The Witch in the Red Cape

"Sweetie, I'm so sorry but, your grandmother, she's no longer with us."

When the girl with the scarlet cape heard those words, for once, her signature hood was lowered.

"I'm sorry to say that the Big Bad Wolf was behind it, except this time, he actually succeeded."

When the girl with the scarlet cape heard those words, for once, in the depths of her mind, a second door was opened.

She was they called "Little Red Riding Hood."

Her long and ravishing blonde hair – more luminous than gold – cascaded down her back. Her skin, flawless and pale, was accompanied by lips which were lush and pink. Her sapphire eyes, forever alluring and bright, bewitched any that ever glanced her way. To the villagers, she was the light at the end of the tunnel; she was the joy in their hearts, she carried a smile which could make anyone's troubles crumble away. For eighteen years, she has been considered the angel of her little village.

However, here, in the back of her mind, she was only an empty shell of her former self. She'd always seen one door in the corner of her mind. She knew no matter what she did, everything would turn out alright. Except the problem was that everything wasn't alright. She knew that she had eradicated the Big Bad Wolf's existence from history, so why, why did he come back?

Was he looking for vengeance?

Was he looking for her blood?

Little Red Riding Hood gazed upon the two doors, her speculative crystal eyes scrutinizing their appearance. They were overly large; one was royal red while the other was pitch black. They both loomed over her figure and cast their resplendence down on her. On top of both the doors, there was one word each. However, they were indiscernible to her for some peculiar reason; she was unable to comprehend the words. They were obscured, smudged; she was unable to read what the words said or which door she should go down.

A decision which used to be so easy became agonizingly difficult. Examining each door, the blonde girl stayed secure in one spot. She advanced to go to the left door when something caught her eye, glimmering through the black one. Her eyes widened and slowly, as if she were a mere mindless zombie looking for their next victim, she sauntered to the black door. Her movements were robotic as she stiffly reached out for what was beyond the entrance.

As she did, the words on top of both doors soon morphed into comprehensible words, unbeknownst to the girl as she chose her path. The black door shut behind her as she grasped the smooth surface of the item that was waiting for her just beyond the doorway. If she could recall, it was a gift given to her ten years ago by the Huntsman which saved her and her frail grandmother's life. It was a gift she was all too familiar with.

A shiny pistol now held within the supple hands of an owner filled with killing intent.

"I'm going out."

"My dearest, why are you carrying that gun with you? You can't change what has happened!"

"I'll be sure to stay on the path and be back before supper Mother."

*

"You have no choice, my son, go out there and fulfill you duty. You will inherit your father's name and slaughter the witch with the blood-stained cape. You will go forth and kill Little Red Riding Hood and her wretched old grandmother."

These words had always haunted the wolf who was destined to live under his father's shadow. In spite of this, he himself was kind; his shining black coat scintillated beautifully in the sunlight. No one but he could ever appreciate its beauty. For, he was a mere wolf, doomed to be the villain of every story, just like his father was. Sometimes, if people are unwilling to change their perceptions of you, it is easier to accept your fate rather than fight their beliefs; this was his philosophy. Because he was a wolf, it mattered not if he saved a squirrel or a petty human, he would never be commended – he could only be discriminated against. No matter what he did, everyone will only know his kind for their notoriety.