Goldilocks was whistling cheerfully to herself as she traipsed along a narrow winding path to the woods. The sun was still blazing high over a cluster of puffy cotton-white clouds. It was too early to meet her friend Red for their traditional picking of berries.
They usually go out when the sun is low as there is a risk of getting caught by the queen's soldiers in the woods at daylight. That's not to say that the forest isn't as dangerous at night due to the beasts that lurk in the trees, but Red and Goldilocks are stealthier than the night.
Goldilocks didn't really like her name as it was a reference to her short, golden curls as a child, but she got used to it over the years. Now that she has grown into a lovely, young woman, she wished she was called something else.
The other girls in the village had other normal names like Sophie, Jennifer or Lauren. Not that Goldilocks is ugly. In fact, she thinks it's a very unique name, which is the main reason why she doesn't like it. Gold hates being different and wants to fit in more with the others.
There was a slight breeze in the air, and her long mane of wavy, golden hair flew with it. She was enjoying the feel of the sun's warmth on her delicate white skin when something caught her eye.
She stopped dead in her tracks. It was a very old, rusty mailbox partially hidden behind a small tree. Goldilocks was almost sure it wasn't there a moment ago, as though it had materialized out of nowhere.
She cautiously went up to it, casting careful glances on either side of the road to check that no one was watching. She could barely make out the scribbled writing on it as the paint had nearly come off, but it said something like 'Property of The Three Bears'.
Goldilocks did hear of a rumor about a family of three bears living in the outskirts of town, but they would have to be dead by now for that to be true. The townspeople and the non-humans weren't in very good terms in this part of the world. A treaty was agreed upon by both parties many years ago to keep their own sides of the forest.
So if it was indeed true that there were three bears living in this part of the woods, they were in grave danger. If the mayor's men had already found this mailbox, surely they were dead.
Still Goldilocks was caught by curiosity and decided to follow the very small trail that led deep into the trees and down the hill where she could hear water trickling down a small waterfall. There was a stream that curved around the vicinity, which she decided to pursue.
When she got to a point where the trees were thickest, Gold stopped. Hidden in an eerie but beautiful formation of curved trees and thick bushes was a fairly small, wooden house. Smoke was billowing out of its chimney.
Goldilocks was pretty sure somebody was in there, but she could not detect any movement in the windows as the curtains were drawn and she could see inside quite clearly. Careful not to make any noise, she tiptoed to the front door and saw that it was ajar.
Her heart stopped a beat when she pushed the door. It made a slow, creaking sound as it did and Goldilocks stepped inside. Her heart was practically at the edge, prepared to burst if somebody showed up at the doorway.
Yet there was no sign of movement in the lounge. There was a very faint smell of something cooking in the kitchen. Goldilocks decided to check it out. She couldn't help but notice the exquisite design from the wall paneling to the expensive-looking wooden furniture.
The kitchen was magnificent and spotless. There was a large pot on a burning stove in which what smelled like porridge was being cooked. She sniffed a few times and realized it smelled so scrumptious like nothing she had ever smelled in her life.
There was a desperate buzzing sound in her stomach. Gold checked the front door and decided that she was only going to take three spoonfuls at most, and that's it. There were three bowls in different sizes on the kitchen counter.
A small one for a child, a middle-sized one, and the largest. Goldilocks took the smallest one and filled it with three tablespoons of porridge. It nearly scalded her fingers as she placed it on the mahogany dining table.
She was just thinking how lucky the bears' child was as she climbed on top of the smallest chair of the three. In the next second, there was a loud crack as the leg broke and Goldilocks toppled over backwards.
The chair crashed to the floor, the sound reverberating in the air. She sat there in total shock and silence, not knowing what to do. She didn't even mind that her right leg had suffered a long gash from the accident, and blood was trickling out of the wound.
Complete silence. Goldilocks breathed a sigh of relief and went to check the front door again before climbing up the middle-sized chair. She avoided looking at the broken chair as she didn't want to make herself feel any worse than she does. She felt truly sorry for the young bear.
Quickly, Gold started to eat the porridge. It tasted even better than it smelled. She constantly reassured herself that this was for a good cause. Before she leaves the house, she would leave the family a note to warn them of the imminent death they were facing from the mayor's wrath.
They would be so grateful for her kindness that they wouldn't even mind that she broke their chair. But something inside Goldilocks told her differently, like something wasn't right. Upon finishing the food, she went on a little investigation.
Back in the lounge, she went on a search to find any portraits or family pictures but failed to do so. Strange, she thought. Every house has have a family photo somewhere.
That's when the walls started to curve inwards, or so she thought. Gold tried to grab on to something, but the dizziness was coming on to her fast. Her stomach was churning as though something - The porridge. Somebody had poisoned it.
She felt like screaming, but nothing came out of her mouth. Goldilocks lost her balance and fell with a loud thud on the floor. Her vision was a still photograph of blurred colors.
Footsteps. Loud, high-heeled ones that went clickety-clackety on the hardwood floor. Goldilocks tried to see who they were, but she could only make out three hooded figures standing over her. They seemed to be cackling like witches.
And then she lost consciousness.
