Red (Flash Fiction) by Julie Hager (Theme: When I am Hopeful)

Rachel remembers. She remembers the time before the changes came. A thick stub of a crayon in the resolute fist of a child, spreading colour across the page with the boldness of one yet too young to hear the world’s silent demand to produce only works of art. Vibrant red transformed the vacant, white paper to intense life with each vulgar stroke. Rachel examined the delicate rice paper skin of her now aged hands and remembered.

The changes that came were gradual, insidious even, barely noticed at first. Small removals of rights for the good of society, for everyone’s safety, and the people nodded and agreed it was all for the best. And when the colour red was removed from the world, it seemed such a trivial thing, no loss at all. For red, as we know, means danger and rage and lust and power - and Revolution. Red is the symbol of love and there is no emotion more powerful or more destructive than love.

It was man-made things first. Then the fruit and the flowers till not a single cherry or strawberry or poppy or red rose existed in the world. But worse was to come. Blood was taboo. Mouths were perceived as sexual organs, to be covered at all times, and eating became a very private affair.

The girl arrived and greeted her grandmother. She took the can and watered the fragile plant in the centre of the table with its single scarlet bloom.

“Red is for Revolution.”