The Twisted Tales

Little Red

Little Red

   It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and a hungry wolf was prowling in the nearby forest, searching for his afternoon snack. He sniffed and looked and waited until, finally, a young girl in a red cape was seen walking down the barely visible path. She had an innocent look about her as she skipped across the forest, basket in hand swinging while she recited a merry rhyme about a girl and her garden.

   Oh, oh such a tiny thing, he thought, just enough to fill me up.

   The hungry wolf sauntered towards her with an overly-wide grin as she traipsed nearer. With a feigned air of concern (children are so easy to fool) and a hat covering his ears, he approached the little girl and asked her where she was headed.

   "I'm going to visit my granny," she said brightly, little lashes fluttering as she blinked.

   "Oh, my! Haven't you heard, my dear? A man-eating wolf lives in this forest. It could come at any moment and gobble you up!" the wolf said with a phony gasp. He clutched at his heart for added effect and he mentally praised himself for his marvelous acting.

   "My momma said that too, but I know I will be safe," she says with a smile and a tilt of the head.

   How delightful. 

   And how naive.

   "I better be going now," she said with a wave. Her teeth gleamed in the afternoon sun as she grinned.

   He waved her goodbye with a smile and when she was out of sight, he hastened towards the only house in the forest. He leaped and dodged over stray branches and sharp rocks until the little cottage came into view.

   Without knocking (big, bad wolves do not knock), he pushed open the wooden door and stepped through the threshold. He looked around and concluded that the old woman was not home; there was no noise and no coats were on the rack.

   With a creak, he hid behind the door and waited for his little snack to arrive. He waited and waited and eventually, he got bored.

   A little creativity will not go amiss, he thought.

   Leaving his little nook, he walked towards the drawer on the opposite side of the room and put on the garments he found inside. Faintly, he noted how comfortable the nightgown was and promised to steal one or two after his meal.

   All dressed up and ready to perform for the red cloaked little girl, he lay in bed, removed his scruffy hat, and proceeded to pull the blankets up his chin. Moments later, a soft knock echoed across the granny-less cottage. The wolf's ears perked up and drool dribbled down his chin in anticipation.

   "Come in," he said in his best imitation of an ailing old woman

   A red hooded figure walked through the door and the hungry wolf's stomach started grumbling. 

   "Granny," Little Red said, "how are you?"

   "I have seen better days," he replied, pretending to cough and grimace, "Worry not, sweetling. I will feel better soon."

   Yes, yes, I will feel better once I've eaten you.

   She shuffled closer to the bed and gave him a long look. She peered at his face and suddenly, she gasped.

   "Oh my, grandma!" she exclaimed, "what big ears you have!"

   "The better to hear you with, my dear," he replied, his voice coated with mock sweetness.

   "Oh, grandma!" she gasps again, "what big eyes you have!"

   "The better to see you with my dear," he said with a grin full of teeth.

   She peered closer at the wolf's face and her eyes widened when she noticed his teeth.

   "Oh my, grandma! What big teeth you have!" she exclaimed.

   "The better to eat you with my dear!" he replied with a growl and a hungry glint in his eyes.

   "Oh, you foolish girl!" he exclaimed as he got off the bed, "You'll be such a delicious snack!"

   He laughed and he laughed because she was such a stupid girl and now she was going to become nothing but bones inside her grandmother's cottage. The wolf laughed some more until he realized that the innocent little girl was laughing with him.

   "You silly, silly wolf!" she giggled.

   There was a flash of pain and slowly, he looked down his stomach to see the tiny arm protruding from it. And then he screamed.

   "I am very hungry, Mister Wolf," she said with a pout and an unholy gleam in her eyes, "so so hungry."

   She wrenched her arm from his flesh and devoured the the liver she held in her hand. The gaping wound in his stomach was oozing blood and its coppery scent filled the air; a tiny bit of his innards were sliding out of the hole slowly, reminiscent of a slimy worm squirming out of a hole in the soil.

   There was a thump as his body fell on the floor, along with a small squelch.

   "I have been denied my meal for so long by my momma, but I've grown too hungry!" she continued.

   There was a small frown on her face and she stared at the liver she held in contemplation. She shook her head and grinned at the bloody corpse on the floor. Her lips and her teeth were dyed a beautiful shade of red and her lashes fluttered as she blinked.

   "Poor momma! I had to eat her or I would have died of hunger!" she said, grin still on her face as she started licking off the blood that coated her hand. The liver was long gone.

   She giggled as she sucked on her thumb and tilted her head. It was a beautiful day indeed.