Crimson Red

Written by: De’Shaun J. Ruiz

Crimson Red, that was the color of her hair. She was the woman I've been waiting for all my life, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Looking back on a memory filled with events I shall cherish till the end of my days, it's best to start from the beginning.

It was a dusty-brown, crumbly late summer day and I stepped out into the street with a few errands needed to be done, but that wasn't really a bother. So took sometime and payed a visit to the post office. The mailman, a close friend, greeted me and I waved backed with grin on my face.

"How's it going?" he asked.

I told him everything was well as he handed me a few letters. "Well I'll keep it short" he said. He paused for a brief moment. "How would you like to come with Betty and me to the Monterosso Boardwalk this coming Saturday?"

I hesitated wondering a response to give him. It's been sometime since I had spent time out with anyone since I've been working a lot lately. I take a moment before opening my mouth. 

"I don't know yet, I have things to do." I replied.

"What are you talking about you have things to do? You are always cooped up in that apartment barely getting out for some sunlight and fresh air."

"Hey, I'm always busy that's all, I'm not always there. I'm out today aren't I?" I told him.

"Let me guess you're still on what happened with you and Chelsea?"

I froze. Immediately when he said that name I clenched my hands. I began to walk towards the door when he stepped in front of me.

"Look, you got to put what happened between you guys aside, she's gone now." He said. "Just come with us...lighten up a bit. I don't remember the last time I've seen you feel...feel alive."

I shook my head and walked out not even looking at my best friend's face.

I drove for a bit forgetting about the errands, still having that name linger in my head. Chelsea...Chelsea...Chelsea, that name would never get out. I stopped in the middle of the road, hopped right out of my car, leaving everything behind. As I walked further and further ahead of me, I ended up in a piazza, not knowing what to do next. Crowds of people walked everywhere, on their phones or talking to friends. I sat down on a nearby bench to get out of the way and began to think as they all walked by me. Nearby there was construction, in front of me kids played being joyful as ever, and then it struck me when a couple walked pass. They held hands, kissed, and showed lots of affection for one another. Then I remembered that night instantly.

Chelsea was my one and only ever since elementary, a time when we used to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend and after twenty-five years had passed, we were official. However, one night I came home from work and my eyes were tearful. I caught her in bed with someone else. I don't remember much because I try to forget, but all I know is that I slammed the door behind me and she came out tailing behind in her robe, the one I bought her. She tried to reason with me and all I did was reject what she said. The only thing I could think of as she spoke was the image I had captured of her in the action. Their embrace, their intimacy, her betrayal for it was with someone that wasn't me locked as one. Someone who she never promised to be with till death do us part. We argued for what felt like several hours after that.

"What the hell's the matter with you?" she kept saying, her face getting redder and redder each time.

"Why?! Why Chelsea?!" I said. I was almost bawling my eyes out. "Please give me a reason. What have I done?"

She never answered to me after that. Once the heat died down she told me it was time to move on and she left me alone outside in the dark. I never saw her again. My heart sank like an anchor in the ocean ever since. As I laid back on the bench shaking my head in despair, a sudden feeling smacked me back into reality.

I looked up and a drop of water splashed on my face. It began to rain and everyone I had seen earlier was gone.

"Best I'd go too." I said to myself.

I got up and saw the dark sky, filled with clouds crying out tears that were headed my way. As I began to walk away, I saw someone in the distance. I couldn't figure out whom it was at far so I started to walk towards them. As I got closer, I was able to get a detailed look at the person.

It was a female. Her hair was long and red...a Crimson red. As I got closer I could see she was crying, tears touching the ground like the rain itself.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

The girl looked at me as my eyes connected with hers. She was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. After seeing her, all the pain and sorrows I've held for so long was gone.

"No, I'm lost and a little cold." She said in the most alluring voice.

I asked her if I could take her some place dry. She nodded. 

We entered a nearby café and sat down exhausted from running in the rain. I looked at her and she's soaked. As I began to observe her more closely she seems to be around the same age as me. She sneezed.

"Sorry I got you into all this." She said.

"It's okay I don't mind at all." I replied quickly not knowing what else to say.

She began to smile and I grinned back in response.

"I'm going to get an espresso would you like anything?" I asked.

"Yes please, I'll take one as well."

I walked to the counter and ordered as I looked back at her. She was looking out the window, breaks of daylight shining down on her as if she was an angel from heaven.

I brought our drinks to the table and we started to converse. She told me she moved from Alaska to study architecture here. As she continued to speak, I dozed off during the conversation, admiring her beauty. She began to laugh.

"What?" I said.

"You seem to be dosing away." She replied with a smile.

I started to feel embarrassed. I had a good conversation with her and after a while it felt as if it was the best I ever had in a long time. The rain outside stopped and the sun manifested itself out of the clouds. We both gazed outside as people emerged into the streets.

"I think I have to go." She said to me.

As she got up and began to walk away, in a fast reaction, I grabbed her arm and she turned to look at me. "Will I ever see you again?" I asked. She then smiled at me and said, "We can meet again sometime soon."

I let go of her and she departed the café. I took one last sip and I realized she left her scarf on the seat. I picked it up and walked outside thinking I could catch up with her. As I stepped outside, she was nowhere in sight and I only seen people walking in their daily lives. I placed my hand on my head in stupidity for I never got her name, but I will always remember her hair...Crimson Red.

Days went by as the sun rose and set three times. I never saw her again. I went by the park at the exact time I met her and she was never there. The next day, I walk into the post office, seeing my friend placing mail in a bag.

"Long time no see huh?" he said.

"Yeah you can say that." I replied quickly.

He looked and smiled and me.

"Well you seem better than before."

I smiled remembering the time I had with her.

"Yeah I feel fine, better actually."

My friend drops his things and leans back on the counter.

"Well I have time."

I pulled up a chair, scratching the floor, and sat down and explained everything. From the point I left to where I met her. As I explained, my friend nods digesting the information.

"You should bring her by sometime" He said.

That's when I explained my soul search for her since I never saw her since that day.

"She couldn't have disappeared, keep finding her. Maybe when you do, you two should come Saturday."

What he said then brightened my spirits a bit. I got up and ran outside not hearing the last few words my friend had to say to me. I jumped into my car and sped home.

I stepped into my apartment and slid into my rolling chair, gliding to my desk. I grabbed a piece of sketch paper and a pencil. I closed my eyes and visualized her, Crimson Red hair, beautiful face, and that sweet soft voice. The images of that minimal time spent with her spun in my head and I began to draw a picture of what she had looked like. Hours went by and I began to feel slum and blacked out.

I woke up the next morning and the day had broken cold and gray, exceedingly cold and gray. The day had not mattered to me for my determination of meeting her again was at an all time high. I looked out the window seeing my neighbor's marigolds shine bright. I took a step outside and I went to the piazza as if it was part of my daily routine. I sat down at a nearby bench and I began to gaze at the scene in front of me. Nearby there was construction, in front of me kids played, and a couple walked pass. They held hands, kissed, showed lots of affection for one another. It began to have felt as if this happened before. I look up and a drop of water splashed on my face. It began to rain and everyone I had seen earlier was gone. Then an epiphany hit me and I sat up. I moved my hand across the bench and then I felt something smooth, a hand...a human hand. I looked to my side and right next to me was her, our hands locked at our side. She was everything I had ever dreamt of... everything. There she was, smiling sweetly at me, right in front of my face.

"Hey," she said in a saccharine voice. "You missed me?"

I bit my lower lip nervously. I opened my mouth but no sound came out. I just gaped at her speechlessly. My eyes started to flood with tears, but I held them back as I felt a lump in my throat. I shook my head.

"Ever since that day...." I said in my heart. "I couldn't bear to not see you again."

She smiled and said, "Want to go someplace dry?"

We head to the same café from before and sat at the same spot. Instead of me buying, she did. We conversed and drank having a good laugh. Again I dozed off admiring her hair. Her Crimson Red hair brighter than any red I had ever seen. She smiled at me but this time I smiled back in response. We finished our coffees and we went out being amongst the crowd enjoying the sights.

We hung around till midnight dancing and having fun under the bright lights in the night. We walked down one street seeing couples dancing to smooth romantic music outside of a bar. She grabbed my hand and we joined in. I gazed at her as she gazed back and we danced the night away. For the first time in my life I felt so alive, all my pain and stress was gone. Before we ended our night together we took a stroll through the park to a nearby fountain. As we got closer to the fountain she turned around.

"Can you do something for me?" she asked softly.

"Sure?" I responded.

"Close your eyes."

I closed my eyes and suddenly I felt something touch my lips. It was a warm soothing feeling that I truly enjoyed. I opened my eyes and she was gone. I smiled.

I woke up the next day refreshed and overjoyed. Last night was a feeling I haven't felt in such a long time. After waiting several days, I decided to go out to the piazza, same time as always, and sat at the same bench. I looked around and I saw the construction was done, the kids weren't playing, and a couple never passed by. Barely anyone was out today. There was sense of emptiness until an elderly man came by and sat next to me.

"Mighty fine day out isn't it?" he said. "Peaceful."

I could not figure out how such a scene was fine but it was peaceful so I agreed with a nod. There wasn't much to even say to him after that so I kept quiet to myself. He looked at me with a stiff stare.

"So how is it with you, huh? You don't speak much I see." He said.

"Actually I'm waiting for someone." I told him.

I then explained to him about her, the woman I seem to fell in love with. I told him about the Crimson red hair down to her beautiful voice. He looked at me as if he was taking everything in with interest, nodding head. The elderly man seemed to had known something about her from the look in his eyes and he sat up, slapped his knee, and stared right at me and said: "Is that so? Well, let me tell you something son..."

Later that Saturday night I waited by the boardwalk. I looked down at my reflection that's barely glistening on the water.

"Why am I here?" I wondered.

Then a call woke me from my trance. I looked up to see my friend and Betty, his wife, come up to me. The boardwalk was bright as the sun within the darkness. People were having fun playing games, enjoying life itself.

"So you came." He said.

"Yeah I had nothing else to do." I replied.

"I'll go get some Gelatos." Betty said before walking away.

I looked back down at the water.

"What's wrong? You were all down in the dumps then, next you felt happy, and now you seem back where ya started." my Friend said.

I pulled out the scarf she left the first time at the café and I began to remember the moments I had with her. That sweet soft voice and her Crimson Red hair. I looked at my friend in the eyes, tears running down my face. Then I said, "What if the girl I told you about before died five years ago."

Release Date: December 2nd, 2015