Red Riding Hood: The Ruby and The Shadow

Chapter Eight: Careful, Miss...

I had suddenly deeply wished I hadn't said that. My eyes widened as I immediately shut my mouth tightly and looked down to the ground with worry. I had just deliberately revealed to him that I was completely alone, and that no help could possibly come to save me anytime soon. His dark and amused voice rang in my ears like dark and ominous church bells. "Oh really..?"

I swallowed my empty breath and continued to stare down at the ground, my mind racing with sentences that could fix the huge mistake I had just made. Suddenly my mouth had opened in its own accord, and my next words sounded like a horrible, made-up-on-the-spot lie. "I just mean that... People usually take the ones nearby. This path is the longest..."

Silence had overtaken the air, and our conversation had seemingly taken a short haunt as we both just stared at each other in silence. Suddenly the man just burst out laughing, and I glared at him in defense. I know my lie sounded like an obvious one, but for him to catch onto me that quickly and easily had me feeling even more nervous than before.

"Pretty, charming, AND a sense of humor. It's easy for me to say that I have taken a somewhat amusing interest in you miss." He grinned at me slyly like a fox, and I tried to shake off his rather unsettling and devious remark. "Feelings not mutual." I looked up st him one last time, and I cleared my throat nervously. "Move."

He looked at me like I had just dangled a string of yarn in front of a cat, and I suddenly once again regretted my words. Oh, if only I could just wake up from this nightmare.

"Hm... If I may so boldly ask, where are you off to in such a hurry miss?" He looked me up and down, and I felt like I had suddenly become naked from the way I felt so exposed to his rather carnivorous eyes. "I... I'll make you a deal. I'll tell you where I'm going, if you tell me your name."

He smiled rather excitedly, and I felt like I had just jumped into a pool of quicksand. Was it ok to tell a stranger where I was going..?

"Alright. You have yourself a deal." He came up to me and I almost jumped out of my own skin due to how suddenly and nonchalantly he approached me. He grinned at my surprise, and slowly reached out his hand to mine. I felt right then like I was making a deal with the devil, and every fiber of my being felt like I was in a way being threatened.

"Well?" He bowed to me slightly with his hand still out reached towards me, and I hesitated to reach out and give my hand to him. "I can't make a deal if you refuse to confirm it." He watched me with passion as I actually considered his words. Well the again, it's not like I had much choice left.

I slowly reached out my hand to him, and the moment he gently laid it upon his own, I almost gasped. His hand was much bigger than mine, but yet instead of feeling warm like a hand usually would, it felt cold, unlike mine which was practically soaked in sweat.

I looked up at the stranger with wide eyes, only to we him looking back at me with even wider ones. He stared at me for moment as if he was almost in shock, and looked away while slightly clenching his jaw.

"My father, the mayor, sent me to go pick mushrooms out here, and he expects me home soon, so..." I uttered, and he frowned disappointedly at my response. He looked up at me with dull eyes, and I knew that he was unsatisfied with my stretched explanation. "Oh, I see."

"... And your name?" I dared to speak up again, and he simply gave me a small side smirk, completely wiping off his earlier agitated look. "Well, a deal is a deal. However, I find that I can match your vagueness. You can just simply call me Shadow."

"Shadow..?" I said out loud, and he smirked defiantly. I narrowed my eyes at him, and he looked away as if trying not to chuckle. "That's obviously not your real name..."