The Girl in the Red Hood

Chapter XIV

No more than two seconds later, Josi bursts through the door, just in time to see me land on my face. I pull myself up and reach for what I thought was a weapon, but turning out to be a candle. I set it back down and move backwards, as far away from her as possible.

"It was you. Your the one. You made my hood, and you let my family die."
Josi had a huge burst of emotion. She was confused, upset, surprised, but mostly hurt. She sighed.

"I was going to tell you soon, but I guess this is a spark of encouragement for me to actually explain what happened that night.

"Earlier that morning, I finished the hood. I gave it to your grandmother, who was like a daughter to me."
"How old, exactly, are you Josi?" I ask.
"578 years old. Now pay attention. It's rude to ask a woman how old she is. Anyway-"

"I'm trying to figure out what happened when my parents died, which your responsible for, and your talking about MANNERS?" I yell. Maybe it was the wrong thing to say, because Josi nearly exploded, and the next thing she would say would earn my ultimate emotion breakout of the week.

"Your brother is alive. I saved his life soon after you left. I healed him with magic, then erased all of his memories except for the ones of you. The memory of you was put in an enchanted stone, a sapphire I think it was. I sent him to live in the village on his own. I haven't heard from him since. Well of course he can't remember me, but ab-"

"What village was it?" I ask shakily.

"I'm not sure, bu-"

"TELL ME WHERE IT WAS." I demand. "WHERE DID HE GO?"

"I put him in the Rockwin village. That's where I thought he'd be safe."

My mind flashes back to what seemed like weeks ago. That boy in the village that I stole from. I took a sapphire, which must've been the memories. Then he followed me into the forest, where a bear killed him. I can deny it all that I want, but it is true. I got my little brother killed. He died because of me.