Red Hood Forest

Chapter 21

George stood at the top of the stairs to the basement, just staring.

After a little bit, Amara slowly walked her way next to George. "You won't know what happened until you go down there you know," she said.

"It's just," George started," I'm... scared. Damn it... I should have never come here. I should've stayed at home, studying for a freaking exam, and away from this mess!"

George walked away a few steps, his hands covering his face. He was close to breaking down, one of the things he swore to never do. His started to hyperventilate.

It wasn't long, until he started hearing sniffling from behind him.

He turned, and saw Amara, crying. Seeing his distress, she couldn't help but feel sad because of what happened.

"Amara," George started," why are you crying?"

"My dear," she said, sitting onto the floor to steady herself, "I've made horrible decisions before. But this time... it feels different."

George sat down next to her, and placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder. "Amara... explain this to me. Did you know about these demons."

"Yes," Amara replied, with no hesitation, "I did.  And all these years I felt like I had a duty to these creatures. But now...."

Amara looked to George, placing a hand on his face, with a regretful look in her eyes.

"I," she started," I.... know that what I've done was wrong."

"What you've done? Amara, none of this could be your fault. Sorry for the harsh honesty, but you're a frail old women. If these demons made you do something, you had no control over it."

"But I did! I knew for so many years, for so many generations! I can't rest anymore. I feel like I've forgotten to sleep, for I cannot bear what I caused for...... oh.... my Blanchette..."

George was taken aback by what she just said. "Blanchette?"

"George," Amara spoke," if you'd stayed at home, you're friends might've been in bigger trouble than before. Lily might've died in the snow without you. You are probably the most smartest man out of all your friends. You're stubbornness holds your friends together. So what if your parents want you to be a lawyer? I didn't listen to my parents when I became who I am. I became great for a little while. My choices may have caused pain, but it was choices of others that made me choose. You have a choice to be something you love, or something you dislike. But I can tell you for certain that because you are here now, someone's life was saved because of it."

George was defiantly taken aback now. He knew that he never told Amara all that stuff about this parents or his dreams. But he soon forgot about that and realized that she was right. Lily would've defiantly died from either shock, cold, or the demon if he wasn't there. And he felt kinda proud that someone just called him the smartest of all his friends. That he knew already, but he liked hearing it.

"Amara," he said, "thank you. I think I really needed that. I guess old women are wise."

"Sir," Amara giggled, "when you've lived as long as I have... you learn things."

"But now I ask," George said, remember his precious thought, "how did you know all that stuff about me? And who's Blanchette?"

Amara looked embarrassed. "Oh... I probably shouldn't have said to much, but-"

Suddenly, a rumble was heard from the bottom of the basement. George quickly got up and ran back to the top of the stairs. But he still hesitated to go down. He looked back to Amara, who was getting up without any help.