𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖚𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 // oneshot book

"The Gingerbread Man"

Based on "The Gingerbread Man", but not the same... i guess?

My parents have always nicknamed me a little gingerbread man, however, that is not my name. Since young, I've always liked baking. I especially loved making gingerbread man cookies. However, since I turned 16, my parents were slaughtered. No, my entire family. They were all dead, killed by some unknown being. They were eaten alive. Maybe they were eaten by vampires, wait no... They do not exist...

That day, I had packed my bags and left the house. They could be coming after me next! We lived in the forest, not far from the city. However, most people don't come near here, since it is the forest, all dark and eerie. No one dared to enter it. Only wild beasts and a few animals lived in here. If I start heading towards the city, I should make it out of there alive. But there is one problem, the forest is gigantic and our house was in the middle of it. I'm bound to be eaten by some wild wolves or bears if I'm not careful enough! So I started running, huffing and puffing here and there, slowly but surely making my way out of here. I felt exhausted, so I headed towards a lone and tall tree, letting my bag slide off slowly. I was panting heavily, drips of sweat raining down my face as I laid my back down on the trunk of the tree. "The exit... is still so far away..." I had heard some leaves rustling, but I had just brushed it off. Surely, it must have been the wind.

Just then, a silver ring had fallen out of the tree's leaves. In response, I turned my head up. My heart had skipped a beat, eyes widening as my face turned as pale as a ghost, "W-What..." it was someone. More importantly, someone with blood-stained clothing. Her skin was so pale, it was almost white. Her hair was almost the same colour as their skin, horrifyingly white. It was abnormal, or was it just that she was an albino?

"Hello there young man, why are you wearing such a face?" she spoke in a gentle tone, giving me a worried face. That unusually familiar smell... Could it be?! That's... The smell of my family's blood. "Ehh? So you've figured it out, huh? Don't worry, I won't hurt you... I would never... I just want to help you." the ghostly figure purred. She definitely had a malicious intent by judging the way the glint in her eyes shine as she glared at me. I could feel the bloodlust she was hiding, it was almost like it was never there. Their facade is so convincing. I am sure if I had let my guard down, this woman, ghost... would have definitely killed me. I will not fall for her tricks! I gritted my teeth and grabbed my bag, swiftly slinging the bag onto my shoulder as I got away from the mysterious person. I do hope that I won't encounter people similar to her... "Hey... Where are ya going? Come back!" she reached her hand out, mocking something similar to regret, loneliness or sadness.  "I can't let her get to me... I cannot. I must never let her get to me. I must escape. Definitely!" I thought to myself, fully confident that I would escape.

The next person I had encountered was a man with similar skin and hair colour like the woman. He was a farmer, I could tell. Wearing a straw hat and holding a shovel. Maybe his farm was nearby? He did not seem to be aware of his surroundings. So I quickly went by the farmer, hoping that he would not notice me. I was just strolling by him... and then he tapped my shoulder, "Boy, what are you doing here. It's dangerous in this forest, I'm sure you're aware of that, correct?" "Yes, mister..." I muttered.

"Call me Darry, dear," he grinned. I turned away from him for just a few seconds and I knew what he would do next. Swing! I swiftly dodged his attack. He seemed to be annoyed, considering the fact that his first attempt at killing me failed. "I'm sorry. You don't have to be so formal with me, Darry. And please, put that down," I mentioned, "If you want to talk, that is." The man scoffed, "Tch, I will get you," I pulled a thorn out of my pocket, it was for emergencies. I guess you could say this is one. I hurled the thorn at his arm that was holding the shovel. Clang! He immediately let go of the shovel, grabbing his arm as the thorn was pierced deep into his skin. "Agh! Darn you!" he hissed in discomfort, despite his bleeding arm, he ran towards me. I grabbed my bag as quick as I could, shoving it in front of him to knock him further away from me. He had crashed into a tree behind him. Hearing a small crack, I took my bag back and ran closer towards the exit of the forest. I've only just noticed that the farmer's clothes were also bloodstained. Maybe his kind nature distracted me from the horrid smell...