Red

8: Stories by the fire

I decided to let Hansel and Gretal 'motivate' me. They seemed to really know there stuff when it came to wolves. More than I did anyway. And I sure as hell don't want to be a wolf forever. Well, at least for now anyway.

We decided to set up a campsite beside the river. Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a 'campsite'. It was pretty basic, an average sized fire, surrounded by damp logs we were using as seats.

"So," I began "what's your guys story?" Hansel poked a stick into the fire then pulled it out, watching the flame dance in the cool night air.

"We were abandoned in the forest five years ago." He began

"We weren't abandoned." Gretal said cutting him off "dad was forced to leave us. Our stepmother made him."

Hansel snaps angrily, turning his head sharply to face his sister. "He didn't have to leave his only kids to the wolves. It was his choice." He turned back to me, taking a deep calming breath. "Anyway, we walked for hours. Stumbled upon a house made entirely of gingerbread and lollies. We were young and starving, so of course we started eating it. What we didn't know, the house belonged to a witch, she lured us inside with promises of sweets, we went and she kidnapped us. She trapped us there for 9 months, torturing us, until one day, Gretal killed her by pushing her into the fire place. We escaped. Your Grandma found us alone and crying, stumbling through the woods all alone. Ill never know why, but she took us in and and taught us all she knew. We had to leave her, around two years back once she lost her marbles. We have been alone in the forest ever since."

"How old are you guys?"

"I'm twelve. Gretal is eleven." They sounded so formal for such young kids. I guess it was because they had spent a lot of their life with old people.

"How have you survived so long here? I almost died on my first day."

"We used what your grandma taught us." Gretal said.

"What did she teach you exactly?" I asked knowing I was venturing into dangerous territory. Whatever she taught these kids she had never even mentioned to me. She only taught me how to play scrabble after fourteen tears of knowing her. I doubted that would help me survive years alone in a dangerous wolf infested forest.

"Everything she knows, how to track a wolf, kill a wolf, hunt food, shoot a bow and arrow everything. Just what she learnt naturally being a wolf hunter. You are so brave going to her house when you look so much like a wolf. Aren't you scared she will kill you by accident?" Gretal rambled.

"Wait- my grandma isn't a wolf hunter. She can't be. She's. . . Grandma." None of it made any sense. It wasn't possible.

"But she is. I can prove it." She pulled her bow over her shoulder. She loaded it and fired. The arrow buzzed over my shoulder and hit the tree on the other side of the creek. It had ripped through four leafs and they were now pinned between the point of the arrow and the tree. "She taught me how to aim like that." Gretal said proud of herself.

"No. She couldn't have- she wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Gretchid taught us everything we know, Red." Hansel said "that's why I attacked you just thinking you were a wolf. My first thought was to kill you. Instinct."

"You're lying."

"Why would we lie? It doesn't benefit us in any way. Trust us." I looked into the eyes of the two scrawny little kids. A part of me knew they were telling the truth. A part of my knew if I went to my grandmas house to get the antidote she would try to kill me. It just didn't seem real.

"I know this is a lot for you to take in, Red. But you should try to sleep. We have a whole day of walking ahead of us tomorrow. You need the rest." Gretal smiled at me reassuringly. I numbly lay down. I looked at the sky. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep a wink.

●●●●●

Hope you enjoyed the chapter :) Please don't forget to vote if you think the story deserves it