Colour Me Red

Chapter 10

"Time to wake up, love" a deep voice chimed. I felt a slight tug on my hair and my whole body was sore and slick with sweat. I tried to open up my eyes but I couldn't seem to do it. My head pounded and it felt as though it was going to burst. I let out a pained moan and clenched my jaw.

"Ouch." I mumbled lifting my hand and dragging it down my face. I cracked open my eyes and looked around. A red light filled the room and the only sounds came from me moving around. The ceiling above me was a smooth black stone and when I turned my head to the side I met face to face with a familiar set of blood red eyes.

"You okay there?" He smiled staring at me. I watched him blink a few times, his lips in a small smile. His hair fell around his face and he looked so happy staring down at me.

"Death" I felt a smile form on my lips and it was immediately wiped away as I shot up from the bed I laid in, ignoring the throbbing that was prominent everywhere. I looked over at him and pouted "does this mean I'm dead?"

"Of course not, darling." He smiled and sat down on the bed next to me. He looked like a happy little boy. I found myself smiling right back at him.

"Then where am I?" I whispered, not entirely wanting to break the silence. I stared at him and he stared right back. His skin was ghostly and he looked maybe a year or two older than my 17 year old self. He looked like he was choosing his words carefully inside his head, as if he was trying to figure out what to say to make where we were sound more believable. He then took in a breath and brought his hand up to cup my face, his eyes lighting up.

"You, my love, are home." He whispered, smiling.

"Where's home?" I frowned trying to look into his eyes for answers, but nothing showed.

"Why don't you go get cleaned up and then look around, I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out very soon." He smirked and dropped his hand from my cheek, getting up from the bed in one fluid movement. Every step he took was graceful and full of purpose. I watched him open up a drawer and pull out a black tee shirt and a pair of sweatpants, and then he threw them at me. "The bathroom is just through that door. Take your time, I'll be waiting for you downstairs." He smiled one last time before walking out of the room, leaving me sitting on the bed staring after him.

After a minute I got out of the bed and shakily stood up. My muscles screamed as I dragged myself to the door Death pointed me to. When I entered I bit back a gasp; the ceiling was high, the same smooth black stone as the bedroom I was just in. The bath, sink and toilet were the same black and the walls were a blood red. It looked so modern yet it had its own twist. Everything in the room looked brand new and I took one look at the shower and immediately let out a groan.

"How the hell to do I turn on this freaking shower?" I sighed staring at the knob. I didn't want to touch it and do something wrong so I just stared at it, hoping it would magically turn on. I let out a sigh and trudged over to the door, opening it and then walking out of the main bedroom out into the hall. I ran down the stairs, hissing in pain as I did so and walked around until I found the person I was looking for. He smiled and raised his eyebrow, looking at me for a second,

"you have no idea how to turn on the shower, do you?" He smirked crossing his arms. I pouted slightly and nodded. He laughed at my reaction and shooed me out of the room, leading me back upstairs with his hand on my shoulders.

"Sorry for bothering you with something this silly, I just didn't want to break anything." I mumbled picking at the hem of my shirt. I heard him take in a breath and before I knew it he was right in front of me, his fingers under my chin lifting my head so he could see my eyes.

"Never, ever, think you're bothering me." He whispered staring down at me, his eyes were fierce but somehow soft, "ever." He whispered, waiting for me to respond. I hesitantly nodded and he smiled brightly letting go of my shoulders and walking out of the bathroom.

I stripped out of my clothes and stepped under the warm jets. I almost moaned at the heat on my skin. I washed the grime off my body and shampooed my hair quickly, then I took a seat on the floor and let the water rain down on me, heating up my body. I knew I had to get out, but I really didn't want to. I let out a soft sigh and stood up, ignoring the black dots playing in my vision and the huge head rush. I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my body. I shook my hair out and walked out of the bathroom walking towards the clothes.

After I was dressed I shook my hair out a bit more, scrubbing my head with the towel to get the excess water out. When I was done I hung the towel up on the bedpost and walked out of the room, taking Deaths advice and looking around.

Everything in the house look so elegant and beautiful. There were long halls with polished white floors and blood red walls with paintings and pictures hanging on them. I mindlessly walked down the hallway only to abruptly stop, staring straight ahead. I slowly turned my head to the side, my gaze zeroing in on a certain picture hanging on the wall.

"Is that...?" I whispered cautiously stepping towards the bright photo. When I got close I sucked in a breath, my mind immediately spinning. In that small frame held a memory of a happy family. Looking at the picture I could almost feel the happiness radiating off the people sitting around in beach chairs on a rocky shore.

There was four of them. One, the man, had dark tousled hair and he was crossing his eyes at the camera with his tongue sticking between his bowed lips. Two, the woman, who had light blonde hair that cascaded down her back in curls, was sitting there with smiling eyes that were lit up with pure joy. The third was a boy with dark inky hair that fell to his shoulders, his eyes smiling but his lips in a pout. He looked like he was maybe 5 or 6.

Then there was the fourth, a young girl the age of 3 or 4, sitting in a huge beach chair that seemed to eat her. Her hair was black and it fell down her back in the same loose curls as her mothers. She was glaring at her older brother with the same wide doe eyes as her mother, a pout on her lips and her hand held out expectantly, trying her best not to laugh.

I felt wetness on my cheeks as I stared at the photo, because I knew without a doubt in my heart and mind, that little girl who was glaring at her older brother...was me.