Bleeding Red

-Jianna-

The hallway was damp and mainly smelled of mold. I kept walking, but the hallway extended farther every time I thought I had reached the end. "JIANNA!" I hear someone scream. "JIANNA, GET OUT OF HERE! THEY'RE COMING!" the voice yells again. I turn around to see where it's coming from but barely see anything. All I saw were rows and rows of doors with small windows with a chain link barrier. "Jianna!!! RUN!" said the voice. As the fear starts to consume me, I start running. I don't know where I'm going, but I know I must keep running. I tried to turn around and look who was chasing me, but as soon as I did, a pair of arms appeared behind me, and I fell back. I tried to see who it was that grabbed me, but then.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

My alarm goes off. I woke up with a jolt and slammed my alarm clock quiet. 8:45. "Shit!" I muttered under my breath as I laid back down and looked at the ceiling. "I'm gonna be late again," I muttered as I dragged myself out of bed and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. I glanced at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, and my disheveled appearance looked exhausted. "You look like shit," I said to myself.

As I start to take off my clothes, my phone rings. I didn't bother looking who it was because I already knew it, so I let it go to voicemail. I stepped in the shower and combined all of my shower rituals in one to save time, got out, and started getting ready. I decided to wear a simple, flowy skirt, a fit-forming black shirt, and espadrilles. I wear minimal makeup, but since I'm already running late, I decide some powder and mascara will do. I rechecked myself in the mirror before I left. I don't bother brushing my hair since it never tames how I want it to anyway, so I just put it up in a messy bun, put on my glasses, and head out.

I take out my phone to check my messages as I walk out the door. "Jianna! This is the 3rd time this week! Get your ass in here, or you're FIRED!"

**click **

Kevin Montgomery, my supervisor and current pain in the ass, yelled in the message he left on my phone.

"Don't get your panties in a twist! I'm coming!" I thought, clearly annoyed. I walked to the subway entrance about two blocks from my apartment, and as I waited for my train, I started up my e-mail and checked to see if I got a strong-worded e-mail as well when I heard my train approaching.

This stop is Bleecker Street. The next stop is Astor Place. This is the Green Line headed to Pelham

I got on the train, and as always, it was packed, so I found a place at the side of the train near the door and grabbed a pole. I always want to know where my exits are. I've always felt dread if I didn't know where to get out.

When I knew I was well-balanced, and the train started moving, I opened my bag and grabbed my book. I was currently reading Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk. I've always loved how he wrote and how his point of view is pessimistically optimistic. I always thought I had the same attitude and could relate to his books' protagonists.

I became so engrossed in my book that I didn't realize that more people had gotten on and that we were more squeezed together.

"Damn tourists." I thought.

I move closer to the wall as more people get on and off. I squeeze myself as much in the corner as possible, so I don't get trampled by the incoming and outgoing flow of people. As I mindlessly adjusted my position accordingly, I didn't realize that a

man stood beside me and tried to do some small talk. I choose to ignore him, but he's persistent.

"Good book?" he said as he closed the gap between him and me.

I could smell the cigarettes on him as he spoke. I then moved a step back. I nodded, not lifting my head to acknowledge him fully.

"Are you by yourself, young lady?" he said, closing in again.

At this comment, I looked up.

"If you don't leave me alone, I'm going to scream," I said, more annoyed than scared.

That didn't bother him, though.

"Who's going to help you? These people? They don't give a fuck. Why don't you come closer and see what a real man can do for you." he growled as he tried to grab my arm. I tried to avoid his advances without hitting the other passengers, but that seemed impossible.

He sneered at me and hissed, "Feisty! I like that!"

I saw the passengers beside me start to move away from the commotion, and I thought, "None of you fuckers are gonna help, are you?"

Now, I began to get worried.

"I'm pretty sure I heard the lady say no." I heard someone say from behind me.

"Mind your fucking business!" said the man as he tried to grab my arm again but only managed to grab one of the handles of my bag. He pulled on my bag hard enough to jerk me forward.

"LET GO!" I yelled at him, trying to free my bag from his grasp.

When this proved futile, I tried to take the bag off my shoulder to free myself, but he'd also gotten a hold of my sleeve.

I closed my eyes and prepared for anything that would come next.

JIANNA! RUN! THEY'RE COMING! RUN!!! I was back in the hallway and heard the screams again. RUN! THEY'RE COMING!

And then nothing.

--

I opened my eyes, still smelling the musty hallway like I had just been teleported out of there and was somehow back on the train.

I see the man lying face down on the train floor, and people started to congregate around him.

A couple of old ladies who sat close to where I stood approached me to ensure I was okay.

"Are you alright, dearie?" asked one of the ladies. She had a comforting aura about her.

"Y-yeah... I-I think so..." I stammered, trying to get my bearings. "W-what happened?" I asked.

"That young man helped you get away from that horrid man." She said calmly. "He sure did kick his patootie, didn't he, Ethel?"

She looked at her companion, who I assumed was her friend Ethel.

"Damn right, he did!" Ethel said excitedly.

"Never seen anything like it, too. It's like he was there one second, and then BAM!" Ethel clapped her hands together, which made me jump a little.

"Forgive my sister." the lady said, looking at me apologetically. "She can be colorful sometimes."

She turned to look at her sister, who was still overly excited about the happenings.

"If you don't calm down, you'll give this poor girl a coronary!"

At this, the other lady sat down and opened her bag. I could slightly hear her rummaging in there and found what she was looking for.

"Want a caramel sweetie?" She said, offering me a piece of candy wrapped in clear plastic. "It might help."

I didn't want to be rude, so I hesitantly accepted. "Thank you." I sheepishly said.

She watched me intently with a smile, so I unwrapped the candy and placed it in my mouth. It was sticky and getting stuck at the roof of my mouth, but Ethel was so happy that I ate it diligently, and I could only give her a very muted smile.

"Wasn't that delightful?" she mused.

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you." I muttered, trying very hard to get my mouth unstuck.

"Are you okay?" I hear someone ask from behind me.

I turned around and found a tall, handsome man with short, well-kept hair (must be military) and piercing green eyes.

He was wearing a black T-shirt, leather jacket and jeans.

"I'm sorry?" I tried to say, which came out as "Mmmm Shrry" due to the caramel sticking to my mouth.

He tilted his head and looked at me quizzically.

"Damn! Those eyes are gorgeous." I thought. And I felt my cheeks getting warm.

I tried to swallow what remained of the caramel but ended up choking on it slightly.

cough, cough

"DOROTHY! Give her some water!" shrieked Ethel, starting to panic.

Ethel's sister, who I have just found out the name, got a bottle of water from her purse.

"It's those darned caramels of yours, Ethel! I told you to stop giving them out! You're going to kill someone one of these days." she said sternly at Ethel.

"I'm so sorry about that, dearie. She thinks she's Mother Teresa when she gives out those darn caramels." She handed me the bottled water and sat down beside me again. "Here you go."

I took a sip of the water, and the stickiness of the caramel dissipates.

"Ahhh... That feels better." I thought. I took another sip and turned around to face the green-eyed man.

He was still looking at me intensively like he was trying to read my mind. We stared at each other for what seemed like forever until he broke the silence and asked, "Are you okay now? You seem to have hit your head back there." he said without breaking his stare.

"Um. I-I'm okay. I think." I stammered.

I tried to get up from the floor but ended up stumbling down. He extended his arm and caught me mid-fall.

"Doesn't seem okay to me. Come on. I'll take you to the hospital." He said as he picked my legs up and carried me off the train.

"DOROTHY! DOROTHY!" Ethel cried, trying to flag down her sister.

"LOOK DOROTHY! HE'S CARRYING HER LIKE A PRINCESS!"

"Would you hush? You're making a scene!" said Dorothy, sounding exasperated.

She and Ethel waved at me as this stranger carried me out of the subway.