"Des-des, are you OK?" Niall spoke, and I forgot how his voice sounded. Is it sad, how I couldn't remember the sound of my little brother's voice? Yes, it is.
"I'm fine Niall," I lied, picking him up and rocking him as my little rock.. preventing me from crying, "just a bad day at school." I smiled, and he giggled back.
"Can you teach me piano, Des-des?" He gripped onto my top with his tiny fingers, and gave me his puppy eyes. Should I? I'd only just walked through the door, Mum was still parking in the garage. It took me a second to decide my answer.
"Of course, Nee. Only if you promise me something?" I gave him a cheeky grin, and somehow I felt immense pressure leave from my body. Worry of the woods, school, Natasha... talking to Nee now after all this time has just made me feel so much better.
"Yes, Des-des?" He pulled at my hair.
"Wash your hands. I don't want sticky jam all over my nice piano, do I not?"
He giggled, and I carried him to the bathroom.
~~~~~~~~~~
"See this one?" I placed his finger on a key, he nodded and shifted whilst sitting on my lap. "That's 'C', the next one is 'D' and then it goes through the alphabet, through to G. Then you start again." I explained, and he pressed each one going to the right delicately, singing his ABC's.
"Why goes it only go up to guh?" He questioned, turning around and nearly whacking me in the face.
"I like to think that it's because the people who invented it were too stupid to know anymore of their alphabet," I smiled, and carried on, "the black ones? They're sharps and flats. You don't need to worry about them."
"Can you play me something?" Niall whispered, as if it was the deepest secret.
"Of course." I shrugged, and lifted him so he was sat next to me, rather than on me. My hands magnetised their way to the beginning key, and moved as I found a tune and key that I liked. Eventually, my hands danced around the keys and making a very soft and beautiful sound. I guess it meant that I was at peace.
"That's really pretty, Des-des." Niall squeaked with laugher, it was so contagious that I had to join in. I stopped, and lifted him off the chair and onto the floor. He looked up to me and fiddled with his top. "Does the wood sound as pretty as that?" He asked.
My heart dropped, and I felt like asking him several questions of how he knew about the wood at once. However, I kept it in, and tried a lie.
"The woods are very beautiful, there are magical creatures that come and play with you if you ask them nicely." I stammered, but covered it with a curve of my chapping lips. I'm not good at lying, but Nee's five, so I guess he won't be able to tell. I don't want him knowing how terrifying it is.
"One day," Niall twisted his shoulders and bit his lip, "will you take me there?"
"Maybe..." I didn't quite know what to say, but I was saved by the front door opening. Dad's home. "Daddy's here! Go and say hello, then. I'll read you a story before bedtime, okay?"
Niall nodded and skipped out of my room and trotted down the stairs. He seemed to happy, and i wish I could have that. To smile and have what seemed like a wonderful life. If I could go back to when I was five, before we moved here, before I was old enough to understand any troubles of the world, then I would be exactly how Niall is now... not taking life for granted and enjoying it as it comes. In many ways, I look up to Nee.
Standing up, and sluggishly walked to my bed and sat down with one leg propped up, and the other dangling down my red and black bed. Grabbing my pillow, and released the pressure and stress, hatred and sadness by crying. I just cried, for everything.
I'm going to have to go to the woods again. I can't ignore it, because this will haunt me for the rest of my life... I have to know if I can overcome the demon within. What if it's every woodland? Every tree? Every bed of grass? What is this ruins me, tears me inside and out? It's ripping me apart and taking my identity. I have to go... I have to go. I have to go.
Swinging my legs off the bed, and reaching for my red cloak and wellies, I put them on quickly and slammed my door closed behind me. Literally going down three steps at a time, I stormed through the hallway and towards the front door, not stopping for my parents in the lounge, asking me where I'm going.
"Honey, what are you doing?" Mum got up and blocked the door from me.
"Sorting this out, Mum." I spoke through my teeth, anger driving me.
"Oh no, you're not going to the woods." She scowled, making her body wider against the door frame.
"You can't do anything about it, Mum! Let me go!" I pushed her out of the way, and I nearly trapped her fingers as I slammed the door. No-one understands! I could hear Mum shouting at Dad to get his shoes on, but I was already pacing down the driveway. Turning the corner, I could already see the treetops.
Running, I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins and it kept my pace even and I was barely short breathed when I found the opening in the trees. Stopping, I turned around to see both my mother and father running down the street, but I was further ahead. I had to end this. I have to know.
I stepped onto the grass.
YOU ARE READING
Blood-Red Riding Hood
Werewolf"Licking my pale and chapped lips, I tried to wet my bone-dry mouth so I could speak. Between cold shivers, I noticed the crawling under my skin rippled through me over and over again. Tears pooled and my vision blurred as I crawled flat on the floo...
