Red Riding Hood

Chapter One

I live in a small village, population 500, on the edge of a dark and beautiful forest.

I live with my dad and two sisters. My dad is the chief of the village. He acts more like a chief than my dad; it's either his way or no way. Rebecca, my oldest sister, thinks she's the boss of me and that she can push me and my other sister around. Lily, the youngest, thinks she can have and do whatever she wants.

My mother was a strong and beautiful woman. I remember her vividly; she had long, crimson curls that flowed when the wind blew. My mother had the perfect body and a wonderful personality; everyone loved her. Sadly, my mother was killed by the Wolf when Lily was six months old.

Every couple of full moons, a group of the villagers venture into the forest and hunt down the Wolf. My mother was in the group of hunters.

Later that night, they returned with her severed body. Dad was never the same after that.

The Wolf is a dark and dangerous beast that lurks through the forest. Every night, he's the demi-wolf; a hideous, hairless and skeletal creature that feeds on animals while he howls and cries for help. On a full moon, however; he's the Wolf. An enormous beast that can't be controlled or restrained. He roams the forest in the search of blood.

During the day, though; the Wolf could be anyone. But we try not to think about that. We don't want unnecessary paranoia.

***

There are only two schools in the entire village. One K-8th and the other a high school. The high school is farther from the village than the elementary school since younger children are a priority for protection if the Wolf decides to invade.

As with the village, everybody knows everybody at school. Well, except Viker. Viker is the kid that sits alone all the time, staring into space as if deep in thought. Viker doesn't really have any friends and he's usually very quiet.

The only time I ever speak to Viker once or twice in History class. He would ask me for a pencil or what was last night's homework.

The only thing he had ever said to me that was worth remembering was a few days after my mother's death. I was sitting on bench crying about her when Viker noticed me and sat down next to me.

Viker didn't say anything for a moment until he wrapped his arm around me and looked me in the eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

I wouldn't call Viker my friend or even my acquaintance. Viker is just a kid that is in my History class that never brings a pencil to school.

***

"Girls," Dad called and when he calls, you better move quickly.

We all run down the stairs and find Dad in the living room arranging his shotgun. Oh yeah, tonight is a full moon. "Wolf night" as Lily calls it.

"I'm gonna lead the group tonight and I won't be back for a while." Dad ties his boots and puts on his leather jacket.

Dad always led the hunts and it always caused anxiety attacks in us three girls. He even led the one Mom was in; he blames himself for her death to this day.

I've always wanted to go on the hunts and kill the beast that took my Mom away from me, but Dad would always get very upset. He wouldn't even let Rebecca go on the hunts.

"Rebecca take care of your sisters while I'm gone and Lily, don't be such a pain," he orders.

Rebecca sort of laughed when Lily crossed her arms. He didn't have any instructions for me and before I could ask, Dad was out the door.