viii. seeing red

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chapter eight
SEEING RED

tw: mentions of murder




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1924 , CHICAGO

Clara could paint hundreds of canvases red with the blood she'd spilt over the years. She could be the one who created the Plague of Blood in Egypt, painted the river red like a stroke of a paintbrush. Her hands are permanently stained red, and those that saw her grow saw it in every second as she discovered who she was. 

The dark brown curls that were pinned back into a low bun sat at the bar, the famous bourbon she never stopped drinking swirling with the two ice cubs in her fancy glass. Clara's ears perked at the upbeat music that was blasting from the band in the corner, the happy laughters as the celebrations of the end of the war still carried on to this day. Clara truly wondered if they were alright, she herself was happy that her brothers had returned from the war after fighting for a long four years; but it's been six years and even if the country is just starting to get back together again, the celebrations should've surely died down by now. 

Clara let her fingers brush against the cool bar surface, crossing her leg over the other beneath her ruby red skirt; it reminded her of blood. Fashion over the decades has only improved, she no longer wears a tight and uncomfortable corset. Women are now accustom to wearing silky, loose dress that reach just below their knees, matching coloured heals and their hair short and pinned down to look flawless. 

In all truth, Clara has an unholy amount of pearls in her possession. It's stupid the amount of pearls and colourful dresses she owns, even with a couple still from the sixties in her suitcase that she carries around as she moves from city to city all over the globe. 

"A drink from the man down the bar." The bartender spoke blankly as he placed a deep red cocktail in front of Clara. She mumbled a thank you and turned her head to look down the bar at the man sat down the end, she didn't recognise him and he just tilted his drink towards her. Clara sighed, it's been a while since she's had a good night of fun, and he's handsome enough for her taste. 

Downing the rest of her bourbon, she picks up the cocktail and walks down the stools to speak to him, "Bonjour." She spoke, keeping her tone seductive as she leans against the bar. He smiles as he looks up at her, his skin is sun-kissed and he has dark hair, it's almost black. Clara stares down into his ice green eyes, that meet her own with a softness about them. She tilts her head to the side, being able to feel the arousal radiating off him, "Thank you for the bar, but I prefer a bourbon."

𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐃𝐎 , s.rogersWhere stories live. Discover now