Red Riding Hood

Chapter Six

I've been doing my best trying to ignore Viker and his pleading cries for death. Every night, I awake from my slumber almost certain I had heard his growling.

Lily notices my fidgeting and tries to reassure me that I won't have to kill him. "Dad will probably do it," she says. "Most likely."

I don't want Dad to kill him. I don't want anyone to hurt Viker. I want to want to kill him. He killed my family, I should want stick my arrows in his throat.

I should want to.

***

Full Moon.

Viker.

The Wolf.

Dad slings his shotgun around his shoulder and eyes me sternly. "Stay here. Both of you. I'll be back." He turns toward the door and before he leaves, he mumbles, "Hopefully with the Wolf dead."

A shudder quickly goes down my spine after he whispered that last statement. I don't want Viker to die. Not yet. I still have things to say.

I wait an entire 10 minutes until I run to my bedroom. Lily knew my intentions and hurriedly followed me. "No. No. No. Alexandria, no. Just no."

I slip on my boots and head for the door. However, Lily blocks my path. "No, Alex!"

"Lily-"

"No! Please! I can't let you go out there!"

I sigh, "Listen Lily. It's grown-up stuff. You'll understand when you're older." I had to straighten things out with Viker one-on-one. I didn't need my 5-year-old sister in my way. I just hope when she's older, she isn't romantically associated with a mythical creature.

Lily roughly pushes me away from the door; tears running rapidly down her cheeks. "Alex please. I can't lose anyone else. I'm terrified every month Daddy walks out that door. I don't want to be twice as terrified. If Daddy," she pauses. "If Daddy dies, you're all I got."

I'm taken aback by my baby sister's reaction. She sniffles, "I don't want you to die, Alex. Please stay. Let the chief take care of it."

I pull Lily in for a hug. I rub her back and kiss the top of her head. "I'm gonna be OK. You don't have to worry about me."

"But-"

"It's gonna be alright, Lily. I promise. I'll be back."

"That's what Rebecca said," she muffles.

***

I roam the forest awaiting Viker. I circle around a tree. I throw rocks into a nearby pond. I eventually just rest on a boulder until the moon is just beginning to rise. He'll transform any moment now.

"Alex?"

I jump to my feet. Viker lurking in the shadows really creeps me out. Especially since that he hasn't transformed yet.

"Viker."

"Are you here to kill me?"

"No. I didn't bring my bow." I manage a chuckle.

Viker steps out into the light and for some reason, he's extremely beautiful. His hair black as night and his sparkling blue eyes mesmerize me. I walk toward him as he walks to me until we are inches away from each other.

"It's almost time," he whispers.

"I don't care." I pull him down and kiss him. Just like that. He resists but only for a moment. He holds me against him and kisses me back hungrily.

Just as it started, he ended it. Viker pushes me away and vanishes back into the shadows. "Run," he whispers.

"What?"

"RUN!" His eyes are pitch black. I look up at the sky to see the moon fully visible in the black vast.

"Viker?"

Viker grunts and growls and rolls around in the dirt. His hands are squeezing his head and he shouts in pain. He's changing. Oh God, he's changing into the Wolf. When the moon reaches his peak, the Wolf stands before me. The big, hairy, frightening beast that killed everyone I loved stands before me.

He digs his hind legs into the ground. We stare at each other for a long time before a roars an ear deafening roar.

RUN!

I'm gone so quick, you couldn't have seen me running. The Wolf is faster, stronger. The sounds of his paws beating on the ground encourages me to run faster.

Lights. I can see lights ahead. The hunters.

"Run," I scream. "Run, run run!" Of course, they couldn't hear me until I was in sight. My dad was infuriated when he had seen me in the forest again after he explicitly told me not to.

"Alex, are you freakin' kiddin' me!?"

"Run! Dad run!"

The sight of the Wolf bounding behind me made most of them listen. Some of them tried to fight it. They had their weapons ready and even added a warrior cry before attacking. Expectantly, they lost and the few that didn't use common sense were mauled.

Seeing this, Dad put his gun away, took my hand, and we booked. There's no way the Wolf would go into the Village. At least I hope not.

We all rushed for the Village and my Dad ordered his men to make sure everyone was inside their homes. He blew his whistle like a maniac and shoved me in the direction of the house.

"Get inside!"

"Dad-"

"No! Inside!"

"But Dad," I scream horrifically. "Behind you!"

Surprisingly, Viker leaps over my Dad and tackles me instead. He thrashes to fit my head in his mouth. Now I really wish I had my bow or some sort of weapon. I scream horribly, tears running down my face, awaiting death.

BANG!

Viker releases me and whimpers in pain. I look to see Dad lying unconscious on the ground. If he didn't shoot Viker, who did.

BANG!

"STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER!"

Lily, my baby sister, is using a shot gun like a pro. And looking insane while doing so. Since when did she learn to shoot?

"YOU KILLED MY MOTHER!"

BANG!

"YOU KILLED MY SISTER!"

BANG!

"NOW IT'S YOUR TURN!"

"Lily no," I exclaim.

Lily aims at his head and...

BANG!

The Wolf lies dead on the ground, leaving a blood puddle beneath him. The Wolf has finally been defeated.