Off The Beaten Path (Grim Tales #1)

Chapter 5

     The wolf was waiting for Little Red in Granny's bed. Man, he thought to himself, Little Red is awfully slow. With my luck she got lost and she will never get here with that food. Now what to do to fill the time? All of the sudden he heard a noise that sounded like the outside gate. Oh Little Red must be here, the wolf thought as he brought the blankets up over his snout.

     Little Red walked up to the door and knocked lightly, in case granny was sleeping. "Who's there," yelled the wolf in his deep voice.

     Little Red jumped back Granny normally doesn't sound like that, she thought. "Little Red, your granddaughter," said Little Red, her voice quivering in fear. But then she remembered Granny was sick and that must be what's wrong with her voice.

      "Oh, come in deary," said the wolf, softening his voice.

        "Yes, grandmother." Little Red opened the door and walking over to the bright blue island in Granny's kitchen. She set down the very heavy basket she had been carrying.

        "Little Red," called the wolf.

         "Just a minute, grandmother," replied Little Red. "I am just setting the basket down. I brought you some flowers." When Little Red walked into Granny's room, she saw the wolf in Granny's nightgown, night cap, and glasses with the covers pulled over his muzzle. Little Red didn't realize it was the wolf tho...

         Which seems a little strange to me... I mean I would recognize my grandmother. Wouldn't you? I mean, come on, who couldn't tell the difference between a wolf and your grandmother. Well I guess everyone already knows she isn't to smart.

         Anyways Little Red approached the bed to give Granny the flowers, she picked for her. "Wow, grandmother, your voice is really deep," said Little Red.

          "Just a little cold, deary," said the wolf.

          Right, Little Red thought quietly, Granny is very sick but something is different. "What big eyes you have!"

       "The better to see you with, my dear." The wolf was hoping she would move closer to him. The wolf shifted in Granny's bed in anticipation. The blankets fell to the wolf's waist. Now you might think Little Red would recognized the wolf and realize that he wasn't Granny and that this was all a trick. Well I am sad to say she didn't.

        Little Red put the bouquet of daisies on Granny's dresser as she stared at the wolf's arms. "Wow, grandmother, what big arms you have!"

         "All the better to hug you with, my dear."

        "What big ears you have, grandmother!"

          Little Red took a step back. Now was it out of fear.... Had she noticed something was wrong, wondered the wolf. What was she thinking? "So much better to hear you with, my dear."

          "Let me go unpack the basket and get you something to eat, grandmother, you must be so weak," Little Red pointed out in concern. Oh my, she thought, I almost forgot to feed Granny. Mother would never have trusted me again.

          "Yes, deary, Granny is very weak," the wolf said while pretending to sniffle.

            Little Red went to the kitchen and started unpacking the basket. While reheating the soup her mother made, Little Red started preparing Granny some tea with lemon and honey. Like her mother made for her when she was sick.

             The wolf got up from the bed. Hmmm.... Should I follow her or wait until I am done eating that yummy food to eat her? I will wait, decided the wolf. He watched Little Red without her noticing him peeking out the door. Before he knew it the tea kettle started to whine. He quickly jumped back into bed and put on his sick Granny act.

          As Little Red let the tea steep, she filled a bowl with soup and played some of the little sandwiches her mother made. She quickly finished fixing the tray and brought it in to her grandmother. "Here, grandmother," said Little Red as she set the tray down on the wolf's lap. Hmmm I am forgetting something, thought Little Red. Well, nevermind, she thought dismissively while fluffing Granny's pillows. The wolf eagerly and quickly ate the food Little Red brought to him. Little Red looked over and noticed the wolf's teeth. "Wow, grandmother, what big teeth you have!"

         The wolf finished devouring the food before replying to Little Red. "All the better to eat you with, my dear." The wolf pounced on her and quickly devoured the young girl. After there was no longer a trace of Little Red, the wolf went into the kitchen and began to heat up and the rest of the food Little Red brought for Granny

          After all the food was gone, the wolf started to feel a little tired. Man, I am tired, he thought, maybe I should take a nap. He crawled back into Granny's bed, yawning the whole time. He promptly fell asleep and began to snore very loudly.

          Now about a mile away, the shopkeeper was closing up his little shop. He began to slowly walk to his home. He lived just a little bit further in the woods, past Granny's house. Not even the wolf could imagine what would happen next...

          

A.N.: Obviously part of this is from the original story.