Little Red

     A long time ago, in a forest of pines, a little cottage sat cozy and warm. Just an old little cottage with only a few rooms inside. Inside this cottage sat a little girl with her grey-haired grandmother. Grandmother was knitting as the child read by the light of the fire. Now something you must know about this forest. This is a land of unusual things. Names are strange, animals talk, and dark things come out to play.

 

     "Gandmother," said little Red, "It is cold. Come and sit by the fire."

 

     "I am fine my dear but how about you go into town?" Grandmother handed Red a coin, smiling, "buy us some bread."

 

     Red took the coin and set out into the forest, on her way to town. Through the forest she went alone but not afraid. The wind blew fierce and Red shivered. She was not dressed for this weather. Her grandmother, a poor woman, could only afford to clothe Red in a white shirt and a black skirt. On went Red faster, now wanting to be warm inside the bakery.

 

     The tall dark pines loomed above her little head. Small creatures made noises as the gathered things for winter. Two snow birds flew by and Red muttered a greeting to them. Soft white flakes began to fall from the grey sky. Each one landing on Red's shoulders, colder than the last. A twig snapped somewhere in the distance. The girl flinched at the sound.She quickened her pace and continued towards town.

 

     It was a while before Red got into town for her house was tucked away deep in the forest. The town was busy with life. Small children ran about the streets while their parents weaved in and out of shops. Everything was glowing with the light of the street lanterns. Large men also occupied the streets. Keeping her head down, Red pushed her way into the crowd. Slowly, she made her way to the bakery.

 

     The bakery was warm and bright inside. The smells of sweet breads and cakes filled the small building. Red shivered and walked further into the shop. There were many people about talking, eating, and buying goods. Holding her coin tight in her fist, Red stepped foward to the counter.

 

     A jolly man stood there looking down at Red. His apron was stained and stretched, for it was too small for his large stomach. He ran a hand over a a long brown beard with crumbs in it that covered most of his face. "Can I help you little girl?"

 

     Red nodded. "I would like some bread please." She handed him her coin.

 

     The baker turned to get the bread and Red let her eyes wander. A few feet away from her were some hunters enjoying a cake while they waited for the butcher to see them about their animals. They were having a heated discussion and Red decided to listen in.

 

     "I didn't see anything," argued the first man.

 

     "Well I saw it!," said the second, "a wolf. Six feet tall. Blood dripping from his mouth."

 

     Little Red rushed over, her heart in her throat. "Where?!?!?"

 

     "Ummmmm..." The men looked at her,"In the woods...."

 

     "Here is your bread little girl."

 

     Red turned and ran home fearing that their woodland cottage was not safe. Through the forest she went, over hills and through rivers. She ran as fast as she could and didn't stop. Branches whipped at her face and cut up her legs. The wind was harsh and cold. Faster and faster, and suddenly, she was home.

 

     Still filled with worry, Red rushed into the house to find it in pieces. The carpet was torn, the walls covered in claw marks, furniture was broken and strewn about the house. And the blood, the walls were coated in in as if someone had tried to paint the walls red. Horrified, Red gasped and began to back away from the bloody scene. Her knees felt weak. This couldn't be happening when things had been going so good that morning. Where was her grandmother?

 

     Then a noise came from the next room, like the creeking on a floorboard. Her grandmother was a fit and pretty woman, not heavy enough to make the floor creak and whine like that, it must have been the wolf. Red's heart began to race in fear. Her breathing was now quite rapid. Quietly, she bent down picking up her grandmother's cloak. It had once been white but was now stained red with what could only be her mother's blood. It would make her noticeable but it would keep her warm, and it had been her grandmother's.

 

     Still quiet, Red turned and ran back out into the woods. She ran to the only place she could think of, her favorite hiding spot. Out in the woods was a large oak tree, the only one in the forest in fact, and in the base of this tree was a large hollow hole. Red liked to sit there and read in the summer and in the winter it was a storage place for her grandmother's christmas gift. The thought of this brought tears into Red's eyes. Her mother was dead and she might be next.

 

     Red climbed into the hole holding her mother's cloak tight. She closed her eyes as she tried to decide what to do. She put down her hand and felt beside her. Her hand rested upon something cold. Her grandmother's knitting needles. Her grandmother's christmas gift, not yet wrapped. A weapon. She could use these as a weapon. It was her only hope if the wolf found her.

 

     There was a soft crunch of dead leaves outside and the growl of a satisfied wolf.

Red froze and then took a deep breath. She peered out into the woods. The light flakes continued to fall. It was a nice scene. A large black shape came into view. It was the wolf. Red cringed back into her hiding place. He stood five feet tall with fangs big and sharp dripping blood from his mouth. His yellow eyes scaned the forest as his nose twitched. The blood! He could smell her grandmother's blood. Or was it her own?

    

     Quick as a flash, Red lept from her hiding spot and charged towards the wolf. She landed on his back and drove the knitting needle like a spike into his left shoulder blade. Blood spruted out like a fountain. The wolf, howling in pain, threw himself against the tree, knocking Red onto the ground. Lying there, on her back gasping for breath, Red pulled out the other knitting needle. Her back was screaming with pain. As she struggled to get up the wolf lunged at her. Red rolled to the side and the wolf slammed into the tree. He began to laugh. A slow quiet rumble at first and then a large bellowing scoff.

 

     "You are hard to kill girl. Much harder than your grandmother. Your sweet, old, delicious, juicy, tender grandmother!"

 

     Red clenched her fists and ran at him, tears stinging her eyes and streaming down her face. Suddenly, there was a loud crack. Splinters began to rain down. The wolf froze but Red continued forward. With another snap a large snow covered branch fell from the top of the tree. The wolf smiled and jummped into the air above Red's head. He caught the falling branch in his mouth and landed behind her. Still laughing an evil laugh that echoes throught the forest even now, and plunged it through Red's torso straight through to the other side.

 

     Red fell to her knees coughing up blood and crying. She gasped but her lungs just filled with blood. She couldn't beat him. She couldn't win. Another brust of tears racked throught her dying body. The wolf circled her and lunged once more. And so little Red ended up dead.

Reviews

[lynne]

Very guesome.... Very guesome indeed, but very fun to read :)