"Tell me Miss. McQuaid. Where were you in 1916?"
One woman who is deemed the sweetheart of the town gets thrown for a twist when a lynching causes a series of events. Cora McQuaid is a flower of a woman with a past that has been hidden well for sev...
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"Are you now going to answer me?"
Cora looked at both of the men before her.
"Miss. McQuaid, please we can't tell ya what Jack is in with," the usually quiet bartender speaks.
"Not like I don't hear the rumors and haven't seen those men outside the speakeasy. Now you either tell me or I head out of hear yelling for the police," wiping her bloody hands on her ruined apron.
Both men look at each other before Ed speaks up again. "Fine Lass, you remember those men who roughed you and Aid ah little? Well we didn't deliver exactly what they wanted so this was ah warn'n for what would happen if we didn't do the next job right."
"And what will you do next time?"
"Jack will have to answer that for you."angrily grabbing a broom she tries to sweep up the blood soaked flour.
"And when will that be? He'll be out for quite some time." A pile of white and red sat in a corner as the floor still had strikes of white and red. "And you have to get him real medical treatment we don't want another Neil on our hands."
Walking away calmly from the men she opens a small door next to the back door pulling out a mop. "Now get out of my store. I'll be by Last Chance for more on the story. But, right now I just wanna clean up and go to bed,"The young blonde looked exhausted and on her wits end. Both men shared a look before gathering up Jack.
"I'll come for you when he wakes up Miss. McQuaid. You'll receive something for saving him. I'll make sure of it," Aiden nodded his head before exiting through the back door.
Alone. That was what Cora was. Alone with a mess and burning pies. A long hour of cleaning and realizing no pies for tomorrow led her up to a dark apartment.
'I really need to get a radio or rent out the room,' the events of the day slowly came down upon her. Once white shoes had dried blood smeared on them, were left in the living room. The apron that looked like a butchers apron was left in the hall and panty hoes soon followed. The blouse soon toss in the doorway of the bathroom and the skirt at the base of the tub. One light shined into the ally, a blonde in just undergarments could be seen from a bathroom window. Streaks of red grazed her arms and face.
The apartment no longer was quite as the roaring sound of water filled the apartment. Steam fogged anyone's view of the blonde as she fully undresses herself. Allowing her self to vulnerable like the day she was born. The water reached out to her holding her in a warm embrace. The shower was like a lover to her, there to comfort her. No matter her appearance it would accept her. It was her advisor, helping her renew herself. But, tonight, he was her rock and a place to hide her tears.
The apartment had a new sound to fill the air. The sobs of a young woman as she fought with the past and with losses. She would remain in the embrace of the water until it had long turned cold like the world seemed to have to her five years before. The shadows seemed to morph into ghosts of her past. The blood stained clothes morphed into a pool of blood slowly morphing into a sea of blood.Sea of blood grew into large waves that picked up her tub tossing her around the bathroom. Sloshing around the tub she tried to find a bearing but her naked limbs were slick from the sea of blood. Slowly she was covered with the blood, the taste of metal filled her mouth. The taste was mixed with the taste of gunpowder. A grey cloud grew above the Red Sea, what looked like gun flares lit the clouds up like lighting. The thunder was of gun blasts. A battle in the sky that only added to the sea of blood, causing it to grow larger and rougher. The tub was quickly filling with blood. The battle became the only sound as the sea grew a wave higher than any building seen. Until finally falling down timbering onto the tub drowning her in pain.
A cry rips out making her eyes open. There was no sea, no clouds and no war. It was only her clinging onto the tubs side. Water splashed throughout the room. She was cold, and alone.
Shaking from the cold and from her experience she shut off the water and wrapped herself in a towel. Wet foot prints followed into her room. Hastily a bra and undergarment was put on but other than that Cora could care less as she curled under her covers and tried to close out the world.
Her routine was broken, no dinner, pies or even her prayers.
Her life was changing and she did not like it. The past was coming back after five years of running from it.
That night she faced many of her demons. And most of those meetings would lead to her waking with a start before forcing herself to sleep once more.
The loud chirp of her alarm woke her up from a sleepless dream. Walking to the vanity it was clear of her mental state. Cora's hair stood different ways, tangled in the usual tamed waves. Makeup still found a way to smear itself on her face. Signing she runs her face and gives a determined look crosses her face. Quickly she brushes her hair fighting to get it tamed once more. A quick wet rage to the face and simple lipstick on her face. Opening her closet she pulls out a mint green dress and tan heels. A tan hat rests on the somewhat controlled hair as she cleans up the remains of the night before.
With one final look in the mirror she marches towards the stairs to start on another day.
