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Little Blue Hood: I, Chi

 'Chi, stay here. I'll return soon. Why don't, you look for something nice in the shop?'

'I will.' Papa soon left in the rain with his hood on and cape tightly folded around him. It was cold even here in the cluttered shop with wooden walls through which you could hear the rain outside.

'You're all soaked dear. Let me bring you some dry clothes.' The robust old lady gave me a dark blue dress with frills and black lace and took away my wet boots.

'Miss, would you like to see some pretty necklaces? I just made them.' It was the old lady's husband; he had a ring on his finger just like she did. I went a little closer to look. He made a bunch, some were wire wrapped cheap crystals from the mine in the nearby mountain, some were glass blown pendants in varied clumsy chunky shapes. Some were pretty though.

'Would you like to buy one?' I shook my head as no.

'That's a pretty ring you have there.' I hid my ringed hand in my lap with the other. The man drew back and went back crafting.

'Little girl, would you like some tea? It'll warm you up; you are so thin that you must be cold even in those dry clothes.' The lady that spoke was in her twenties and wore attire similar to a nun that was hiding her hair mostly but her face as she spoke gave me chills. She didn't wait for an answer and brought tea, sitting next to me on the improvised little couch; it was a thick pile of textiles, wool and fur. Very close. I made myself smaller in my spot. She left as the older lady called for her; she was rather dragging her feet, bluntly indisposed she had to move away from me. She had tried to pet my hair. I moved from my place and looked through the messy place. The crafter was gone and there were three more necklaces. One was different: it was a glass blown piece with painted royal blue back and had a silver crescent moon in the middle of the rounded square shape. But it had my name on it; 'Chi' written in silvery cursive lettering. Why would he? I didn't request; he's going to have me pay for it but I have nothing but the family ring and the small golden cross I was given at my birth. I have to leave! I had an urge to leave that unpleasant place that gave me a constant bad feeling but I couldn't find my boots or the cape... The old lady took them somewhere I don't know of.

'Miss, is something wrong?' The lady dressed like a nun asked me from so close. I didn't notice her coming. The atmosphere grew eerie. As if she felt I wanted to run she caught me with her arms in a suffocating clench against her chest.

'If you want to go you have to pay for the dress first! But since you don't have money you could take it off and run away naked!' She fiddled with the dress' front strings willing to untie them. I tried to remove her hands from me and my luck were the couple coming back.

'Linda! Get your hands off her right now, you depraved lady!' She gritted her teeth and let go.

'Here's your cape dear, you must be cold in that dress only.' The lady handed me the folded dark blue cape and I wrapped it quickly around me like a shield against Linda.

Please papa, come back soon!

'Please excuse Linda...she has...her tastes a little off. She likes ladies, not gentlemen, and younger ones at that. Ah! But rest assured, I will ward her off for you. I made a necklace for you; she despises silver. It should keep her away but miss, would you trade your golden cross for it? It'd be such a waste now I made it; and you don't want Linda to come back near you, right?' I dragged myself farer from him.

'I don't-'

'Chi!' A figure stormed in shrouded in a drenched mantle followed by another, smaller one.

'Papa! Mama!' I ran from the spot to their side, finally safe. Papa must've scared them because they brought back my shoes but it seems Linda destroyed my clothes and disappeared somewhere. They couldn't find her nor other traces but my claw thorn clothes. We left; outside a bright full moon was shining from between the dissipating rain clouds.