Hunting night.

13.

"Let me help you."

Across a street, Eva saw a pretty house with a large garden and two people chatting and smiling as they took care of the plants. One of them was an old lady and the other one was Franz, in his 20s, with his sunglasses on although obviously because of the sunlight. He was smiling at the old lady with sincere affection and something about that sight made Eva's heart skipped a beat.

"Stop" she told herself, turning around quickly. "You don't have time for this. You're trying to save his life and yours, woman, so move the heck out".

But even as she closed her eyes and forced the dream to change around her, she could still see Franz's smile in her mind.

It was a summer afternoon and they were near the small lake that people loved to call "the puddle" for some reason. Franz and Juliette were kissing passionately under the shadows of a tree and Eva felt like a voyeur once again. As she closed her eyes to focus better, she realized that his memories had not only taken control over the dreams but also had lost their way. The memories from the past had no order anymore.

"Just let me do it", she whispered.

The scenery had changed again when Eva opened her eyes but that didn't make her feel better. They were alone in the dark forest and Franz, in his 30s, was getting undressed slowly before he stepped into the cool waters of the lake.

Eva's face turned beet red while her eyes followed him and an intrusive thought popped up quickly in her mind. The hell was she even doing ogling him like that?

"You're acting like a fool" she told herself, covering her cheeks.

His voice breaking the silent didn't help at all.

"Do you like what you see?" asked Franz suddenly, and he looked at her for over his shoulders with a casual expression in those unusual yet fascinating eyes. He didn't seem upset though. Just curious.

"I-I wasn't spying on you, I swear!" she blurted out.

"Is that so... Did you lose your way, Red Riding Hood?"

"I... I've never liked that story, you know. I never understood why good parents would send their little girl to a forest and why the heck her grandmother would live so far away. Kind of suspicious, don't you think?"

"Actually, that's the reason behind fairy tales. They supposed to teach lessons to children, so you're right in wondering... How about you, though? Are you learning something tonight?"

While Eva thought about a good answer, Franz turned around and began to walk out of the water towards her.

"Wait, please don't do that!" she asked him quickly, hiding her face between her hands. He chuckled softly and continued to approach her with slow step, amused by her embarrassment.

"Have you never seen a naked man before or something?"

"No, yes, it's not that".

"What is it then?"

His voice sounded too close for her comfort and Eva looked up at him blushing fiercely when Franz gently removed her hands from her face.

"It's been long since the last time I made a woman blush like that" he said with a subtle smile.

She didn't answer yet, too busy trying to force her heart to beat again and her brain to work. His eyes fascinated her in a way she couldn't explain nor understand. Was it because of the wolf? It was as if they represented both his human and animal side.