Little Red (9 page)

I begin to stand a little taller.

“I didn’t pick that up.”

“My senses are a little stronger than yours,” he tells me

I nod as I turn, ready to get in my Jeep.

I feel James’ hand come down on my shoulder.

“We’ll find her.

She’ll be okay.”

I give him a smile, unsure, but hoping that he’s right as I climb into the driver
seat

“Turn around, head back to the left,” he orders.

“That’s where I picked up that smell.”

I nod and turn down a makeshift road that seems to be the resting place of some of
the most beautiful homes I’ve ever seen.

I glance at James who takes one deep, slow breath after the other.

“Keep going straight.”

I don’t argue as I keep going.

We pull up to a large white house that’s true country style with its wraparound, covered
porch that has about ten white rocking chairs planted on it.

Hanging baskets with plants that have browned from the winter still dangle from the
porch as though waiting for spring and warmer air.

When I see the tiny girl slipping carefully out of a side door, I stop my Jeep quickly.

I feel the brakes skid on the dry dirt as I stare hard.

Her eyes flash in front of me quickly.

Red.

I yank the Jeep in park and struggle to jump from it with James on my heels.

“Red!” I call to her

She quickly turns toward me, and I notice she’s wearing my shirt.

I feel something inside me swell with happiness.

She kept it

“Ethan.” Her voice is softer as she glares behind her.

“We have to get in the woods,” she tells me

I begin to look her over.

Her arms are exposed and covered in large black and blue bruises.

The nape of her neck has a bruise that is brown and beginning to fade that runs around
her neckline.

My mouth drops as she stares at me with sad eyes

“We have to leave; we need to get out of here,” she tells me again

I bring a hand up to her cheek

“Ethan.” I hear James make a noise that I’ve never heard before.

“We need to get her out of here, now!”

“You guys need to go; drive the Jeep into the woods,” she tells me as I feel the rage
building in me

“Ethan!” James’ voice is loud and strikes a nerve in me.

“Get her the fuck out of here, now!” We both turn to look at him as we hear another
vehicle in the driveway.

“Ethan, I said, right now!” James orders

I don’t have time to think as I take her hand in mine and rush her to the Jeep.

Before the other truck even makes an appearance, I smell Josh.

I can barely control myself; the rage washes down my body and a near growl escapes
from my throat.

I feel Red’s hand on mine.

“Ethan, we have to go.

We have to go, now!” I look into her eyes.

She’s terrified.

The bruises.

I feel her pain.

Her agony

“Damn it, Ethan! Get in and fucking drive!”

I begin to tuck Red into a seat in my Jeep.

Her eyes meet with mine for a moment.

“You came all this way.”

“Look, it’s really cute, but we have to fucking go!” James yells as the blue Chevy
rumbles to a stop

“He hurt you,” I say to her

She looks down but doesn’t have to answer.

“Stay here,” I order

I’ve given Josh just enough time to jump down from the truck.

I feel James grab at me.

“Fuck him, Ethan; don’t do this!” His hands press against my chest as Josh begins
to walk toward us

“Just who the fuck are you two?” He yells, running a hand through his styled, dirty
blonde hair

I lunge forward only to have James hold me back.

“Don’t fucking do this, Ethan.”

“Ethan,” I hear Josh’s voice taunt.

“Your name is Ethan.

Precious.”

I take another dive forward to be fought off by James.

“I won’t let you fuck this up, Ethan!”

Josh laughs.

“Yeah, he won’t let you fuck this up, Ethan!” His eyes turn to Red, who is planted
firmly and shaking in the passenger seat of my Jeep.

“You,” he points at her to address her.

“You get out of that fucking Jeep and get back in the fucking house.”

That’s all I can take.

I finally break through James and run forward.

I stop as I see Josh is now brandishing a small pistol.

He laughs as he aims to shoot.

James moves in front of me as I hear Red’s footsteps coming toward us quickly.

I turn to shake my head no, but as she gets closer, I hear Josh’s quick movements

Before I can react due to James’ body blocking mine, Josh grabs her hand, yanking
her toward him.

James suddenly spins, pushes me, and leaps forward.

He works Red out of Josh’s grasp, who stumbles closer to me.

James now has Josh’s hands in his.

The gun is moving wildly when I hear the first shot.

Red reaches for me, pleading “no,” but I jump up and bound for them.

The second gunshot fires and I see Josh crumple to the ground, a steady crimson river
flowing down his head, his eyes wide as he slips into death quickly.

I hear a loud scream, and see Red covering her mouth.

When I see my own brother, I realize why she’s screaming.

A red stain is spreading on the upper right side of his shirt

“James!” I catch him in my arms as Red runs to our side.

I lay him tenderly on the dirt and toss her my cell phone.

“Call for help.” She cries and nods as her fingers shakily dial the numbers.

I see her struggling as I take the phone tenderly from her

She leans over James and begins pushing hard on his chest.

“Please, don’t die,” she begs him.

“Not because of me.”

“I’m fine,” he chokes.

“I’m just fine.”

He looks up at her with sad eyes and runs his hands over the marks on her skin.

“Are you okay?”

She gives him an unsteady nod as she wipes quickly at her face.

She balls up his shirt in the spot over his wound and presses her trembling hands
into him harder.

The blood begins to seep through the white fabric and onto her hands.

“Please, don’t.”

He stops her as he realizes I’m asking her where we are.

She shoots off the address and almost immediately returns to begging James not to
die as she pushes her weight into his chest.

I sit back on my knees, my body tight and trembling, unsure of what to do.

James, being clever, brings his good arm to her hair.

“I’ll be just fine,” he says.

She looks up at me, helpless, her eyes pleading for help.

“Give Ethan a minute,” James says to her.

“You have to try to calm down.” She gives him a nod as she tries to compose herself

I stare at James and Red, who is holding pressure over his wound as she is starting
to really cry.

I fight the rage to leave me so I can be of some use, but seeing James lying on the
ground covered in his own blood is enough for the rage to stay at its peak.

I run a hand through my hair and down my face as I hear the sirens in the distance

“They’re almost here,” she blubbers, forcing her hands on the open bullet wound harder
as she tries to stop the blood

I try to make myself move, but the pitiful sight of James in a pool of his own blood
and Red covered up to her elbows in it is more than I can handle.

The bruising and marks that now cover Red’s perfect body have sent me deeper into
a rage

She looks up at me, her eyes now stained red from her tears.

“Ethan.”

James gives her a slight shake of his head.

“He’ll need a few more minutes, honey.

Give him time.”

Her mouth hangs open, confused, but she nods to let him know she understands

“When they take me,” he starts, “get him.” His voice crackles as he chokes.

“Follow us.”

She gives him another slow nod

“I want you to take his phone,” he orders.

“Call Eli.”

She nods just as the ambulance and an array of flashing lights pull into the dirt
drive way.

Red manages to listen to James’ order, both trying to keep calm and finding her way
to me.

I try to listen to James’ instructions and then I hand her my phone.

She weakly takes it and plinks around, finding Eli’s number

“Eli,” she begins to sob again as I stare blankly, “this is Sam.

James,” she starts and takes a deep breath, “told me to call you.” She lets out another
cry that overpowers my rage, and I take her in my arms.

“James was shot.” Eli must be asking for me as she feebly tries to pass me the phone

“We found her,” I manage to say.

“Josh had a gun.” I take a breath as Red begins sinking to her knees.

“He’s dead.

James was shot.” I hear Eli mumble something about all of them coming.

I remember the town, and tell them to find the hospital.

I quickly end the call, now realizing the shape that Red is in.

She’s crying, hands covered in James’ blood as she takes a few deep breaths.

Bright flashing lights and sirens surround us as I kneel down and make her eyes meet
mine.

“He’ll be alright,” I say, even though I’m unsure myself.

I try to mimic James’ calming movements and run my fingers through her hair.

“You have to calm down.” She takes another deep breath, releasing it slowly as I man
up and help her off the ground.

I look at the paramedics, who have James loaded and ready to go.

“Can we follow?” One shoots me a nod, and I lead Red to my Jeep.

She immediately sinks into the seat and begins crying softly into her red hands.

I take my jacket off and drape it around her

Her eyes find mine.

“I’m so sorry.

This is all my fault.

How could I let this happen?”

I touch her face, unable to speak.

I lean down, press my lips to her forehead, and shut the door.

She has to know I would never blame her

* * * * * *

By the time we reach the hospital and find an open parking spot, her cries have turned
into the most pitiful sobs I’ve ever heard.

The only words that she’s managed to say is that she’s “sorry.” I meet her at her
door and help her out, putting my coat completely on her.

She slides her arms in, and I see just how covered she is in James’ blood.

I don’t know what’s worse, James being shot or Red’s cries.

I fight myself; I fight the rage, and I continually remind myself that Josh is dead.

As I help her inside, I’m barely coherent when a man in white explains James is already
in the O.R.

and everything at this point looks great.

He points to a “Family” room, as he calls it, explaining there are bathrooms, chairs,
beds, and vending machines.

I nod and pull Red close to me.

For the first time, she reacts and squeezes her body into mine.

I watch the doctor hurry off and wrap my arms around her, then I rub the back of her
head.

“It’s alright,” I coo to her.

“He’s just fine.

You heard the doctor.” She looks up at me with puffy eyes.

“Come on,” I say.

“Let’s get you washed up.” I lead her into a hideously colored peach bathroom where
she removes my jacket and begins scrubbing her hands.

The running water begins to tint red as James’ blood washes free from her hands and
arms

I watch intently as she washes her red and puffy face.

I hand her a few paper towels, and she dabs softly at her eyes and face.

She looks exhausted and weak.

I feel suddenly grateful that we didn’t give up on finding her

“Can I get something to drink?” She asks

I nod.

“Anything you want; whatever you want.”

I hand her my jacket and lead her out into the empty waiting room where there’s an
array of vending machines.

They’re out of date but fully stocked.

I get two bottles of water and a couple of bags of chips which seem to be the best
food option I can find.

I help her to the ugly, lavender couch and have a seat with her.

She gratefully takes the water and gulps it down quickly.

I can’t imagine how dehydrated she’s become.

I open my own bottle and give it to her.

She hurriedly downs half of it, letting out a breath when she finishes

I can’t move my eyes away from her, and suddenly I find myself fighting away pesky
tears that have somehow snuck up on me.

I push a gob of her hair from her eyes and she looks up at me

“I was so worried about you,” I spit out.

“I was terrified that I would never see you again,” I continue.

“After one night, one time, I just…” I stop suddenly; her bright blue eyes seem to
smile at me through the pain, through the tears, through the agony of the past four
weeks.

I take her face in my hands and lean in slowly.

She doesn’t protest, and I feel her lean in and our lips collide for a kiss that’s
slow, soft, and unlike any other that I’ve felt.

I pull away and lick my lips with satisfaction.

“You’re different,” I say.

“There’s something different about you.”

She looks at me with terrified and wide eyes.

“Am I…Is there something wrong with me?”

I quickly shake my head.

“No,” I breathe out.

“It’s good.

It’s just different.” I find myself smiling.

“It’s peaceful and calm.” I touch her face.

“It’s beautiful.

Whatever it is, it’s made for you.”

“Can you feel it because of the,” she stops, still unsure how to mention things, “the
special senses?”

I give her a nod.

“I think so.”

“I’m so sorry, Ethan,” she says finally.

“For leaving and for getting James shot.

Oh, God, James…he could…” I see the tears that are waiting to fall and quickly take
her face in my hands again.