Reincarnated as an Ugly Step Sister

Chapter 40

"Chase, I don't think there's a woodsman coming. You have to go cut that wolf's stomach open," I tell him.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"We just killed the woodsman. You have to go in there and cut it's stomach open without cutting the people inside. If you don't soon they'll be digested!" I don't like that I'm making Chase kill another creature today but they're evil, right? He studies my face and I suppose the pleading in my eyes convinces him.

Luckily I don't think we're changing the story too much. Chase is already kind of a woodsman. He has an ax, he sets snare traps, he's a man in the woods. I'm scared of the cosmic consequences that may come from changing too many fairy tales.

Chase stands, swings the ax once for practice, then marches into the house. I duck behind the window, unable to watch, and Nicholas does the same. I cover my ears, squeeze my eyes shut, and bury my head into Nicholas's shoulder. I try my best to resist imagining the graphic scene that's taking place in the cottage. I also try my best not to think about how much I owe Chase for making him do this.

Time moves at a strange pace as I block out all my senses and try to clear my mind. I'm not sure how much later, probably not more than a few minutes, I feel Nicholas's hand on my shoulder, gently shaking me back to reality.

"I think he's done, I hear people talking inside," he says softly. I nod and stand up. The front door is wide open and inside the house is a blood bath. Little Red Riding Hood and her grandma sit on the floor, hugging each other. Chase stands above them, rather intimidatingly.

They're covered in slime and blood but Nicholas doesn't seem to mind because he immediately rushes to kneel by them, placing a reassuring hand on the grandmother's shoulder, and asks them how they are.

The wolf lays in between Chase and Red Riding Hood, stomach cut open and blood seeping into the rug. The wolf's body is huge and looks like a furry deflated hot air balloon.

The grandma is visibly shaking, her eyes still wide with fear. Little Red Riding Hood, though very young, is impressively brave. She pats her grandmother's arm and says, "We're safe now Granny."

After spending a little too long taking in the situation I decide I should help a little bit. "Let us help you clean up," I offer. "I'll run a bath for you and we'll get rid of this wolf and rug, okay?"

"Are you sure? You've already done so much for us," the girl says.

"We can't expect the two of you to clean this all up by yourself," Nicholas says. "Let's start that bath and find you some clean clothes."

I quickly move to begin boiling water. Busying myself with a task will distract me. I fill all the pots in the house with water from a pump outside and place them over a fire. Chase disposes of the wolf's body, placing it far from the house so coyotes can eat it but don't come here looking for dessert. Nicholas stays by their side the whole time, asking questions and making sure they feel safe.

As it turns out, Little Red Riding Hood is named Rosalind and she's only eight years old, which is much younger than I imagined when I read the story. She's quite brave and clever for such a young girl, and obviously independent if she walked to her grandmother's, who we find out is named Mary, by herself.

By the time I'm done with the bath Mary has calmed down. We give the two of them some privacy while they bathe but Nicholas takes their clothes and washes them in cold water to get the blood stains out. I decide that there's no saving the rug so I roll it up and throw it out. Chase cuts them some wood.

When Nicky is done washing the clothes as best he can -he's not very experienced being a prince and all- he gets some fresh clothes and asks me to bring them to the tub.