The Dark Fur Of The Forest: The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood.

Chapter 8: The Aftermath

Irvin held me in his arms as we heard what sounded like a feast for monsters. There was shirking, snarling, howling, and giggling. The worse was when I thought I heard the sound of my brother Alex calling for help. I stood up and launched to the door to get my brother, but Irvin held me down in his arms.

He was stronger than he looked and I struggled to get out of his grip. I was sobbing when I heard Alex's scream of horror. I wanted to help him, but deep down I knew it was fake. That was how I ended up in Irvin's arms as he let me sob on him and cry from fear. I even fell asleep a few times, only to awake to a nightmare that was still with me when I woke up.

I kept seeing shadows and flicks of movement outside the window. I was mentally exhausted and physically since I had clenched my hands into fists for so long that it hurt when Irvin forced my hand to open.

" You need to relax, we are safe." He whispers into my ears. I felt a bit comforted but still, the storm went on. As quickly as it came, it disappeared. Through all of his fear of the storm, it was only an hour then it just stopped. One minute I heard the howling and acid rain, the next silence. The silence was what really scared me the most.

We sat listening, waiting to hear if it was okay. Finally, after another hour of this silence, Irvin stood up.

" The storm is over, but I won't go out for the rest of today and tonight. It could still be dangerous." He said. He turned to the door as if to leave.

" Are you leaving?" I asked. He nods his head and steps to the door.

" But.....your brother...." I trailed off, understanding why he was going. I walked over to help him remove enough things over to make room for him to slip outside.

" Be safe!" I called as he left. I raced to a window and watched him make his way back to the trees. I shudder at what may lie in the dark.

" He likes you." said grandma out of the blue.

" What!?" I exclaimed turning around.

" Nothing..." she trailed off with her finger in front of her lips as a shush sign. She had a smile on her face as well. I heard what she said about him and my thoughts turn to the way he held me in his arms. Stop it, I barely even know him.

" I'm going to sleep," I called to her and made my way to my room. I fell asleep quickly while my thoughts turn to green eyes. 

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I woke up feeling homesick. I glanced out the window and felt sad and exhausted from the day before. I wonder if Irvin will come back? I couldn't help but feel hopeful. Stop it! We barely even know him.

Yet it felt like I knew him for a long time. Shaking my head to clear him from my mind, I walked out the door of my room. I was still in my Pjs and my hair was a tangled mess but I didn't care.

I walked right into the kitchen to see grandma sitting at the table with Irvin eating some food. I felt my heart skip a beat. Ohhhh no! It was too late. As I tried to inch my way back to my room, Irvin looked over at me.

He smirked when he saw my PJs and my hair. I for some strange reason felt embarrassed when a moment ago I didn't care. I can tell that my face turned red and I rushed back to my room to get dressed. I could hear laughing from grandma and Irvin. Which made me even madder.

I got dressed quickly. Ignoring my grumbling stomach I slipped out of my room and out the front door without a second glance. I had my bow with me and stood in the backyard hitting targets.

When I get mad, I always calm down when I am shooting at things or just practicing. I had set up targets in the back. After a few minutes, I felt a shadow fall on me.

" Look, I am in NO mood to-" I started to say when I felt someone grabbed my arm. I turned around with my dagger pulled out, while dropping my bow. For at close quarters, a dagger is better than a bow. They had let go of my arm, but I had my dagger out.

I was shocked to see not Irvin as I thought but someone else. It was an older boy by about two years I guessed. He had black hair, with a black outfit. He was wearing a black jacket. But his eyes at first glanced looked purple, but then it disappeared to show dark gray eyes. Everything about him was dark and dangerous. It reeked of it and sent goosebumps down my arms.

" Who are you?" I questioned, and kept my dagger aimed at him. He gave me a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Then bowing to me he said,

" My name is Colis." His voice held a note of danger lurking in it. I wanted to step back and run, but I held my ground.

" And? Why are you here?" I snapped out at him. Seemingly unfazed by my tone he laughed.

" I am here to ...pick up my brother." He finally said with that creepy smile. I stared at him for a bit confused. Then it hits me. He is Irvin's brother! He looks nothing like him at all. Plus there is something about him that I don't like.

For some reason, I wanted to lie and say that he wasn't here. I didn't like this... Colis, at all. Something about him wasn't right. As I was about to open my mouth and lie to him another voice spoke up from behind Colis.

" Hey, brother. long time, no see." behind Colis stepped out Irvin with a grin on his face. However, I noticed that it also didn't reach his eyes.

" Brother, we need to go home now." Said Colis with his smile. I realize that underneath all of them smiling and grinning was a hatred. I didn't like it.

" Oh but brother, I already did my chores at home." Replied Irvin, expressing the word chores as if it was something disgusting. I had enough of this fake get along. It made my stomach grumble. (Mostly because I didn't eat anything.)

" Hey, hmmm ...that sounds like Irvin already did his chores and also stopped this faking nonsense. It's worse than actual yelling. I am not stupid to realize that you guys don't get along." I finally blurted out. I was glaring at them. Irvin looked shocked while Colis gave a smirk.

" So how about you guys argue over there," I pointed over to the side of the house. " And I will be over here, to practice." I finished saying inched over to my targets. I picked up my bow and ignore the two; walked over to get my arrows.

I couldn't hear what the two were talking about but I noticed that there was a lot of hand gestures and yelling. From the red of their faces. I finished pulling my arrows out of one target and moved on to the other. I still watched them as I yanked out my arrows.

I finally was glad to see Colis walked away, back to the woods. I smiled. I didn't like having Colis around. It felt wrong. I saw that Irvin started to walk back to me with his head lowered. I looked back to my target to yank out another arrow.

" I have something to show you." Said Irvin finally coming right next to me. I looked up and saw that he was pale.

" You okay?" I asked concerned.

" I am fine, lets go." He answered.

" Go where?" I asked him, while I followed him.

" I want to show you a place where I go to relax." He said. He was grinning back at me. His pale face gone. I smiled and followed him into the trees.