Calendar Of Chaos

Chapter 1 : Cherry Bomb

   •January was the coldest month, but Cherry didn’t care. She strutted down the dark alley like she owned it, her violet skirt swishing with every step. Her umbrella twirled lazily in her hand, the tip glinting under the streetlights. It wasn’t raining, but that didn’t matter—her umbrella wasn’t for rain. It was for... other things.

The gang had their orders. The boss, a towering wall of flesh and rage who only went by "Big M," had given them a simple task: rob the Vault. The biggest, most secure bank in the city. Everyone said it couldn’t be done. But Big M didn’t like hearing “no,” and Cherry? She loved a challenge. Plus, she had her own reasons for getting inside that vault. Big M promised her something special if they pulled it off. And Cherry always got what she wanted.

“Ya ready, boys?” she called over her shoulder, her voice dripping with playful danger.

Saddy stood under his personal raincloud, leaning against a brick wall with a cigarette hanging from his lips, his eyes red and swollen from tears. “Does it matter?” he muttered, flipping the cigarette into the puddle at his feet. His makeup was smeared, his black-and-white clown suit wet and sagging, but he didn’t give a shit. He never did.

Frowny, standing next to him, crossed his arms and glared at the sidewalk like it had personally offended him. His clothes were in even worse shape, torn and filthy, his top hat barely hanging together. “Let’s just get this over with,” he growled.

Behind them, the rest of the crew lurked in the shadows. Oopsy was fiddling with a crowbar, likely thinking about jamming it into something stupid. Tricky was tuning his banjo like this was just another gig. Rocky was tapping his foot impatiently, his electric guitar strapped to his back.

Cherry grinned. "That’s the spirit!" she said, her voice teasing. She tilted her umbrella, revealing the glimmer of sharp steel beneath the edges. “Remember, boys, we’re here for the cash and the jewel. No slip-ups, no screw-ups. And no blowing each other up… unless I say so.”

She turned on her heel and started toward the bank, her hips swaying, every step a challenge to the city’s cold, lifeless streets. They passed through the back alleys until they reached the Vault’s service entrance, where Sleepy was already crouched by the door, looking like he was about to pass out.

“You gonna open it, or you gonna nap through it?” Cherry asked, twirling her umbrella in one hand.

Sleepy yawned and glanced up lazily, his jester hat slipping over one eye. “It’s done,” he mumbled, pointing to the door as it clicked open with a soft beep. He stretched and leaned back against the wall, already half-asleep again.

The gang slipped inside, moving quickly through the darkened corridors of the Vault’s security wing. Cherry led the way, her umbrella balanced on her shoulder, whistling softly to herself. The air was tense, every footstep echoing off the polished floors, but she didn’t care. She thrived on tension. Thrived on danger.

They reached the main security room, where a lone guard sat in front of a wall of screens, oblivious. Cherry tiptoed behind him, her eyes gleaming. With a flick of her wrist, her umbrella opened silently, a thin wire coiling out from its handle. She looped it around the guard’s neck and pulled, smiling sweetly as he choked out a gurgled gasp, his eyes bulging before he slumped over, unconscious.

Cherry leaned in close, whispering into his ear. “Sweet dreams, darling.”

Tricky and Oopsy moved in, disabling the cameras while Saddy slumped against the door, wiping at his teary eyes. Frowny was already muttering curses under his breath, as if every second in the building made him angrier. Rocky tapped a rhythm on the wall, his fingers itching for his guitar, but he stayed in control—for now.

“Vault’s just ahead,” Tricky said, snapping his mask back into place.

Cherry’s grin widened. “Time for the fun part.”

The vault door loomed in front of them, an impossible slab of steel and reinforced concrete. But Cherry wasn’t worried. She had a trick for everything. She sauntered up to the door, inspecting the digital lock. “This’ll take a minute,” she murmured, more to herself than anyone else.

As she worked, her thoughts drifted back to Big M’s promise. He hadn’t just promised cash. No, the cash was the easy part. What Cherry wanted, what she needed, was buried in that vault. Something special. Something powerful. Something that would finally get her out from under Big M’s thumb, once and for all.

She licked her lips as the final code beeped into place. The vault door slid open with a groan, revealing stacks of cash, gold bars, and in the center of it all—a gleaming, ruby-red jewel, pulsing with a faint, unnatural glow.

“Bingo.”

Just as her fingers brushed the jewel, alarms blared through the building, a red light flashing across the room.

“Fuck,” Saddy groaned.

Cherry’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Looks like we’ve got company, boys. Let’s give ‘em a show.”