Red Riding Hood

Chapter Five: "Sweetest Tongue, Sharpest Tooth"

Jack tensed up, asking his dad with worry. "Mom? Is she ok?" His dad nodded, putting a hand to his cheek to comfort him. Jack let himself relax a little, his eyes drifting to Geralf. Geralf checked the bullets in his gun, while Jack blurted out anxiously. "Why would they come for me? I'm not a child..." Geralf flicked his gun up to lock his rifle back in place, answering swiftly. "Wolves don't like when prey escapes. Sometimes... they come for it." The very idea that he was being stalked made him tremble a little. Geralf then pushed Jack's dad aside with the barrel of his gun, approaching Jack with a merciless look as his voice deepened to one that was darker and less forgiving when he asked. "Tell me, Red. What did you do to attract the attention of wolves?" Jack backed up against the door of the bakery, fear welling up within him as he stared into the eyes of Geralf's wolf skull mask. Geralf turned his gun to point it at Jack's chest, asking only slightly lighter in tone but no less accusing. "What do you do when you think no one is looking...?" Jack's dad pushed the gun away from Jack's chest, snapping out. "Enough, Geralf! My son is no werewolf! You saw for yourself yesterday! Stop scaring my boy!"

Geralf chuckled without humor, lowering the barrel of his gun to face the ground. Locking eyes with John, he stated out flatly to him. "True. Your boy is no wolf... but that doesn't mean he's a lamb either. He could just as easily be a devil's whore. After all... he's having problems at home. Isn't he?" Jack paled, looking to his dad for support. His dad let out a heavy exhale but told Geralf firmly. "He's just a little lost. That's all. It's been a rough few years... That's all. I assure you." Geralf glanced at Jack with narrowed eyes, then turned to stand closer to John's side. Leaning in a bit, Geralf said loud enough for Jack to hear. "Little boys that stray from the paths their parents set for them... Often end up food for the wolves. As a hunter yourself, I would think you'd want your boy to be a hunter and not the hunted. Don't tell me how to do my job. While you've been laying with the sheep; I've been hunting wolves in sheep's clothing. No one is innocent. Unless I say so." John straightened up to his full height, turning his head to glare at Geralf as he retorted. "I haven't lost my touch. I know a monster when I see one. They are after my son because he's MY son."

Geralf scoffed out smugly in return. "Then you won't mind if I steal him away to train him how to defend himself? It might help him get back on the right path and stay there. You don't want him to keep straying and getting lost... It only tempts the wolves to corrupt him. They sense weakness in him... and THAT is why they came for him." Geralf looked up at Jack with a wicked grin barely hidden under his mask, when he added to him a bit teasingly. "Come with me, boy. You think you are man enough to be a hunter? Show me." Geralf strutted off, barking orders to other Hunters that were cleaning up dead bodies and checking the area for any lingering stragglers. Jack didn't hesitate to follow, only to have his dad grab his bicep firmly. Leaning closer, his dad told him seriously. "Jack. Don't. Geralf is more likely to use you as a sacrificial lamb than train you. Now that he knows they want you, he thinks he has found live bait." Jack looked his dad in the eyes, retorting a bit coldly. "You don't leave me with a choice. You won't train me, and you won't let me leave to see Granny... He's offering me a way out. And I'm not going to waste it." Jack tried to yank his arm free, but his dad yanked him closer to sternly state into his ear. "Damn it, Jack. I'm trying to protect you. You are not ready to handle what's in those woods."

Jack shoved his dad off him, snapping out. "You let Granny go into them! You think she was ready to go alone? She's your mother and you don't even care that we haven't heard from her!" His dad shoved Jack into the wall of the bakery, snapping out at him. "You think you know everything... but you don't! I love my mother, but you didn't KNOW HER! My father was killed by wolves! My brother was killed by wolves! And she hated me for hunting them! She hates my wife! My life! I am her greatest disappointment! So don't stand there and tell me you knew her better then I did! She spoiled you and made you feel special, just to hurt ME! Now grow up and live your own life! Before assholes like HIM and HER take it from you!" Jack shook his head at him, uttering out under his breath. "I don't believe you." From farther ahead, Geralf called out a bit amused. "Something wrong, boys?" Jack turned on his heel, storming off in Geralf direction. Geralf waited for Jack to join him, putting a hand on his back to guide him toward the large barn. Walking him through the large barn, passed the carriages and bustling hunters, he escorted him out the back and into the large fenced in yard.