Into the Woods

Gypsy Jade

Breakfast was quiet this morning, Taylor barely said a word and Grams was enjoying her meal. We began to wash up as a sudden knock sounded at the back door. Grams showed a puzzled look and trotted over to answer.

A young woman, around twenty - maybe thirty - years, stood in the doorway carrying a black cat, Tabitha. At the sight of this my mouth dropped and I turned to Taylor showing my confusion. He still kept a blank face.

The woman had flashy purple hair, it was styled roughly in a halo plait which sat around the crown of her head. She had dark eye bags circled around the bottom of her eyes which were green and naturally weepy. Her skin was fair and her lips pink. She had a small, pig-like nose and small ears which withheld a large amount of dainty piercings. She wore long, colourful clothes and lots of big jewellery. She gave a creative, artsy vibe along with a magical sense.

'So sorry to have come at this hour.' She said quickly with a small pant in her breath. She looked a mess like she had had a fight inside of a bush.
'What can I help you with, Jade?' Grams took her under her wing and guided her to the living room. I began to follow but Grams shooed me back. They both sat down on the sofa as Jade was almost trembling.

I was so curious to find out more but Grams urged me to head upstairs. Taylor still stood in shock and dread, I already knew he was not expecting that cat to have escape the hands of Wolf...unless he never actually succeeded.

I limped upstairs, my foot still crippled but slowly getting more comfortable. I reached my bedroom and sat down on my bed. It gave me time to think about everything. Of course, I assumed Taylor delivered Tabitha successfully to Wolf but by the looks of it now, perhaps he failed. And perhaps this is the reason he has been so quiet, maybe traumatised of something Wolf did?

It was settled, I was not ignoring Taylor anymore; I needed answers. Then, just like magic, he appeared at the crack of my slightly open door.

He wore a sorry expression upon his face. I gave him a sympathetic look and he looked as though he could cry. He plonked himself beside me.
'I..' he began but got no where with his sentence. His voice was wobbly, I'd never seen him this vulnerable before. I wasn't sure whether I should hug him or not.
'You were right. I shouldn't have gone back.' He admitted, he was so troublesome. I nodded for reassurance. He continued, 'The cat, Tabitha, she, that, no. It can't be her, downstairs, it's not- not her.' He jumbled up his words trying to show his thought process.
'I don't understand.' I told him. 'Did you, did you...fail?' I asked him cautiously.
He turned at me quickly with fear. 'No. I...no.' He finished whilst trying to think. 'It's all such a blur, I mean, one second she was catching a mouse then she, she...' he trailed off, not managing the rest of his words.
'A mouse, what do you mean? In the woods?' I asked him. He nodded and breathed out slowly.
'He-' Taylor paused. I gave another reassuring look. He smiled weakly. 'He asked me... to... kill a fox.' He grimaced with woe.
I felt a sense of shock fall over me. 'D-don't do it! He can't keep controlling you like this, you have to back out of the deal Taylor!' I told him desperately.
'That's just it, I can't fail this task.' He paused and looked at me full with dread. 'Because otherwise, he'll kill you.' I was stunned. I wanted to scream, shout, cry, anything. I wasn't sure if I was angry or scared.

***

Meanwhile downstairs Grams was making tea for her and the guest Jade. Jade lived in the caravan near the border of the woods, the one we had passed before.

'Again, I am so sorry to disturb and worry you like this Shesscintle, I just thought you ought to know and of course you can see as to why I was so precautious.' Jade said whilst dreamily picking out cute little flowers from her hair.
'Oh it's no worry at all, I am glad you were there to inform me.' Shesscintle poured the tea from the kettle to the mugs. 'I just cannot believe he has been meeting a random stranger, after everything I have taught him, this was my number one rule.' She said strictly with concern. Jade barely nodded as she was enticed in her own finger prints.