Blood is Ruby Red Chapter 8

When I woke up, I was lying in a soft, cushioning hospital bed. A searing pain was growing in my left hip. Well, it wasn’t quite searing, more like an irritating throb, but I could tell it had been searing. A lean, handsome boy was standing beside my bed. As I blinked the blur around me came into focus.

“Hans?”

“Elina! You’re awake!”

I started to sit up, but, after groaning in pain, realised it was a bad idea and stayed flat.

“How are you feeling?” Hans asked politely, his bright blue eyes staring concernedly into mine.

“I’m not sure... my hip hurts. But I don’t remember...”

“Ruby?” Hans gave me a reminding look. Only the one word, the one name, was all that was needed to remind me of the incident.

Recollections flashed into my mind. I remembered Ruby’s murderous face. I remembered how scared I’d been. I remembered the gun.

 “But... I thought I was dead... or going to die...”

 “I was kinda worried ‘bout that too, but you’re clearly alive and doctor says you’ll defo make it.”

My brain was gradually starting to work again and other thoughts began to emerge in my mind.

“Why are you here, Hans?”

“Why d’you think?”

I didn’t reply, partly because I wanted him to tell me himself and partly because I wasn’t completely sure.

“I care ‘bout you a lot, El. You can imagine how devastated I was when I got a call from one of your security dudes sayin’ you’d been shot. I rushed straight here.”

“Why did they call you?”

“I dunno, but it was through your school phone. Maybe I was the most recent person you’d called, so they rung me and told me what happened,” he shrugged.

“Do my parents know what’s happened?”

“I dunno,” he said again. “But I’m afraid they haven’t come to see ya. I don’t mean to be rude but you’re parents are kinda horrible. I mean, who wouldn’t come and see their child who’s in hospital with some bullet wound, y’know?”

“They’re on holiday in Antigua,” I replied, slightly bitterly. “But you’re right. They couldn’t care much less about me.” I took a deep breath. Talking was tiring me out. “They just buy me stuff to keep me occupied and away from them. They don’t even care about my education. I mean, I was sent to our crummy school. They could have afforded for me to go anywhere.”

Hans flinched. I regretted how I’d worded what I’d said, since Hans’ family couldn’t afford for him to go to another school.

“Sorry.”

Hans sat on the edge of my bed and took my hand.

“S’okay babe. You shouldn’t be neglected like that.”

I flashed him a small grateful smile. “How long have you been here for? How long have I been asleep?”

“I’ve only been here ‘bout an hour. I think you’d lost so much blood that you blacked out, then they gave you general anaesthesia so you’d not be in any pain.” He brushed his hand down the side of my face. “It’s three thirty, just so y’know. Ruby hurt you at, like, ten this morning or something. You look so beautiful, by the way.”

I blushed. My cheeks now looked healthier since I had been extremely pale from blood loss. Hans’ wispy blonde fringe swung over his tempting eyes as he leant down towards me.

“Are you sure this is allowed in a hospital? It’s kinda in public,” I whispered, in case there was someone eavesdropping in the next bed.

“Surely kissing’s allowed in a hospital. Anyways, the curtain’s shut round your bed.”

I returned Hans’ huge, gorgeous grin with a delighted smile. His hand stroked my cheek. Hans leant all the way in, perching lightly on the side of the bed. His tantalizing lips brushed over mine for a brief moment. I closed my eyes in the perfect bliss, breathing in deeply. I was about to reach out and put my hand on his neck to pull his face closer again.

“Miss Arias?”

Hans quickly sat up straight, trying not to turn red or seem embarrassed. I think he was also a little worried, since it was one of my body guards and maybe he thought that they were supposed to be keeping me away from boys as well as danger. Not that the two things don’t link. It wasn’t as if I’d moved anyway, so my eyes just flicked over to where my security guard had entered my curtained off area.

I lifted my head up a tiny bit. “Yes?”

“How are you?”

I wasn’t sure if my security guard’s indifferent, unsarcastic tone was because he didn’t see us kiss or because he had pretended not to.

“I’m... okay.”

“We’ve managed to contact your parents. They are deeply sorry about this misfortune and have sent these flowers.”

Another man entered my section carrying a cream vase with an extravagant array of exotic, vibrant flowers. They smelt beautiful as he placed them next to my bed on the grey lino floor. But I also knew what they meant.

“They’re not coming back from Antigua to see me, are they?” I replied, restraining any upset from escaping into my voice and exposing my feelings.

Hans looked sympathetically and affectionately back at my face after the guard apologetically nodded his head.

“They’re mad. Completely cray-cray. Who wouldn’t come see you, espesh when you’re in hospital?”

“Thanks Hans, but not everyone feels the same way you do about me.”

Hans linked fingers with me. “Well I think anyone who doesn’t is stupid.”

Smiling, I turned back to my security guard. “So what’s happened to Ruby?”

My security guard opened his mouth to speak.

 

 

MISSING AND WANTED

Ruby Avril Chaplin

Age: 15

Height: 1 metre 60 cm

Appearance: wavy brown hair to the bottom of ribs, dark brown eyes.

If seen, please contact 999.

Blood is Ruby Red Chapter 7

On Saturday morning, I was in my room, doing some work for once on my laptop. Occasionally I unwillingly do homework, usual because it’s actually coursework for part of my real GCSEs. Some of my out of school friends are worried that they’ll get lower than an A and have told me how they’re so pressured to get ten A*s. At my school, an A, let alone an A*, is unheard of and a C is considered to be really good.

I was writing a coursework essay for English on a piece of writing from our Anthology. I was so bored it was unreal, but the assignment was also due in on the Monday after and it was compulsory unless I wanted to fail my English language GCSE. I didn’t really care about getting an amazing mark, but I definitely didn’t want to actually fail it.

I had typed in the title and my name in the header. But now I was onto the introduction. I chuckled quietly to myself, amused. I can’t write introductions, I thought. I’ll do it after I’ve actually written something. Then I’ll know what I need to introduce.

I stared thoughtfully at the anthology text. This would have been a lot easier if I’d paid attention in class. Or if our teacher was actually good. Oh look, a tricolon. I can probably write something about that.

I looked quickly up at the window, startled by a rustling noise I swore I heard from just outside my window. But everything outside was the same. It was probably nothing. I glanced back down at my laptop again.

Suddenly, fragments of sharp, shining glass sprayed out from the window. I held my arms up protectively in front of my face. When I looked up again, a girl dressed in black carrying a small rucksack was climbing through the window. A girl I knew all too well.

I stared at her, alarmed. Blood trickled from a few cuts on her face. Her intense eyes looked bloodshot. Almost bloodthirsty. They locked onto mine.

"Ruby?"

"Hello again, Elina."

The unnecessary confidence in her words scared me. I squeezed my hands together behind my back apprehensively.

"Why are you here? How are you here? The security..." I trailed off, avoiding accidentally telling her that I had put security on high-alert. Ever since she had murdered Jude and I had seen it, I had been taking many precautions. Every precaution.

"Yeah, it took quite a lota effort to get past all them security guards, but it doesn't matter. I'm here now, aren't I?"

"Yes... and I'm thrilled..."

I feigned excitement in my voice, although Ruby was smart enough to pick up on the dry undertone.

"You know, it's really strange. I overheard one of the guards saying they’d been given a specific warning by you to keep a look out for me and to make sure I didn't come near, but I assume he was mistaken. I am your best friend; of course you'd want me to be here. You do trust me, don't you?"

There was something deeper in her voice that worried me; she sounded almost sarcastic. I nodded cautiously, despite the fact that she was the last person I trusted at the moment.

Ruby noticed me glance at my open bedroom door. I shuddered as she took a challenging step towards me, then another towards the door and slammed it shut.

"Sorry," her apologetic smile didn't fool me. "A gust of wind must’ve come through the window."

"How about I go and get us some snacks..." I stumbled over my words, trying to think of an excuse to get out of being in the room alone with her and reach safety.

"Oh, don't worry, I’ve got some with me. They’re in my bag. Let me just get them out. You can stay here; you don't need to go anywhere."

I came close to hearing the bitterness suppressed behind her words.

Ruby turned around and unzipped her bag, hastily searching around for something inside it. I bit my lip nervously and pressed down hard on the emergency button disguised as a gem in my sterling silver ring.

I stifled a gasp as Ruby pulled a dangerous black object out of her rucksack.

“Ruby... what... wha...”

Before I could finish my sentence, she slowly turned around. A disturbing smile was growing on her face and Satan glimmered in her eyes. But my eyes were fixed on the gun she held out directly at me.

"You know the secret, Elina. You have to be silenced."

No... this couldn’t be happening... no...

Two muscular armed guards rushed into the doorway to see a bullet flying across the room towards me. There was little they could do before the bullet hit me and it was too late.