Little Red Riding Hood Never Forgives

The End

20

"No!" Nick screamed, voice ripping through the air like the scythe that had ripped through Scarlet's heart.

Scarlet gasped and shuddered, not even able to scream. She couldn't feel anything, only the hot, burning tongues of pain. Everything else was numb. Her eyes were swimming with brittle tears and her mouth was wide, gaping in shock.

"Stupid dog," Red sneered in disgust and let out a high-pitched howl. She was laughing, mocking Scarlet as the world faded around her.

No, she couldn't die yet. Not with so much to lose. Scarlet thought briefly about Nick, her soul mate. She recalled the warm touch of his hands as he slid the ring that meant so much to her on her finger. She remembered the soft, warm press of his lips against hers and treasured the beautiful memories, for they would soon be gone. She would soon be wiped clean off the face of the earth, a blood splatter lost in the hills of wheat.

Sin was frozen, and Ariel was struggling from the burns she had gotten from the raining fire. Nick fell to the ground, deep in shock. It felt like parts of his heart were slowly being ripped off and broken. He couldn't even think straight.

Red grinned a terrible, mad grin and giggled, "Finally...finally you can feel what its like to die. I can have my revenge." With her other hand, Red tilted Scarlet's face up so she could peer coldly into her dying eyes. "Still alive? Let me help you with that." Red raised the scythe again, ready to gouge the remaining life out of Scarlet.

As she watched the razor sharp blade coming down, Scarlet felt strong hands grip her waist and throw her. Her face burned as she slid across the knotted wheat, too weak to even really feel it. She raised her head, feeling the slight itching of curiosity as to who had thrown her. When Scarlet met the eyes of her hero she yelled a guttural shriek.

Alex. He sat, slumped over, scythe buried deep in his chest. His jaw was set, determined, but his eyes told a different story. Dark, rich blood welled from the hole in his chest, spilling onto the ground. Each drop of blood made Scarlet feel sicker and sicker, until she couldn't help but rise and tower towards Red.

"You little bitch!" She screamed hoarsely.

Scarlet couldn't believe she was even walking, she should have been dead. Scarlet stared down Red so poisonously that Red quivered, just a little.

"How could you do this?" Scarlet shrieked, throat sore. She glanced at Alex's terribly wounded body and swallowed the bile that was mounting in her throat.

"This wasn't exactly my plan," Red waved a hand at Alex nonchalantly.

Despite the new moon - which weakened Scarlet's werewolf abilities - she felt herself start to Change. Her hands morphed into wolf claws and back again, over and over as she towered over Red, hissing.

She whipped her head to one side as canines started to force their way through her gums. It was painful, as usual, but she knew it was worth it if she could make Red scream the way she did so long ago again tonight.

"Stop!" A shrill, familiar voice rang out from outside the circle.

Scarlet spun on her rapidly growing heels to see that it was Granny, her face red and pinched, as if she had been running for miles on end.

How did she get here, Scarlet thought to herself. Having been torn from the lust of lupine madness, Scarlet's mind could process correctly again. She was thankful for that at least.

"Red...please..." The old woman gasped and she walked straight through the fire.

"G-Granny?" Red gaped. Her mouth of what used to be sharp, little teeth hung open. Her black eyes had changed back to the warm brown. Red's eyes rounded in awe.

"What have you done, Red?" Granny sighed, looking from Alex's slumped over body to the little girl with ringlets wielding a giant, bloody scythe.

"I-I-I..." Red stuttered. She looked like she was in shock, as if she had just been waken from a daze.

Scarlet placed a hand to her chest, a feeble attempt at keeping the blood in. She trembled as she squatted to the ground, unable to stand on her own two feet anymore. Granny had walked over and placed a calm hand on Red's quaking shoulder.

"I'm really quite tired." Granny murmured softly.

"Me too, Gran." Red whispered in return, still in a state of shock from seeing her loving grandmother.

Granny turned to Scarlet, and after a moment of harsh, judgemental looks, her wrinkles softened and she gave Scarlet a curt little nod. She had forgiven her.

The white fire that surrounded the arena died out, melting into the ground. Then, suddenly, Granny and Red locked into a hug and vanished into thin air. The group of very injured five looked around, but it was only them standing in the knotted wheat field.

Red was gone.

 A groan caught their attention again as Alex sputtered out blood. Scarlet knelt over him, gashed heart falling.

"You're going to be okay..." Scarlet repeated the phrase, but she knew it wasn't true.

Out of the corner of her eye Scarlet caught sight of Sin, crying. Sin shook her head fiercely and turned away.

"Please..." Alex coughed, more blood seeping out of his gasping mouth. "You know...I'm dead, so...don't give me...that...bull..." He choked on his laugh and wound up gasping desperately for air.

"Oh God, Alex," Scarlet held back raging tears.

"Have fun...with...Romeo..." Alex cracked a smirk, but it was the most strained smile he had ever pulled. His eyes grew soft for a moment, "Good...luck, mutt..." He whispered.

Alex was fading fast, and Scarlet knew she would never be able to save him. So she sat there with him, holding his hand and whispering that it was going to be okay as tears dropped onto the blood splattered ground.

As his grip became icy and his eyes started to glaze over, Alex suddenly swivelled his eye line to over Scarlet's shoulder. A smile unlike one he had ever flashed before crept over his blue lips and Alex whispered, just loud enough for Scarlet to catch, "...Amanda..." And Alex left the world to be with his dead love.

Scarlet, Sin, Ariel, and even Nick had never cried so much.