Bloody Memory

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Chapter Two

Jamie Ainsworth was just another ordinary eleven years old boy. He didn’t expect that those predicaments fell to his shoulders. His father told him not to bother it so much, but he found it difficult to act normally or just forget it after you were being thrown into seeing some kind of horrible sight he had had to see that time. He, along with his family, had been seeing murdering action, witnessing it.
It was horrible and, much to his fear, unforgettable, maybe for the rest of his life. Jamie always had nightmares, started from the first night he saw the bloodied scene. He ended screaming fearfully in the middle of the night, much to his parents worry, and started to keep silent despite his usual cheery self. It made his parents sad, he knew, but it couldn’t be helped. He scared out of his mind about that vision.
The police guards that be sent to keep him and his family safe for entire time being were useless after all. Well, maybe they were useful for protection meaning, save his comfort. He felt awkward around them; he didn’t like to be under their surveillance, even if it meant for his safety. He didn’t like them.
His grandfather called last morning, told his father that he already had some kind of solution for their problem. It seemed that his gramps found another bodyguard, other than police officer. Great, that’s perfect. Add another guard to watch every movement of him, much to his discomfort.
His father then told him, that the person aforementioned by his gramps would come at night. He also said that police officer which responsible for their cost, had already been told about this. Jamie could see that Detective Arthur Wilkins, leader of their police guards, shifted uncomfortably during his break, and more at his guard, after hearing about this new guard-to-be person.
Maybe he knows about the late person, Jamie wondered. I’m somewhat eager to seek forward about this person.
Jamie’s curiosity was fed up at night, much to his dismay. He found out that the person was just seven years and half older than himself. His crimson hair and eye orbs added peculiarity of his person. More over, he looked very pale. Almost inhuman, Jamie thought, frowned.

***

Arthur Wilkins felt more than just discomfort, finding the person the Ainsworths called by was that person. Oh yes he knew Scarlet, personally, from his own experience. He also knew about his organization, his occupation, and furthermore, his being. It wasn’t that he disliked the young man; even though it was true that he argued so much with him; just… he guessed if Scarlet was involved, along with his comrades sometime, it would lead to bigger and more …disastrous outcome.
At least, his team didn’t know about the fact that the young man wasn’t even human. Not long until they found out about that by themselves, he thought humorlessly.
He eyed the younger man suspiciously, as if he expected something bizarre to be happened right here and now. Scarlet glanced back at him, still in his impassive mask of face, barely bothered about the detective’s presence.

***

Frank Ainsworth didn’t expect that the person his father had been talking about on his last call was …much younger man. He guessed that this boy wasn’t even reaching his early twenty yet. His appearance was surprisingly calm and composed, with plain gray sweater, black pants, and long black coat, giving him such formal and mature form, instead of his age and his peculiar hair and eye orbs color. Never had he seen such deep, unique, and unordinary color like those crimson eye orbs of the young man stood before him.
He frowned and scrutinized the lad. “You must be the man my father mentioned.”
Scarlet’s lips twitched upside, almost smiled. “Indeed. It saves time to explain myself though. The name is Scarlet.”
“I’m Frank Ainsworth. This is my wife, Emily…” he gestured towards a mid height woman with curly brown hair and serene smile beside him, “…and that is my son, Jamie.” He gestured again towards an astonished-face, light-brown-haired boy.

***

Scarlet scrutinized the Ainsworth family members one by one. The family man looked so much alike his father, the old Ainsworth, save his light brown wavy hair. They shared same eye color, which was blue and same fatherly smile. His height was at average for a man, neither much tall nor short. He wore simple white shirt and plaid pants.
His wife was an attractive woman. With chocolate-doe eyes and curly brown hair, she was a pretty for her mid thirty. Her smile was looked serene and enjoyable. She was rather short or small, but not tiny. She wore a pink flower-patterned tunic and simple white legging.
Their son was palpably the most interesting being in this family. He had his mother’s eyes and his father’s hair color. But rather than wavy or curly, he had straight hair. He wore simple white T-shirt with graffiti “MANIAC MUSIC” and ripped jeans. But it wasn’t the reason Scarlet labeled him as an interesting object. It was his fear, hidden behind his curiosity and quiet yet cheery attitude, which attracted his interest. He found it was similar with his own fear. Similarity that very intense it almost scared him. The boy was wounded and suffered by his haunting memory, same like him.
He almost let a smirk formed in his lips when his heighten sense smelled the boy’s suddenly fear and awkwardness. Oh, it would be an interesting mission to be worked for, he thought, smirked inwardly.
Frank gestured again, this time towards the detective and the rest of his team. He went to introduce them, but Scarlet cut off his words. “No need for crappy chit chat. We’ve known each other already.”
Every pair of eyes looked at him and Arthur. The detective grimaced, suddenly felt irritated. “Oh yeah, how can I forget you?! Someone like you isn’t easily forgotten, even if I wanted to.”
“I’m flattered.”
“You should, you son-of-a—“
“Mind your tongue, Detective Wilkins.” Scarlet openly grinned now. He glanced at Jamie. “There’s minor here.”
Every one flabbergasted hearing their confrontation. Frank slowly asked the detective, “So I see, you two are …acquaintances?” The family man received glares from both confronters.
“Well, whatever had happened between us let it set aside? We have job to do.” Scarlet shrugged nonchalantly and walked back to the front door. When every one inwardly questioned what did he do in front of the house, he came back and brought his things that he temporarily left before on the terrace. He put them on the floor carefully.
“I see that you still use that thing to work.” Arthur sarcastically remarked and pointed to the long and large thing wrapped in black leather and chained with a shackle.
Scarlet chuckled while repositioned it leaning at the wall. “Best friend is always by your side.”
Arthur snorted. “Whatever. Just make sure that you use it right.”
“Humph, when didn’t I use it right?”
“Almost all the time.”
Another chuckle. “You’re just being envious.”
Arthur glared death to the younger man. “I’m NOT being envious!! Especially, I’m NOT envious to you!”
“Whatever.”
Arthur’s team shifted move uncomfortably. They rarely saw their leader to be so flustered against anyone. Especially against someone so much younger, namely teenagers like Scarlet. He always stood calm, composed, and confident man as well as a leader.
“Err, Wilkins…” A woman’s voice slipped in. “You know it isn’t the right time for, well, arguing…”
Arthur glared at her. “I KNOW that, Stoke. Just he…” He pointed straightly at Scarlet, who was smirking smugly. “…he always succeeded make me boiling to the marrow!”
Chuckling, Scarlet simply retorted, “I didn’t do anything by the way. You just overacted by the time you first saw me here. Honestly…”
“HONESTLY, why in the hell it must be you of all of the good people walking on earth to be in this mission any way?!” The detective exaggeratedly groaned, much to his subordinates’ dismay.
“Because I want to.”
Another groan.
Arthur turned away, felt silly for himself arguing with someone as exasperate as Scarlet. He humphed and stated plainly, “You’ve known me, but not my team, haven’t you? This woman…” he gestured to the small woman who interrupted his words last time, “…is Officer Sarah Stoke. The men over there…” he gestured again to the two men that stood at the corner of living room, “…the big one is Officer Allan Barrymore, and the lithe one is Detective Tyler Johnson. All three of them are my best men of fields.”
“What happen to your last team?” Scarlet asked without exactly paying attention to them.
Arthur’s face darkened. “They fell for our last mission. Just I and Fred were left behind. Fred became too sick to join for another mission, so he was discharged. At least until he recovered himself.”
Scarlet turned his eyes to carefully look on the older man. “I’m sorry,” he said slowly, felt genuinely sorry.
Arthur’s face softened. “No need to. It wasn’t your fault any way…”
Scarlet just nodded faintly, somewhat looked suddenly saddened, before turned his attention back to his things. Arthur didn’t miss that slight change of Scarlet’s expression.
Another long pause and Frank felt that introduction time was already over. With awkward words, he unofficially dismissed them.

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