Scarlet
ACME
- Best answers
- 0
- Known Aliases
- Red
- Color #
- 7a5883
The night was cold and darker than it should have been as clouds obscured the moon. A man hurried down the paved streets, trying not to make any noise and alert people to his location. Although he had taken pains to evade them, there was still a risk that he was being followed at the moment. A risk that he could not afford. The package must be delivered safely, that was his mission. His only mission. And he had never failed before.
Turning down an alley, he clutched the bundle close to his chest and took a deep breath. He was only a few minutes away from the location, away from the drop. Just down this alley, turn left and he would be able to see the building in the distance. But suddenly his focus was shattered as he heard a foot shuff against the pavement. That one moment gave away his pursuer's location, but also allowed them to disregard any notion of stealth. They realized that he knew they were coming, almost upon him. Now it was a chase. He bolted down the alley, making sure not to jostle what was in his arms too much. Glancing left and right, he noticed a building just set back from the street with an old heavy wooden door.
Hestitating for a moment, he glanced back to make sure his enemy would not see him and darted into the recess. Cursing himself for having to abandon his mission, even though he vowed it was only temporary until he lost his tail, he gently placed the bundle down and rapped loudly on the door. He only waited until he heard a muffled voice call out "Coming!" before he bolted back to the street. Thinking quickly, he snatched a loaf of bread from a street vendor, throwing some bills at him, then a bit of fabric from a clothesline and wrapped it so that it resembled his bundle.
Thankfully, the man or woman who had been following him was just turning the corner and they did not see his stop. Rather, they just saw their target sprinting down the street towards Notre Dame Cathedral. Unbeknownst to the man, a nun had answered the door where he placed his package and glancing around noticed it laying upon the ground.
She stooped down and picked it up, surprised by its weight and softness. Opening the fabric, she realized that she was holding a baby girl in her arms and gently rocked her whilst still looking around for the individual who had left her alone. Although it saddened her that someone would abandon a child, she was pleased that the child seemed to be in good health. At least they thought to leave her here, rather than abandon her somewhere she had to fend for herself. She will be taken care of here. The nun thought to herself. Cradling the baby, Sister Marguerite stepped back into the building and pushed the door closed.
The man continued to run, desperately trying to figure out where he could go and how he could lose his pursuer. No matter what he did, they were still there doggedly chasing him. And he couldn't run forever. He could have evaded them, but he made a mistake somewhere. Let them get too close. And now he couldn't lose them. If this didn't end quickly, he was going to lose his life. Obtaining the package meant more to that agent than his life and he knew that. He skirted around another street cart and dove down the Metro steps. Maybe he could lose them via train. It was his only chance. If he didn't make it back, he would have failed his mission, the girl, and she would never know who she was.
Back at the mission, the nun lay the little girl down and spoke in hushed tones.
"Mais où... but where will she go?" The shorter woman asked, looking down at the child sadly. "We will not be able to care for her forever. She will want to leave eventually. We must find her a bonne home. L'état, she will not let us keep her for long, not anymore. In the old days, we could care for children like they were our own. Care for them better than others I dare say. Mais, not now. Now she says we are more like a halfway house. We may care for them for only a few days before sending them to a home, not the type of place they wish to grow up."
The nun had forgotten about this change, forgotten that she could no longer care for the child. The state would take care of that, though how well was a matter of debate. She thought for a moment, then smiled. "I know the perfect personnes, they will be a happy famille." Although it was early and earlier still where the married couple lived, she knew they would be pleased with her call. Striding over to the old phone, she turned the dials and heard the familiar ring call out across the oceans in search of the girl's new family.
It took less than a minute for Monsieur Hart to answer his cellular device, but when he realized who was calling all sleep fell away from his voice.
"Allo? Sister Marguerite, it has been so long since we last spoke. Comment ça va? How is everything at the mission?" She could sense his smile through the tone of his words, but this was no time to be chatting. She had wonderful news for him.
"Bonjour Monsieur Hart, how is Madame Hart?" She replied, being cordial and unable to ignore her manners.
"Bonne, but don't let her hear you call her Madame. Its Madamoiselle, I think her age is getting to her. Especially because we haven't had children yet, and she wants so dearly to have a child. She won't admit it, but I think she dreams of having a little girl." He laughed heartily.
This pleased Sister Marguerite and she could not contain herself any longer. "I have news. A child. A wonderful little baby girl was left here recently and we cannot take care of her forever. It is not allowed. When I realized this, I immediately thought of you..."
The silence on the other end of the line was suffocating for a moment before he said five words and hung up the phone, "I will be there tomorrow." She hadn't expected him to be able to drop everything so quickly, but was pleased that he could. And even happier that he wanted to adopt the child, she knew in her heart that they were meant to be together. If they spent an entire lifetime together, they would be the happiest family she knew. Quite possibly the happiest family, but she had nothing else to compare it to.
The next day, Mssrs. Hart and Daniels, his lawyer, arrived via first class air to Charles De Gaulle Aéroport. Madame Hart had stayed at home to prepare the house for the arrival of a new family member. Monsieur Daniels drafted up the papers so that the Harts could legally adopt the child, who had become affectionately known as Scarlet by the nuns. Within a few hours, the two men were saying their goodbyes to the kind nuns who ran the mission. Monsieur Hart thanked Sister Marguerite most heartily of all, as she was the one who made his wishes come true.
Seven hours later, the plane touched down in Maryland at BWI Airport. Although the Harts lived in Washington, D.C. it was easier to fly into Maryland. The drive was uneventful and pleasant. Monsieur Hart happily held his new baby in his arms, waiting for the moment when he could show his wife their child.
Turning down an alley, he clutched the bundle close to his chest and took a deep breath. He was only a few minutes away from the location, away from the drop. Just down this alley, turn left and he would be able to see the building in the distance. But suddenly his focus was shattered as he heard a foot shuff against the pavement. That one moment gave away his pursuer's location, but also allowed them to disregard any notion of stealth. They realized that he knew they were coming, almost upon him. Now it was a chase. He bolted down the alley, making sure not to jostle what was in his arms too much. Glancing left and right, he noticed a building just set back from the street with an old heavy wooden door.
Hestitating for a moment, he glanced back to make sure his enemy would not see him and darted into the recess. Cursing himself for having to abandon his mission, even though he vowed it was only temporary until he lost his tail, he gently placed the bundle down and rapped loudly on the door. He only waited until he heard a muffled voice call out "Coming!" before he bolted back to the street. Thinking quickly, he snatched a loaf of bread from a street vendor, throwing some bills at him, then a bit of fabric from a clothesline and wrapped it so that it resembled his bundle.
Thankfully, the man or woman who had been following him was just turning the corner and they did not see his stop. Rather, they just saw their target sprinting down the street towards Notre Dame Cathedral. Unbeknownst to the man, a nun had answered the door where he placed his package and glancing around noticed it laying upon the ground.
She stooped down and picked it up, surprised by its weight and softness. Opening the fabric, she realized that she was holding a baby girl in her arms and gently rocked her whilst still looking around for the individual who had left her alone. Although it saddened her that someone would abandon a child, she was pleased that the child seemed to be in good health. At least they thought to leave her here, rather than abandon her somewhere she had to fend for herself. She will be taken care of here. The nun thought to herself. Cradling the baby, Sister Marguerite stepped back into the building and pushed the door closed.
The man continued to run, desperately trying to figure out where he could go and how he could lose his pursuer. No matter what he did, they were still there doggedly chasing him. And he couldn't run forever. He could have evaded them, but he made a mistake somewhere. Let them get too close. And now he couldn't lose them. If this didn't end quickly, he was going to lose his life. Obtaining the package meant more to that agent than his life and he knew that. He skirted around another street cart and dove down the Metro steps. Maybe he could lose them via train. It was his only chance. If he didn't make it back, he would have failed his mission, the girl, and she would never know who she was.
Back at the mission, the nun lay the little girl down and spoke in hushed tones.
"Mais où... but where will she go?" The shorter woman asked, looking down at the child sadly. "We will not be able to care for her forever. She will want to leave eventually. We must find her a bonne home. L'état, she will not let us keep her for long, not anymore. In the old days, we could care for children like they were our own. Care for them better than others I dare say. Mais, not now. Now she says we are more like a halfway house. We may care for them for only a few days before sending them to a home, not the type of place they wish to grow up."
The nun had forgotten about this change, forgotten that she could no longer care for the child. The state would take care of that, though how well was a matter of debate. She thought for a moment, then smiled. "I know the perfect personnes, they will be a happy famille." Although it was early and earlier still where the married couple lived, she knew they would be pleased with her call. Striding over to the old phone, she turned the dials and heard the familiar ring call out across the oceans in search of the girl's new family.
It took less than a minute for Monsieur Hart to answer his cellular device, but when he realized who was calling all sleep fell away from his voice.
"Allo? Sister Marguerite, it has been so long since we last spoke. Comment ça va? How is everything at the mission?" She could sense his smile through the tone of his words, but this was no time to be chatting. She had wonderful news for him.
"Bonjour Monsieur Hart, how is Madame Hart?" She replied, being cordial and unable to ignore her manners.
"Bonne, but don't let her hear you call her Madame. Its Madamoiselle, I think her age is getting to her. Especially because we haven't had children yet, and she wants so dearly to have a child. She won't admit it, but I think she dreams of having a little girl." He laughed heartily.
This pleased Sister Marguerite and she could not contain herself any longer. "I have news. A child. A wonderful little baby girl was left here recently and we cannot take care of her forever. It is not allowed. When I realized this, I immediately thought of you..."
The silence on the other end of the line was suffocating for a moment before he said five words and hung up the phone, "I will be there tomorrow." She hadn't expected him to be able to drop everything so quickly, but was pleased that he could. And even happier that he wanted to adopt the child, she knew in her heart that they were meant to be together. If they spent an entire lifetime together, they would be the happiest family she knew. Quite possibly the happiest family, but she had nothing else to compare it to.
The next day, Mssrs. Hart and Daniels, his lawyer, arrived via first class air to Charles De Gaulle Aéroport. Madame Hart had stayed at home to prepare the house for the arrival of a new family member. Monsieur Daniels drafted up the papers so that the Harts could legally adopt the child, who had become affectionately known as Scarlet by the nuns. Within a few hours, the two men were saying their goodbyes to the kind nuns who ran the mission. Monsieur Hart thanked Sister Marguerite most heartily of all, as she was the one who made his wishes come true.
Seven hours later, the plane touched down in Maryland at BWI Airport. Although the Harts lived in Washington, D.C. it was easier to fly into Maryland. The drive was uneventful and pleasant. Monsieur Hart happily held his new baby in his arms, waiting for the moment when he could show his wife their child.
