The Wolf's Den

Path 2: Ryland, Chapter 6

        They ended up standing outside a room that read 'Do not enter' with seven goats drawn on it. Red stood in front of Ryland and Tom, knocking seven times in rapid succession of the previous knock. The door didn't open. To which, she knocked louder seven times in rapid succession to each pervious knock.

        "Open up, you cowards. I know you're in there and we need help. Just let us in, okay? We're not hungry."

        Soon after, a boy dressed in rags opened the door, stared at Red, who was exactly his height, and let them in. It was spacious enough, seven twin beds in a room marked 'sleep' and another larger bed in another room also labeled 'sleep.' The only reason she could tell was due to the depiction in smudged chalk of each room, and a shower head was also drawn in chalk between the two doors marked 'sleep' was a door labeled 'bathroom.' The room they'd walked into held two massive couches in excellent condition, a huge dining table with eight oaken chairs, a nicely sized kitchen, and a small coffee table full of clothing and sewing tools.

        "Thank you, I know it's not easy for you to let others in," Tom said, carefully sitting on one of the couches.

        "What do you want? The rest of them are sleeping and Mama's out again."

        "Your mother is always out, Levi. She's been out for 200 or more years. Are you quite finished being sassy?"

        "Are you?" Levi asked.

        "If it helps you agree to help us, then yes." Sitting beside Tom, she studied Ryland with a frown, watching Ryland slowly sit on the other side of Tom with a sigh into her hand, pretending to yawn. Would they even make it to the end?

        "Fine. What is you want? I'd like to go back to bed."

        "For one, we need to stay the night, as it's safest here."

        "Why not just stay at one of your own? We're all neutral characters."

        "I only have a twin bed free and no couch, and Tom isn't allowed to share with Ryland, that would be counterproductive, and Ryland's room is trashed without repair. That and dangerous."

        With a frown, Levi stared at Red blankly. "I'm assuming this new female is Ryland, then."

        "Yes, she is. Now can we move on and get to the point?"

        "If you'd tell me what it is, then yes."

        "We need to get out, and you and your brothers' could easily leave if you wanted to, the Wolfe would gladly let you go, but he won't let Tom, Ryland, or me go, as we have someone we're missing in the equation. The Wolfe killed your mother when she left the fight night, just so you and your shaking siblings would leave."

        "Wait, that's... But he looks so at peace, not shaking, not---"

        "That's because the youngest is always the calmest, but appearances must be made."

        "Enough, Red," Levi said. "I'll help you, we all will, and if it gets us killed, I suppose it's worth it. The others won't leave, they're afraid to be eaten again."

        "It's not very likely, Levi."

        "I know, Tom, but they won't listen. I've wanted to leave for the longest time. Only one who agrees with me is Gregory, but the eldest won't leave without the rest. Go figure, right? Sometimes I hate being the youngest of seven." Looking around him, Levi shrugged and pointed to the door with the large bed. "You can all use that one. I'm not letting one of you use the couch for group convenience. Being separated from the group is bad."

        "Sure you don't want to add an 'aaaaaad' to that?" Red snickered.

        "A what?"

        Tom cleared his throat, shaking his head slightly. "C'mon, bedtime. We all gotta sleep sometime, and we have a huge day tomorrow. Or... Whenever tomorrow is."

        Picking Red up and carrying her over his shoulder gently, Tom grinned to Ryland, who started laughing as she stood herself, following Tom. Levi, meanwhile, locked the door, the seven locks in place, watching his strange new visitors close the door to the larger bedroom and turned the light off. Only then did he go back to bed.