Pastel Pink Bloodstain

swept off my feet

i switch my car's headlights on, shining down on the long stretch of road in front of me. skyscrapers tower over me, their office windows blinking into the night. tall street lamps spill bright light onto the wet pavement, highlighting the hundreds of cars passing beneath.

i drive home to the sound of car horns and busy nightlife, violent coloured lights dazzling me. the familiar tall, black apartment building fades into view, and i turn down the black road.

cars litter the street, hundreds and hundreds. sighing, i drive down the next street, parking up outside a quieter, more run-down apartment complex.

i slip through into a side alley, sidling my way through. but it's dark, and i can barely see anything. i struggle in my pocket, pulling out my phone and turning on the torch. the dim light spins in the dark, and i try to figure out where i am. before i can get my thoughts clear, a loud, sharp sound rings through the alleys. i hear a soft thud, and a muscled man runs backwards, colliding with me. the metal of his gun digs into my leg as i fall to the ground.

i hear him muttering curse words as i attempt to get back on my feet. my eyes catch onto the long, black, metal object he now has attached to his waist. i use a grey industrial bin to haul myself up, but before i can even open my mouth, his hand is over it. i try to call out but it's useless. he lifts me up and begins to carry me away.

my heart thumps so hard it's a wonder he can't hear it. or maybe he can, i don't know. i soon lose track of the dark, paved alleys passing below me, totally confused now. suddenly i'm thrown into the back of a car, and the door is slammed shut.

the burly man climbs into the drivers seat. panicked, i start to question him. 'where are we? who are you? where are you taking me? why are you taking me? what's going on?' i splutter. he rolls his eyes. 'just put your seatbelt on. you'll soon find out.' i open my mouth to protest, but then look at his huge, red hands gripping the steering wheel, and do as i'm told.

we drive for what seems like forever. i lose track of time completely. has it been 10 minutes, or 3 hours? i really have no idea. the buildings passing my blacked-out window become bleaker and bleaker, until we're in a really run down area. the buildings are grey and crumbling, covered in graffiti. eventually we pull up outside a dismal black box of a house. the driver exits the car, leaving me alone in the silence of the backseat. i watch him through the window, knocking on the door, speaking to someone, then being joined by 2 other equally large men. they unlock my door, and lift me up between them. i don't try and fight, i just let them take me. i know there's nothing i can do now.

inside the house is dark and damp, and the smell of cigarette smoke lingers in the air. there's other smells, too. the men place my down on the floor, still firmly gripping my shoulders. i look around me at the beat up old sofas, the broken table sets, the empty pizza boxes littering the floor.

'for god's sake, larry. i told you, be careful! we can't afford some fucking city boy living with us!' one of the men exclaims. the man who took me, larry, looks ashamed.
'i'm sorry, cal, he just appeared! there's nothing else i could have done!' he says, sounding slightly upset. cal rolls his eyes. 'the boss is going to be pissed. what do you think, gav?' he asks the third man. gav just shrugs. 'it is what it is, i suppose. we have to keep him now. he can meet the boss tomorrow, tonight just find him somewhere to sleep.'
larry sighs. 'i'll get him somewhere to sleep. come with me, curly.' he says, a little more cheerfully.

i follow him through the dark corridors, and into a little bedroom. he switches on the lamp, and it looks surprisingly cosy in the yellow light. there's a white bed in the middle of the room, with a dirty bed stand on either side. there's a wardrobe too, though it seems to have lost both it's doors. a few lonely hangers sit uselessly inside.

there's a bathroom too, a tiny room with a toilet and sink. larry opens his mouth. 'you're staying here, curly, for tonight. you can meet the boss tomorrow, and we'll find out what to do then. until then, enjoy.' he says. he tries to sound cheerful but when he says the word 'boss', he trembles slightly. i swallow hard and nod at him. 'you don't talk much, do you, curly? you were very chattery when we got in the car but you haven't said a word since.'
i try to form words. 'who's boss?' i manage. he laughs shakily. 'you'll find out tomorrow, when you two meet.' he says. 'for now, just go to sleep.'

i try to fall asleep, the springs on the cheap mattress poking my back. i'm petrified of this 'boss.' the way larry, cal and gav spoke about him, he seems to be even scarier than them. though they weren't bad at all once i got to know them. still, if these men are scared by him, i can't imagine what he'd to me.

i eventually must fall asleep, because i wake up with an aching neck and crumpled jeans. my belly growls with hunger. i slowly climb up from the bed, rubbing my stiff neck. i have no idea what to do. should i stay in here until i am collected? should i find larry? should i go and get some food? i don't know. but before i can overthink it too much, the door bursts open.

larry walks in, wearing a stiff black suit and sunglasses. 'are you ready to meet the boss, curly?' he asks, before looking me up and down, 'oh dear, do you have a change of clothes?' he asks stupidly. i give him a look. he realises. 'of course not, this isn't a hotel. look, i'll find you something.' he says, hurrying out of the room. he comes back 2 minutes later carrying a humongous suit. 'here, put this on.' he tells me. he hurries out, leaving me to get changed.

i helplessly pull the suit on, tightening the belt as much as it will go. i glance into the window at my reflection. i look ridiculous. but before i can think it over too much, larry comes bustling back in, knocking hastily beforehand. he smiles at me sheepishly. 'it's the smallest thing i had. oh dear, it's a bit big. still, nevermind. we have to see boss, we can't keep her waiting.' he tells me. i feel myself start to shake as we walk together along the creaking floorboards. he takes me down a long, black staircase, ducking to fit in the confined space.

we suddenly emerge in a long, white hallway. there are at least 15 doors lining the walls, with one especially big at the very very end. together, we walk carefully along the polished floor. it's spotlessly clean, and looks newly built. a big change from the dark, dank upstairs.

we reach the end of the hall, and larry dithers outside the big door. i notice him wringing his hands, before he takes a deep breath in and knocks three times. a voice calls out for him to come in, and he whispers for me to stay outside.

i hear the murmurs of their conversation, but the walls must be pretty soundproof because i can't make out a thing. after a few minutes, larry emerges again. 'it's your turn, curly.' he whispers. 'good luck.'

he pushes me inside, and shuts the door behind me.