Code Red Novels & Stories

I said, thoughtfully. “Nice to meet you, girl in Indian red,” he answered, as we shook hands briefly. “It’s crimson red, actually,” I disagreed. Painting was my passion and I knew the names of the colors. He raised an eyebrow, while starting the engine. “I think it’s Indian red.” “No, Indian red is lighter than this dress. It’s crimson.” I explained like a nerd. “Okay, I will see it again when there is more light. To be continued,” he joked and I sighed, shaking my head at his response.

The Red Rave's car was armored, so the security decided to stay inside it and prepare to leave as soon as possible. The armor was not enough to calm Darren and Kath, who embraced each other and cried, terrified, living the materialization of the nightmare that had haunted them once. It also did not deter Timothy, who pounded the bodywork, hit the windows with the revolver, after firing two shots at the front window and discovering the protection.

Red lights bled across the pitch black walls. The man at the entrance smiled politely. "Band Color?" Zane's eyes drifted to the tray the man gestured at. It laid out three options for the doms. Red. Yellow. Green. Zane brows furrowed in thought. Red meant he wasn't interested in anyone at the club and brought someone else to enjoy privately. If he had a sub with him, and he chose the red band, his sub would be given a white one--which signified, taken. Clearly, Zane came alone and so that was out of his options.

“You’re going to give me one before I touch you.” I swallowed. “Red.” “And colors. Green means you’re good. Yellow means slow down or ease up. Red stops everything. No questions, no anger. You use them. Understand?” “Yes.” “Say it back.” “Green means good. Yellow means slow down. Red stops everything.” He nodded once. “Good girl.” Then he moved.

Charlotte and I flipped through the fabrics on the table near the sewing machines. “It has to be a bright color, right? Something that says, I’m having fun,” I said. I picked up a bolt of red fabric. “What about this one?” Charlotte shook her head. “Red means danger. You’ll give someone an anxiety attack.” That… was a good point. Red was the color of blood and stop signs and red flags. I lowered the bolt of fabric. “Blue is more relaxing.” Charlotte held up a bolt with a pattern of deep blue flowers.

I said to Martha who acted like she was thinking about something. “Yes! The code color is black which means you have to wear only black…” “I am wearing red.” I announced with a smile as I stared at my reflection and Martha seemed more shocked like she had heard a forbidden word from my mouth. “But that isn’t the code color.” “I know, and that’s why I am going to wear something that would draw in more attention for me and also cause more havoc.” Martha looked even more frightened like I was spitting out forbidden words from my mouth.

Now I was being told to become something darker. I looked out the window. The city that once felt full of promise now looked like a chessboard. Every skyscraper was a rook. Every passing car, a pawn. I thought about my life before the marriage. I was nineteen, a coding prodigy who had hacked into the Pentagon on a dare before I graduated high school. It had been reckless, stupid, and intoxicating. I had felt invincible back then, untouchable.

"Look at the red, Scar. It’s not just a dip anymore; it’s a hemorrhage," Roman said, his voice a low, vibrating hum against my ear. I leaned into him, the scratchy wool of the blanket still draped over my bare shoulders. We were tangled on the cot, the cold morning air of the shack biting at our skin, but the heat coming off the tablet was enough to burn. On the screen, the Reed Global stock ticker was a jagged, falling knife. It hadn't just opened low; it was plummeting so fast the circuit breakers were tripping every ten minutes.

Selena frowns hard. Then Sav narrows her eyes slightly before asking one serious question. “Is this Code Red?” Wren and Robin both blink in confusion from beside me. “Code what?” Robin asks. I sigh tiredly while Selena immediately straightens further in concern. “Oh shit,” Selena mutters. “It’s actually Code Red?” Wren looks between all three of us. “Okay, seriously, what does that mean?” Sav answers first. “It’s our emergency code system.”

Rose got up early in the morning, got ready as usual in her favorite color and favorite dress, a red long frock. Since childhood she likes red the color most. When her mom was alive, she used to make her wear red color on her every birthday and after her demise, her caretaker, aunty Mona, Laura’s mother carry on this tradition. When she has grown-up enough to get ready by herself, she only wears red dresses on her birthday specially frocks.