Red riding hood: ReVamped

Chapter 2: Vortex

1906: A middle-aged man enters his dead-end, sweatshop job. Helping to create pipelines for John Rockefeller's "Standard Oil". Underpaid for his work and having to work grueling hours, he comes home to a family fractured by poor finances. His wife and single child, a 7-year-old boy await him. Often tired and hungry, his wife even started working to try to help out for them to afford the stay living in the poorest parts of New York. He'd often come home ragged and dreary, he had to thwart off thieves who tried to take the little he had. He was a nobody, always had been. Even his name was unoriginal: Micheal.

By 1908 he was 33 and his body was already failing him. A workplace accident resulted in a pipe crushing his left leg, he was immediately let go. He had nothing left but his family but even that would not last forever.
One night on a full moon. Micheal was at his worn-down apartment, his son was attempting to play chess against himself. The boy had luscious blonde hair with a beaming smile that could up the mood of anyone. Micheal entered his bedroom to greet his wife, she was crying into her arms quietly. "Honey, what's wrong" Micheal crutched his way to his bed, his wife had a white nightgown on. "We....we...we're being evicted" she sobbed. Micheal was at a loss for words, he'd tried everything to keep his family with a roof over their heads. Now it was all going to be taken from them, he held back tears. 'No, I need to be a man right now'. He faked a smile and opened his arms up "come here hun" he requested, a soft tone in his voice. His wife sobbingly stood up and embraced him, he was going to make this night better no matter how he had to do it. He gathered up his son and as a family, they headed outside to the bustling city.

     Micheal and his family strolled the city, trying to keep his mind off of the recent news. They were gone for hours and over time the streets slowly became desolate, soon it was just Micheal and his wife Lisa with their son John roaming the mostly empty streets of New York. As they decided to finally return home, Micheal sensed something was amiss. He couldn't place exactly what it could be, but deep down he knew something wasn't right about tonight. The city streets were too empty and it was nearly silent around them. The eeriness continued until the three were almost back to their home. Micheal led the way, still cautious in case his concerns were realized. Then, right as the family was about to reach the apartment. A low growl could be heard from behind Lisa. Micheal spun around immediately to confront the person, the moment he turned he realized this was no human. In front of him was a beast, standing well over six feet tall. It stood on two legs, massive claws. Yellow eyes glaring down at Micheal's wife, the creature resembled a wolf vaguely. With a large coat of fur and oversized teeth, Micheal was staring at what he believed was a monster.

Lisa was still with fear as the creature caressed one of its claws along her shoulder. It spoke. The monster spoke, a deep raspy voice but intimidating. "I can hear your beautiful heart beating darling" he snarled and grinned at Micheal, who still was frozen by the sight of this monster. He sheepishly spoke "l...let...let her go". He didn't know what to do, he was no match for this creature, who cackled at Micheal's plea. "And let that delicious heart go waste. No sir I can't do that." He howled into the night sky and with Lisa tearing up, staring at her husband with desperation. The monster sunk its jaws right into her heart. Ripping it out with its teeth, Micheal watched as the creature devoured Lisa's still-beating heart in one bite. "Absolutely splendid, let's see how the boy tastes now." The thing dropped Lisa's lifeless body to the street. Not even thinking for a split second he had taken someone's life, he stepped toward John. Micheal was panicked on the inside but mustered up the courage to step in front of his son and meet the beast head-on. He couldn't stop the tears rolling down his cheeks, he locked eyes with this monster. Who seemed amused by Michael's intervention. "Humans, always so willing to fight." He growled and clawed Micheal across the face, knocking him to the ground.