Hello everyone! It's time for the first WEP challenge of 2020! The theme for this month is Cafe Terrace. If you'd like to join in on the fun, head over and sign up!
I could have gone in a romantic direction. February is the perfect month for that, after all. That's not what happened, though. I sat down to write, and my brain took me in a different direction.
I hope you enjoy!
Calling the Shots
The warm moonlit night had enticed many to
come enjoy a bit of dinner on the café terrace. Each table for two had been claimed
by couples old and young. The background chatter filling the air had a bright,
happy note to it. People wanted to be here and were relishing in their time.
Amelia’s stomach was in knots as she
approached her table. She spent a full hour going through her closet to pick
out the perfect dress. She ended up choosing a soft pink satin dress with a
skirt that fell just past her knees. The matching pink high heels hugged her
feet too tightly. She received them as a gift a year before, but seldom wore
them due to the discomfort. For this night, though, the right look mattered too
much to be deterred by a few blisters.
She took her seat across from a man she’d never
met and waited for him to say something.
“I’ve ordered a bottle of wine.” The man’s
face was several days unshaven, and his dark eyes were submerged in shadow. His
black pinstripe suit would have looked at home in a court room, though this man
operated on the other side of the law.
The candles flickered from the center of
the table, casting a romantic light. Amelia clenched her fists in her lap. “I’m
not old enough for wine,” she said softly, not wanting anyone to overhear her
admission. This wasn’t to say she’d never sampled wine before, and worrying
about the illegality of consuming alcohol seemed ludicrous given the circumstances.
He put his finger to his lips. “Shh. Let’s
keep that between the two of us.”
“Okay.” Amelia would allow him to have his
way for the moment.
“I’ve also ordered your food,” he said
matter-of-factly, as if such an act were a foregone conclusion.
Anger licked at her insides, but she kept
her face relaxed. Betraying fear or frustration would only empower the man. “I
can’t wait to try it,” she said, keeping her words level.
He leaned forward on his elbows and
studied her. “Amelia. That’s such a pretty name.”
She looked him in the eye. “Do you have a
name?”
The man shook his head. “Not for you, I
don’t.”
Amelia couldn’t allow his defiance to
rattle her. A waiter approached their table then, and they lapsed into silence
as he poured them each a drink. The red liquid in Amelia’s glass glowed like a
ruby as she picked it up and took a sip. The wine was dry and strong. That
strength helped fortify her.
Once the waiter was out of earshot, she
spoke again. “Very well. I don’t need to know your name to say this. You need
to leave me and my family alone.”
The man’s smile grew, revealing a chipped left
canine tooth. “We need to discuss terms, and I prefer to do that over food. Be
patient. Have a drink. Try to smile a little. That sour look on your face will
draw attention.”
As much as Amelia didn’t want to draw
attention, she didn’t appreciate being spoken to in that manner. She sat up
straight, her spine rigid. Her parents taught her from a young age how to
project confidence, and she needed those skills now more than ever. “I think
you misunderstood the purpose of this meeting. We aren’t discussing terms. I
came here to warn you. Blackmailing us is a mistake. You need to back off. My
family will do a lot to protect one another, but that doesn’t involve acquiescing
to your demands.” She waved her right hand, as if dismissing an invisible fly.
A red dot appeared on the man’s forehead.
She averted her eyes, not wishing to draw attention to it.
“This is your last chance to change your
mind. I will release the information. You and your family will be destroyed,”
he said, a sick pleasure lacing his words. He clearly thought he’d either receive
a great reward for his silence or the pleasure of watching her family go down
in flames.
“No,” she said with conviction. “This is your
last chance. You need to leave my family alone. You’re not the one calling
the shots here. I am.”
His face darkened, a bulging vein popping
out in the center of his forehead. The red dot lingered there right beside it. “Listen
here little girl, you obviously don’t know who I am. I can make your life a
living hell.”
The man’s voice was increasing in volume,
and it wouldn’t be long before he drew unwanted attention their way. She had to
put an end to it. And with one more wave of her hand, she did just that.
It all happened silently. One moment, the
red dot was there. The next, a round hole replaced it, and the man’s eyes grew
wide. He fell forward a couple seconds later, smashing into his wine glass in
the process. The red liquid spilled forth, soaking the pristine white tablecloth.
The stain spread quickly, soaking the fabric around him.
Amelia covered her mouth and cried out. The
tears came easily, steaking down her cheeks. She’d always loved acting.
The patrons surrounding them turned to
look, many of them jumping up from their chairs or ducking for cover as soon as
they spotted the deceased man. They scrambled for the exits, trampling each
other in the process.
She followed suit, eager to leave this
place behind her. Her duty to her family was done. She’d protected them, and no
one would suspect she had a thing to do with it. Her father would be proud.
Word Count: 942
FCA
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