Red Water

Written: 2009
© Julie Ruffell 2009
Description: Athena is tired of living and has made the decision to die.

"Red Water"

The silence and the darkness engulfed her. She relaxed into them, allowing herself to be devoured. Her mind cleared as she breathed in the lavender incense. She was at peace in the stillness.

She could feel her body growing weaker as her blood drained out into the water, staining it red. It had felt like such a cliché way to go, but as she felt herself leaving, she didn't care; she had never known such calm.

The warm water hugged her body and lulled her to sleep. She wasn't even aware of her eyes closing, but she welcomed all of it. The world faded away, until there was nothing.

* * *

Athena opened her eyes to a hazy mist of red. She felt confusion move into her calm. Am I dead? she wondered.

She became aware of her body by accident; without realizing, she moved her arm and pain shot through it. She sat up, gasping at the pain as her head broke out from under the red water. She looked at her slit wrist, which oozed slightly, having been held open under the water. But crust or not, her body had stopped the major outpour of blood. She was alive.

"Great. I can't even get killing myself right."

Athena pulled herself up painfully and stepped out of the tub. She didn't bother to towel off, just slipped into her soft bathrobe. She looked back at the water, which she realized wasn't as red as she had thought. Ripples of blood floated through it, and, disgusted with her failure, she reached her hand into the water and pulled out the stopper. She didn't stay to watch it drain.

Opening the door, a blast of cold air from the apartment ran in to fill the heated bathroom. "Jesus!" Athena pulled her robe tighter around herself and stepped out.

She didn't turn on any lights, just moved into the living room. She turned on the CD player and set it to a CD filled with traditional Chinese music; she had always found Chinese instruments and melody to be remarkably soothing.

Flopping down on the couch, she stared out the window. She couldn't see much; mostly just the building beside hers. A siren started up and Athena scowled. "One more murder in this town," she sang softly to herself.

FIN