Crimson Rose: The Crooked Man and the Crooked Cat

Chapter 14: Mother Goose

Annette nervously watched as Jacques held Noir hostage, his razor-sharp claws pressed against Noir's throat.

"Annette, hurry! Take the sword with you!" Noir said. Jacques pressed his claws deep in Noir's skin. Noir hissed in pain. "Choose wisely, girlie." Jacques said in a taunting tone.

Annette felt helpless. "What should I do? Mom's waiting for me to come back home. But Noir.....I can't abandon him!" she thought. She looked the Rose Sword. An ounce of courage ran through her. "I'm not gonna just stand and watch him get killed! I have to do something about it!"

She unsheathed the sword, raised it high above her head, and lunged at Jacques. But then, Jacques pressed his claws deeper into Noir's throat. Noir howled in pain.

Annette stopped in her tracks. "Dare try to attack me, your feline friend's life will end swiftly."

"Stop it! Let him go!" Annette said. "I'll....I'll give you the sword. Just please let him go." "Annette, don't!" Noir choked. Annette handed the sword towards Jacques. Jacques reached for the sword.

But then, Annette pulled the sword away and swiftly grabbed Jacques's wrist. She pulled Jacques away from Noir and threw him against a tree. She raised her sword and lunged towards Jacques. Jacques grabbed a stick and blocked Annette's attack.

"Don't you dare harm my servant!" Annette said boldly. "You impudent little brat! How dare you!" Jacques said, furious that he has been tricked.

He pushed Annette backwards and tried to attack her, but Noir grabbed hold of him.

"Annette, quickly! Head to the gate! It's opening!" Noir yelled. "Don't worry about me! I'll hold him off! Go!"

Annette took one last glance at Noir. Then she ran down the forest path. Up ahead, she saw the gate that leads to her world, shimmering brightly.

Running as fast as she could, she ran past the gate. The brambles and trees around her changed back into concrete and steel structures. Catching her breath, she looked back and saw that the gate behind her has disappeared. She was back in Paris. "I'm back." she thought. "But it feels so strange. I feel as if I woke up from a dream."

Then, she felt something in her hand. She saw she still had the Rose Sword in her hand. "So it's not a dream after all!" she thought.

Then she remembered. "Mom! I gotta return home!" She put the scabbard on her belt and ran through the streets. Once she reached her house, she knocked on the door.

"Mom! Mom! It's me! Don't worry, I'm okay!" she yelled. The door opened, revealing Helen.

"Hi, Annie, how are you?" she asked. "Mom!" Annette rushed to hug her. "Mom, it's okay! I'm safe. I'm sorry for staying out late. I didn't mean to worry you." Annette apologized.

"Worry me? Staying out late? What do you mean?" Helen asked. "Well, Noir took my sketchbook and I spent the whole night chasing after him. He made me stay out late." Annette said.

"Noir?" Helen asked. "My black cat. I found out his name is Noir." Annette said. "I see. At least you're home." Helen said. The way she said it was very strange. She didn't seem at all emotional about Annette's return. Normally, she would burst into tears of happiness if Annette came home safely. But she acted like Annette came home from school.

This wasn't like her at all. "We have a guest in our house. So be very polite to her."

"A guest?" Annette said, confused. She walked into the living room and saw an old woman sitting on the chair, sipping tea.

She was very thin, with a simple burgundy dress and a purple shawl draped over her shoulders. She wore a burgundy wide-brimmed hat with purple lining. In her hand was a wooden cane.

"Hello?" Annette said. The old woman turned to face her. "Oh, hello, my dear."

The old woman was a stranger. The way she was dressed, she looked like a witch. A witch? Annette's eyes narrowed. "Noir mentioned a witch named Mother Goose. Could she be...? No way. She looks like a harmless old grandma."

But she knew that looks are deceiving. So, she'll have to play it cool. Very cool.

"Are you Mother Goose?" Annette asked. The old woman nodded. "Yes, I am, dearie." she said. She sipped her tea.

"What are you doing in my house?" Annette asked. "Oh, I was just paying a visit to your dear mother. I'm the new neighbor, you see. I just moved in yesterday." Mother Goose said.

"Liar!" Annette thought angrily.

"Mrs. Grimbolt, would you like some more tea?" Helen asked as she brought a tea tray into the living room. "Yes, please, dearie." Mother Goose said in a sugary tone. Annette looked at her mother in shock. "That witch cast a spell on my mom!" Annette realized. "How dare she enter my home!"

"Oh, my! What is that on your waist?" Mother Goose asked. Annette looked at the Rose Sword on her waist. "That? Oh, it's just an old sword I found at an antique sale." she said dismissively. Mother Goose stood up and approached Annette. Annette backed up a little.

"It's very beautiful, dearie. May I take a look?" she asked as she reached for the rapier.

But Annette put her hand on the scabbard. "Uh, no thanks. I don't want to lose it." She hastily left the living room. "Annette?" a voice said. Annette saw Emily standing at the doorway.

"Shh!" Annette said. "Emily, come upstairs." She ushered Emily upstairs to her room.

"Annie, who is that woman?" Emily asked curiously. "It's Mother Goose." Annette said. "Mother Goose? Really?" Emily asked.

"Yeah! But she's an evil witch. She's put a spell on Mom, making her a slave." Annette angrily said.

"You're kidding me, are you?" Emily asked incredulously. "I'm serious! I'm not kidding!" Annette said.

"Well, I don't believe you!" Emily said, sticking her nose up. "Emily, listen to me! I'm not playing a game! This is really serious! Mom is being controlled by an evil witch!" Annette said in her most serious tone.

"Everyone knows witches don't exist." Emily said disbelievingly. "Well, this witch does exist! Please take me seriously!" Annette said. She looked at Emily straight in the eye. "I'm not kidding!" she said seriously.

This time, Emily listened to her. "What should we do?" she asked worriedly.

"I know someone who might help us. But right now, we don't have access to his world."

"To whose world?" Emily asked, even more curious. "I can't tell you. It's a secret. I promised him that I wouldn't tell anyone about his world." Annette said nervously.

"Who's 'he'?" Emily asked playfully. "Your secret boyfriend?"

Annette blushed a bit. "Don't be ridiculous, Emily! He's not my boyfriend! He's just a friend I met! Anyway, I don't have time for this! Mom is in terrible danger!"

Annette peeked out of her room. Mother Goose was at the bottom of the stairs, talking to Helen.

Annette's eyes narrowed. Mother Goose seemed to be casting a spell on Helen. "How dare she?!" Annette thought angrily.

Then, Mother Goose looked up. Annette noticed and quickly backed away from the door. "I really hope she didn't see me." She thought. Then she heard footsteps of someone coming upstairs.

Then Annette and Emily saw the bedroom door close in front of them and they heard the unmistakable sound of someone locking the door.

Annette's eyes widened. Helen has locked them inside!