Fearful Things

Little Red

He watched her from his place behind the trees. The faint rays of light from the setting sun gave her small figure a golden outline. His breath quickened when she began to softly hum a cheerful melody. She glided gently down the forest path, swinging her basket at her side. He hid in the shadows on the edge of the path, following silently, savoring every glance he could get between the branches. A breeze swept through the forest, and the trees erupted into rustling whispers. The girl braced herself, but she couldn't prevent the wind from flipping her red hood back as her dark hair streamed behind her. The sight of her soft blue eyes and pink flesh was more than the stranger could take, so he stepped from the darkness and into her path.

"Hello there," he said with a charming smile. "May I ask why a young girl such as yourself is in the forest at such a dangerous time of day?"

He met her gaze, and the shock momentarily ripped away his facade. Her eyes were horribly empty. She regarded him blankly, without a hint of emotion adorning her features. She lifted one hand and felt around her face. She touched the woven basket hanging from her other arm, then she pinched the bright red fabric of her cape between her fingers. Suddenly, like a switch had been flipped, her face lit up with expression. Her eyes sparkled with warmth, and she wore a sweet smile. Her beauty was enough for him to forget what he had seen.

"I'm delivering sweets to my grandmother," she answered. She gestured to the basket by her hip.

"Ah, what a kind grandchild you are! But don't you think it's perilous for you to be walking around at night all alone? The woods can be scary, you know."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me. I'm stronger than I look," the girl assured. She winked and lifted her arm in a flexing pose to demonstrate. "Besides, nothing in this forest has ever tried to hurt me."

The stranger chuckled. "Well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there? It would be most comforting for me if you allowed me to accompany you. I'd hate for something else to get to you first." He watched her face carefully for suspicion, but she simply continued to smile.

"Of course!" She exclaimed. "Oh, how nice it will be to have company. I'm sure Grandma will love to have a visitor."

He tried to conceal his triumphant grin at first, but it was clear that this girl was naive and had no sense of danger. He fell behind her as they set off down the way together.

"Do you not get many visitors at your grandmother's house?" He asked.

She thought for a moment. "Not really. It's quite out of the way and secluded, so you would have to know where to look to find it."

She stopped walking. Her voice dropped to a mumble. "There would be no one around if you screamed." The stranger stopped as well. He held his breath, wondering if the girl had finally caught on to him. He glanced to the sky—the sun was disappearing under the horizon, but the moon was not yet visible. Still too soon. She slowly reached back and pulled her hood over her head. They stood still, the air thick with tension. Abruptly, she spun around, and the stranger flinched. But she was still smiling.

"Got ya! Just a joke," she said. She laughed and kept walking. He immediately relaxed, releasing his breath. He inwardly laughed at himself for being afraid of this stupid little girl. He caught up and kept pace next to her.

They followed the winding path through the trees. The sun vanished, and the soft purple sky melted into midnight blue. The forest became a maze of shifting shadows, but the night was clear and filled with stars. If that wasn't enough to illuminate their way, a full moon hung above them. As soon as its lights washed over him, every muscle and cell in the stranger's body began to squirm. It was coming, but it would have to wait. It wasn't the right time. With each change in the wind, the girl's scent floated to him. His mouth salivated tortuously.