“And remember Rubi, when you go through The Woods. Don’t talk to anyone.” my mother said, glaring to make her point. I nodded quickly. “Yes mom,” I said, ducking my head, “I know. It’s not like I don’t do this, everyday.”
My mother raised an eyebrow at my tone but just sighed and rolled her eyes, “Alright, just hurry.” she said, opening the door so I could walk out.
I waved my hand once, pulling up my black arm warmers and tightening the red cloak I wore. The snow had stopped falling last night but it was deep enough I had to wear boots. I took a breath, adjusted the basket on my arm, and started through the trees.
The pine trees above me made the sky grow darker around me, as if the sunlight had been sucked out of the air. It was just as creepy as always.
My feet crunched through the snow, leaving muddy footprints on the white ground.
“Pst! Red Hood.” a deep, raspy voice called my name from the trees but I didn’t flinch, just kept walking. “Shut up wolf. You don’t scare me.” I shot out back without ever turning from the path.
The same wolf had watched me for two years, never straying from the trees and never failing to call the nickname he had invented when I traveled on the path. He had ratty black fur and bright blue eyes that watched, never blinking.
“I wasn’t trying to scare you Red Hood.”
I froze. The wolf had never spoken again after his greeting, just slipped into the trees when I spurned him. That was odd. Very odd.
“And remember Rubi, when you go through The Woods. Don’t talk to anyone.” my mother voice rang through my head. But I couldn’t seem to care.
“Really?” I asked slowly, turning around to take in all the trees, “What were you going for then?” I asked, still trying to pick the wolfs lean shape out of the shadows.
Seeing nothing I started to walk down the path again.
“I was just trying to get your attention Red Hood.” the wolf’s voice once again spoke from the trees and I stopped, tilting my head. “What for?” I asked, curious.
“I need your help.” was the reply and I narrowed my eyes, swinging my basket around, “Hmm, with what?” I asked.
“I need you to break the curse on me.”
I gaped, “Huh?” was my intelligent response, “You have a curse on you?” I asked, looking around the trees once more for the source of the voice.
“Yes Red Hood.” the wolf said. And then it stepped from the shadows.
Black as night with white snow flakes stuck in its fur, a scar running across its muzzle and sharp blue eyes. It was…actually quite beautiful.
“Well Shiz.” I said quietly and the wolf seemed to grin, tongue rolling out of its mouth.
The wolf’s mouth opened and in a most unnatural way, it spoke, “Yeah,” it said, “Pretty weird right?” I nodded.
“So, will you help?” it asked me. I nodded again, ignoring any and all advice I had ever received about trusting creatures of The Woods. “Yeah, sure.”
The wolf told me what to do and I started off.
When I got to my grandmothers cottage on the other end of the woods I was out of breath from running but I managed to successfully burst through the door in an exciting way.
“Grandma! Where are your axes?” I asked her, slamming my basket down on the table and looking around the cottage. Grandma leapt up from her chair, throwing her sewing to the ground, “Why?” she asked, fear lighting her face, “What’s wrong Rubi?”
“Just, where are they?” I asked quickly, eyeing her, “Hurry!” I cried.
She hesitated for half a second, “In the shed.” she told me and I ran out door and toward the brown shed by the fence.
The silver axe was propped up by the door where a pile of wood rested. I quickly grabbed it and ran back outside where a black wolf waited for me.
He bowed low.
I swung.
A black wolf head rolled to a stop at my feet and I choked back a scream, stumbling backwards away from the bloody mess, dropping the axe.
My grandma watched from the porch.
Nothing happened.
I turned away, not wanting to see the body. So the wolf had been wrong.
SNAP. WOOSH. POP.
I froze, and then slowly turned around.
“Hey Red Hood, nice to finally meet you.”
A boy stood before me, no more than a year or so older with shaggy black hair and bright blue eyes. He wore a black shirt and jeans with boots.
And he had a long scar on his right cheek, right were the wolf’s scar had been.