Scarlet

This is a vague idea for a story that I may or may not finish, following a guy called Tom and his friends, Jenna and Russell.

 The hood is pulled from over his head, and the man winces in the bright light. He tries to move his arms, but they’re shackled tightly to the metal table before him. Another man sits opposite him, his gaze quite calm. His brown eyes betray nothing of what he’s feeling, his mouth barely twitching.

 “Mr Harvey, I’ve had you brought here about your wife.”

 Steven Harvey blinks, finally able to see the man before him clearly. His mind is buzzing, his ears ringing, almost as though someone had just shot a gun right by his head.

 “Mr Harvey, do you know where your wife is?” the man’s voice is almost monotone, his face completely blank. Steven shudders slightly, his mouth dry. He tries to clear his throat �" once, twice �" before beginning to talk in a low, husky voice.

 “I, er… My wife…”
 “Elizabeth.”

 “Lizzy, yes,” Steven latches onto the familiar word like a limpet. “Lizzy…” he squeezes his eyes shut again.

 “Do you know what has happened to her?” the man presses. At Steven’s pained silence, he sighs, and tries again.

 “Your wife, Lizzy. Or… your children?” At that, Steven’s eyes fly open.

 “Jen? Russ?” he suddenly struggles against his cuffs. “You… You know where they are? Where… They’re missing, they’re… they’re gone…” his voice grows steadily louder. The man, meanwhile, remains calm �" at best, mildly disappointed.

 “No, Mr Harvey, I do not.”

 

 The microwave pinged, and I startled from where I had slumped across the kitchen table. It was Thursday night, about 11 pm, the rain pattering softly outside. I took my re-heated noodles and collapse onto the sofa, ready to have a late dinner before continuing with my law dissertation �" why I always leave things to the last minute, I’ll never know.

 At least, those were my plans, until the doorbell rang.

 Frowning, I get up, making my way to the door to look through the spy hole. I hesitate, before stepping back to allow the door to open.

 I’m met with two very wet, very muddy and �" dare I ask �" very bloody Harvey siblings. I raise my eyebrow, looking between one and the other, waiting for one of them to speak. It’s Jenna who speaks first, her voice high and her eyes firmly looking everywhere but my face.

 “Hey, Tom, how’s it hanging?”

 Her brother is clearly not happy with that. “’How’s it hanging’? Christ, Jenna, he’s not even my friend and even I can tell that that is not how you greet someone when you’re dripping on their doorstep in the middle of the freaking night!”

 I smile weakly at the young man. “Russell, I guess? Nice to meet you-“ I’m cut off as he barges past me.

 “Charmed,” he mutters, shaking off his jacket as Jenna groans in annoyance and follows her brother in.

 “Sorry,” she whispers, and I just shake my head.

 “You’ve clearly had a long night,” I shut the door quietly behind her, and her eyes close briefly.

 “You have no idea.”

Author's Note

I know this first chapter is very short, and doesn't exactly explain anything - this is just setting things up for the actual story.