Scarlet’s Red Dawn
The first time I saw her in person, a warm Kona wind was
blowing through her raven black hair. The rising dawn warm upon
her exquisite face, casting her in a glowing veil of soft golden
splendor.
Every fiber in my soul was on fire as her gentle grace
touched me, carressing me like the fluttering wings of a butterfly.
I knew it even than. Knew that I would do anything for this
woman, anything at all. And as you shall discover, I did. All she
wanted and more.
It was a typical Hawaiian morning in the small town of
Kailua-Kona, on the westside of the Big Island of Hawaii. Jake
was sitting quietly, eating the breakfast sandwich he had purchased
inside the small fast-food house. He had opted to sit on the
terrace, escaping the noisy breakfast crowd that frequented this
particular eatery atop a windblown hill on the Keaahou end of Ali’i
Drive in downtown Kailua.
The soft yellow sunlight gently traced itself along his arms
and face as he ate the tasty, high cholesterol, treat. His doctor
would have shaken his head profoundly had he caught Jake
savoring the dangerous morsel. He smiled to himself, and as his
focus sharpened he realized that he had still been staring up at the
impressive figure standing in the wind, her long raven hair
majestically streaming in the warm trades.
She smiled at him and Jake nearly fell off the hard concrete
bench he sat upon. He caught himself and smiled at her before
averting his gaze. “Damn,” he swore to himself. “She’s coming
over.” He wasn’t ready for anything like this so early on a
Monday morning. “Why couldn’t this be happening on the beach
on a Saturday afternoon,” he complained silently. “After three or
four rums? When my appearance would be calm and cool. My
voice deep and smooth.” It was too late to run, she was but five
feet away from him now. He had no choice but to turn-on the
natural charm he was so well known for. Besides, isn’t this just
the way he’d planned it?
“Good morning,” he smiled, the rythmic purity of his voice
not failing him. He smiled wider. This might work out okay after
all.
“Good morning,” replied the tall, impressive woman.
“Please sit down,” Jake offered, admiring the perfection of
her face and skin. She had a native look to her, but her features
were sharp and chizelled. Feminine yet fierce in a strangely
appealing way. Her eyes were a dull though attractive shade of
green. Her lips full and magically alluring. The highness of her
cheek bones suggested a nordic ancestry. Jake marvelled at the
perfect melding of her mixed genealogy. She was gorgeous, and
Jake was instantly captured by her overwhelming presence in
this realm as well.
“Mahalo,” she thanked him, and sat with the lithe grace of
a cat. Her green eyes framed by the raven strands of hair were
nearly enough to knock Jake from his seat again.
“I have seen lovely women before,” he offered softly, his
voice smooth for a Monday morning. “But what i see when i look
at you makes me warm deep within myself.”
Her finely sculpted face revealed all it’s glory as she smiled
at Jake. Even her teeth were perfect.
“Mahalo yet again,” she expressed with a clarity of voice
that rang out melodically. “You are most kind.” Her gaze dropped
shyly. But she was far from shy. As her green gaze rose again she
took Jake’s hand into hers. “I need you,” she offered calmly yet
ominously.
“You need me?” Jake echoed, his tone filled with question.
“I’m being hunted,” the beautiful woman answered, her
expression still calm and smooth. They were in public after all.
“Hunted?” Jake repeated, his own expression twisting with
confusion and a strange mixture of grin. “Hunted by whom?”
“By life,” the woman ventured. “My whole life is
crumbling all around me.”
Jake couldn’t resist a chuckle. This was just too
melo-dramatic to be serious.
“Your joking, right?” he asked.
“You think that my pain is funny?” the refined woman
asked, her expression losing only the slightest control.
Jake narrowed his eyes. “Wait a minute,” he protested, his
brown eyes almost orange in the glare of the rising sun. “Will you
just tell me what’s going on here? I mean... We exchange the
usual pleasantries and than from out of no where you tell me that
you need me and that you’re being hunted.” He shook his head.
“You gotta admit,” he pleaded, “that that is not exactly a standard
introduction.” He smiled again, the corners of his mouth pinched
back tentatively.
She held his gaze for what seemed an eternity, finally
relenting. “I’m sorry,” she offered. She reached out her hand in a
rather calculated manner. “My name is Scarlet,” she proffered.
“Frankly my dear...” Jake began, but caught himself. That
would have been too tacky, even for him. He modified the
statement, reaching his own hand out in introduction.
“I’m Jake,” he replied, taking her smooth, warm palm into
his and feeling her gentle fingers increase their sweet pressure.
“Now tell me, please,” he probed. “What do you mean when you
say that you are being hunted?”
Scarlet broke the nimble embrace that had held them
together and sat up stiffly. “I don’t think I should say.”
Jake’s lips parted and his eyes narrowed. “Look babe,” he
pointed. “This game of yours is getting a bit old, if you know what
i mean.” He stood up. “So if you don’t mind I think I’ll say aloha
now.” He turned to leave.
“No, please!” she begged, her expression finally showing
some strain. Jake responded to the softening of her features as she
regained some control.
He sat back down and so did Scarlet. “Look,” he
announced, his voice strained but smooth. “Just tell me what the
hell is going on sweetie. Maybe I can help you.”
Scarlet raised her gaze, her full lips parting slowly as she
spoke. “I need help Jake. Someone’s stalking me.” She reached
out and held his hand again.
“Who?” he demanded, his voice becoming a little louder
then he had intended.
“I don’t know exactly,” she replied. “He is like a phantom
from out of the shadows.”
“Oh look here darlin’,” Jake retorted, throwing is hands up
in exasperation. “I’m not James Bond sweetie. I think you need a
cop.”
“No!” she whispered desperately. “Please, no police. He
said he’d kill me if I called the police.” Her green eyes glistened
with fear. The facade of calm was completely gone now.
“Okay,” Jake tried to calm her. He looked around the
small terrace. Only two other people were seated. They were both
too absorbed in both their breakfast sandwiches and morning
papers to notice anyone else. “Sit down,” Jake instructed. Scarlet
obeyed.
“I want to kill him Jake,’ she blurted. “Please, you have to
help me.”
He looked at her for a long moment. He no longer saw a
beautiful woman, although she was surely still beautiful. What he
saw now was a desperate human being. He smiled inside himself.
“Will you help me?” she prodded.
“Help you to do what exactly?” Jake managed.
“Help me to kill the stalker,” she said without any
hesitation.
“We just met!” Jake groaned, unclear as to what he was
trying to say. “Jeez,” he exhaled. “Even my best friend never
asked me to kill anyone for him.” He held Scarlet’s gaze, each
trying to stiffle the nervous chuckle that threatened to escape. Jake
started laughing as Scarlet held her delicate hand to her smiling
lips.
“I’m sorry,” she offered. “I know this is crazy Jake. But I
don’t know what else to do anymore.” She settled herself
gracefully, flipping her black hair with long perfect fingers. “Let
me try and explain.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Jake assured her, his strong
handsome face setting into a serious, though thoughtful expression.
“I met this guy in late November 1996. I was in a chat
room on the internet.”
“Wait a minute,” Jake protested. “You mean to say that all
of this is about some guy who’s stalking you in some chat room on
the internet? Jeez lady,” Jake lectured. “Just stop going online,
damn!,” he grumbled as he stood. “You shake the bottom out of
my morning over some nut stalking you on the internet. I thought
it was something serious!”
“No, wait,” she pleaded. “You don’t understand Jake. He
never stalked me on the net. We were friends. Confidantes while
we chatted together online. Please jake, listen too me before you
walk away.” Jake sat back down. “Thank you,” Scarlet smiled
demurely. “like I said,” she continued. “I met this guy in
November, like I said earlier. I was dropping in and out of
different rooms and I finally dropped into one called
SweetDreams. For some reason the name just hooked me
instantly. And there he was, resplendit as the King of his own
realm. His nickname was DreamMaker and his first words to me
were. ‘Oh Scarlet of the red dawn sing for me my love for my heart
is heavy and I wish to fill myself with your warmth.’ I was using
my real name, Scarlet. And he said that to me Jake. And i was
captured. Captured by those first words and all the other words he
spoke so smoothly and with such conviction that I let myself be
swept away.’ She smiled shyly and went silent.
“I still don’t understand,” Jake frowned. “If you stop going
into chat the problem will stop.”
“Thats what I thought, so I did stop,” she acknowledged.
Jake’s gaze narrowed as he thought for a moment. “So,”
he ventured. “This lunatic went the one step further and stepped
like a phantom from the shadows and began stalking you in
reality.”
“Exactly!” Scarlet exclaimed. “I’ve not been able to get a
good look at his face. But he was of average height and build.’
She looked at Jake. “About your height. Perhaps a little taller.
But it was always at night that I felt his presence and he never got
close enough for me to get a clear llok.”
“But I still don’t understand fully my sweet,” Jake stated.
“Why are you here now, in this place asking me for help?”
Scarlet shrugged, her perfect body going limp. Her green
eyes blinked slowly. “I got a call from him last night. I don’t
know how he got my number, but he did. And he said that if I
wanted to put an end to this whole affair that I should meet him
here this morning.”
“So..?” Jake probbed.
“So, what?” Scarlet queried.
“Do you see him here anywhere?”
Scarlet took a prefunctory look around. “No,” she replied
softly. “I don’t see him. Not that i’d recognize him specifically.”
“Look,” Jake said, pulling a cell phone from his pocket.
“Hey i got one of those,” Scarlet said, reaching into her
purse and pulling out her own cell phone.
Jake smiled. “Good sweetie,” he nodded. “Look,” he
repeated. “I’m going to give my office a call and let them know that
i won’t be in today.”
Scarlet smiled tentatively. “Does that mean that you’ve
decided to help me with my little problem?” she asked hopefully.
“I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do?” Jake
answered. “But I know that I don’t want to leave you alone.” He
smiled.
“Thank you,” Scarlet whispered.
“Welcome,” Jake replied, standing and moving to the far
corner of the terrace so he could make his call to the office.
Just as he was making his call-in, Scarlet’s own phone
rang. Her shaking fingers reached for and answered the incessant
machine.
“H-Hello,” she answered softly, her voice nearly failing
her.
“Good morning love,” came the reply. It was him. “I see
that you have kept our appointment.” He chuckled sardonically.
“Yes I have,” Scarlet answered, using all the control and
courage she had to keep from hanging up and running away.
“Good. Very good indeed love. I’m glad that you’ve
decided to meet with me face to face. About time we did that
wouldn’t you say?”
“Yes DreamMaker, I can’t wait to meet you,” she lied.
“Ha ha ha!” he laughed loudly, forcing Scarlet to distance
herself from the receiver of the cell phone. “You sound eager
love,” he laughed again. “You didn’t sound all that eager when I
called you last night. I hope your not planning any nasty little
surprises for me?” He chuckled wickedly.
Scarlet looked around anxiously. Was he nearby she
thought? Did he see her talking with Jake? She was near panic
when his smooth voice came through the receiver again.
“Don’t be afraid my love,” he calmed, his voice sweet and
melodic. The same voice he’d used on-line when they spoke via
voice chat programs. The voice that had played such a major role
in his seduction of her. Now he was using it again. “Calm down
love. We will meet and you will see that I am not the monster you
have made me in your mind but instead the lover you imagined
when we were in love on the internet.”
“Do you really think it was love DreamMaker?” she asked.
“Or perhaps just obsession?”
“Obsession is that which we cannot control love,” he
answered immediately. “What we had, and still have together, is a
love warmed by mutual affection. What I feel for you is as soft
and warm as the sea on a mid-summer’s day. The sweetness of
your memory soothes me when all else is crumbling around me.
Without you Scarlet I could not face tomorrow’s light.”
“But I thought we were coming together to bring closure to
our relationship. I’ve told you that I don’t feel that I can go on,”
she explained cautiously.
“Yes my love. I know what you have said. And I
understand. So we will meet this one last time, and for the first
time face to face. I shall want to take the image of you into myself
so I might recall it’s brilliance when next I long for you.”
“Are we to meet here?” she asked. “Here where you asked
me to be this morning?”
“No,” came the reply, his voice suddenly soft and low,
almost guttural, but still mesmerizing. “We shall meet where the
fire comes to carress the earth my love. Like the fire of my love
rises to my thoughts when you drift into my mind. Meet my love
upon the land that royalty walked. Come to me at Puu’Oo Crater
at the Volcanoes National Park. Come greet your dreams in a land
of warmth and power. Come to me Scarlet and let me see you
before I return to the shadows of your life forever.”
Scarlet thought for a moment. She was shaking but she
knew she had to go. He had no intention of ever returning to the
shadows. She would have to kill him if she were ever to be rid of
his menace. But still, she would need to be on guard. She could
easily be led down the path of doom by this man. His words still
moved her so.
“I will come DreamMaker. Where shall we meet exactly?”
“Do you know where the crater platform, over looking
Puu’Oo, is?”
“Yes,” she answered.
“Meet me there my love. I shall be waiting.” He cut the
connection.
Just as she placed the phone back in her purse, Jake came
up behind her.
“Done,” he announced. “Sorry to keep you waiting,” he
apologized. “But there were a few things I had to discuss with my
secretary. But now,” he assured her. “I am free for the rest of the
day. Free to be with you and see if we can’t figure out what to do
about your stalker.” He held her gaze, sensing that something was
wrong. “What;s happened?” he probed.
“DreamMaker just called me,” she answered.
“When?” Jake asked, his expression narrowing.
“While you were on the line with your office he called
me.”
“And?” he prodded.
“He wants to meet at Puu’Oo Crater,” she told him.
“At the Volcano?” Jake queried.
“Yes...”
“When?” he mumbled, his eyes staring down at her.
“He wants me to leave now.’ She looked up at Jake with
her sad green eyes. “Help me Jake,” she pleaded. “If I don’t kill
him I will never be free.” She stood and kissed him passionately,
her arms pulling him close.
She was beautiful and perfect to look upon. But when Jake
tasted her upon his tongue he knew that he’d never be able to deny
her anything.
“Help me Jake, please,” she pleaded, her tongue
disappearing into his mouth again.
His eyes closed and he let himself be carried away by the
power of the love he now knew was true.
“Come with me Jake. Help me rid myself of the man that
calls himself DreamMaker. I need you Jake.” Her green eyes held
his. “Help me...” Her sweet voice rang smoothly into his ears.
“What would you have me do,” he asked simply.
“Than you will come?” she prodded excitedly.
“Yes...”
“Oh Jake I love you,” she beamed, convinced that the hook
was planted deep enough now. “Come lover,” she instructed.
“You shall be the one to make my dreams come true. You are
truly my DreamMaker.”
So wrapped in the warm memory of her sweet tongue was
Jake that the irony of her statement floated right over his clouded
head. He followed her to her car. He was her’s now. And he
would do her bidding. Perhaps...
The weather had turned dark and rainy by the time they
entered the Volcano District, some 120 miles from kona. Scarlet
pulled her car into the parking lot at the Volcaones National Park.
Two rangers sat chatting in the entrance booth. It was Monday,
and raining heavily now. There were no other cars in the parking
lot. Good she thought. It looked as if her luck might be changing
for the better. They paid the nominal entrance fee at the gate and
proceded down the paved path that would lead them to Puu’Oo
Crater some two and half miles south.
It was eleven in the morning when they started their trek
and high noon when Puu’Oo finally came into view.
Scarlet held onto Jake’s arm as the crater platform came
into view about two hundred yards beyond their present position.
They had hardly spoken as the rain had been coming down so hard
and incessantly. The skies were still very gray and ominous, but
the rain at least, had subsided.
“My darling,” Scarlet whispered. “Take this,” she
prompted.
Jake looked down at her out stretched arm and saw the gun
in her hand.
“You want me to shoot him?” he asked, his dark brown
hair matted to his head as droplets of rain water rolled down his
face from his still soaked head.
“Yes my love. He must die or I shall never be free to be
with you.” She stroked his face gently.
There was a strange look in his eyes. A look of almost
complete calm. But something else as well. Scarlet thought she
saw a hint of desperation in his expression. A hint of confusion
and doubt.
“Don’t let me down now lover,” she beseeched. “Not
when we are so close. All you need do is kill him and I shall be
yours.” Her own sense of reality was completely exhausted now.
The months of fear had driven her beyond the point of no return.
She took Jake’s arm and wrested him forward, her eyes on
the gun that he grasped in his right hand.
They slowly approached the crater platform and the rim
that fell away into oblivion, but there seemed to be no one there.
“Where could he be,” Scarlet whispered as they stepped up
onto the platform toward the piped railing. They leaned against it
and peered over at the bubbling cauldron, the sour smell of sulphur
accosting their eyes.
Jake’s eyes never left the heated pool of magma as Scarlet
turned around and scanned the area in search of some sign of the
DreamMaker.
“Where could he be,” she repeated to herself, her tone
growing anxious. “Do you see him anywhere jake?” she asked.
Jake never answered.
Scarlet’s pacing intensified as her obsession with killing
the DreamMaker reached a fevered pitch. “Where is he!” she
finally shouted, her words drifting out over the lava fields and
slowly dying away to silence.
Then she heard it. The words that had first started her upon
the wicked path she now traveled.
“Oh Scarlet of the red dawn sing for me my love for my
heart is heavy and I wish to fill myself with your warmth.”
She turned toward the voice and looked into Jake’s burning
brown eyes. The gun trained on her chest.
“Oh my god no!” she rasped with fear, her green eyes
expressing the knowledge they held as she realized what it all
meant. “Your DreamMaker...” she whispered, her voice filled
with terror.
“Yes,” Jake...DreamMaker replied, pulling the cell phone
from his pocket. “Useful little device this is, isn’t it my love.” He
laughed wickedly as he tossed the tiny phone over his shoulder,
down into the hungry caldera.
“You never called any office did you,’ Scarlet asked,
though she already knew the answer.
“Of course not my love,” DreamMaker replied, his lips
stretching into a most malevolent grin. “And now...” he hissed.
“We shall put an end to our relationship. But in ending it we shall
have each other for all of eternity.”
“No!” Scarlet screamed. But it would do her no good.
They were all alone now. Nothing could save her.
DreamMaker pulled the trigger and shot Scarlet in the
center of her chest. She wobbled but didn’t fall. DreamMaker
stepped forward calmly, taking her into his strong arms. And
again for the last time she heard those words as he carried her and
stepped over the piped railing.
“Oh Scarlet of the red dawn sing for me my love for my
heart is heavy and I wish to fill myself with your warmth.”
And with those words DreamMaker leapt from the rocky
ledge, sweet Scarlet tightly wrapped in his arms. Their love
forever sealed in a river of molten heat.
The End
A dual moral story.
No. 1: Never trust completely someone you meet on an internet
chat room.
No. 2: Never trust a man that eats a breakfast sandwich.
Ha ha ha...
Unpublished Works © 1997 GJB
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