Scarlet Blood

Chapter 1: Oleisia

The setting sun is blinding, contradicting the shitty memories that come with today, our birthday. Driving through the beautiful sunset brings a selfish joy to my face as she lowers the sun visor. I inhale a strong breath of cool July air remembering that my lungs still do work. I pull into the parking lot of my favourite restaurant, when I realize a parking spot has just been left right near the entrance. Perfect for a swift escape. I sit and allow myself a few minutes of perfect silence, with no disruption of my thoughts or feelings from a day like today. I give myself this time to clear it all out, feel it and forget it, once I leave this safe space in the front seat of my sudan I will need to be excited for today, I am finally twenty and all of my friends will be expecting my excitement. I slow my breathing with deep breaths of the similar air I had inhaled ten years ago when this day became my most despised day. I hear the car door shut behind me, as I walk to the front door and see each of my friends seated at a table in the far corner away from all of the loud busy tables near the door. I smile and make my way to the celebration. All of my friends would have loved Scarlett, to be honest they probably would have preferred her.

"Oleisia, my god you finally showed, we weren't sure our guest of honour was actually going to make it" Amelia announces rolling her eyes, "Oh shut the fuck up Amelia, you don't need to be so harsh before she even sits down" Mason smiles to her as if to say it's ok, I've got you. Mason has always had my back, him and Azumi have been my friends ever since my family and I moved out here after Scarlett's death. Amelia is a new friend, she joined our group after her best friend and family disappeared last year. Amelia's been a good friend, she can just be intense at times. I look up at the table again with a slight curving grin for Mason, I sit beside him. I start to feel more at ease, this may actually be tolerable after all, especially once Azumi gets her.

Some time passed and we decided to order our food, Azumi still hadn't shown but we were all starting to get hungry. After a while we received our dinners eating it unapologetically. If Azumi wanted to be late then too bad for her. I got a bacon and avocado burger, my go to, Mason got chicken fingers and fries and Amelia got her normal summer fruit salad. We ate like we would never eat again, almost fully bursting at the seams the two asked the waitress to bring out the which I ended up having just enough room for. Thank god I did because it was delicious, the night wasn't half bad except for the fact that Azumi never showed. As we all packed up to head out I puzzled through my phone trying to see any indication from Azumi that there had been an emergency and that my birthday had not been forgotten.

"Has anyone heard from Azumi? I keep messaging her and she hasn't responded."

"Trust me, we've all been messaging her, and it's just been absolute silence from her, What's up with her isn't this your tradition not ours." Amelia smirked

She was right, Azumi and I haven't missed each other's birthday in ten years, this year shouldn't have been any different. Still I was glad there were no issues at dinner as Amelia and Azumi almost always end up in an argument, they are both way too stubborn. I just lower my head and roll my eyes beneath the curtain of protection I have created with my hair. I will call Azumi one last time.

I look out the windshield and try to think of one good reason why Azumi would leave me here alone with these two but there literally isn't any reason she would. One birthday, I think it was my fourteenth birthday when Azumi's mom almost got completely squashed by a car and was in the hospital and Azumi still came to my birthday and slept over. I started the car and drove home, I would visit her tomorrow and would pummel her until she made it up to me. Twenty birthdays total over the last ten years and this was the first one missed...

I pull into the driveway of my two story home. It's much bigger than our old house and much more rustic. The bottom half is covered in beige and grey stone, with wood panelling around the upper half. Everything about it reminds me of a cottage and I really do love it. I especially love the fact that my sister's mauled body wasn't found on the front lawn here. I enter the front door to a warm glow of light surrounding the living room and kitchen and head in to see my parents and my older brother Griffin, Fin for short. They are all in the living room watching the news, another family has gone missing but this is old news. This has been happening for weeks but no bodies are ever found and it's as if the families just pick up and leave, no trace of them ever even existing. So I'm not sure why they're still surprised when it happens again, this has been happening for months now and every three weeks or so another family goes missing. I think they're just running from unpaid tax or debt, it's been kind of rough around here, luckily dad is a dentist and mom is a doctor so there is no shortage for their jobs anytime soon.

I walk over and smack my brother across the back of his head. He grunts and whips back to me, "What the fuck was that for?" laughing I turn and walk away to set my bag down "it's my birthday, I can do whatever I want" he just grunts and turns back around, quietly swearing to himself. I laugh and go sit with my parents on the large white couch centred in the room in front of a large fireplace which is mostly used for ambiance. They both hug me, "ready for your gifts?" my dad ponders. This is always his favourite part of birthdays because he also has no idea what mom got anyone so it's just as exciting for him. I laugh and get up, pulling both my mom and my dad to their feet to make my way over to the kitchen where my gifts have been laid out. I smile and take my seat. I go through each gift, a new book, a new travel mug, a few gift cards and finally the last one, my mom hands it over to me and my dad seems extra excited for this one. I slowly open the packaging and as soon as I see it, my eyes start watering and I feel like I can't breath.

After gifts I lay in bed playing around with the bracelet my family gave me. A dainty silver chain with one small, almost microscopic black and white eye. Something was engraved on the back but I couldn't make it out. This was my sister's bracelet but it had been ruined when she was murdered, the chain had been torn and the little charm crushed. My mom explained they had gotten it back after the investigation stopped and they had it fixed and were just waiting till they thought I was ready to get it. I guess they thought I was ready now. I stare at the bracelet remembering that night, or what my mind has decided happened that night. My stupid ten year old mind was so imaginative and so creative and that brings me some relief. I know she died at the hands of some maniac but there is a small sense of comfort in believing she died by some big scary beast after she fought for her life against it. I sigh and wrap my hand around the dainty chain and wrestle with the clasp as I try to fasten it to my wrist. I hate bracelets but this is a nice sense of closeness to my other half.

I read my new book that my parents got me as I try to relax, but there is this small sense of urgency within me that isn't letting my body or mind settle but then I realize, Azumi still hasn't called. I dial her number once again, it rings and rings and rings until her voicemail picks up, Yo, whoever is calling me right now better have a good reason cause I'm probably busy and the ringing is annoying, hurry up and leave a message before the beep. I sigh and hang up. I already left a bunch of messages and still no answer.

I decide I will just go to Azumi's place tomorrow and demand an explanation and if she's not there I will go to her parents place because she's really starting to freak me out. My mind starts to settle, I guess the indication of a plan has helped my body relax. I know what I am going to do tomorrow and Azumi better watch out because I'm pissed and worried and she hasn't had to see me this pissed in years. This time, Azumi Nakamura will not get off so easily, so hopefully something terrible happened or she may be in trouble.