Ruby

Red Snow

It was late, but the sky still held onto the last remnants of daylight, casting a soft, fading glow over the streets. Ruby walked alone now; the others had already headed home, leaving him with his thoughts. He didn't feel like going back just yet. Instead, he made his way toward the local deli, deciding to pick up something for his mom. She had been working late hours since starting her new job, and though Ruby didn't mind, he couldn't help but wish she was around more, especially after everything that had happened.

He felt the the loneliness creeping in, wishing his mom was home to talk, to offer some kind of comfort. But he knew how hard she was trying to keep things together for them. So, picking up dinner felt like the least he could do. Still, everything still felt wrong, and he knew that feeling wouldn't let him go until he found out what really happened.

When Ruby entered the building, the faint hum of voices greeted him. He noticed Ms. Hershberger, the apartment owner, standing by the entrance talking to a man who looked like an officer. It wasn't the same officer from the night before, but Ruby still instinctively ducked out of sight, watching from the shadows as they finished their conversation. The officer gave a curt nod and left, the door closing behind him with a soft click.

Ruby exhaled, turning toward the stairs, but before he could make a move, Ms. Hershberger spotted him. She walked over, her heels clicking softly on the floor.

"Hey, Ruby," she greeted warmly, stopping in front of him.

Ms. Hershberger was young—likely in her late twenties or early thirties—with long, sleek black hair that frames her face and striking blue eyes that stood out against her pale skin. Ruby couldn't help but notice how attractive she was. Tall and curvy, she carried herself with a confidence that made her seem older than she probably was.

"Hi, Ms. Hershberger," Ruby replied, trying to keep his voice casual, though he still felt uneasy after seeing the officer. "Everything alright?" He glanced toward the door where the officer had been moments before.

"I told you to call me Crystal, didn't I?" she said playfully, giving him a small smile before noticing where his attention had shifted. Her expression dimmed slightly as she followed his gaze. "Oh, that? Nothing you need to worry about. Just some follow-up questions about last night's... incident."

She paused, her expression softening as she looked down at Ruby. "You holding up okay after all of that?"

Ruby shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her gaze. "Yeah, I guess." He wasn't sure what else to say. The scene still haunted him, and now seeing more officers hanging around wasn't helping.

Crystal gave him a sympathetic nod. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. We're all just trying to make sense of it ourselves." She reached out, patting his head lightly before turning back toward the office. "Take care, Ruby."

As she walked away, Ruby stood there for a moment, her words swirling in his mind. Everyone kept saying things would be fine, but nothing about this felt fine. Something still felt off, and the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became.

Ruby started making his way up the stairs, eager to collapse into his bed and escape everything for a while. His body felt heavy with exhaustion, and all he wanted was a break from the constant tension that had been building up since last night. As he climbed the steps, he fumbled in his pockets for his keys, lost in his thoughts.

Suddenly, the sound of fast, heavy footsteps echoed through the stairwell, getting closer. Before Ruby could react, someone barreled into him, knocking him out of balance.

"Hey—" Ruby stumbled, barely catching himself on the wall.

The man who had bumped into him didn't even stop, rushing past without a word. All Ruby caught was a glimpse of the man carrying a trash bag in one hand, hurriedly making his way downstairs.