Red Riding Hood

Chapter Thirteen: "Bounty Hunter"

Geralf raised an eyebrow as he stared down Jack with curiosity on his face. Jack didn't regret what he had said. As scared as he was, he didn't think that he could live with whatever Geralf would make him do. Geralf gave him a little shrug, pulling his hand back through the cage as he told him softly. "In order to hunt monsters. One must become one. I think I will give you a little time to think about my offer. I'm sure it will become more appealing the closer you get to your demise. In fact... Since you care for this creature so much. You can watch him go first." Jack rushed up to the bars, telling Geralf hopefully. "Wait! You don't have to do this." Geralf got up to his full height, chuckling out. "Change your mind already?" Jack shook his head, telling him seriously. "Geralf, Mark isn't the monster you think he is. Just talk to him!" Geralf rolled his eyes, sneering out. "You can't talk to them. They speak nothing but lies. They an unnatural spawn from hell. I'll not have him infecting my men with his toxic words or his infectious bite. I'm sure whatever spell he put you under will wear off with his death." Jack curled his fingers around the bars, telling him a bit icily. "You think killing him will fix the lust you feel for men? Has it worked yet? Kill him and I'll tell EVERYONE who a hypocrite you are."

Geralf glanced around, then crouched down to retort with a wicked grin. "No one will believe you. And anyone that did... would share in your fate. So, think about that before you start spreading lies about me. I am a respectable man with titles. You are... just a lowly commoner with soft hands. However... Take my offer and I could raise your station to one far better than this one." Jack slowly leaned back from the bars, telling him in a low guarded tone. "I can see why my dad left... He found himself hunting the wrong monsters." Geralf chuckled, then leaned in closer to whisper to him. "Your pa left us because after killing his father and brother... he just couldn't stomach the job. Face it. Your daddy is a washed up drunk who can't live with what he's done. And your Granny has a bounty on her head that I came to collect." Jack's jaw dropped and his voice was barely a whisper when the word slipped out in disbelief. "What...?" Geralf winked at him, telling him coolly. "You heard me. Your Granny is in hiding... and before I killed him... a little devil told me that he was looking for you. So, I hope by putting you on trial. It might bring the old goat out into the open."

Geralf leaned a bit closer to the cage, adding with dark humor to his voice. "And when she does... I'm going to gun her down. Cut her open and fill her gut full of stones, before sewing her up and dumping her in the nearest lake. Minus a head. I'll need that for the bounty. After all, a witch can't drown... but she can be weighted down. And without her head... she'll never find peace in the afterlife. A fitting end, because I do so hate sending witches back to their master in hell." Jack glared at Geralf. He was too overwhelmed by the imagery of it and more terrified than he'd ever felt to say anything in response to it. Geralf rubbed his bandaged wrist where Mark had stabbed him, then pulled on a pair of winter gloves as he said openly. "I had hoped that your little pet would lead me to where the old hag was... but as you can see by the state of him. He refused. So, I have no use for him. Except to maybe convince you both to change your minds by... extending the torment he'll endure. I'm sure that a beast like him can handle it... but we'll see. I've never tried to prolong the anguish before. I get bored so easily when I'm not... stimulated."

Turning on his heel, Geralf made his way toward the barn door, adding over his shoulder smugly. "Better go see how the setup is coming along. Shouldn't be much longer now." The moment Geralf slipped out the door, Jack turned too face Mark. Mark had been waiting for him to leave too. Grabbing the cage ceiling, Mark slipped his legs through the square shaped bars and pulled himself up level with the ceiling. Jack clutched the bars, watching what Mark was doing. Mark looped his shacked wrists into the cage to claw at the leather muzzle. Finding the buckle, he unbuckled it and practically spit it to the floor. Then keeping his legs braced, Mark leaned back to put weight on his shackled wrists as he tried to pry them free. Wincing from how Mark hissed in pain, he asked him anxiously. "Did you know that...? About my family?" Mark grunted, trying to focus but strained out. "No... but it does... explain a lot." Jack looked over his cage, saying mostly to himself. "How are we going to get out of here?" Mark twisted his wrists and whined a little but managed to say. "I'm working on it..." Jack patted himself over for anything that he could try to pick a lock with, when Mark yelped and fell from the ceiling of his cage.