The adventures of Red

Chapter 1: The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

Chapter 1: the beginning of a beautiful Friendship
Once upon a time in a land far far a way, a little girl in a red hood
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," says Red. "Who are you talking to Narrator?"
Well the children Red. The narrator answers.
" I'm sorry to interrupt Narrator, but that's already been done before. We all know that story. It's not even true. A wolf never ate my Granny. How about I take it from here."
"Well ok Red, I will allow you to tell your story, but I will be right here just in case you need any help."
"Ok, Deal! So where should I start? With my walk in the wood, well maybe, actually I think I'll start with telling you a little bit about myself first. Well, first my name is Red, and you see I'm an only child, and my Dad passed away when I was little. So it's just me and Momma. I am what you might call a loner, but people think I'm weird, so I just keep to myself, that way no one can make fun of me. I do not really have friends, everyone thinks I'm weird because I talk to animals. I love animals they are much kinder than other humans. You will soon understand the irony there. But, back to me where was I? Oh yes I love animals, I keep to myself, no friends, and if we are going to be really honest here, it probably doesn't help that I wear a red cloak everywhere I go. It was Granny's when she was a young girl. I have also had the cloak since I was young. That's enough about me, let's get to our story.
As we all know we have been dealing with this whole pandemic, and it's been really rough on everyone. Just in case you have been locked in a closet and had no access to the outside world, let me explain it a little. We have ran out of toilet paper, and to be real honest we ran out of all the essentials because everyone was afraid of this virus and they ran to the stores and stocked up on everything in balk just in case they had to quarantine. We have been stuck in the house, if we do go outside we have to wear a mask that feels like it is going to suffocate you. With all that being said you can understand why after a year of this, I was going stir crazy and I just needed out of the house for awhile. I was craving that fresh fall breeze and the smells of fall. Some company would be nice as well.
"Oh, I got an idea, I'll text granny and see if she will be home today she could probably use the fresh air too." Says Red pulling her cellphone from her pocket of her pajama pants. Red sends a quick text to Granny saying, "Good morning Granny! Are you going to be home today?"
After pressing send, Red decides she needs to go get dressed really quick. It shouldn't take too long I already have my outfit picked, Red says to herself. Red walks back into her room and goes straight to the closet. She puts on her favorite black and red dress, along with some black leggings and her favorite black riding boots. Now dressed and ready to head out the door. Red checks her phone to see that she had replied saying. 
"Good morning sweetheart! Yes I will be home today. Is everything ok?"
Red replies "Yes! Everything is fine Granny, I was just wondering if I could come over today and we could have a picnic for lunch?"
With in a few seconds Red received a  text from Granny saying "well of course Red that sounds delightful! Just make sure that it's ok with Momma first. Do I need to come pick you up?"
"No. Red replies, I was planning on walking through the woods if Momma says it is ok."
"Ok sweetheart, if you need me call me." Granny says.
You see, Momma And has to work a lot she is an ER nurse in the local hospital and with all the Covid cases in understaffing from people get people quitting instead of getting the vaccine Momma has to work  all the time. She even got the vaccine just so she wouldn't lose her job so I am alone most of the time. Red quickly sends Momma a text saying
" sorry for bothering you while you are at work but I was wondering if I could walk over to grannies through the woods to have a picnic for lunch?"
Momma replies quickly, Sure babe, just stick to the trail. I don't want you getting lost in the woods."
Red replies " I will Momma, thank you. I love you.
"No problem babe, I love you too have fun." Momma sends back.
Slipping her phone back in her pocket Red walks over to the closet and grabs the picnic basket, then heads to the kitchen to make lunch.
After lunch is ready to go Red walks back to the closet beside the front door, she set the basket down and opens the closet door. She grabs out a picnic blanket and packed it into the top of the picnic basket. Then she grabs her red cloak and heads out the door headed to the woods.
As Red reaches the woods she admires the leaves on the trees, because they are starting to change colors for fall. Red gets the creepy feeling someone is watching her. "Wow! these woods are kind of creepy when you are alone." Red says to herself out loud.
Startling Red, because she thinks she is all alone, a stranger says "excuse me young lady, are you talking to me?"
"Whoa! Red shouts, "you scared the daylights out of me! I was actually not talking to anyone, just myself. I honestly didn't think I would run into anyone out here." Red says turning around to face the stranger. "Much less a wolf wearing a  really nice suit." Red says with a little bit of shock.
"Actually, the stranger corrects, I am only part wolf. My name is Zeke, Zeke Wolf."
" Well Zeke, Red said with a smile, it is nice to meet you. My friends call me Red, well they would if I had any." Red says.
"So Red, what brings you to the woods today? If you don't mind me asking." Zeke asks.
He was genuinely curious, and to be honest he seemed really friendly. So I decided to answer him. "Well Zeke, I am headed just too the other side of the woods. I'm going to have a picnic with my Granny. Honestly with that being said I really should be going or Granny will be worried."
"Well since you find the woods so creepy, Zeke teased, I could walk with you. I am not really doing anything today, plus I don't really get visitors looking the that I look. Anyone that does come through here, they are so afraid they run away screaming."
"Absolutely Zeke, it would be nice to have someone to walk with, because even though you are making fun of me, the woods are creepy when you are all alone. Besides I don't have any friends either, that's because people think I'm weird." Red explains.
So we made our way through the woods. To break the silence Red asks "So Zeke, I have never seen or heard of you until now, are you from around here?
"Well Red I am actually from right here in these woods. I have actually never left these woods. You see, my Grandfather always said that people are not very kind. They judge you solely based on how you look. They can't get over the appearance of another person to find out anything about them. So I just stick to the woods. I normally hide from anyone that comes into the woods. But when I heard you talking, I was hopeful you were talking to me." Zeke explains.
"I'm sorry Zeke, if I had seen you I'm sure I would have talked to you, had I actually seen you. You were just so well hidden by that tree." Explains Red.
"That's ok Red. Zeke explains, you are talking to me now, and allowing me to enjoy your company. Besides, I don't think I have ever communicated with anyone out side of my pack."
"Do you mean your family? " Red asks.
"Why yes Red. I mean my family, but we call it a pack instead of a family. We call it a pack because, not everyone in the pack is family. Well at least by your guidelines, they don't all share the same blood. However we love our brothers and sisters as if they are blood." Explained Zeke.
"Oh ok, thank you for the explanation, but Zeke? Red asked shyly. You said you have never left the woods, how did you get that suit you are wearing? "
"Well you see, it was my Grandfather's best suit. He really did not like to wear anything with a tie. He always said that it felt like a collar, and he was no ones house pet. Now that you finally asked me about my suit. Would it be rude of me to ask where you got that red rag you are wearing?" Zeke teased.
"Well Zeke, my Granny gave it to me when I was little, and for your information it's not a rag it's a cloak. This cloak is really special to me. Granny may not seem it when you meet her but, she's actually pretty old. In fact if you walk in her closet it's like walking back in time. Granny has kept most of her clothes she has had in her life, even the ones she made her self just like this red cloak. I absolutely just fell in love with everything about it, and I would beg and beg and beg her to let me have this cloak. I was so excited when she finally said yes, I never took it off. I would even sleep in it. That's also how I got the nickname Red." Red says to Zeke.
"Whoa, Zeke says in a shocked tone, your name isn't Red?"
"No silly! Red giggles. My birth name is Katherine, but no one calls me that."
"Well why not?" Zeke asked.
"Because, Katherine is also Granny's name." Explained Red.
"That is actually really cool, I'm not sure where my name came from mom just liked it." Says Zeke.
"Sometimes I wish I had my own name, but if I had to be named after someone else I am great full that it's my Granny." Says Red.
"So Red, Zeke says, what is your favorite game to play? Mine is dress up."
"You're not going to believe this, but my favorite game to play, is also Dress up." Red replies, her words flowing into Zeke's ears like honey to the soul.
By now Red and Zeke can see the edge of the woods a few feet ahead of them. Red notices a kind of sadness had washed over Zeke, so she asked, Hey Zeke? Would you like to join granny and I for our picnic? I brought plenty of food," Red says lifting the basket for Zeke to see.
"I don't know Red, Zeke answers, you remember what my Grandfather always said? There is a reason, we believe this and we try to keep hidden."
"Oh Zeke, Red says comforting Zeke, you have nothing to worry about with my Granny. She's a lover of all things. If it would help I can even go in and talk to her first."
"Ok Red, if you are willing to do all this for me, I will give it a try. But, she screams I'm out." Zeke laughs.
Red and Zeke have come to the edge of the woods, so they need to come up with a plan to make the meeting with Granny go smoothly.
"Ok Zeke, why don't you sit here beside this big redwood while I go talk to Granny?" Red asks.
"Ok Red, but please hurry so I don't change my mind." Zeke says sitting down beside the tree.
Red takes off, running as fast as she can to the door. "I will be right back, stay right there." Red shouts over her shoulder.