The Soft Glow in the Dead of the Night (Part 1 - History Unedited)

Chapter 2 - Little Red

Little Rue Red was nicknamed well. Red wasn't her last name, but seeing as no one really used her actual last name, Red stuck instead.

It wasn't used on account of her red hair, nor the colour of the baby blanket her mum bought her home in, but because Little Red often found herself in trouble.

"Caught you red-handed!" The police constable said next to her.

Rue grabbed the bag of sweets and ran. She was a good runner, fast and agile. She ran down the street as the officer shouted after her. She turned and saw him behind her, but she smiled. She knew her way around the streets better than most.

She continued down the road, weaving in and out of the flow of bodies moving on the path. The coffee shop was ahead and it was the lunch rush. She jumped onto a chair and sprinted across the tables, unhappy customers yelling as she attempted to avoid their lunch. People jumped back from their tables as Little Red accidentally kicked a sandwich. She quickly apologised to the gent.

As she jumped onto the last table she grabbed a muffin from a plate and lept from the table, landing carefully onto the path again. She turned back, the officer was trying to get through the crowds. He blew his whistle loudly, and shouted at her to stop. She laughed as she continued running. She placed her hand in her pocket to check that she had actually managed to pocket the sweets. The bag was cool to her touch.

She turned the corner and slowed her pace, the officer wouldn't be able to catch up with her for a while. She took a celebratory bite of the muffin. Blueberry, her favourite. A whistle sounded behind her and she started running again, annoyed at herself that she celebrated too early. She threw the muffin behind her, hoping to hit one of them.

Another officer ahead heard the whistle and turned to face the noise, she locked eyes with him for a moment before running down an alley. It was a dead end, she knew it was, but she continued running, picking up speed. She ran towards the brick corner and placed her foot on the wall and used her hand to grab hold of the bricks. She pulled herself up, grabbing hold of anything she could. There wasn't far to go, she looked down at the two officers shouting at her, she poked her tongue out and pulled herself onto the roof.

She rolled across the stone and onto her feet. She couldn't see what was happening below but she didn't care, it would take them a while to get onto the roof and hopefully by then she would be long gone. She slowed her pace slightly, allowing herself time to think of her next move. She was on a roof, and she needed to get off of it without getting caught, or breaking something.

Carefully she ran to the other side, making sure she didn't stray too close to the edge. She stopped just short of the drop and looked down, no police in sight.

She didn't celebrate this time, she would do that when she was home. She jumped onto the next roof, it wasn't far down and it meant she was closer to the floor again, jumping from this roof would be easier and safer.

The street below was as busy as always. Merchants shouted about good prices and excellent stock. Children played with balls and hoops. Horses pulled carts for the well off to travel in. She could watch the world pass her by for hours. But she needed to go home at some point.

She saw the hay cart below her, she smiled and stepped off of the building.

"Hey!"

"Sorry, I slipped." She said as she climbed out of the cart, the hay scratching at her exposed skin. She pulled a piece out of her hair and dropped it into the cart. She turned to walk away but was stopped by a hand yanking her backwards, she was spun around the face them.

"Little Red, how many times must I find you like this?"

"Ain't a clue what you mean." She replied innocently.