Red Riding Hood

Chapter Three - Little Red

Age - 9

Later that night Little Red retired to her bed, keeping a small bit of candle light to examine the strange liquid William had given her. The metallic fluid was thick, but the thing that confused her the most was the parchment. It had read, The one who wears the Red cloak is the one who is destined to choose a side, one of which could wipe out an entire species, and the other, save it. The potion is a mixture of Monkshood, silver, and pine ash. This will protect the one who wears the Red cloak from any of those whom are part of that species.

Little Red stared at the potion for a while before scurrying off to Williams room to ask him about it. When she arrived in his room he was fiddling with a small talisman. Quickly he tucked it away and turned his attention to Little Red. Little Red sat next to William on the cool sheets.

"What was that?" She spoke quietly. He avoided eye contact with her. Not wanting to bring up such a subject. Little Red immediately felt guilty for noting it. "So," She spoke again changing her attention to the small vial she held. "Why did you give this to me?"

"You are meant to drink it. You read the parchment, right?" William whispered softly to Little Red. She nodded but continued to ask. "I did, but I want to know why you gave it to me. What is it for?" Her tone became more excited. Little Red realized she was being a bit louder than wanted and stooped her head down.

"If you read the parchment then you know that you are the only one who is meant to take this. The rest is more difficult to explain to you at this age but I can explain a small piece until the time comes. I will get very sick soon. I'll need your help, it might be difficult for you, but tomorrow I'll need a few herbs." William handed Little Red a few pieces of parchment with drawings a plants on them. "These will help me to get better. Tonight, I need you to take this potion. I can't guarantee your safety but this will help you in many ways. That dagger you have in your cloak. Keep it with you at all times. Even next to you at night. The things that are to come, the people you will meet, they will not all be pleasant. It might even be years before you meet any of them. I can not stay here and help protect you unless you take this. With out it you will be in more danger than ever. Please, Red, take the potion."

William was beginning to lose his energy fast. All the information that had just been compacted in Little Reds mind was struggling to be processed to her understanding. What she could get out of it was-- If she didn't take the potion William would have to leave and she would be in great danger. William would get sick soon and he needed the herbs, he gave her the pictures of, in order to get better. The dagger her grandmother gave her will help her greatly and she will be told about the parchment that was with the vial when she was older. -- William was starting to drift off and he was whimpering to her. "Take the potion, get the herbs, be protected." William started burning up, whispering these to her over and over again. Little Red eyed the vial immensely. After going over what William had said before, she pulled the cork from the bottle and poured the liquid in her mouth. It was thick like a syrup, but the flavor was of metallicness and herbs. After downing the liquid in a struggle with her taste buds, she took a few gulps from a flask of water.

William started coughing violently and blood sprayed his hands. Little Red, still sitting next to him tilted his craned head up and poured a small bit of water into his mouth. She lay him down on his side and ran off to get her mother. After a small amount of time Little Reds mother asked her to get a cool damp rag. She was back quickly and through out the night it was Little Red running back and forth, getting certain things for her mother, to help William.

When the coughing and blood splatter only increased, Little Red and her mother became worried. As the night went on the stomping of rain and clash of thunder and lightning began. Though she hadn't had any sleep, small fragments of light shone through the clouds, indicating morning. Little Red still gripping the papers William had given her, knew that his only means of recovery would mean her finding these herbs in the forest. With that she took off in a sprint, her blood red cloak, gliding behind her.

Little Red could hear her mother yelling, despite the thunder looming through the atmosphere. Slowing her pace at the approach of the forest, Little Red ducks down under a small tree, providing dryness. Unrolling the papers she held, she recognized a small amount of the herbs needed. Deciding it would be easier to get the ones she knew the location of and looking for the others on the way, she lurched through the forest. The mucky ground pulling on Little Reds shoes, she struggled to keep walking until trees covered her over head, like a dark green sky.

Eventually pulling up the last of the herbs needed, after finding them, Little Red tucked them into her cloak and started stalking back to the house. The rain, now calming, left the ground complete with mud. Stepping into the big, almost pond like mud vast, Little Red struggled to keep walking. Trudging through the mud she picks up her cape little bit by little bit, the more she sinks in the mud. The ruffling of leaves behind her caught Little Red's attention. Turning she saw nothing but trees, but the noises continued. A loud growl followed by barking and a series of yelps emitted from the forest behind her.

Continuing faster, but more difficultly through the mud, Little Red made it to the other side of the small pond of wet dirt. Staring into the forest, the sounds extinguishing only moments after her reaching hard, dry land, she sees a figure walk out of the forest. Before its full form was visible to her, Little Reds mothers yells were heard. Backing away from the forests edge, the figure quickly submerged itself in the darkness of the forest. When not visible anymore, Little Red rushes off to be at William and her mothers aid.

"Where did you get such herbs?" Her mother asked, while Little Red sprawled the herbs and papers on the table.

"That isn't what we should be worrying about at the moment. William needs our help." Little Red says breathly from running so far. Following the writings scrawled on the papers, they boiled, minced, and even crushed certain herbs to create a tea like substance. Little Red taking it from the table, balanced it between her hands walking carefully to Williams side. Leaning him up she spoke, "Here, William, I followed it exactly, it should make you better.". William weakly took the drink in sips until the bottom of the cup was visible.

Over the course of the next few days William gained his strength back immensely and Little Red would help him with the wound on his back which she would question him about multiple times. She would ask how he got it, ignoring his answer from before, and why it didn't bleed. That question always seemed to frighten him but he soon after it being asked continued the conversation on without mentioning it.