Just Like Fire | J. Saltzman - Legacies [2]

T H I R T Y - N I N E

"That's strange, he's always home," the pig says as he opens the door to the small cottage. "Hello? Mr. Huntsman? I brought nosy friends and a hurt bird. Not to eat, though." He wiggles his nose and glances at the fireplace. "Oh, stew's on. He must be nearby."

"Hope, I don't like this," Teddy says as he closes the door behind him, tripping over a set of large boots by the threshold. "Hunters are never good."

"They are in fairytales," she replies as she picks up an ax. "Plus, you've gotta admit, an ax-wielding Red Riding Hood? Iconic!"

Teddy rolls his eyes as he places the hurt bird on the table next to a glass of water. He pours some onto his hand before offering it to the bird; it picks its head up, slowly getting onto its feet before it drinks from his palm, only standing on one clawed foot. "Thank you," it says quietly. "I'll be ok."

The pig snorts. "It was stupid of you to go after the Darkness."

"I was making a distraction," the bird replies, snuggling into Teddy's palm. "so you could run. But you didn't. You stayed." Its eyes move to Hope. "If you think that small ax is going to stop the Darkness, you're crazy."

"Probably, but I'm not going down without a fight." Hope picks up a nearby knife and offers it to the pig. "What do you say?"

He shrinks away. "I would be no use in battle. I-I know, I bluster a lot, but, uh, I just get so scared, and then I say do dumb stuff when I'm scared. And now that she's gone..." The pig pauses with hidden panic on his face. "No matter. I could finish the stew? Maybe find some bread? Make you a nice meal before you go off to die."

"That'll do, Pig," Teddy says with a smirk.

"Don't press your luck, kiddo."

Hope chuckles to herself as the pig checks the pot. Suddenly, he begins to squeal wildly, shouting, "It's a trap!"

Hope and Teddy spin towards the door as it blows open. The pig picks up the bird as he cowers while Teddy finally gets a look at the monstrous, now one-eyed, wolf; Hope closes the door with magic, cutting off its growl.

"Little witch, little witch! Let me in!"

Teddy steps in front of Hope, brandishing his sword. "This isn't Stella's head," he says as he gets into a defensive stance. "It's Josie's."

"How do you know?" Hope asks.

"Stella would never be afraid of a wolf." Teddy glances down at her. "It wouldn't manifest itself like this. Not in Stella's head."

Hope purses her lips. "Then what happened?"

"I don't know."

The door smashes to the ground, making the pig squeal again, dropping the bird on the window sill. As the monster roars, both Teddy and Hope fly back into the walls, crashing the ground in a pile of groans. The pig whimpers as the Darkness approaches, squealing when it opens its mouth.

"No!" Hope yells as the pig disappears, a leg hanging from the Darkness' jaw. She picks up her ax and slams it into the Darkness' chest; Teddy stands as the Darkness falls. "Pig!" Hope drags her ax along the monster's stomach.

"That's disgusting," Teddy rasps as a mucus-covered hand emerges from the monster.

After a moment, Josie appears standing over the wolf clad in a long yellow dress with flowers. Her confused expression morphs into relief as she looks at the two cousins.

"What's going on?" Hope asks. "Where's Pig?"

"Oh," Josie mutters as she looks around. "I-I was the pig. I thought if I disguised myself, the Darkness would leave me alone. Stella helped and turned me into a pig."