Sweet Dreams

Red is my Favorite Color

      
Water dripped from the roof and into a metal bucket every few seconds.
       
Clang...
        Clang...
        Clang...
        Clang...

By now, Samuel knew when each water droplet was going to fall into the bucket. He had been hanging there for hours, the only source of entertainment was the water dropping into the bucket. The cuts on his body scabbed and left dry blood. The ropes burned his wrists, and his whole upper body ached from hanging for hours...maybe days. He had lost track of time.

The damp basement covered Samuel's body with dew, water dripping off his nose as his head was tilted down, staring at his dangling legs.

Samuel's head shot up at the sound of a metal gate creaking open. His heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. "Please...no more..." he rasped.

A woman in a black satin dress stepped into the room, her high heels sinking into the wet soil of the basement. Her wide, black hat covered the top of her face, only showing the vibrant red lipstick that popped out from her porcelain-white skin. It was only when she looked up at Samuel he saw her face again. The innocent, lovely face that got him into this mess. Her long, ruby red ombré hair draped over her left shoulder. She towered over Samuel with her high heels on, but he imagined she was much shorter without them.

"Aww," she pitied sarcastically. "I'm not going to hurt you anymore. You poor thing."

"I know that's not true."

"I'm going to hurt you even harder."

Samuel had a shiver run down his spine. I want to get out of here. I need to get out of here.

"What do I need to do?!" he finally burst after hours of just sitting in silence and mumbling. "I'll do anything! Please! I'll do whatever you want!"

His captor let out a little chuckle and strode over to a metal table. She drummed her red acrylic nails on the table as she sifted through a wooden box for something.

Bullets of sweat began slowly rolling down Samuel's forehead, and his hands felt extremely hot.

"I will let you go once I do something first," she guaranteed, picking up something from the box and sliding it down the front of her dress.

"Do what?" he shook as his captor walked towards his sore, hanging body.

Her russet-brown eyes showed such a wicked passion. They told the story of her violent past–the demon under all that makeup. But none of that affected her because she had been long used to it.

Her smooth hand caressed the side of his sweaty, sticky face. Samuel tried to flinch away, but her sharp nails dug into his skin. "Shhhh...it's okay..." She reached into the top of her dress and pulled out a small knife.

Before Samuel could even react, the cold blade sliced across his chest. "Argh!"

She brought the blood-dripping knife up to her lips and sampled it. A bit of blood stayed on her lips after tasting it. "Mmm...sweet..."

"What was that for?!"

"Red is my favorite color, after all. Everything red tastes and looks good. Especially you."

"Can I get released now?! I did what you wanted me to do!"

"Oh! I forgot to introduce you to a couple of my friends!" she recalled.

She went to the back of the room and hauled over three large black duffel bags.

"What-" Samuel began.

"Meet Chloe Dinh!" she introduced, unzipping the first duffel bag.

What he saw gave him a tremor of fear and disgust. Bile rose to his throat. The pale, frozen face of a woman in her mid-thirties stared up at the ceiling as if she knew her end was coming the moment she died. It was the woman who had gone missing three months ago. She was last seen on the city bus late at night.

"I met Chloe on the city bus and talked to her a bit. We have a lot in common. Isn't that right, Mrs. Dinh?" his captor chattered.

The corpse stayed frozen.

"Ah, okay, she's sleeping right now," she said, lowering her voice. "Now, I'll introduce you to some other friends-"

"You are insane! Do you really think they're still alive?! Look at them! They're dead! You killed them, you psycho!"

"Psycho!" she gasped, placing a hand on her chest. "How dare you interrupt me AND call me such a name!"

"Because that's what you are! And I hope you die a slow and painful death just like you did to your victims!"

Samuel's captor released a shrill banshee scream and used her small knife to make the body stop speaking and functioning at all.

She left the knife where she pierced him and took a few steps back. She recollected herself with closed eyes and slow breaths. "It's okay. I forgive you...friend."

The End