Little Red

There was a little girl, walking in the woods. She had not yet reached her teenage years, but still, all alone she went, fully knowing of the stories about another little girl, who had done the same thing. Just to vanish, only leaving her red coat, similar to the girl's own, dangling from a branch.

But this girl felt no fear. Not even when the sound of steps came chasing her shadow, or when its owner caught up with her presence.

The man's hair was the opposite of her honey brown, and drops of water clinged onto his cheeks. Remains from the stream that not long ago had silenced his thirst. "You should not be out here by yourself," he said. "It's not safe for girls to walk these paths unprotected."

"I'm not alone," the girl lied, adjusting the basket resting on her arm. "I just lost sight of my brothers. They're probably looking for me right now."

The man smirked and licked his lips, imagining how she would taste if he got the chance to burrow his teeth into her flesh. "Then I'll walk with you. Until you find them."

The girl did not like this idea, but nodded. You did not need to reach adulthood to know that young ladies should not upset the hungry wolves in the forest.

They continued to walk, the man constantly eying her, wetting his lips with his tongue. "I can place my arm around your shoulders, if you like? To keep you warm."

The girl nodded once again, unwilling to his touch, but preferring to keep her safety as long as possible. The trunks around them grow closer, and the darkness heavier. No one would hear her scream here. Or find her corpse after he was done with her. The village was too far away. But still, she kept on walking, waiting for the destiny he had planned for her.

The man's arm weighed heavily around her shoulders. His fingertips caressed the side of her breast, pretending he was unaware of what he was touching.

Finally, the girl smacked them away. His hand fell, but stopped at her bottom, once again grasping parts that weren't his to touch. She withdrew. Fully aware of the consequences of her actions.

"You should play nice," the man said, grinning with his teeth. "Don't you know what happened to the other little girl? The one in the red coat, who was walking here, just like you?"

"Yes," the girl answered. This time, with a smirk of her own, as she let go of her basket, letting its bloody content spill over the ground. "I ate her."