Little Red Riding Hood

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I was curled up on my bed, my head on my knees, my eyes focused on the tiny dot opposite me. I just concentrated on it to keep my mind from wandering to everything. I have had enough thinking today but I was having a hard time clearing my head. But keeping my gaze on that dot I was able to lock away all the unwanted nonsense in my head. It was all in a black box wrapped in layers of chains with a enormous pad lock keeping it closed. Only minutes had gone by but I was already getting bored. Sometimes I would find myself day dreaming and then I would have to start all over again. Or I would find myself wondering where everyone was.

I thought back to my route home, finding no one in the streets where they were normally packed this time of day. I nibbled on the skin around my thumbnail, confused at the sudden emptiness in the town. Suddenly the front door slammed open and I jumped in my seat. I sat up startled looking over the edge. I was surprised when I saw my sister stagger in, crying her heart out and holding herself. I jumped off the bed and slid down the ladder quickly.

My sister was just as surprised to see me as I was her. She rushed to me gripping onto her dress tight. “What’s wrong?” I said pulling her into me. She sobbed loudly, snot and tears soaking into my shoulder.

“I thought you-you w-were de-dead,” she stuttered her nails digging into my skin as she frantically tried to keep me close. Something has scared her and I have never seen her this frightened before.

“Why would you think that?” I said pulling back to look at her face. Her eyes were wide and I finally realised the patchy colour on her pink dress. I pulled away from her seeing the stain move onto my clothes.

Blood…

“Michael…he’s…the wolf…I couldn’t find him…he’s…” she burst out into fresh tears. Angela didn’t need to finish because I already knew the words that tried to form in her mouth. It couldn’t be happening. Michael, so full of life, couldn’t be dead. The wolf couldn’t have killed him. I didn’t believe it, not until I had proof. This could all just be some sick joke but when I looked at my sister she was honestly shaken up.

“Take me to him,” I demanded holding onto her shoulders. Her eyes grew wider and she shook her head wildly.

“I can’t go back there. I can’t see him like that. It hurt me too much the first time.”

I pushed her aside making my way to the door. “You stay here. Don’t leave the house!” I didn’t want another sibling dead. I pulled on my boots, not bothering with my coat. I ran out the door and down the small street. I had no idea where he was but I knew that if I found a group of people, I would have found him. I still hadn’t come to turns with his death. My body didn’t seem to believe it until I could touch his frigid, cold body, not until my eyes met his glazed over ones.

I turned the corner and saw the many, many fresh footprints heading in the direction of the forest. My breath caught but I edged on, running with as much speed as I could through the thick snow. I had to find him, I had to see if he was really deceased. We had these little huts made of dry hay bundled together lining the woods. It was in case someone or something was endangering the town. We would light them and they would make a ring around the town. No animal would come near it for miles.

In the distance I could see the many little brown mounds of hay but something odd was placed at the scene. A crowd of people stood like a shield around something. My heart dropped at the sight and it began to ache now that I realised it wasn’t a lie.

When I arrived there it seemed like people were already waiting for me. They turned their heads and stared, sending me mournful glances. With each step my breathing hitched making my heart hammer in my chest. I pushed through the crowd seeing my father in the center holding my shaking mother. As soon as I saw them I knew it was true. My brother was dead. My eyes followed the others and I found myself staring at the lifeless body in a bundle on the ground.