Little Red

3

The moon smirked down at me, mocking my fleeting image. After a while, my legs became stiff and sore. I'd ceased my running, although all that did was heighten the twisting fear in my gut.

Everything was dark, aside from the traitorous moon. By gazing up at its undefinable beauty, I noticed it was near its fullest. A full moon, when wolves come out to play.

Swallowing hard, I looked away. Instead, I scanned the area in sheer desperation to find that damn trail. My stomach was growling, but I felt no need to stop and feed myself. Images of the rabbit's head was imprinted in my mind, neglecting me the urge to consume any food.

I shuddered.

"Okay, Sophia," I whispered to myself. "Find the trail. Follow the trail. Get to Granny's. Don't freak out." A gust of wind blew the hood off of my hair. Immediately, strands of my hair danced in the burgeoning wind.

Sauntering over disheveled branches, I did well to hold back the need to cry. I wasn't a crier, but the paranoia inside of me was driving me to the brink of insanity. I could already imagine everyone at my funeral, empty casket and all. The only difference would be that everyone would be allowed to wear black, considering I hadn't broken any rules.

That was when it dawned on me; I very well had broken a rule. For anyone given the courtesy to leave the village, they were to never stray from the pathway. Do so, and they may as well stay out in the forest for the wolves.

Another gust of wind teased my exposed skin. I was too stricken to even flinch. Broke the rules. Broke. The. Rules.

I broke the rules.

I fell to my knees, feeling the sharp rubble press uncomfortably against me through the thick material of my pants. I sat the basket beside me, planting my hands on my thighs. Breathe in. Breathe out.

What they don't know won't hurt them, right?

I needed to find that damn pathway. Lassoing my confidence and self-preservation from insanity back, clambered up to stand, basket in hand, and I started marching as though I were on the most important mission of my life. Truth be told of the matter; I most certainly was.

All of that confidence drained completely from my entire body by the sights of a silhouetted shadow leering a dozen or so feet in front of me. Whoever, whatever, it was, was leaning against a thin tree. The figure was broad and much taller than I was. I could tell, even though I was quite a bit away from it.

My marching stopped. Suddenly, all I could hear was how viciously my heart was thudding in my chest. A drop of sweat rolled down the sides of my face, down my jaw, then dropping onto my chest. The silhouette shifted, moving closer to me.

I let out a shrilling scream, causing a flock of birds to take off in the darkness of the night. Unbeknownst of what was heading in my direction, I turned tail and sprinted as fast as my legs would allow it.

Peering behind my shoulder, the silhouette had vanished. I turned my attention back in front of me, feeling my heart sink as I ran straight into another silhouette.

Before I could fall on my behind, hands grasped my upper arms to steady me.

"Where are you going on your own, Little Red?" The voice was spoken low, almost gruffly. The warmth of their hold was menacing, something I could feel even through fabric.

Despite the eeriness of the man's presence, I felt my shoulders relax from the realization that it wasn't a wolf. It was a human. Not something that could tear me apart limb from limb. Not something that could consume me whole. Just a human.