The Wolf's Den

Path 3: Tilli, Chapter 2: Part 2

        Tilli awoke with a panic to a knock on the door. Upon hiding under the covers the knock persisted, and biting back a scream, she shook Snow White. "Miss Snow... Miss Snow, I think there's someone at the door! Please, wake up!" However, when she didn't wake, her eyes widened and she hid herself under one of the twin beds, the farthest from the bed and the door creaked open, a large, six foot tall brunette stepping into the landing below. The door slammed and he studied the tidy kitchen, couch, bookshelf, the table and chairs, and the door Snow's husband used for work the night before, and as he had yet to return, Tilli guessed he worked late into the day and got back by noon, like her father used to.

        "Come out, come out, wherever you are, I know you're here, Snow White," the man said, a chuckle deeply. "You made a promise to visit when we met last, but you never did. We've missed you, all seven of us, myself included." A hum darkly, he started up the steps, Tilli safe underneath the unsued twin bed. "Sleeping this late? You must have had a long night with that husband of yours when I couldn't see you, but that's alright. We never wanted that from you, you deserve your privacy. However, you need to come with us, Mr. Wolfe is looking for you and he's hired us as a mercenary."

        Picking up the sleeping woman on the bed, he left the room with Snow White in tow, slamming the door back just as her hostess' husband returned, tired and grouchy. Noticing the lack of his wife, he scanned under the beds, a grumble when he just saw Tilli. "You. Get out from under there and tell me exactly where my wife is. Do you understand?"

        After crawling out, Tilli stared at her hostess' husband then to the floor, and finally, to Snow's husband again. "It was... A man, he, uh, six foot tall, brunette... Said 'we seven' or something, and... And... I didn't have the ability to... I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to cause this!" Tilly stammered.

        Finally calming down, he stared at Tilli and then the front door, for once nervous for Tilli's or his wife's well-being. "You need to leave, take the door I took to another hallway and just go before he gets here. I don't like you, but I do know my wife wants you to be safe. Get dressed when I leave and take the back door, and run, run as fast as you can. You hear me? Don't think, just run when you're there."

        "But I want to help, I do---"

       "Just go, change into your clothes and go. I'll take care of this one, I owe it to her."

       "I understand, just... Please thank Miss Snow for letting me stay the night when I couldn't."

       "Yeah, yeah... Good, kid. Take my extra flashlight on the bookshelf, too, and just go. I don't want to see a friend of my wife get hurt, no matter how much I hate them. I'm still human."

        "Okay. Thank you, Sir!"

        When he left, Tilli changed and covered her face, grabbing the flashlight and running for the door, which, after finding it difficult to open, pushed her way through and shut it silently behind her. Soon after, she held the flashlight close to her chest and ran, thankful for the moment for her bare feet.