My Werewolf Lover
By
Annabel Bastione
SMASHWORDS EDITION
Copyright © 2012 by Annabel Bastione
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"Now Red, remember to head straight to your grandma's house in the woods. No frolicking about, stopping to pick flowers or any sort of that nonsense. Young lady, do you understand?" my normally kindly mother was suddenly firm with me.
I nodded, "Yes, ma."
She smiled, and gave me a hug.
"My Little Red Riding Hood, look at you! You're all grown up now, turned into a fine lady too! Ready to visit grandma by yourself and all! Stay safe! If you see any danger, just run, don't look back, run! You hear?"
I nodded again, "Yes, ma, I will."
A goodbye kiss and a heartfelt wave later, I was walking into the woods with the safety of my cottage getting farther and farther behind me. Now that I was finally an adult and all, mother decided at long last to let me venture into the forest alone to visit grandma and bring her some mushrooms. It was so exciting, no longer was I accompanying my mum at all times, I savored my first taste of freedom, and couldn't wait for more!
I skipped happily down the worn path winding through the multitude of trees. They loomed over me like giants, friendly ones though, for they provided much needed shade and respite from the heat of the burning sun.
The woods teemed with life, butterflies fluttered by me, I smelled the colorful flowers that lay by the wayside. Mushrooms of all sorts of wondrous colors sprang out of fallen, moss covered logs, beckoning me with their exotic appearances. I knew better than to simply try and touch them though.
My pace was light and cheery; I would finally get to grandma's house soon and see her kindly, smiling face again.
The bushes rustled near me, I froze in my tracks. What was that? My mind raced to figure out whether it was friend or foe. Heart pumping adrenaline, I slowly stepped away from the bush, worried that something or someone might jump out at me. I eyed the bush suspiciously, worried for both my own safety and grandmas, given how close I was to her place.
Suddenly a black shadow leapt out of the bushes. I cringed instinctively, bringing my arms up to protect my face. I waited for a few tense moments, but realized nothing was attacking me. Peeking out in between my arms, I saw it.
My eyes widened as I relaxed my arms. It was a fearsome creature, with bright yellow eyes, fangs sharp as knives, and a wonderfully muscular, humanoid body.
I yelped.
It was the Big Bad Wolf!
"Help!" I cried as I started to back away from the creature's cold, staring eyes.
Like a predator stalking a prey it fixated its glance at me intently, as if waiting for the right time to strike.
"Yikes- OUCH!"
I found myself on the forest floor with a dull pain in my hip. In my preoccupation with the wolf, I had tripped over a nearby rock. I stared in horror as the wolf crouched down, as if it was preparing to pounce…
It sprang in the air.
I shut my eyes tightly.
The end was nigh, I could feel it!
And… nothing happened.
I opened one eye, then the other. The wolf had simply disappeared.
Getting up, I heaved a humongous sigh of relief as I dusted off my dirty red hood. The wolf didn't eat me, I survived. Thank God.
Picking up the basket of mushrooms that I had dropped in my panic, I once again pressed on in the direction of grandma's house.
Grandma lived in a quaint little cottage in the middle of the woods. It wasn't the biggest or the most richly decorated cottage, but it was certainly the coziest. I had spent many quiet afternoons lying on my grandma's lap while she knitted away. It was my quiet place, my safe house, a wonderful den of tea, cupcakes and kindness.
And now that cottage was in my sight. I had to warn grandma about the possibly dangerous wolf in the area.
Walking up the gravel laden path towards her front door, the cottage suddenly struck me as odd. Why would grandma leave her front door half open like that? I cautiously peered inside her house.
Grandma was not there. But various objects were strewn all over the place.
Shit! I thought, did something bad happen to her?
"Grandma?" I ventured. No response.
The half opened front door creaked loudly as I pushed it open. My eyes canned the mess around me, there were certainly signs of a struggle. Did the wolf get to her already?
"Mmhpmh!" a frail, muffled voiced rang through the house. My ears perked up, it came from the living room!
"Grandma!" I dashed towards the origin of the sound and found grandma in the living room. She was tied to her armchair and gagged. The look of terror on her face spelt it all out. I felt poisonous anger rise from within, who dared to do that to my grandma!
I dashed forward, my fingers frantically tried to undo the knots that bound her. I tried but to no avail. Pulling the gag from my grandma's worried mouth, I tried assuring her everything was going to be alright.
"He's right behind you, you fool!" my grandma spat hurriedly.
Who was behin-
Whack!
I collapsed to the floor with a dull thud, bearing a blunt pain burning in my shoulder.
I turned to see who the perpetrator was. A short, stocky man carrying an axe on his shoulder stood triumphantly above my injured body. It was the woodcutter, the friendly woodcutter that would come by sometimes to check if grandma was alright! Why? Why was he doing this? I moaned in pain, but there was no bleeding, he had probably hit me with the handle, thank god for that at least.