Let's Paint the Roses Red

Poppies

Hello again,

Here's another short beginning in Let's Paint the Roses Red.

It's still inspired by the colour red, but this time used a different genre.

Please comment x

....................................................................................................................................................

There wasn't a cloud in the robin's egg blue sky. Swifts darted low across the horizon, to catch the bugs that hovered above the long grass. I played absent-mindedly with it and watched as the afternoon sun began to creep closer. A peacock butterfly waltzed slowly passed, then landed on my stomach. I held my breath and reached a fingertip towards it. The gentle breeze picked up and took the butterfly away with it. I frowned. The blue sky became tainted with peach and orange. I sighed; it was time to head home. I pulled myself up and dusted off the dirt and bugs that clung to my skirts.

The sun had stained the whole sky in a patchwork of orange shades when I reached the top of the poppy covered hill. The breeze tossed my long brown hair and I pulled it back out of the way, tucking it behind my ear. The view was stunning. Soft green yellow grass, splashed with deep red and glowing warmly against the sunset sky. One of those moments you never want to pass, but it did. I had to get home. I leant down and plucked some of the poppies, forming a vibrant bouquet to give to my Mother.

I turned to face the village from which I had come, and froze. The dark brown silhouette was framed with flames and thick black smoke. The wind tore away most of the screams, but I still heard and it turned my stomach. The poppies fell from my limp fingers and my hand covered my mouth. The village was burning. My home was burning. I tore myself away from the flames and stepped forward, only to be stopped again. At the very bottom of the huge hill a girl came running. Her eyes were wide and her face wild. As she sprinted closer I saw she was streaked with crimson blood and her dress was torn. Then she was gone. I heard a bloodcurdling scream and ran forward a few steps, to be greeted with a sickening scene. Something was on top of the young woman, mouth tearing into her pale neck. She thrashed and clawed. I didn't know how to help. Her small body convulsed and her screams faded away. I studied the form more. It was a man. His hair was brown and reached his shoulders and his clothes were expensive looking, but stained with blood. The thing's eyes flashed up to mine, blood red.

I yelped and tore myself away from the gruesome sight and ran. Using the long grass I pulled myself up to the top of the hill. My hands were shaking and my legs were wobbly. My heart was pounding against my ribcage. I crested the hill and stumbled own the other side. Each step became a painful leap as I struggled to stay upright. I slipped and screamed as I fell head first down the hill. I covered my face, curling into a ball. A rock dug into my side and I yelled again, still tumbling. I came to a stop and instantly jumped up. My balance was off and I rocked to the side, but began to run again. I kept pushing on, constantly slipping and catching my feet in my skirts. What was that man? What had happened to the village? My family? My mind yelled at me to stop thinking about it, I had to get away.

My efforts were futile. I felt something grab me from behind and throw me to the ground. A scream tore from my throat. My heart was beating so fast I thought it would burst from my chest. I felt hot breath on my skin and panting like a dog. Then there was a slicing, tearing agony on my neck. I screamed again and felt something warm gushing down the skin on my throat. Blood. I struggled and screamed against the dead weight on my back. Something tore and moved on the warm, stinging wound. I continued to scream. Then my fingers touched something. A rock. My limbs were weak, but I clutched the jagged stone tightly. The beast on me was completely distracted and I swung my arm back.

The rock connected with something, hard. I heard a sharp hiss and something black splashed across my skin. The thing had moved away from my neck. I rolled so that I faced it and swung again. This time I caught it in the eye and it hissed again, clutching its face. It's pale skin was stained with scarlet and streaked with black that came from the wound on it's cheek and eye. I scrabbled away and pulled myself up. I ran.

The creature hadn't moved yet and I made the most of what I assumed was only a head start. The wind tugged at the wound on my neck and I clenched my teeth. I had to try. The woods were getting closer, maybe if I hid it couldn't find me? My chest was tight and my breath raspy. There was a sick feeling in my stomach and my vision was blurry. I coughed up a mouthful of blood and swayed slightly. I kept on pushing.

I came to the edge of the forest. I was here, but I wasn't safe yet. I pushed through the wall of bushes into the trees. A branch caught on the wound and I choked. I felt like being sick. I pulled away and carried on going. The forest had become a green and brown blur. I touched my head, just one more step I kept telling myself, but I knew it was a lie. My legs faltered and I fell forwards. I didn't have the strength to put out my hands so I just crashed, face first, into the crispy leaves. I spat out some more blood before the blackness claimed me.

...........................................................................................................................................

With the worst pain I had ever felt in my head, I opened my eyes. Everything was blurred, but then it came together. There was a canopy of leaves above me. A forest? Morning light shone down through the trees. Why was I in a forest? Who was I? I couldn't remember anything. I pulled myself up, but the action was uncharacteristically quick. I swayed and leant against a tree. Looking down, I saw that my bodice and skirts were in tatters. They were also covered in mud, and lots and lots of blood. I remembered. I turned and pushed through the trees out into the cold of the morning.

Patches of the field were torn up and the grass had been mashed and was no longer soft green. My poppies were gone. There was no red flecking the hills, just brown and bits of remaining petals smashed. I ran and ran until I reached the top of the hill, it didn't take as long as I'd expected. I stood up straight and surveyed the village below. Or the charred remains of my home. There was nothing recognizable, just a big black mess. Standing out like an ugly blotch against the pastel sky. Everything I loved was gone. The poppies, my village, my home, my family.

I clutched my chest, which was burning. What had they done? I screamed to the sky as fire ripped through me. I moaned, thick tears slipping from my eyes. I reached up to wipe them away, but as I brought my fingers down I saw they were smeared with black. My left hand was clean, so I touched my tears again. My fingers came back black. Then I remembered. The beast that had attacked me, it's face streaked with thick black lines. I touched my neck and gasped. Where the gaping wound had been, there was nothing, only smooth skin. I hadn't imagined the village burning, so I couldn't have imagined the attack.

I sprinted down the hill towards the village and stopped at a large puddle of rainwater. I knelt down in the sticky mud and peered in. I checked my neck's reflection; nothing was there, not even a scratch. I looked completely normal. I began to get up and then stopped dead. I'd seen my eyes in the puddles reflection.

They were blood red.