Red as Blood

6.

Elena ran, knowing her life depended on it, as slight sound emerged, like a baby's cry or a wolf's call. She knew that she couldn't stop and hoped that it was the wolf. Something shifted in the air. Someone was running with her, not behind her. Elena stopped. She was alone, her breaths were clouds, her bare feet in need of warmth. She closed her eyes and waited in the dense forest around. The red cloak hung limp against her feeble frame. A low growl echoed around, displaying his presence. She knew who it was and prayed she was faster. She turned and ran, her dress was sodden and her cloak was heavy. There footsteps in the snow sounded like the crunching of glass. She stumbled on her feet as exhaustion tried to consume her. Elena threw off the cloak, her only piece of warmth, hoping it could keep her moving. But the growl ricocheted through every tree and every branch, finding her.

'I said, all the better to kill you with.'

There was no escape. She stumbled before collapsing on the cold ground and cried, only quiet ice fell from those meadow green eyes. Her mouth unable to utter a sound. She stood on shaky legs, her curled chestnut hair fell away from her pale face as she stared straight into his cold blue eyes, a veil of courage coating her. The wolf only smiled at her, his teeth flashing white and dropped something at her feet. It was a small blue bundle, the furs still wrapped around her. She gasped, her insides crushed at the realisation of what he had done hit her, he frozen body turned stiff as she crawled towards it.

'Monster.' Elena whispered cradling her.

His smile grew sadistic. He brought his hand up, the metal reflecting her fear-ridden eyes. It came down. Red splashed across the pure white snow. He pulled the red cloak off of a branch and threw it at her still, frozen feet.

'Pity.' He huffed walking away. The blood dripping beside him.

He left Elena to the white snow that would cover the vibrant red that once, trailed behind her.