The Red Cleanse

Trigger Warning: This story contains sexual content with violent overtones and an abusive situation.

Theo stood at the end of an abandoned driveway. Nature was reclaiming it.   

A forgotten white house stood at the end of it.  

Fog hung over the whole scene. Shattered moonlight fell onto the decaying asphalt. 

Theo looked up and down the desolate road.  

Theo thought, “All this feels familiar.”  

He could feel someone watching him. He squinted into the swaying trees. There was no one.   

Theo looked down at himself. He was wearing a light gray three-piece suit. There was a dark wooden cane in his hand. A bowler hat was on his head.  

He moved forward slightly, testing the suit.  

He wasn’t sure why he chose to walk this way down the road. It made as much sense as anything else.  

Theo began to hum.  

“Moonlight and love songs are never out of date...”  

He extended his toes on the asphalt and swung his arms. The piano flowed out from his synapses.  

“Hearts full of passion, jealousy, and hate...” Theo twirled around. He held out his arm at an angle and watched as Nora spun around in front of him, head thrown back, long brown hair flowing. Their wedding guests all watched her. He was just there to support.   

He closed his eyes and kept up the waltz on the road. Nora had badgered him into taking lessons for the wedding. He had loved it.    

“Woman need man, and man must have his mate...”  

Theo smelled Nora and looked ahead. 

A taxi had appeared. The exhaust was swallowed up in the low-hanging fog. He slowly closed his eyes.  

Nora’s smell began to vanish. All he could smell was the dampness of the scene.  

When Theo opened his eyes, he was in the backseat of the taxi. He could see Nora’s head from behind the driver’s seat.

He glanced over towards her and could see the bruises on her face from that night.  

“Hey, Theo...” Nora glanced in the rear-view mirror. She could see him, but he couldn’t see her. He knew her face so well he could tell she was smiling.   

Nora turned and looked at Theo. He couldn’t see her eyes because they were hidden behind large, mirrored aviators.  

He noticed a dribble of something from the lens edge. It was blood. One rivulet became three and then five. Each new one flowed faster.  

“Would you honor me with the pleasure of your company?” She opened her mouth. Blood flowed out in slow motion right towards him. His brain registered a painful chill for about two seconds upon impact.  

Theo sat up in bed. He could smell her…  

The room was cold exactly the way it should be.  

Her smell was thicker now.  

He heard her voice.  

“Theo…” He could feel her breath on him.  

Theo looked around the empty room. The only things there were of luxury.  

He slammed his head into his hands, shut his eyes, and thought, “No more voices, please.”  

He got up and moved into the bathroom. He felt her there. He flicked on the switch. It was empty.  

“Mother…”  

The running water sliced into the silence and stifled her voice. The fear dissipated until it was only a thin layer at the edge of his consciousness. 

  Theo looked into the mirror. He could see Nora Debs at Anthony’s party. 

Anthony left Theo alone. Theo loved that. Now, he looked out at the party through the glass doors into the sea of people. 

He had run out of food and drink. 

Theo’s legs got restless. He had to stand up. He stood and began pacing. Then, he noticed that his glass was empty. 

He looked out onto the party. The punch bowl was across the room. No one looked in his direction. Finally, Anthony saw him. He lifted his hat and smiled. But he said nothing.  

Theo moved through the party. 

Everyone ignored him, and as he poured his second cup of punch, he exhaled and relaxed a little. Now, he didn’t have to look at the people; he only had to hear them as he stared into the glass. Suddenly, the cup was empty, and his breathing relaxed a little. 

He turned back around at the party and saw Nora. 

She had a long mauve dress on with a plunging neckline. 

He moved over to her. 

He stood next to her, listening to the conversation she was having with another woman. 

Neither noticed him. He grinned at his anonymity. 

“So, they were singing that song ‘Power in the Blood of the Lamb, ’” Nora said. 

“That was my grandmother’s favorite hymn.” 

“And it’s always been mine. But as I was there in that church, I realized that the idea of power in the blood could be seen in different ways.” 

Theo stood directly behind Nora. 

He saw the other woman smile at him. 

“I mean, we see so much blood in movie violence. It’s bathed in it. When it’s violent, the blood is there to be part of the film. But when it’s menstrual blood, it’s bad. That wonderful happens for a large segment of the population. Every month, they get rid of something that never was. Releasing a future that could have been.” Nora sipped her wine. “That could be the wonder, working power in the blood.” 

Theo finally spoke up. “But that’s not lamb’s blood, is it? There is power in the blood of the lamb.” It was then that Nora turned. Theo almost collapsed at her beauty. Her hair was long and brown. She was fresh-faced and dressed in a flowing summer dress. She looked at him. 

“Unless something has gone wrong, menstrual blood is human blood.” She smiled. Theo laughed. “There is wonder, working power in the blood of the lamb,” said Theo.

“Wonder, working power is when your period is three days late, and you don’t want to be pregnant. That is some power in that blood...” She raised her glass, continuing, “Come for your cleansing...” 

“If someone hadn’t come, you wouldn’t have anything to worry about.” Suddenly, Theo was funny. Nora laughed. They talked for the rest of the party. 

At the end of the evening, Theo said, “I’m seeing a play tomorrow night. Would you honor me with the pleasure of your company?” 

 12/31/82

Nora and Olivia’s heads were thrown back with laughter. 

Theo smiled as he twirled his spaghetti onto his fork. Anthony was talking to him about his new art project. 

Theo smiled. Anthony leaned back. 

The spaghetti was devoured. There was another hilarity explosion from the women. 

Theo’s smile ended, and his eyes veered over towards Nora. 

“Aren’t you being a little too loud?” 

Nora waved him away. 

Anthony continued smiling. “What are you talking about, Theo?” The smile faded. He set his large hand on Theo’s shoulder. “It’s Friday night. Let our girls unwind.” Then he leaned into Theo. “You know what the problem is. That martini next to you is still in that glass there.” 

Theo’s eyes stayed on Nora. “Is that the problem, Tony?” There were several beats. “Is it?” Nora’s laughter disintegrated suddenly. She tilted her head back. The tears started forming. Then she put her head between her legs and took a deep breath. She held it in and came back up. Her bloody Mary disappeared. Her smile came back, and it was soaked in deceitfulness.   

Olivia watched Nora rebuild herself.

Nora raised her finger for the waiter and ordered a double scotch.  

Theo grinned. “Drink up Nora...that always helps things.” His eyes focused on her. Then he kicked her hard, under the table. Nora stifled the wince with a smile.

Nora got up. “I’m going to the ladies' room. Care to join me, Olivia?” She glared at Theo.

“Theo... man, relax.” Anthony patted him on the shoulder. “It’s going to be 1983 in..” He leaned out and looked at the clock. “…53 minutes.” 

Olivia stared at Theo. Two hours ago, when they met, she felt a pang of sickness when he shook her hand. Nora pulled on her sleeve. 

Theo watched as Nora and Olivia got swallowed up into the crowd. 

A day later…

“He’s appalling, Anthony. I know he’s your most important client, but I hate him.” They were both naked and in bed. Olivia sat up. “You know that he kicked Nora under the table before we left for the restroom.” There was a silence. “Do you believe that?” 

Anthony shrugged. “It wouldn’t surprise me.” There was silence. “You saw evidence of that?” 

“She was starting to bruise in the restroom.” Anthony looked away. “Do you believe me now?”  

“It doesn’t surprise me.” 

“Why not?” 

Anthony shrugged again. Then he sat up on the edge of the bed. “Theo has said things.” Anthony got up. “Other gals have said similar things.” 

  One year later

Anthony looked at the paper. He shook his head. “I’m worried about Theo.” 

Olivia looked over his shoulder. Nora’s face was looking out from the front page of the paper. Above the picture was “King County Woman Still Missing.” 

The two of them sipped their coffee. Olivia set her coffee down. She put her head in her hands. Anthony stood up and came over to her. She clutched him close. “She didn’t deserve that.” 

“We don’t know what happ-” 

“Bullshit Anthony...he killed her.” She shook her head. Then she buried her head into his bathrobe. 

3 years later…

A familiar man was standing in front of Olivia, behind her friend Cathy, at brunch. He was a small man in a stylish suit that was one size too big.

“It’s Theo.” He sounded rehearsed.

“Oh my God…I didn’t recognize you.” It was strange to see him here at The Jump Joint. 

“How long has it been?” 

“I have no idea.” Theo shook his head and forced out the friendliest grin he could.

“Too long... Theo... too long...” 

“We could go to The Caviar Duke sometime for dinner. You always liked the salmon...right?” 

“Yeah...I did.” Olivia paused. Anthony had always said he notices stuff. “I miss Nora. Do you know anything about the search for Nora?” 

Theo shook his head. “The cops don’t tell me anything. It’s all part of the investigation. I dropped her off at the movies that night, and she just never came home. She said a friend was going to give her a ride into the city. I waited, and she just never came back.” More head shaking. “No one knows what happened to her.” There was a pause. “Well, someone does. They just haven’t found them.” Theo looked up at Olivia, and he smirked. 

“If the cops need any information, Anthony and I are always willing to help.” 

“Always willing to help...” Theo said it a few more times. Then he turned and walked away mumbling, “willing to help...” 

Within seconds, he was lost in the crowd. 

Cathy scrunched up her face as she turned towards Olivia. “Did he just try to make a joke out of his wife's disappearance?” 

Olivia nodded. “We saw a show, had lunch, and met a never-gonna-be convicted murderer. Welcome to the city.” 

She spread out her arms. 

“Has he always been that strange?” 

“No. He used to be a little more normal...but not much.” Olivia smiled. “Think OJ Simpson without the looks, the charm, and about ten times the bucks. That’s Theo!!!”

Olivia sipped her cappuccino and stared into the crowd. 

Cathy smiled. “Ten times the bucks…that’s a joke.”

Olivia shook her head. “No, it’s not. His family owns the entire clock area downtown.”

“There’s like five buildings there. No one owns all of them.”

“There are thirteen buildings. Theo’s family owns them all. No joke.”

Cathy whistled low.

Nora stood next to the red house. She was alone. She moved further into the forest.  

Theo was there. This time in the black pin stripe suit she had chosen for him.  

Her feelings for him had changed. There was no pain here. That was for where he existed. 

She had chosen a light rain for this evening. If he stayed long enough, maybe she’d make it pour. 

She knew he always loved the drizzle. 

He used to say to her, “You do something nice to lure me in and then turn all mean.” She always denied it. But she knew he was right. 

He twirled in the drizzle. His white cane flashed against the darkness of the night. The lights for the night were a shade of yellow, which was her favorite. He never noticed color. 

He began to move down the road. She crept along parallel to him…watching.  

Nora wondered if he would know where he was. This time, the house was red. 

At home, she had always watched him closely. She needed to see if he was in a good mood. His mood would determine how the next hour would go. 

Now she had this information but not the fear. 

He began to dance down the road like he had last time. 

She moved with him. The leaves under her feet didn’t crunch. The branches didn’t snap. 

He stopped and twirled some. 

She could hear his voice. “It's still the same old story...A fight for love and glory...” He closed his eyes and twirled around in the storm. 

His joy made her sick. But the sickness was no longer physical. Now it was in her head.  

She laughed quietly. It was time to turn up the storm. 

The rain got worse. 

She placed a bus stop about two hundred feet down the road.  

The rain got worse. 

Now Theo was running, holding the bowler hat on. 

He ducked under the bus stop. 

Nora had made it all glass. 

Now she was right beyond the trees watching him. 

He was fluffing up his hair to dry it. 

Then he stood there and looked at himself in the glass. He extended his hands; the cane twirled in one of them. “It’s a case of do-or-die...” He closed his eyes. He certainly was loving the storm. He had taken her bait. 

She made it rain harder. Then, when that got his attention, she unleashed a huge clap of thunder. This startled Theo. Now he was looking around, shot full of fear. 

Nora approached the back of the glass. 

She stood in the storm, staring at him. 

Nora knew he could smell her.  

She waited for him to look at her. 

Then, in slow motion, she could see his body begin to move towards her. She smiled. She thought of all the times she watched him turn and felt dread because she knew pain was coming. But that was gone now. The only thing left was her smile.

Once he turned, he could see her standing there. 

She was naked. Exactly the way she was when he saw her last. Her body was bruised and battered. Her jaw was broken. The blood was dried and caked on her in a macabre Jackson Pollock formation. 

He was frozen there like he’d never been before. 

It was then that she flowed through the glass panel. Now, she was on the other side.

She looked him up and down. He stared at her. 

Her head twisted back and forth. 

“Am I as attractive as you remember?” 

She knew he could smell her. Her smell would follow him back into his apartment when she let him wake up. 

She just looked him directly in his eyes. 

“N-n-n-n-Nora.” For a second, there was only the rain.

“You know what you’ve done. You think about it every day. You have my photo in your wallet. The one from our wedding. You think that you love me…” She got very close to him. She smiled, then stepped forward. “Theo…” She leaned very close to his face and whispered. “Mother…mother.” Nora looked into his eyes. “Who will you cry out for in your final moments, Theo?” 

He stood there frozen. She could feel blood begin to ease out from her eyes...from her nose...from her vagina. It ran down her legs, warming them. The blood began to flow faster…

“Is this more than there was that night?” She whispered slowly into his ear. “Will you be free…from the burden of sin? There is power in the blood…wonder, working power…in the blood…”