Velvet Ribbon by Sara Travis

The rope hadn’t worked. He assumed it was because of a snag somewhere; a mouse or something had chewed through the strands, weakening the links. It had snapped clean in two as he tugged at it, checking its strength.

He needed something else, something tougher, durable. He’d raided the kitchen and honestly considered a few tea towels tied together, but it wasn’t ideal. It needed to be perfect. If all went to plan, he’d only have one shot at it, and he needed to convey his message, really stir up some deep emotions in people. And no one ever has any strong feelings about tea towels.

Time was running out, and he knew it. He’d really been counting on the rope – damn, why didn’t he think of a backup plan? Sure, he’d done the research, practiced the knots over and over until his fingers were rough with calluses. But today was his one chance to get it right, and if it went wrong – well. He wouldn’t have another opportunity for weeks. He wouldn’t – he couldn’t wait that long.

A bedsheet? That could work. No, it would look cheap, thoughtless. One of Lauren’s skipping ropes? Better, but still ... it was pink, it wouldn’t look right. It needed to be perfect.

And then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw it; a sliver of something caught in his mother’s sewing drawer. Deep, rich crimson in colour. He knew he’d found what he’d been looking for. Opening the drawer slowly, his heart in his mouth, he pulled the velvety ribbon free, coiling the loose end around its body. There was reams of the stuff, in a rainbow of colours, but of course, the red would be best, the red would have the desired effect. He wound a length of it around his throat, staring up into the mirror above the cabinet. The crimson ribbon stood out against his pale skin, he could barely recognise the skinny teenager smirking back. He snatched up a second coil and banged the drawer shut, turning abruptly and returning to his room. Sliding the lock across the door, and tugged at his drapes, positioned his desk chair beneath the beams across his ceiling, and started work on the noose.