Chapter 1

Meet the main character (the 'little red').

“Granny, can I run down to the store?” Erin shouted across the little house, scowling down at the camera that calmly told her Memory Full.

“I don’t know, hon.” Granny’s shaky voice replied “It’s getting pretty dark out.” The soft click, click, click of the rubber stopper on the end of Granny’s cane against the floor make Erin quickly power the camera off and slip it into her jacket pocket. She greeted her grandmother at the door as it was softly pushed open.

“What do you, anyway?” Granny asked, frowning slightly as Erin looked down at her from her superior two inches.

“I’m out of memory, again.”

“Again?” Granny sighed “Erin Red, you have spent more money on memory for your camera than I’ve spent on these cursed pills the doctors keep prescribing.”

“Sorry, Granny, but you know how it is.” Erin gave a shrug “Aspiring photographer.”

“I know, hon, I know.” Granny gave another sigh “You might not use as much memory if you copy them onto the computer, though.”

“I do. I like to keep the SD cards, anyway. In case my laptop crashes, or something.”

“Can’t you back them up? You were telling me how to do that with those recipes, the other day.”

“This is different, Granny.” Erin waved her off and walked past her through the door.

“If you really need a new card so badly, let me drive you.” Granny followed her slowly into the living room a few steps away “A pretty, young lady like yourself shouldn’t be out so late at night. This is the time of night for ruffians and gangs to be stalking the streets.”

“Gran, it’s not even eight o’clock.” Erin snorted “Besides, you know you’re not supposed to be driving in the dark. Doctor’s orders.”

“Doctor, schmoctor. I’m not going to let you wander the streets at night at your age.”

“I guess I’ll just wait until morning, then.” Erin sighed and plopped down on the worn love seat in front of the TV. She could already see Dylan’s frown as she told him she didn’t have any pictures for him, then him rolling his eyes as she told him it was because her Granny wouldn’t let her go out at night. He would go back to Jay, patting his pocket disdainfully, and ignore her for the rest of the day. Erin began to scowl a little as she unburied the remote from under the cousin and clicked on the TV.

“Don’t look like that, hon.” Granny whined, gently lowering herself onto the seat next to her “I said I’d drive you.”

“You can’t drive me. It’s too late. Don’t worry about it, we can stop by before school tomorrow.” Erin began to click through the channels, eyes glued on the TV. Granny gave another sigh, but sank back into the soft couch without anymore arguing. Erin dropped the remote onto the arm rest, having found nothing interesting and just letting the weather channel yap at her. No clouds in tomorrow’s forecast, small humidity percentage, yada, yada, yada. She tugged at loose fibers on the armrest and she let her eyes glaze over, the white noise keeping Granny occupied while she could drift off.

The corner of the camera was pressing into her leg, a painful reminder of what she couldn’t do. She wanted to take it out or, at least, move it, but she didn’t want to call Granny’s attention to it, again. She had a few pictures that she could give Dylan. They weren’t very good, though, and she knew he was going to complain about them. Maybe, if she finally stuck in a video, he would be a little more satisfied. She had never been able to make a good one, though. Not one that would get him to pay more for it. Not one that would make him want more. She could give him one, though, just to tide him over and to show him she could. She could tell him about how she was practicing and that she was sure she was going to get better.

She nearly winced with these thoughts. She was sounding so much like a little kid, so thirsty for him. He already told her the sophomore girls were better because they were older. He had pointed out how she, a lowly freshmen, hadn’t quite gotten the feel of herself, yet. He took the pictures, anyway, but always threatened that he could find them somewhere else. Once, when he was being particularly critical of her work, she asked him sharply why he didn’t go for them, then? Why was he still paying her? She was the cheapest. The answer came back fast and hard, but she didn’t change her price. If it was keeping him loyal to her and it was her only income, there wasn’t really a reason to. Besides, he had promised he’d pay more for a video.

“Oh, hon, turn that off!” Granny suddenly cried, pointing her cane at the TV “I don’t want to have to hear about that kind of thing!” Erin fumbled for the remote, finally seeing that the weather channel had moved to the late news. Seconds before the clicked the monitor off, footage came up on the screen. Caution tape, sirens, and a crying woman. Big, bold, white letters across the top read ‘Serial Killer Strikes Again: 12 year old Michael--’. She wished she hadn’t moved so fast to tap the button when Granny had called it to her attention.

“It’s sickening.” Granny was saying, voice and hands shaking “Hurting people like that. Especially those kids. See why I can’t let you go out, Erin? With all these disgusting madmen on the loose, it’s just not safe.”

“Yeah, I know, Granny.” Erin said quietly, eyes still on the blank TV screen. Now that she’d had time to process the image, she recognized the woman. She knew which Michael it was. Her stomach churned and she tugged harder at the armrest. The school would be abuzz, tomorrow, that was for sure.

“I’m gonna go to bed, okay?” She said, rising from the couch “You should probably soon, too. The doctor said it would be better for you to start getting to bed early, remember?”

“Doctor, schmoctor.” The old woman said “I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it for almost twenty years, now.”

“Oh, then what have I been doing all this time?” Erin laughed a little and crossed her arms in a fake glare.

“Eating my food, using my electricity, and drinking my water, that’s what.” Granny replied sternly “Get to bed, young missy. You’ve got to get up early for school, tomorrow.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Erin rolled her eyes and marched back to her room, closing the door softly behind her. She pulled the camera out of her pocket as she sat down on the bed. The light from her lamp glanced off the lense and danced around the room. She twisted and turned the camera with practiced agility, making the splotch of white travel around wherever she wanted it to go. When it finally fell on one of Granny’s bottles of medicine that littered the room, she finally dropped it onto the bed. Dylan needed pictures tomorrow. Erin needed to get paid. She needed the hundred dollars. Granny needed a refill on her drugs.

Erin sighed and collapsed backwards into the pillows. The camera, pressing against her leg, again, looked up at her from where it was sitting. The little spot of light was still there, daring her to do it. Dylan needed pictures, after all. Erin’s eyes glanced at the window and she twisted her hair around her fingers. What were the chances of her bumping into a murder, really? She heard the clicking of Granny’s cane as she walked through the living room to her own bedroom. There was a short pause, the thump of the door closing, and a thick, heavy silence. Erin’s fingers twisted her hair tighter, strangling the tips of her fingers. Laying in wait, staring down at the camera,  refusing to look at the window.

Seconds slowly morphed into minutes, which then turned into hours. The alarm clock on the bedside table absently displayed the time for her; 9:38. The bed creaked as she sat up cautiously, eyes darting to the door. She picked the camera up, set it on the nightstand, and rose. She quickly slipped on her shoes and shoved a few bills into her jacket pocket.

Dylan could at least pay for his own SD card. She scowled as she zipped up the jacket as quietly as she could. Tiptoeing over to the window, she pushed the locks until they clicked, then shoved the window open. It gave a muffled eerk, but she moved the glass so fast, it didn’t last long. Still, she paused, chewing on her lip, trying to hear for Granny’s cane. When the clock flashed five minutes had gone by, she climbed out.

With the forecast for tomorrow being so warm, it was a rather cool night. She shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and buried her nose as a quiet breeze blew past her. She trotted through the grass on the side of the house, heading towards the lights of town. They were a beacon in the darkness of their little plot. The five mile walk from here to there was one Erin had to do so often, the distance didn’t matter to her much. She set out with definite direction and quick steps.

After two miles, she finally hit sidewalk. The neighborhood she had entered was on the very outskirts of Glidden, so the houses were still few and far between. She walked on, keeping her eyes focused on where her feet were stepping. She was not going to make eye-contact with a serial killer, tonight. On the other hand, she had to go through Michael's neighborhood to get to the electronics store. It was the fastest way. In the dead of night, after having snuck out, it was the only way. She glanced ahead of her and saw the street sign at the end of the block glinted with the light of the passing cars, a warning light as to what lay beyond. She moved her eyes back to the ground and hurried across the street.

She watched the tip of her shoes falling in between the cracks on the sidewalk. The soft, rubbery click, click, click echoed off the walls of the houses to her right, but faded into the light traffic on her left. Ahead of her, flashing lights shocked her eyes, making her duck her head even more. She tugged at the loose string on the inside of her pocket and hurried past the yard surrounded by caution tape. The squawking of the radios and the low murmur of comforting words chased her as she walked, making her heart beat faster.

“Young miss, can I speak to you for a second?” The string she had been playing with snapped off in her fingers as her head snapped up.

“Detective Croix.” She sighed with relief when she saw the uniform and familiar tight jaw. He raised an eyebrow, hands on his belt, looking down at her.

“I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“I go to school with your daughter..”

“Everyone does. There’s only one high school. Now, what’s your name?”

“Erin Red.” She squeaked.

“What are you doing out so late, tonight, if you have school tomorrow?”

“I need to get an SD card from Matt.” She answered, tapping her heel against the cement. He frowned even more.

“In the middle of the night?”

“Granny can’t drive in the dark. Doctor’s orders.”

“Still, you couldn’t have waited until morning?”

“It’s due tomorrow.”

“Mm-hmm.” He hummed dryly “This is a little bit beyond procrastination, isn’t it?”

“I’m not so good with deadlines.” She shrugged and looked back down at the ground. There was silence between them for a few seconds and the string in her pocket found itself twisted around her fingers, again.

“Want a lift?” He finally huffed “I don’t like the idea of you walking around alone, tonight, and I’ve done all I can do, here.”

“Oh, you don’t have to--”

“It’s either that, or I’m not going to let you through.” He said sternly “You can just go one back home, if you want.”

“Okay,” She sighed and he gave a curt nod, turning sharply on his heel and leading her to his car. She slid into the passenger seat and clicked her buckle into place, the string falling to the floor. He quickly did the same after a few words with another officer and started the engine without looking for her. They rolled out onto the street, Erin rubbing the toes of her shoes together.

“You didn’t know Michael, did you?” The detective asked gruffly.

“Kinda. His mom subed in our class, a few times.”

“Mm. So, not too well, then?”

“No, not really.”

“Just wondering. Straight on, right?”

“Yeah, it’s just at the end of the street, down a few miles.”

“Is the shop even open this late?”

“It doesn’t close until eleven.”

“Right.” He fell silent, eyes glued to the road in front of him, jaw clenched tight, knuckles almost white on the steering wheel. There was a sudden squawking in his radio set, a group of jumbled words and numbers. He didn’t move or even glance at it, though. Erin glanced at the people they were passing out the window, but tried to duck her head down whenever they glanced back. She wanted to give a relieved sigh when he finally pulled into a spot in front of the little shop.

“I’ll wait for you.” He said shortly.

“Oh, okay,” She murmured, scrambling to get out of the car. The time it took her to get home would definitely be shortened, but the idea of someone mentioning to Granny that they had seen Erin riding in the cop car made her stomach knot up. She hurried into the store where Matt was watching her from behind the counter.

“Police escort, today?” He laughed “When did you get important?”

“Have you seen the news, yet?” Erin asked quietly as she marched over to where he always had the SD cards laid out.

“Girl, I’ve been working all day.” He scoffed “Why? Are you on it? Please tell me it was for streaking?”

“You’re a perv.” She shot at him, but put the package on the counter for him ot scan “No, there was another murder.”

“Oh, really? Who?” He ran the barcode over the lazer while keeping his eyes on her.

“Michael Celia.”

“Geez, wasn’t he that kid with the bright red hair?”

“Yeah. I don’t need my receipt.”

“Always in cash.” He chuckled as she handed him the bills “Where do you get all this money?”

“I have an allowance.” She rolled her eyes, but wished she hadn’t dropped the string in the car.

“Girl, you’re too old for that kind of thing. When are you going to get a job, get your own credit card?”

“I’m only 15. I can’t get a job until I’m 16.”

“You don’t look 15. You know, I can think of a job or two you’d be perfect for.”

“A cop drove me here, remember? Watch where those eyes are wandering to or I’ll taddle.”

“Then, who’d you buy your SD cards from?” He flashed a grin at her as he passed it back over the counter.

“Do me a favor and act like an adult, for once.” She snapped at him as she took it.

“Same to you.” He called as she turned sharply and left him alone in the building. The detective had been staring into space when she opened the door to the car and jumped a little as she sat down, again.

“All good?” He asked, putting the car into reverse.

“Fine.” She answered. The car was silent except for the few directions she gave him as she took him home.

“No lights on?” He asked as they pulled up to the house.

“Granny’s asleep.” She said as she unclasped her buckle.

“Hey,” He called as she was about to open the door, grabbing her arm “I don’t want to see you walking around alone at night anymore, okay?”

“Uh, okay.”

“I’m being serious, now. You get this kind of thing done before dark or you don’t turn it in. Stay inside where it’s safe.” She stared at him with wide eyes for a few seconds, then he let go of her arm.

“Get inside.” He ordered and she jumped out of the car. She could feel him watching her as she walked up to the front of the house, pretending to dig around in her pocket for the key. When she pulled out her fist as if holding the key tightly, she finally heard him driving on down the lane. She glanced over her shoulder, saw that he was out of sight, and dashed around to the side of the house. She pulled herself through the window, closed it with a snap that was much louder than she wanted, and threw herself into the bed, heart racing. She lay there, her the rubber soles of her shoes tugging on the inside of her sheets and the parcel held tightly to her chest. She did her best to hide her panting breath, even though it spiked when she saw the headlights of the police car pass by, again.

He left, though, and Granny never came to check on her. Slowly, she sat up, throwing her blankets to the side. She tore through the plastic covering around the card and snatched her camera off the side table. A quick exchange, then she held the button to force it on. With an empty memory, she might even be able to stick a video in there and charge Dylan extra without it having to be any good. She chewed her lip as she looked at the clock. She’d have to do a lot tonight, though. There weren’t enough on the other card to satisfy him.

She hurried to the laptop on her desk and stuck in the full card. She clicked the copying into action and darted off to the bathroom while it went steadily on. The make up in her top drawer rattled as she pulled it out and began to quickly work it across her face. She would go heavier on blush, at first, then wipe it off and go light. Dark, red lipstick, then soft pink. She could make herself look different. She completed her first style and went back to her computer. Some pictures she moved to her ‘photography’ folder, while the others she just left in the ‘download’. She switched out the cards, then transferred the ‘download’ folder to the new one. This only took a short few moments and she was soon able to stick it back into the camera.