The Wolf that Fell In Love with Red Riding Hood

(2014)

(Wolf): I'm in a forest. I see nothing but trees everywhere. Walking aimlessly, increasing my senses for prey…I came across a shade of red. Preparing to pounce on her, she suddenly turned around. She sensed my presence as I did to hers. The light on her face brought pain in my chest. The sight of her feared expression brought my instincts to a stop. Afraid of scaring her more, I hid myself from behind a tree. She had walked away but kept her guard.

(Red Riding Hood): I'm in the forest. The dangers of the woods, I'm not familiar with. I'm afraid. Hoping to find light, I felt a presence. I must not stop until I find light. I'm being watched. I must get away from this gaze. I stopped, I'm scared. Turning around, a faint shadow appeared, but now it's nowhere to be seen. I heard rustles. I'm in danger, I'm scared but I found light. Looking around, heart still beating fast, I saw nothing. I walked away, relieved but never wanting to let my guard down.

(Wolf): I scared her, but I want to get closer. But I mustn't. I shall watch her from a distance, see if I can approach her without scaring her. I want her. What should I do? She is walking faster than before. She knows I'm here. What should I do to erase her fears? She dropped something. This is my chance to get closer, to talk to her. Picking up her apple, I ran to catch her. I caught her. I'm touching her shoulder. She turned around. I saw her eyes again. She's scared. Give her the apple, Wolf. She's beguiled me with her expression. My chest is hurting. She ran away.

(Red Riding Hood): I'm being watched. I can't shake this feeling off. Walk faster, move quicker. Don't fall down. Look straight, you'll get there safe and sound. I dropped something but I cannot look back. It might catch me. I hear footsteps behind me. It's growing closer, I can feel it growing closer. It caught up with me. It's touching my shoulder. I looked around. Fangs. Ears that of a wolf. Eyes of a beast. He's hand is moving, I have to get away. Forget the apple. Run! My chest is hurting. Run!

(Wolf): I must find her. I want her. My chest is hurting…I don't understand but I want to keep her. I must have her. I must track her down. I have to keep her…safe. Mine. Own her. Where is she? My little lamb, why must you run? Let me keep you. Where is she? I stopped in the middle of nowhere, calming myself. I tracked her scent. She's near. Another scent, a new prey. She's in danger! I must find her, quick!

(Red Riding Hood): I have to hide. It's coming for me. I'm tired. I will hide here for a while. My feet hurt. My boots are scrapped. I must regain strength…to run further away. Catching my breath, I heard a rustle over by the bush. Oh no, it's caught up with me…it has found me! I stood up, leaned my back against the tree to hide. I'm scared…but I have to do something. Someone is waiting for me. I must stay alive. I picked up a rock. I readied myself. I can't breathe, but I must stay alive.

(Wolf): I hope I'm not too late. I must be quick. Faster! She's scared, I know. She's fragile. She's afraid. Her feared face appeared in my mind. Her eyes full of uncertainty and doubt of me. She's scared. I must go to her. I must keep her…safe. Protect her. Take her to safety…from me and other beasts. I found her! But she seemed different. My chest felt relieved, I'm just in time. I'm in time to save her. She's determined to fight. She's different from a while ago. Her eyes are with doubt but mixed with determination to survive. She's my prey. She's mine. Others must not touch what's mine. Another beast has appeared. It's approaching her. She threw a rock and hit its eye! She can aim, but it's not enough. The beast is enraged. I must run…to her. Protect her!

(Red Riding Hood): I'm scared. The rustling would not stop. It's near. I must aim. I have to survive. Someone is waiting for me. I have to deliver the fruits. Amidst my thinking, the beast has appeared. A more rigid looking wolf. I must protect myself. It's walking slowly but with a firm intent of killing me. Aim for its eye! I threw the rock, I hit it! But I enraged it. I provoked it. I'm in danger. I shouted for help. The wolf from before tackled the other before it got me. My tears…they won't stop. I'm scared. My legs would not move. The forest is a dangerous place. Why did I come alone? Grandma…will I ever make it alive? I closed my eyes. I can hear the pained growl of the wolf from before. I can hear them scratching nature with their fight. I covered my ears, eyes still closed. I prayed hard.

(Wolf): I heard her scream. I ran as fast as I could. The other wolf is about to pounce on my little lamb. I was just in time to tackle it away from her. She's scared. She's shaking. I must protect her. She's crying. My chest is hurting. She's shaking and unable to move. I must not let anything happen to her. She's mine to keep. She's mine to protect. The wolf bit my neck. I growled in pain. We had destroyed part of nature in this fight. I must unleash my inner beast…to protect her. I see her covering her ears. I see her praying hard. I must finish this and grant her wish of peace.

(Red Riding Hood): after one howl, I hear nothing but silence. The fight must have stopped but I'm still scared to open my eyes. I can hear footsteps. It's approaching me. It's coming closer. It has come, my time of death. Though my eyes were still closed, my vision has become darker. It's going to kill me. I'm going to die. A minute has passed since the beast has stopped in front of me. What is it waiting for? Is it going to eat me? Kill me like it did to the other? I slowly opened my eyes and saw red on the monster's face. Blood. Everywhere. Fangs and claws stained with red. I looked behind it to see the body of its opponent, lying lifeless on the ground. Its fur stained with dark red. Scratches. Bite marks on its neck. The beast is wounded. Its eyes glow amidst the dark. It's clearly looking at me but the fear is slowly subsiding…disappearing. It's reaching for something. It's giving me an apple. The apple is scratched, maybe from their fight. I looked at the wolf's eyes again, eradicating the thought of it being a beast or a monster. It saved me. The wolf saved me.

(Wolf): This is the last blow. I will win. I will kill this beast. It howled after the last attack. Gravity pulled its body lifeless to the ground. I looked over by the tree to see the girl of red…same color as me stained with blood. I approached it, walking slowly, carefully. I stopped in front of her, waiting for her to open her eyes. I can sense her fear still. But I am relieved that she is safe, but my chest aches in the sight of her fear in me. I am a beast. I must take her. She is different from me but I must have her for keeps. But I cannot. I cannot eat her. Lost in my own thinking, I had not noticed her opening her eyes. Her expression showed shock. I must have scared her because of all these wounds and blood. She looked behind me then back at me. I stared at her, eye to eye. Her shaking is slowly stopping. I remembered the thing I wanted to give her. I reached for the apple and hoping she would remember. The apple is scratched, maybe from the fight. She looked at the apple, then looked back at me. Her tears had stopped. Her eyes showed a new wave of emotion that made my body hot. I want her. I must have her. But I am a beast. I am dangerous. I must not have her. But I want her.

(Red Riding Hood): The wolf is anticipating my actions. He's been watching me all this time but not laying a hand on me. This wolf is not to be feared. I slowly reached for the apple. The wolf is surprised. I wiped the apple and put it back in the basket. In my head, I am drowning in my thoughts of shame. I am in debt to this creature. It has saved me and no harm was done to me. It saw me since I stepped into the forest but it has not laid its hands on me. It saved me…this wolf. Overwhelmed with the feelings of gratitude towards it, I cried and embraced it. It howled in pain. I had forgotten about its wounds. I reached for my cloth, stood up and hoped to find water. I want to make up for the things that I had done wrong towards it.

(Wolf): she took the apple from me and wiped it, then put it in the basket. I cannot contain my surprise. She looked at me with wonder in her eyes. I am stuck in her gaze, I cannot move. My heart has been acting up ever since I saw her. I am in love with this human. I want her. My devious thoughts of keeping her has not subsided. Lost in my own thoughts, she suddenly embraced me. Before I could think, I had let out a pained scream in a form of a howl. She let go. I was puzzled, but the idea of her touch remained. Her touches burned. Literally. My body is hot, and the desire to keep her is stronger than before. She is crying still. But…she regained her strength for she is now standing, walking with a cloth in her hand. What does she intend to do? Is she leaving? I have to follow her! She is not safe. I carried the basket and followed her.

(Red Riding Hood): the wolf is following me, carrying the basket. It is kind. I am not. I am shameful. But I must repay. I found a creek. I wet the cloth in my hand. The wolf had sat beside me, watching me. I tended to its wounds. Slowly wiping the blood off its face. It's flinching in every touch of the cloth. In my thoughts, I am apologizing. Someone is still waiting for me, but I have to thank this creature. It saved me. Why? I am its prey yet it has not touched me. After tending to it, I took an apple…one that is not damaged…and gave it to the wolf. I stood up and decided to leave. Someone is waiting for me, I have to go. One last look at the wolf. The sun is slowly going down. The sun is setting. I must hurry to grandma. She is alone…her house is at the end of the forest. She is in danger. I have to hurry.

(Wolf): the girl of red dipped the cloth in water. It walked towards me and tended to my wounds…slowly wiping the blood off of my face. For every touch of her hand, I had flinched…not because of pain, but because I felt conscious of her. She is in deep thoughts yet again. She is looking at me as if I am a peculiar being. Maybe. After tending to me, it took an apple and gave it to me. A gift of gratitude, perhaps? She stood up suddenly and looked at the sun. The light of the sun has made her more beautiful than the first time I saw her. She is walking away again. She turned for a moment to look at me. After that, she left with a worried look on her face. She seemed like she was in a hurry. The night is approaching. I must protect her. I must follow her. I have to keep her…safe.

(Red Riding Hood): It's getting dark. The hopes of getting to grandma's house sooner is slowly fading. The fear that has once subsided is suddenly returning. Am I lost? Which way should I go? To the left. I took the road on my left. Walking…hoping…she's waiting. Praying to the moon to light up my way. There. I saw the house. I knocked. Thrice. Calling out to my grandmother. Has she fallen asleep? I looked around the back to find my way in. amidst my search, through the window, I saw blood. I dropped the basket of fruits that I have been aching to give her. I screamed, my voice echoing throughout the forest.

(Wolf): It's getting dark. I lost sight of her. I must now rely on my senses to find her. Her scent still lingers around this area, she must be close. I must be close. But this path seems familiar. I have been here earlier. I hurried to catch up to her. I hear faint knocks. I hear a faint voice. She's close. I hear footsteps on wood. It must be her boots. I can hear clearer. I smell blood. Yes. I have been here, I thought to myself. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her scream echoing throughout the woods. My heart raced. What has happened to her? I hurried to where the voice came from. I saw the house. The house of a victim earlier. I looked around to find the girl. She is crying again. I saw the basket of fruits that she has been holding since she got here. She is…pained… I am affected as well. Guilt started to creep inside my chest.

(Red Riding Hood): Grandmother is…dead? I broke the window so that I could come in and prove that she is still alive. I ran around the house hoping to find her. But it was empty. All I saw were traces of blood, her torn clothes, and her glasses. How she must have struggled. She is dead. The basket that I brought has no recipient. I am in grief. My tears overflow. I am in pain. I am alone…in the dark. In the dangers of the night…of the forest. I am afraid. But moreover…I am in grief.

(Wolf): I saw her break the window. I saw her climb in to the house. I went closer to watch her. I saw her running around the house, eyes clouded with unshed tears. She saw the evidence of the struggle this morning. I am guilty. My chest is in pain. I want to protect her from the dead of the night. She cried. Her sobs to be heard. She is in pain. I am in pain. I let myself in and went to her side. She saw me. At first her eyes were red with tears and grief. But she came to, and she suddenly moved away. She was shaking her head as if in disbelief. I can somehow decipher what her look meant. She thinks I killed the human of this shady house.

(Red Riding Hood): I heard a thud by the window that I came in from. I felt a presence approaching me. At first, I felt nothing for the grief of my loss had overwhelmed me. But when I saw who it was that came in, I was relieved. It was the wolf that came in…a thought had passed through my mind. Could it be? But…no, it couldn't be. This wolf, he…I…but he saved me. But he's a wolf. I'm in danger. I'm next! I have to get away. I have to run! The wolf is looking at me. It's watching me. I'm far away but it's not following me. Am I wrong? Am I safe?

(Wolf): I won't move. I have to prove that I am harmless, that I do not want to harm her. I am watching her. She had stopped moving away. She is looking at me. The guilt inside me is eating me away. I want to stay, but I have to go. I have to protect her…from me. I have to go away. I backed away. I slowly backed away. She is puzzled by my actions. She is looking at me with her eyes full of wonder again. My chest is hurting. I want her. Keep her…safe from me. She has beguiled me…but so does this guilt inside me. I looked down and turned my back at her. I heard her footsteps. She is coming closer. She is behind me. She is touching me. Her touches burn. My desire to hold her grows stronger.

(Red Riding Hood): the wolf did not move until now. It is stepping backwards. It's moving away from me. It's leaving me. I'm scared. In the darkness, I don't want it to leave. It saved me, but it's a beast. But it's not doing anything to me. Don't leave me. I'm scared. I followed it. It turned its back at me and slowly walking away, as if waiting for me. It knows I'm approaching him, but he does not do anything else. It knows I'm behind but his guard is down. It had stopped. I felt its back shiver at the touch of my hand. The wolf is lowering its head, as if in guilt. Did he do it? Grandmother, tell me…did this creature take your life? But why do I feel that he did not. I am holding it. I can feel it flinching by every brush of my hand against its body, but it had stopped walking away. I am ashamed. I embraced it. And cried. I am scared, and I am ashamed. It embraced back, but after a few…it pushed me away. It let out a pained howl before running away from me. It is now outside this empty house…as if waiting for me to follow it. I stood up, wiped the tears and ran to catch up.

(Wolf): I could not stop the shivers down my spine. Every touch of her hand, I flinched. They burned…increasing the urge to own her…make her mine for keeps. She's still crying. I so much want to wipe away those tears. They did not suit her. I had stopped moving. I want to comfort her with my presence. She is afraid. She is alone. I am a beast…a monster. She embraced me. Her body is hot. Her face as red as her clothes. She is so close. In my arms, I held her…closer. I thought to myself, I don't want to let go but I am a monster. She is in danger…from me and this forest. I have to send her back to safety. I pushed her…away from me. I am in pain. I am in guilt…but mostly in pain. I love her. I have to get as far away from her. I jumped out of the house. I have to send her back to safety. I waited for her to follow. She stood up, and wiped her tears away…and I love her face. She's following me. I have to send her back, away from this forest.

(Red Riding Hood): I'm hopeless. I cannot catch up to it. I keep on falling down. Just when I'm about to cry because of the thought that the wolf has left me alone, just a gaze in front…and I see it waiting for me to stand up before it runs again. It's leading me…somewhere. But I trust this wolf. It has not hurt me, it saved me. And I feel that it is trying to save me again. I am ashamed for thinking badly of it. I fell down for the fifth time. Whenever I do, it's as if this wolf wants to come to me and help me up but it is trying to keep itself in a distance…away from me. It is a beast…a monster. But I thought wrongly. Somehow, I feel that it's watching over me…ever since I stepped into this forest. It's been protecting me. My prayer has been granted way before I had asked. The Lord has heard me from above. This wolf is a blessing. I must not let it down again. I stood up. I followed it again. Somehow, I felt it walking slower. When I looked around, I seem to remember. I have walked this path. I have been here. I am…nearly out? This wolf has been leading me back..? It's sending me out of this forest…away from danger. I followed the wolf out of the forest. I felt much relief gush inside of me. I tried to catch my breath. When I came to, I looked around but I see no wolf around. It sent me back to safety. I am forever in debt. I cried. I am happy. I am sad. I had lost my grandmother. In my journey, I had made a friend. But it did not even say goodbye. As I cried, I heard howls. We felt the same.

(Wolf): my little lamb has been falling down a number of times. I must keep myself from going to help her, I might not let her go then. I waited for her 'til she stands up again. I am a wolf. I am a beast. Carnivorous. I must keep these thoughts in the back of my mind. A monster who fell for a human. I saw light. It's the way out of the forest. She noticed. I must slow down. In just a few minutes, we will have to part. I will never see her again…I must not see her. But I cannot. I will not let her see me. We are out of the forest. She is relieved. She is smiling. My chest is hurting at the sight of her immense beauty. Her smile as bright as the sun, outshining that of the moon. I love her. I have protected her. I have sent her to safety. I must not let her notice my disappearance. I ran back into the forest. I hid behind a tree and watched her realize my unnoticed withdrawal. She is crying. Her sobs tore my insides apart. I howled in pain. I left.

EPILOGUE

(Wolf): I am in a forest. I am a beast. I am a wolf. Carnivorous. But a few months back, I fell in love with a human. I had saved her from the dangers of the forest. Every day, my wish to see her is granted. The Lord has granted my desire to see her. I still want her. I love her face. But I want to keep her safe…from me and the forest. Every day, I go back behind the tree where I watched her cry because I disappeared. She comes and brings apples…leaves them where she stood after her quest in the forest. She is safe. I am happy to see her well. I want her…happy. From behind this tree, I watch her.

(Red Riding Hood): I am near the forest. I am safer here. The wolf had sent me out a few months back. I come back here and leave apples as a gift of eternal gratitude towards the wolf. I know that I am being watched. I smile at the thought, and I am happy. The wolf is still watching over me.