Roses Are Red... And So Is Blood Read online

  Chapter two

  The next day, Solomon had delivered the note to Ashley and was leaning back on his chair on his lawn, waiting for her to approach him and ask him about the letter. And this she did a few hours later. Naturally, Solomon denied it and declared he would love her forever. Then he followed her to Hector’s house, and got there a few minutes before she did. He pulled out his knife and told Hector, “Say you wrote the note or….” Here he made his knife glint in the sun coming in the window. Then he hid on the stairs and watched. Ashley knocked on the front door, and Hector opened it. “Hi!” He said. “How are you?” Ashley showed him the note and said, “Did you write this?” Hector glanced at Solomon on the stairs. He lifted his knife and smiled. Hector turned back to Ashley. “No, I didn’t.” He said. Solomon’s face tightened and he threw the knife at Hector’s shoulder. Hector whirled around, caught the knife, and threw it back at Solomon. Solomon barely dodged it, and it stuck in the wall. The man on the stairs raced upwards into Hector’s room, opened the window, and jumped out. He landed painfully, but he whipped his body up and started running more. He kept running ‘til he reached his house. He didn’t bother with the door– it would be too easy for Hector to watch— instead climbing his house and climbing in his window. Once inside, he sat on his dark blue bedspread, closed his eyes— he thought best with his eyes closed— and started thinking. How could it have gone wrong? He thought. I had it all planned out, and now he’s probably going to get Ashley. That thought made him jolt to his feet and open his eyes. Hector was not going to get Ashley. No matter what it took –within very large limits— Hector was going to stay away from Ashley. He looked over to his desk, and found… nothing. His desk wasn’t there. All that was left was a note. Written in Hector’s handwriting: Thanks for the desk. It’s really going to help. Also, you might want to come to the park at 3:00 Wednesday. Any earlier, and I’ll know. And I’ll find you. If you can’t make it, leave a note notifying me at the water fountain in the square. So you have two options: go to the park at 3:00 Wednesday, or leave your note at the water fountain. Both ways, it’s going to end up bad for you.

  Solomon cursed. Hector had taken his desk somehow, and was now daring him to go to the park. If he didn’t go to the park and face Hector’s plan, everyone would view him as a coward. He knew Hector would’ve told everyone enough for them to view Solomon as a chicken if he didn’t go to the park. But if he did go to the park, he would have to face Hector’s plan, which would be the worse for him. It was a tear between a blemish to his reputation or losing Ashley and most likely getting a blemish to his honor anyway. Either way, he was going to get a blemish on his reputation. He decided to get just a blemish to his honor and keep Ashley. Then a new thought occurred to him: Ashley wouldn’t want him if he didn’t face Hector. Either way, he lost Ashley and his reputation got blemished. Solomon had to admit it; Hector was smart. Then a memory from childhood came back. When he was younger, he would come up with certain sayings, such as, “The only way to stop a math test is to break the math teacher’s pencil.” That meant if there’s an unsolvable problem, remove the thing that caused it. Hector caused this problem, so Solomon would have to remove him… permanently.

  Wednesday

  Hector was congratulating himself enormously. He wasn’t at the park, and he wasn’t at the square by the fountain. He was safe in his room, but he could see what was happening in both places. He had rigged up cameras watching the park and the square, and had then hooked them to his computer, so he could see on the monitor what was happening in both places. It was the day after the day after the day Solomon had found his desk missing, so it was Wednesday. It was already 2:50, and Solomon hadn’t shown up in either of the places. Hector would have seen Solomon if he had turned around and looked at the door, but he didn’t. So he didn’t see the knife in one of Solomon’s hands, and a noose in the other.

  The day Solomon found his desk missing

  Solomon grinned. He couldn’t go to the park or square, but he could remove Hector. He knew Hector would’ve set up video cameras to his computer so he could watch the park and square, but he would be too busy watching the monitor to look behind him… where Solomon would be standing with a knife and noose.

  Wednesday

  Solomon walked up to Hector on his violet carpet. He walked softly until he reached the redhead; then he tapped on his shoulder. The one in the chair turned around quickly, and saw Solomon. Before he could get out of his chair and raise a fist, Solomon slipped the noose around his neck. And tightened it. Hector’s eyes got really big and he clawed at the rope. Finally, his eyes just closed and he fell to the ground. Solomon put his ear to his chest. “Good,” He said. “Just unconscious, but it will take him quite a time to wake up.” With that, he sliced the rope off Hector’s neck and used it to tie the knife to a hook on the ceiling. As children, they had often put a bar on that hook and hung off of it. The knife hung just enough to put slight pressure on Hector’s neck. When he woke up, he wouldn’t dare move for fear of cutting himself. Solomon congratulated himself for outwitting Hector, but his celebration was cut short when someone knocked on the door, then kicked it open without waiting for a response. It was Ashley. “Solomon!” She cried. She ran over to him and hugged him. Solomon hugged her back, not knowing the hug was only a cover. She slipped her arms behind his back, and then pulled something out of her sleeve. It was a small syringe. She stabbed Solomon with the syringe and injected the liquid inside. He fell over. “Solomon, never mess with my boyfriend.” Ashley taunted. She ran over to Hector and sliced the rope off his neck with a knife produced from her belt. She pulled another syringe out of her other sleeve and injected Hector with it. He jerked, rolled over, and opened his eyes. “You came,” He whispered. “You heard my call and you came.” Ashley nodded. “Yes. Yes, I did. Solomon acted very predictably. You knew he would try to remove you, so you had a finger on the button that would call me for help. As soon as you saw Solomon, you pressed the button, asking me for help. So I came, injected Solomon with the sedative I had in my sleeve, and woke you up with the liquid in my other sleeve.” Hector smiled, and then said, “Help me up, please. Being strangled to unconsciousness does merit a bit of recovery, but I can stand with help.” Ashley helped him up, and he sat on his bed. “What are you going to do now?” Ashley asked. “I don’t want to be the cause of any more trouble.” Hector thought on this. “Solomon’s too proud to settle this through reasonable discussion, as I want to do, so we’re going to have to finish our battle. One way or another, one of us is going to get you, whether we force you or not. I wouldn’t force you, but who knows what Solomon might do?” Ashley sat, absorbing this. Would Solomon really make me take him by force? She thought. If he were really determined, he would. She decided. She looked at Hector. “I have a solution.” She announced. Hector perked up at this. “What is it?” He asked. “This.” Ashley said; and punched him. He crumpled right next to Solomon. She went downstairs, grabbed some rope, came back up, and tied them together. Then she waited for them to wake up.

  They woke up about an hour later, and as soon as they realized what they were tied to, started struggling to escape their bonds. “Don’t bother,” Ashley said. “I’ve tied you far too well. Now, we are going to settle this reasonably. Hector, you may now talk to Solomon through reasonable discussion.” Hector nodded, and then said, “Now, Solomon, can you tell me the exact reason you want Ashley?” Solomon cursed, and said, “I can, but I won’t.” Ashley’s lips pursed, and her violet eyes flashed. Solomon lowered his head. “Fine,” He said. “I want Ashley because she’s a sweet, kind girl who, apparently, ties people up for pursuing her pulchritudinous face and beautiful personality.” “Fair enough, even though you tried to use ‘pulchritudinous’ to intimidate me. Sorry, but I know what it means: beautiful.” Hector replied. Solomon humphed, and then said, “Now, Hector, why do you want Ashley?” Hector nodded. “I want Ashley because she has been my friend for as long as I can remember, she’s the mos
t beautiful girl I’ve ever met, and over all, she has the sweetest personality ever.” Ashley sort of smiled at both of them. “Thank you. Now the big question. Am I really worth killing each other to get? You’ve been friends since childhood, and you’re going to kill each other over me?” Hector opened his mouth, and then shut it as what she was saying pierced his mind. Solomon couldn’t speak because of the point she was trying to make, so he just nodded. He forced his voice to work. “Yes, you are,” He said. “Who would say no?” “Thank you, Solomon, but that’s not the answer I was looking for.” “But it’s the true answer.” He objected. Suddenly, Hector stood up and allowed his bonds to fall off. He bowed and walked out the door, leaving Solomon tied and Ashley dumb-struck. After Hector had already walked out, Solomon started wriggling more. He figured that if Hector could get out, so could he. Needless to say, he couldn’t. Hector almost seemed to be taunting them as he bowed, and laughing at them as he walked out the door. Of course, he had not done either of these things, but it felt like it. Ashley finally came to her senses and raced after him, leaving Solomon tied and wriggling on the ground. “Hector—“ Ashley began. She laid a hand on his shoulder. “What, Ashley?” Hector said, cutting her off. “Why did you leave?” she asked, though that was not what she was going to say at first. Hector laughed. “That’s not what you were going to say.”

  “How did you know?”

  “Mainly because you already know the answer, and you hesitated slightly before answering when I asked what you wanted.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “What did you want to say?”

  Ashley took a deep breath. “I wanted to say….”

  “Just spit it out already.”

  “I love you.”

  “You just doomed both of us.”

  “Not the reaction I expected.”

  “I don’t usually react the expected way.”

  “True. How did I doom us?”

  “Solomon is now going to kill both of us. And I mean that literally.”

  “You mean….”

  “Yes. He would either kill you, me, himself, or all three. He was always subject to fits of temper.”

  “But to murder….”

  “Yes. He came close to ending my life one time. Fortunately, he was detained.”

  “How?”

  “Unpleasant methods.”

  “No details?”

  “None.”

  With that, they parted. Solomon had succeeded in escaping from his bonds, and was now following Hector.

  Hector skipped home, barely restraining from breaking out into song. He was happy, but his happiness was slightly dampened by the knowledge Solomon would be coming. And he wouldn’t be happy. He started walking normally, but then resorted to creeping carefully. Two thoughts filled his head: “Solomon is coming.” “Ashley Likes me!” Then he heard something rustling the grass softly. He snapped around, thinking Solomon had come. But all he saw was a squirrel. He smacked his forehead. Solomon wasn’t going to come so soon. He would’ve planned first. He turned back around… and was proven wrong. Solomon was there. And he had a knife. A big knife. And he was intent on using it. “Let’s talk this over, buddy,” Solomon said suddenly. “I only brought this knife in case you tried to hurt me first.”

  “Alright, let’s talk.”

  They sat down and rested their backs against the big oak tree that used to be their favorite place to play when they were little.

  “Now, Hector, I heard everything.”

  “And?”

  “I’m not… quite happy.”

  “I don’t expect you to be.”

  “I’m not pleasant when I’m not happy.”

  “I can vouch for that.”

  Despite himself, Solomon smiled. “Well, I don’t like not being happy.”

  “Does anyone?”

  “I doubt it. But we’re getting off-topic, aren’t we?”

  “I suppose.”

  “What did I initiate this conversation for?”

  “Distraction.”

  “What would I be distracting you from?”

  “This.” Quick as a snake, he reached behind his back and grabbed the knife that was positioned between his shoulder blades. Solomon’s face tightened. “Pure accident, I assure you.”

  “I’m sure.” Hector pulled the knife out of Solomon’s hand, stood up, and instinctively threw it. His aim was true. The knife struck Solomon’s shoulder and stuck there like an arrow in a tree. Solomon’s teeth seemed stuck together, but that was the only sign of pain on him. He yanked the red-tipped knife out of his shoulder and stood up. He faced Hector like a boxer. They stood, facing each other. Neither moved until Hector raised his hand. He held it up as though it were a gesture of defeat, even though neither had fought. Solomon relaxed slightly. Very slightly, but it was enough. Hector struck Solomon’s neck, knocking him to the ground. “Never fight me.” Hector said. This time, he actually was taunting. He walked away, leaving his destination to where he happened to end up.

  {“Hey, you, writing the book! Lemme take over!”}

  That guy previously writing doesn’t know anything. This is Hector, and I’m writing from now on.

  I walked away from Solomon, leaving my destination to where I happened to end up.

  {“That’s what I said!” “Shut up.”}

  I ended up on the banks of a creek, under the trees. I sat down to think. The rippling water and cool shadows helped my mind. I was unsure if Solomon would’ve killed to get Ashley. I am now perfectly sure he would. I stood up and took off my sandals. I climbed into the creek and walked with the current. First I thought about Solomon and Ashley, then my mind wandered to crayfish (there were several in the water), until my mind finally emptied of all thought. I don’t know what happened then, because I wasn’t thinking.

  {“Hector, let me write. You can’t write.” “Fine.”}

  First author, Daniel here. Hector can’t write.

  Hector wandered down the creek, occasionally stumbling. Finally, a small thought occurred to him. Maybe he should turn back. He had walked quite a while. He turned back and walked downstream.

  Solomon woke up.

  {“Oh, no, Daniel. You’re not writing for me anymore.” “Fine, Solomon. You know, this is supposed to be my book.” “Shush. Now gimme the computer.”}

  Solomon here. Daniel honestly sucks at writing. He makes everything so dramatic.