Red Riding Hood

Chapter Twenty-One

Though I’m closer to wrong,
I’m no further from wright.

 

The last light of day quickens its pace as it descends in the sky, leaving a looming shadow in its wake. An ordinary night would see the streets barren, doors barricaded, and houses quiet. But tonight is no ordinary night. The streets are flooded with happy and drunken villagers. The animals that roam the woods surrounding the wall look down from the trees, curious and amazed at the small town below. It was like watching a shy child that had been sheltered their whole life … finally … come out of their comfort zone. But in this case, it was more like jumping out of their comfort zone. Impaled above the rowdy crowd, a severed wolfs head watches from upon a pike. A bonfire blazes in the town square, providing the only source of light for the square. People’s shadows crawl up onto the surrounding buildings, as the villagers dance around the crackling fire, chanting and howling. The smaller children play together just outside the over crowed tavern. Jackson sits near them but doesn’t join in with their festivities, despite their pleas. His grandmother watches him from across the square, as she sits with the other village elders. Inside the tavern, there is a sea of flamboyant, drunken villagers that chant and scream village songs that had once been forgotten. In the far right-hand corner of the room are a cluster of tables and chairs that are no long visible through the crowd of people that surround them. Grey sits on the edge of one of the tables along with his other hunting buddies, a drink in one hand and Scarlet in the other. Scarlet sits above the boisterous crowd like a tranquil butterfly in a hive of chaotic bees. Tranquil, yes, but lost. A blank expression covers her face. It was like her mind had closed its doors and retreated to somewhere quieter.  The mob around her cheer for the hunting party and praise Grey like he’s a God. Grey sings with his pack in a drunken manner, sloshing their drinks everywhere as they sway side to side, bumping into each other. Across the room, sitting on a stool in the corner of the room, next to what resembles a bar, is Luca. His autumn eyes don’t seem to blink as his gaze focuses on his intended desire across the room. He receives quite a bit of attention from a handful of village girls that basically beg for his unmoved attention. They attempt to talk to him, offering him drinks, touching his arm or leg. He just silently shoos them away, unconcerned with their yearning, rebellious, attention-seeking behaviour. He gulps down drink after drink, knowing that he shouldn’t but that doesn’t stop him. Luca seldom drinks, alcohol tends to give unimaginable headaches, and it adds fuel to his fiery temper – making it harder for him to keep his anger under control. But tonight his demons were too loud for anything else to numb them. He’s probably going to regret it later, but right now he only cares about one thing. He stares at his saddened prey, paying closer attention to her eyes, which are usually ablaze with a spark of life, of fight. But tonight her emerald eyes are without their glow of life, it was like someone has turned the light off inside her head that once used to shine out. Jackson was right. Luca thinks to himself. Scarlet stares blankly beyond the crowd but she’s not really seeing anything. Something makes her twitch, a buzzing noise inside her head that isn’t caused by the unruly crowd. Momentarily, she unwilling pulls herself out of her shell and glances around the room. Her gaze lands one someone else’s and it is like an invisible line of fire is ignited between them. Her eyes begin to waver away but she forces herself not to, because in the midst of her misery, those autumn orbs are the only things that bring her delight. Luca slightly tilts his head back, signalling for her to come to him. She breaks their ignited line and glances at the sea of craziness roaring around her. She then looks at Grey. She bites her lip and nudges his arm. He’s busy laughing when he turns his head to Scarlet, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her closer.
      “Yes, darling?” He grins. She holds her breath to avoid the stench of hot alcohol on his breath.