Red and Green

Chapter Twelve- The Red Tiger

Chapter 12- The Red Tiger

They painted her skin with thick red stripes. They spread over her entire body. Along her legs and across her back. She closed her eyes as they painted her face with small delicate streaks of cherry red. Tears pricked the young woman’s eyes but she held them back. She wasn’t going to let them see her cry.

A tall woman with tight black ringlets framing her face, pinned Violet’s hair in a high bun, so she could decorate her neck with bands of crimson.

Nodding at the other women, the lady stood up and turned too leave. Glancing quick looks of fake sympathy in her direction, they left Violet alone in front of the mirror.

Violet drew in the courage to open her eyes. Her eyes were watery an red around the rims. Her hair was pinned away from her face and goosebumps had risen on her skin. Blood-red belts of paint hugged her body. Her arms were wrapped in straps of the ruby colorant and fine spindles of rose creeped across Violet’s shoulders. She look like a red tiger.

Violet was ashamed to be covered in the marks of a blood-thirsty gang. But underneath her shame, Violet was riddles with fear. Being patterned with vivid red stripes was going to make it very difficult to get away without being seen. Violet considered rubbing the paint off but that would raise suspicion. 

There was a frantic rapping on the door which made Violet jump in her chair.

“VIOLET!?” the voice called, panic-stricken, through the door.

Violet wiped her eyes with the bottom of her dress to try and hide the tears that escaped while she thought of running away. 

“C-come in!” she called.

The door was thrown open and a girl with long auburn hair leapt out of the shadows.

“Alison?” Violet was a little surprised to see the troublesome “Red” at this point in time. Especially as she was looking so distraught.

“VIOLET WE HAVE TO GO NOW!”

Before Violet could ask any questions, Alison was out the door, her footsteps echoing down the hall.

Violet slumped in her chair and turned back to the mirror. She was sure Alison was playing a joke on her. Violet contemplated her appearance in the mirror. The red stripes made her look fierce and tribal. Violet looked down at her toes. Her nail polish was pink and chipped. The girl turned her head to the side and frowned at a smudge of paint on her nose. Violet got up to wash it off. 

Slowly she plodded across the room towards the hand basin. She was almost there, when something made her stop dead. A floorboard creaked under her foot. The girl in the red dress turned to face the door. She breathed in through her nose.

Violet’s eyes widened. Her mouth dropped slightly ajar as she recognized the smell. It was smoke. 

Violet ran to the door and tore it open. All around her, waves of fire climbed the walls, peeling the paint away in curls of black ash. The fire danced and leapt across the hall. It’s shadows flickering and unfurling behind them like black burning echoes. Flames ran along the edge of the carpet and a thick layer of smoke drowned Violet in ash and fumes.

Covering her mouth with her dress, Violet ran barefoot down the corridor. Her screams muffled by the gathered handful of cotton she held against her lips.

Tears trickled over her flushed red cheeks. Violet bolted further down the hall. She crouched low as she ran to try and escape the smoke. 

The ash stung her eyes as Violet looked ahead down the east wing corridor.

It was hopeless. The young woman dashed sideways into the first room on her left and threw herself at the window, pounding her fists against the glass. Still holding one hand to her mouth, Violet pulled with all her might at the wooden frame. It was too heavy. 

Terrified, Violet sprinted back out to the hallway. 

The blaze was dangerously close to catching her dress. 

More tears of desperation blurred her vision, but she could still see one way out.

Already running as fast as her feet could normally carry her, the adrenaline from being in danger quickened Violet’s step. Her sight was growing hazy as she headed  for the light. Flames licked her heels and burnt her feet but Violet was so intent on staying alive that she hardly felt it. 

As they outline of the glass double door grew nearer Violet began to feel dizzy. Her balanced swayed and the toxic air threatened to bring her down. But determination kept her going. She thought of Jake. She thought of his smile. 

Violet hurled herself towards the door and flung her body at the damp emerald grass. Coughing, Violet rolled over on her back and let the soft rain sooth her burns. She hadn’t even noticed all the other people standing around her until she heard a a winding sound and a click.

Violet stood, not letting terror strike her down. Just a few feet away from her, stood a young woman with shoulder length ash brown hair secured by a red ribbon. Her face held a look of anger and sorrow but Violet wasn’t interested in what the girl’s face held. Because in her shaking hand she held a gun. And that gun was aimed directly at Violet’s quickly thumping heart.

Violet raised her stare from the gun to it’s owner’s face. She refused to believe that the person standing opposite her was her sister. 

“...Bronte?” Violet’s voice a whimper.

“Violet.” Bronte said shortly and tightened her grip on the trigger.

Violet snapped her eyes shut. 

The shot rang out and shook the silence dramatically. 

Another ear-piercing gunshot followed the first.

Everything became still and soundless. 

Violet waited for the pain.

It didn’t come.

She wondered if death had already carried her away.

Her eyes slid open. Everything looked blurry and warped through Violet’s tear filled eyes. She could just make out a woman’s figure lying sprawled on the grass a few feet ahead of her. A gun lay inches from her stony hand.

Violet didn’t understand what was going on.

Her vision cleared. Another figure stood stiffly behind Bronte’s pale body. That figure was frozen with a gun clenched in her fist. It was Alison.

Violet ran to her friend and drew her into a tight hug. Violet owed Alison her life.

Alison stood back from Violet.

“Why did she shoot?” Alison asked softly.

“She was angry because..” Violet pressed on. “Because i’m in love with a ‘Green’”

“Oh no...” Alison trailed off.

“What?” Violet rasped, afraid of what she might hear.

“V-v-Vi..” Alison cried in a low whisper. “I am s-so s-sorry..” She squeaked misty eyed.

Violet was confused. She followed Alison’s tearful stare.

Violet turned and saw what Alison was staring at. She couldn’t feel her heart anymore. It felt like it had stopped completely.

Meters behind Violet, a body lay motionless on the wet lawn. It was a young man with thick blonde hair and a pea-green shirt. 

Violet screamed at the sky and ran towards the body. She launched herself against his chest pressed her body against him. 

When her warmth didn’t stir him Violet snatched his hand and squeezed it tight.

“Jake” she whispered, pleading in his ear. “Please!”

(stay tuned i have one more chapter to go! Comment, vote? fan? i will love you forever and ever!) <3 thanks :)