Off The Beaten Path (Grim Tales #1)

Chapter 8

     Now my dear reader I am sad to say we are coming to the end in our tale. We only have a bit more to go in this gruesome fairy tale. But, do not fret, my dear I will be back with another frightful story. We have learned so much in this dreadful tale of Little Red Riding Hood.

     There are many morals to this story but let us discuss our beloved characters. Now I bet all of those people that the wolf ate wished they had moved to the city. I mean who still lives in the woods anyways. Well besides animals like, you know, bears or wolves. Or you know people who turn into animals. I guess you would have to be very careful and clever while living in the woods. Which no one in our story really was, well except for the wolf. How sad, right?

      I mean think of Little Red, while she was warned about the dangers but she, like all teenagers, thought she was grown and that she knew everything. Her mother's warnings were quickly forgotten. I mean not only did she leave the path, she talked to the wolf, and while technically he was her father, she didn't know him and she never called her mother.

     Now let us talk about Granny. Even tho Granny was sick, she still wasn't very careful. I mean she just told the wolf to come in. I am sure the wolf's impression didn't match Little Red's real voice. Tho maybe I should give her the benefit of the doubt. I mean she was probably going deaf and blind. She was probably sharper when she was younger.

     So now we are going to talk about the third person the wolf ate. Which I have to say wow he must have been starving. Anyway back to the shopkeeper, who if you ask me belongs in a horror movie. I mean everything shouted at him not to open the door so what does he do? The shopkeeper opens the door. I think he kind deserved to be eaten by the wolf... All for pride... Let that be a lesson for you, kids. Never be afraid to say you are scared.

      Now we will talk about Little Red's mother. Her love and fear for her daughter's life made her blind to the dangers that could impact her. She, like Little Red, forgot her mother's warnings. She didn't have a very large part in our story but we could learn a lot from her.

     I wish I could tell you that the wolf got what he deserved for all he did but I can't. You know maybe it would be fair if he ran into the witch who turned him into the wolf. She could have know what he did and you know turned him into a vegetarian or you know a rabbit. Or something. Let's be honest tho sometimes the bad guys win. There's not always a happy ending in real life. Now the wolf was a very strong and almost ruthless character. Even in his human skin.

    He never felt remorse for what he did to his family. He roamed all over Fairytale Land. Always searching for another meal. Occasionally overhearing townspeople talking about what happened to that sweet little family. One day, many years after he ate his family, the witch's magic started to wear off. The transformations fewer and farther between. One day he was in another little town in his human skin when he met this girl in a gold cloak. She reminded him of his former wife. He walked up and introduced himself to the beautiful woman. He offered to help her with her bags. They were about half way to her house when he suddenly transformed into the wolf.

      To the wolf's surprise the girl transformed into the witch who granted his wish to transform the first time. "Like all things in this magical, your story has come to an end," the witch said as she watched the wolf grow weaker. "When you awake again you will be fully human and won't remember anything." The wolf began to fall asleep as the witch left his story.

       You see every story has a witch who narrates a story only to help it get to the end, just so she can restart it. After all everyone knows Fairytale Land was cursed to be in an eternal state of repeat.

A.N.: Thank you for everyone who has read my story. I hope you enjoy the ending.