Within the Pages

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"How do you do Red?" asks the Big Bad Wolf of Little Red Riding Hood.

"I'm fine Hairy."

I can't believe that I am witnessing not only a wolf talking, but that he is conversing with Red. I start to laugh. "Hairy? Red don't you think that's a bit rude calling the wolf Hairy?"

"I think you misunderstand young man" the wolf corrects me, "My name is Harry. H A R R Y. How are these children making it through school? Really sad." Did the wolf just chastise me for not knowing how to spell?

"Ohhh, I'm so s-sorry H-harry" I stammer out, a bit frightened I would get eaten because, you know, he's a wolf.

"Oh it's no problem. It gets mixed up all the time. Red who is the fellow?" The wolf shows his teeth to me in what is most likely a smile as he directs his question to Red and not me.

"Oh this is uh, my brother. My mom started to think it was a bad idea to start traveling the road without someone else with me. She seems to think that there are bad things out here. Can you believe it?" Red throws together a lie much faster than I ever could.

"Bad things?" queries Harry. "I have lived in this forest my whole life and I have never seen any bad things and you never mentioned having a brother before."

"Well my mother can get paranoid sometimes. Mothers!" Red blows out a breath, "mothers," she repeats, "so overprotective." She rolls her eyes dramatically to drive her point home.

"Oh yes they can, can't they." The wolf seems to take the lie in stride. "It's perfectly safe out here. Where are you headed Red?"

"RED, don't tell him!" I rush to say, remembering the story from my childhood.

"Oh relax Charlie." Red waves my fear away. "I've known Mr. Harry for many years." Turning to Harry, she tells him, "I'm just heading out to my grandmother's to bring her some fresh food from the village. Living so far away from the shops, and at her age, she needs people to deliver food to her and I volunteered today since Mother is busy."

"Oh of course! Silly me. I should have known. Make sure you stick to the path. I haven't seen any evil being lurking but that doesn't necessarily mean there aren't any," warned Harry with what I had begun to realize was his signature toothy grin.

"Thank you Harry. Now I think we must be going. Have a nice day," Red replied pulling me along the path with her.

"You too Red." I hear the wolf say as we are leaving. When I turned to look back, I see him dart into the forest at an incredible run, on all fours, no longer a civilized wolf. I sigh. I think I know where he is heading.