. “So what time is it Mr. Wolf?” they both started laughing. “If I’m Red and your Wolf maybe I should stop talking to you? After all I wouldn’t want to end up as you dinner.” She cracked a smile for the first time in months. 27

“Oh, come on. I won’t bite. Much.” He smiled and she could feel the heat rise to her face. 28

They walked for a bit more and Wolf asked about her life. “It’s only me and my mam at home.” She paused “My mam tries her best to make the most of it but she works double shifts and gives me a pretty hard time.”29

“Where’s your dad?” Wolf asked.30

“Don’t know to be honest. Kinda left before I was born. He wasn’t ready for a family so he left.” Wolf wrapped one arm over her shoulders and drew her close. Despite herself she could feel hot tears rise form in her eyes.31

“If he didn’t want to be in your life then it’s his loss ‘cause he’s missed out on being apart of the life of a wonderful person.” She started crying and all the months of isolation and hurt she had felt was exposed in that moment as sobs wracked her body. He stopped and just held her there in his arms. The people staring and whispering meant nothing to her in that moment. He gently wiped her tears away and said “Come on. I know a short cut up ahead.” They walked up to the entrance of a side ally.32

“Wolf?” she asked.33

“Ye?”34

“Thanks for everything.”35

“You’re welcome” he gave her another warm smile.36

A police officer walked up to them. “Is everything alright here? Why are you crying Miss?” Wolf answered.37

“Everything’s fine offi-“38

“Was I talking to you? No so shut up.” The anger left his voice as he addressed Ruby again. “Miss how old are you?”39

“Fifteen Sir but what does that have to do with anything?” he completely ignored her question and said.40

“Fifteen? Ok Sir you can go now but I want to have a few words with the young lady.” Wolf nodded and walked off, looking back to wink at Ruby. She gave him a smile but stopped when she saw the police officer scowl. He turned his attention back to Ruby. “What the hell were you doing with that man? Do you know how dangerous that is?”41

“What? I just bumped into him in the street. He was a nice guy and we got talking, how is that dangerous?”42

“How many twenty-something year olds like hanging around with fifteen year old girls? Did that not seem a little strange to you?” she stared at him and felt her world shatter like it had so many times before. She started shaking. She didn’t know Wolf and yet she had cried in his arms and was about to go with him into some side ally that lead god-knows where. She started sobbing again at the thought of what might have happened to her. 43

“Oh my god.” she fell onto her knees at her own stupidity. “But, he seemed so nice?” Hot salty tears were rolling down her face again. The officer was stunned.44

“Where were you going? I’ll give you a lift.” He said clearly regretting being so hard on her. She could only nod. He led her to a near by squad car and she climbed in. In her mind now Wolf’s face was not so kind but predatory. She told the officer her grandma’s address. He tried to make conversation with her but Ruby had stopped listening. After a few minutes they arrived at the house and Ruby used her key to get in. She checked on her grandma who was sleeping and went back downstairs. She sat down on the couch and sat there for awhile, lost in her thoughts.45

The doorbell rang and she went to answer it. Swinging open the door she saw Wolf their holding a bouquet of roses. She slammed the door. He rang again and she could hear his voice muffled from the other side “Come on let me in. I just want to talk to you and try to explain myself.” She opened the door a fraction and looked into his face. His kind face. “Please?” she opened the door to let him in. He handed her the flowers. “I got these for you.” 46

“They’re beautiful. Let me just put these in water.” 47

“Ok.” he smiled again, that wonderful smile. She turned and walked down the hallway. The officer must have been wrong. He got her flowers for Christ sake. 48

She fell to the floor. She was bleeding. That much she could tell. How was she bleeding? Had she slipped? No. Something had hit her but what? She turned to fall on her back. She found herself staring into Wolf’s face. Not the Wolf she had seen in real life though. Not the Wolf with the kind face. No. The Wolf with the predatory look was standing over her and looking into her eyes. “You know,” he said “little girls really shouldn’t talk to strangers.” Her eyes closed as she faded into ink oblivion.49

When she woke up she was stiff and her entire body burned with agony. She took a few seconds to try and get her bearings. She tried to move but was tied to a chair. She tried to scream but her mouth was gagged. She could feel the dried blood on her head. “Finally awake? Good. I enjoyed it but it’s much better sport when they can struggle.” He walked over to where she was tied. He raised a long knife to her face and gently placed it against her face. He stroked her hair and said “So pretty”. In a slow motion he dragged the knife down the side of her face, cutting a deep trench into her skin. She scream but nothing really was audible because of the gag. Blood flowed in rivers down her face. She sobbed from pain and fear. She was going to die here and it was really her own fault. The worst thing was there was nothing she could do to stop it. He stroked the cut and then licked his finger, drinking her blood. She struggled against her ropes and managed to flip her chair over. She fell against the table and smacked her head on the side, fading once more into unconsciousness.50

When she woke up her mam was by her side, holding her hand. “Mam? Where am I? What happened?” her mam looked up at her, burst into tears and threw her arms around her daughter sending a wave of pain through Ruby.51

“You stupid, stupid girl you scared the hell out of me. I thought you were never gonna wake up.”52

“What do you mean never wake up?” she was trying to come to grips with everything. She was in a hospital that much was clear.53

“You’ve been in a coma for a month Ruby.” she said stroking the scar on her face. They feared you would never wake up. You suffered a lot of trauma. They didn’t even know what you would be like if you woke up.”54

“I don’t remember anything.” Ruby said trying to think back.55

“Good, keep it that way.” Ruby resigned to agreeing. When her memory comes back she’ll deal with it but no need to be looking for problems if her mam wasn’t overreacting. Ye no need to remember.56

Not right now.