red

in the beginning

I can still feel the pounding in my heart when my mother turned the lights off and slammed the door, telling me that I need to sit there. I was alone with my own thoughts. My own mother left me alone. I would get yelled at every time I tried to turn on the lights. I was terrified. My imagination filling all the space in that room with every single bad thing that could hurt me

"Please mom. Let me out!" I would beg. I can see the shadow of her feet outside the door holding it shut. Tears streamed out of my face. It was that moment I knew that I was completely and utterly alone in life. That was the first time Red introduced herself. A sudden rage coursed through my veins. I didn't feel fear anymore. I was angry at the helplessness that I had been feeling just moments before. Before I actually knew what was happening I stopped crying and threw on a jacket and quietly opened the window. A blast of air hit my face when I slowly took off the screen.

As soon as I slipped out of the window, I ran. I felt this sense of eerie freedom. I found a twenty dollar bill in one of my pockets. My mother never allowed me to have gum so the first thing that I did was buy myself a pack of gum from the drug store around the corner of my house. Once I had secured my rebellious pack of gum, I just walked. I remember trying to get myself lost but I knew the area so well that no matter which backstreet I turned down, I knew where I was.

Within the hour, I found myself at " The Shop." The place where my dad had worked. I don't know how I ended up there but I did. I sat on the small patch of grass directly in front and heard my stomach growl. Being the fatass that I am i decided to stop at Togo's. Yes you read that correct. I stopped at Togo's.

You know when you are doing something wrong and suddenly it feels like cops are everywhere. I must have counted 14 police cars that night. I slowly felt fear creep back into my consciousness. I silently begged for Red to come back when I felt her presence slip away from me. Scared, cold, and alone once more, I made my way back home.

About a block away from home I heard my name. " Emery Hanson!" a familiar voice yelled. It was my Aunt Helen. My blood ran cold. " EMERY STOP!" As much as my mind was screaming at me to run. My feet would not move. I let her walk up to me and grasp my arm. The next thing I knew I was being escorted home by Aunt Helen and my Grandmother. The walk home was silent, just steady grip on my arms. Instead of taking me inside, they guided me to the car. they told me to get in the back and before I knew it I was sitting in the middle with my aunt and grandma on either side of me. Most Likely guarding the door, preventing any way of escape.

"Emery." One word. That's all it took for Red to sidle back. The faux worry etched in my mother's face just pissed me the f**k off. I didn't say anything though. My dad entered the drivers side of the car and said nothing. We all watched my family leave the house. Once everyone was departed, I was finally allowed back into the house.

That night was the end