• Blood Red Wine

    By:Lenore M. Fisher

    Chapter One: Encounters




    "For the sake of the people, shut up!" I said angrily fumbling around in the dark with my alarm clock until it's annoying buzzing ceased.

    I got up and stretched my limbs and then went into my bathroom where I found the clothing that i had chosen for the night folded neatly on the toilet seat. I decided to let myself have the pleasure of a quick shower.

    As the water ran over my face I was numb to it's tempurature. I began to think about how happy I was to be off of work. The damn hematologist reasearch facillity's head was pushing I and the other disease and my specialty: blood experts that he had working at his side faster and further through our research into the most recent and most deadly disease. The head or "Mr. Lennard Ross" was selfish in the fact that the only reason he wanted answers about the new sickness was so he could conceal any cures and profit...

    "Ugh!" I choked almost vomiting at the thought of Ross's melevolant plan. I turned off the water and got ready for the night. A few minutes later I was walking to my car dressed in a grey dress shirt that I had only buttoned to the point where i was still showing a mild amount of cleavage, a short but dressy black skirt, my signature black mid-calf boots, my black 1960's style long brimmed hat and black, lightweight trench coat.

    Driving down the street, I noticed several more homeless people had shown up on the streets. This was no doubt a result of the economic downfall. If homelessness was already sky rocketing, what was the world to expect now? I continued into the main city and parked in front of my favorite resturaunt.

    However, I didn't enter the place right away for something else caught my eye. At the corner of the block, there was a man leaning against a dimly lit lamp post. He was reading what looked like a small novel or journal. He had a ciggarette in his mouth and was wearing a very dark but dressy suit.

    I walked down the sidewalk slowly, watching the man all the time. I stopped about a foot away from the light and as soon as I did, he spoke in a very smooth voice, "Good evening Dr. Rothchild." He looked up and I replied, "Alexander Jameson, how many times must I asl you to call me Electra?"

    He closed the book and put it in his pocket, removed the cigarette from his mouth and smiled. "My apologies." He said and chuckled before continuing," I am truly sorry, but I am accustomed to calling women I respect by there proffesional name."

    I moved a little closer to him and smiled myself before saying, "It's quite alright Mr. Jameson, I don't realy mind." He suddenly looked nervous and stiff.

    " I was hoping that...I would see you tonight." He murmured.

    "Realy, how come?"

    "Would it be too much to ask you to dine with me tonight?" His confidence had returned. "I see you have already come to your favorite resturaunt."

    "Of course it wouldn't bee too much but am I realy becoming that predictable?"

    "Life is becoming predicable Dr. Roth...I mean Electra."

    I linked arms with him and he stiffened again before taking a deep breath and beginning a slow stroll towards the resturaunt, "The Sophisticated Diner." The name was slighty cheesey but the place lived up to it's name. As we walked in we were greeted with the sound of a poet's voice echoing from the stage in the back of the dimmly lit establishment. The walls were red and the floors a dark, hard wood. All of the furnishings from the curtains to the stools were either black, red, grey, or white.

    A waiter who was very tidy and well dressed approached us and handed us two menus. Then he hesitated looking into Alexander's eyes and i swear i heard Al whisper something to him or perhaps it was just my imagination. After a few seconds, the man finally showed us to a booth in a small side room that was strangley free of any other people but I didn't mind. It was kind of nice to be alone with Al away from the workplace for once. He made sure that I was comfortable sitting in the booth and then spoke to the server.

    "We'll take two "red wines" please." He spoke softly and then handed the man some amount of paper money.

    "Right away sir!" said the man with a hint of fear within his voice. ALexander took the seat infront of me.

    "So what was that book that you were reading, Jameson?" I asked curiously.

    "Eh...um, that old thing?" He spoke nervously again. "That was just an old journal of mine. He let out a nervous laugh.

    " I bet you've filled it with tons of beautiful writing...may I read a few entries?"
    He was about to answer me when the waiter came back with our bevrages.

    "Two "red wines" sir and madame."

    We thanked him and when he had left Al breathed what I knew was a sigh of relief. The waiter had saved him from answering the question i had asked, but why didn't he want me to read the journal? I decided not to bring it up again. Instead, i just sipped at the blood in my cup, smooth and chilled.

    "So Electra, how have you been latley?" He asked with an oddly sly smile

    "Oh, I'm alright or at least i'm holding up."

    "What do you mean?" He looked concerned.

    " Well it's just that now with the shortage, you, me and the others at work have been working so hard and at the end of the night i never have anyone to talk to so i thank you for taking me out tonight Alexander."

    "Please, call me "Alex" and you're welcome of course, it's my pleasure."

    "...Alex, I know you didn't bring me here just for casual conversation... I know you too well to belive that."

    He raised an eyebrow and chuckled slightly. "Yes, I suppose you do." He was trembling slightly.

    "Electra... the reason i asked you here is... well... I...hm..." He took my hand in his and placed his other on top. "Electra you make me feel emotion, you are kind to me... you give me reason to stay as i am... you are my closest friend." He brought my hand up to his mouth and kissed it gently before returning mine and his back to the top of the table.

    "Thank you ALex...." I would have blushed if I could.

    "Electra... I have known you for quite a while and... I would like to be more than just friends."

    "Oh Alex!" I gasped. "I feel the same way!."

    In the next moment I felt his hands lift from my hands and then his delicate, pale, lips were on mine.

    I was dizzy with excitment...