The Land of Stories: The Battles Before (WILL NOT FINSH)

Chapter 3: The Strange Man

“Who do you think that man was?” Red asked Goldilocks.
“For the millionth time, Red. I have utterly no idea!”
They were hunting with their weapons, or rather, Goldilocks and Jack were hunting. Red was of no use and sat by a tree, pouting like a child.
“I WANT TO GO HOME!” Red yelled, as if she had been kidnapped.
“We’re doing our best, Red! Jack and I are the only ones actually helping here, while you sit and whine is a 5-year-old!” Goldilocks gasped. Jack looked at her. Red stared at her with big, fearful eyes. They all went silent. They had never seen Goldilocks yell, or even get angry before. She was always calm, and handled things easily. Goldie’s eyes filled up with tears, and ran into the forest.
“Goldie!” Red made to run after her, but Jack stopped her.
“She obviously wants to be alone; so, we should just leave her be,” Jack sighed, solemnly.
“It’s all my fault, Jack! She was right! I’m such a cry-baby, I haven’t even thought about how much you two have done for me!” Red sobbed.
Jack was too truthful to say she was wrong. He desperately tried to think of something good she’d done before.
“Uh- you have...good manners?” Jack nervously stuttered. Luckily, Red was easy to please and she grinned at him.
“Thank you, Jack!” Red squealed.
                                                                  ♡

Goldilocks ran into the dim light of the forest. The stars had just started to peek through, and the once bright, blue and cloudy sky was now an orangey-red colour. She was fighting back tears; she knew that they wouldn’t help. But she gave in and cried anyway. Her tears steamed down her face. She had never yelled at someone like that before. She felt as if someone had possessed her and she wasn’t even in control of her own body. This thought just made her feel worse about herself and she was plunged into a deep despair. She was falling, endlessly, into a hole of anxiety and stress. She saw in her mind that no one liked her, no one cared for her. She felt the pain in her heart grow, blocking the voice that yelled that it was a lie, and replaced it with words like:
“You’re not good enough! Your ‘friends’ only stick with you because they pity you! Your family are disappointed! No one cares that you are even alive! You’re too fat and ugly!”
Goldilocks fell to her knees. She was a puppet to this guilt. She tried telling herself that it wasn’t true, that her mind was lying.
“That’s the sadness you need,” came a voice behind her. Goldilocks heard the click of fingers and she felt drowsier than she had ever felt in her life. “Feeling sleepy? Why don’t you take a nap?” the voice laughed.
Goldilocks’ energy was drained, and she felt herself falling into the deepest sleep ever. As she slipped into unconsciousness, she heard laughing. With the last of her energy, she rolled over to face the man. She gasped and went pale.
“Goodnight to you,” whispered the man into her ear, and Goldilocks fell into his hypnotic sleep.
Meanwhile, Jack and Red were preparing their beds, which were really just a pile of leaves on the ground. They didn’t dare go out to find Goldie, since they couldn’t see anything without the fire’s light. The moon was hidden behind the clouds, so it was pitch black.
“I’m sure Goldilocks will come back soon,” Jack reassured Red. “If she isn’t back by tomorrow morning, we’ll find her once it bright enough,”
But they were both finding it hard to believe that she was fine. And they were right.