Wading Through Red

Though he was fairly new at the lowly lawyer business, he had acquired a client that was of questionable character who had many friends of equally questionable character. For this reason, Walt Whitley carried a firearm. From his account of the event, Walt claims that Maya entered the office with the gun at her side, and calmly strolled over to the receptionist’s desk. Walt was sitting in the corner, and made the decision to draw his weapon as Maya approached the girl, (" . . . no doubt a college student . . ." Walt added), behind the desk. His instinct was correct. When Maya reached the desk, she raised the gun to the girl’s wavy, blonde hair and with her left hand, cocked the weapon. She said something very softly to the young girl, but neither Walt nor the receptionist can remember what it was now. Maya never saw Walt or his gun, but she no doubt heard the echo of another cocking gun behind her, and maybe that’s all she had known, and all she would ever know. Walt and the receptionist would remember that of a thunderous explosion and the image of liquid red walls, desk, and what would have been the most significant to Maya, carpet.