A Blood Stained Kiss

A short story I wrote for my English class. Its a bit descriptively graphic but I hope it isn't too much. Based on a unnoticed murder committed in an office setting.

Her feet tiptoed up the corridor. Her hair a damp brown, obscured her face. Her head bent and eyes fixed on the trolley she pushed quietly. On each desk she left a letter like little whispers and passed on like a shadow, unnoticed and ignored. Except one set of eyes, following cautiously; the only one noticing her nervous shuffle, the glisten in her eyes.

His eyes studied intently. He took everything in, the curve of her lips as they puckered into a strawberry shaped, “O”, as she nervously delivered letters, the beautiful green hidden behind her thick lashes with a thousand troubles swirling in clouds of light on the surface of her eyes. His stare intensified as she neared his desk. She lowered her eyes, hating the attention as she reached out with a letter for him. His hand flitted forward to grasp it and he held it there for a second too long delicately tasting the icy pale skin of her hand with the tips of his fingers. She recoiled in shock stuffing her hand back onto the trolley and tried to hurry away, nearly tripping in the process. She straightened herself and left more slowly with a shaking step. He noticed fresh tears welling in the corners of her eyes and slowly turned back into his desk with eyes closed, reliving every second under his flickering eyelids, smiling softly to himself.

The air outside turned to a smoky twilight and the street lights began to illuminate the rain washed pavements. Crowds slowly dissolved and the sound of the city became slightly hushed but more urgent as people began to hurry home. Tension drifted in the windows and office work quietly sped up, finishing for the night. Along the dark back corridor and into the small crowded kitchen the girl sat bent over a counter top with a sandy coloured pencil in her hand, gently tickling detail onto a folded napkin. Beneath her gaze and careful pencil strokes a small hummingbird came closer to life with each caress.

The last two weeks had brought this bird up to near perfection from a simple mark on the paper. Each stroke was calculated yet effortless as feathers were added to his beautifully detailed body. An almost surprised expression played across his face as he looked up into his creators green eyes. He was captured perfectly in lonesome beauty and he gazed longingly at the girl. A voice called for coffee and she jumped to comply. Her bird left sad and alone on the counter as she rushed out with a cup in her hands.

Another pair of feet shuffled into the hidden kitchen, with quiet music buzzing through his white ear buds. It polluted the air and the peaceful atmosphere struggled against this buzzing intruder. A cup was dropped onto the napkin and coffee was roughly poured in. The feet left again quickly and the room fought to recover itself. The girl reappeared in the doorway and her eyes jumped to the napkin. She moved over it and stared down at her hummingbird bleeding coffee as it soaked into the paper. With both hands she pressed it against her cheek and wept silently.

Wind tore and bit at her numbing fingers as they struggled to clasp the buttons on her coat. It had gotten late and the closing office had forced her outside into the perilous elements. Glowing street lamps illuminated rain beating against the ground and snarling viciously at its unlucky victims caught in the storm. She touched her fingers against the cool coins in her pocket, saved for her bus journey and she jumped out from the shelter of the office doors and ran up the street. The rain stung more than she had imagined and it came down so fast she could barely see ahead of herself. She heard a yell and the passenger door of a car was flung open to her left, she couldn’t make out the driver but his eyes, blurred in the onslaught of rain looked friendly and against her instincts she pulled her unwilling body into the seat.

“Thanks so...” she began.

“Which way to your house?” he interrupted, “I couldn’t let a young girl like you out in the rain.”

“Oh I couldn’t ask you to drop me the whole way home, my bus stop is just up ahead.” She continued.

“What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t take you right to your doorstep!”

His warm smile cut her protest short and they sat quietly, listening to the drum of rain on the car and a violin weeping beautifully through the car radio.

He pulled the car slowly to a stop along a quiet residential street. All the nearby houses were dark and the street lighting was sparse, leaving a greenish glow to dimly bathe the interior of the car. The man turned to gaze at her and as his sparkling blue eyes intensified she recognised him. The first person to have taken any notice in her since she had started her job in that office. He wasn’t familiar to her but she didn’t know many of the workers. Carefully he raised his hand and, after studying it, slowly placed it down on hers.

She froze, staring ahead motionlessly as he tested her reaction. His warm hand spread heat through her tingling fingers and it began to spread through her whole body. She began to relax and her eyes closed as she rested her head back against the seat. His fingers clasped around hers and he leaned his face closer and kissed each of her closed eyes. He moved his way down and tasted the warmth of her soft, wet lips and brushed his tongue against the edges. She began quivering softly and arched her neck back to push her lips into his. He pulled back hesitantly and her mouth was left open expectantly.

Out of his pocket he pulled a beautifully illustrated switch blade. Intricate floral swirls and designs danced across its chrome exterior and a naked glinting blade snapped from it. The cool steel, glowed sickly in the urban lighting. He leaned in again but this time the cold sleek blade kissed her nape. She shook more violently and her face flushed with passion as her life leaked out her throat. He brought the blade up and ran it gently across her mouth. She began to breathe heavily under the caress of the biting steal, her shuddering slowly ended and he leaned his head in once more and kissed her bloodstained lips.