1:37 PM - March 16, 2022
Karen In Plural
She approached the door and nervously took the key from her pocket. Taking a deep breath she unlocked the door, pausing a few seconds before pushing it open. To her horror she saw the floor covered in an uneven sea of red. A color of red that you might see in a poorly colorized late night horror movie. Yet, there were no wet puddles. The red reminded her of a childhood visit to an elderly aunt in China. Her aunt believed that red depicted good luck. From rugs to vases, red had been everywhere in her aunt’s small apartment.

Today she was not in China visiting her aunt. She was in her new house alone with a floor covered in red. Her feeling was not one of good luck. The red appeared to sway as she stepped further into the room. The summer evening sun was shining on an elderly tree in the front yard. The leaves were motionless.

She shook her head and stepped backward. Her movement caused another ripple of red. Losing her balance, she clutched at the sheet that covered a grandfather clock. The movement caused the clock to jostle and the chimes to collide. She ran to her car. Crying and hiccuping, she slumped into the front passenger seat.

She had bought the house sight unseen and received the key in the mail. All should be well. The moving van was scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning. She had driven all day to start a new life in her new home. The house was within minutes of her new job. A childhood best friend lived two blocks away. All should be well. All should be damn well.

She trembled as she opened her overpriced purse. Frantically she pawed past three blue eye shadow palettes to get to her phone. While stabbing at the screen savagely, she split the tip of a “Passion Purple” fingernail.

“Karen! It’s me, Karen. It’s an emergency. I’m at the house and I need you to get here fast. It’s everywhere. Yes, Karen, red is everywhere. I’m sure every floor in the house is covered. Yes, it’s covered. At least the downstairs is covered. It’s red, do you hear me, red, blood red! This house is unacceptable. I’m a wreck. I broke a nail. What? I don’t know who did it! Maybe the last owner who was some senile senior citizen. All I know is that it’s horrendous and probably illegal.

The carpet is red shag!”

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