Prologue: What Big Eyes You Have
It is early morning, the birds haven't even come out to sing yet. Fog rolls over the forest and its trees. It's dead winter in the forest, cold and dark. Nothing is expected to live out here, nothing is expected to even take a stroll in it. But someone does. An unknown woman walks through the dark, dreary, and snowy forest floor. She keeps her pace steady and slow. She holds the leather lead of a large, black horse. It's black as night. The horse makes little noise as they walk on the snowy path. They walk side by side as equals. The unknown woman is wearing a large, black, fur cloak. It looks to be made of wolf fur and it trails behind her, picking up snow as they walk. Her dress underneath is pure black with a sweatheart neckline. Silver jewels of diamonds and crystals dangle on the chest of her dress making the heart shape. The corset is leather and the skirt appears to look like black feathers. Her hood is up but you can still make out her face. Her skin is pale, almost as white as the snow, and her expressions are sad. The only life in her face are her lips, lips as red as blood and as soft as cotton. Her eyes reflect a pale blue with hints of green as if they are dead and sick. Her wrinkles are defined, she appears to be in her late 40's. The strands of blonde that peak out from her hood are twisted with grey and white.
Suddenly, a large crunch of sticks and snow comes from ahead. The unknown woman stops and looks through the trees to search for the sound. She sees a bright red flitter between the trees. The unknown woman looks away to look at her horse. They lock eyes and she caresses the black beauty. She then ties the leather lead around a nearby tree. The unknown woman is unconcerned with the bright red color coming nearer. It then speaks.
"Hello," says a voice full of life and joy.
The unknown woman still does not look, but she knows she's not in any danger, "Hello," she says back, she has a little smile but her voice is dry and dead.
"What's your name?" The brightful voice asks.
The unknown woman replied, "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to talk to strangers?"
The woman turns around and finally sees the carrier of the bright red color. It's a little girl, a beautiful one at that. She is wearing a bright red cloak with her hood up as well. She wears a light baby blue gown underneath with black shoes. She carries in her hand a basket filled with covered cookies and berries. Her hair is long and a light brown with little curls on the ends, they drop out of her hood to her waist. The girls eyes are brown with little shocks of blue. She has light skin with rosy cheeks and pink lips.
"Of course, but she also says to be kind and thoughtful," she answers with a bright smile. She does a curtsy and introduces herself, "My friends and family call me Little Red Riding Hood."
The unknown woman smiles and curtsies back, "My names is Ella, how do you do?"
Little Red replies, "Quite well actually, I'm on my way to my Grandmother's house to deliver my mother's cookies when I spotted some berries over there. Quite unusual for those berries to be growing in this time of the year."
Ella answers back with a smile, "Yes, indeed it is." Ella is caressing her horse, she closes her eyes in pain and puts her other hand on her stomach. She does her best not to draw attention to it.
Little Red puts on a great big smile and walks closer. "And who is this?" She has such joy and excitement in her eyes.
Ella breathes deep and introduces her black beauty, "This would be Jaq, he is a dear old friend of mine who has helped me through...many events in my life."
Little Red smiles bigger and curtsies. "How do you do?"
"You may pet him if you like."
Little Red's eyes widen, "Really?"
"Of course, of course," Ella takes Little Red's hand and leads her closer to Jaq, " Don't be frightened."
Ella now stands behind Little Red. She looks hot and sweaty...and in pain. Little Red steps up onto a stump to be able to reach Jaqs face. She looks at him with such wonder and fascination. She caresses his face and his body. Ella begins to cough continuously while holding her stomach and closing her eyes.
Little Red looks to her, "Are you alright Ella?"
Ella replies weakly, "Yes, yes, no worries, it's the weather, I'm not actually supposed to be out."
Ella smiles and Little Red smiles back and continues to caress Jaq. Ella begins to cough more deadlier now, hacking away. She puts her hand up to her mouth, pulls it away and sees blood. Her eyes have fear in it but also eagerness and craziness.
"Jaq must really like you Little Red, " Ella's voice is much deeper than before, more beastly.
Little Red shakes her head in compliance while still caressing Jaq, unaware of what's happening behind her, and says to Ella, "My, what a deep voice you have."
Ella's backbone crunches inward and she replies, "The better to greet you with my dear." Ella's eyes are turning a bright yellow, almost like a wolfs.
Little Red looks deeply into Jaqs eyes and says, " My, what big eyes you have."
Ella replies, still with a deep and changing voice, "The better to see you with my dear."
Ella screams a bit, not enough for Little Red to be concerned. Ella's arms twist and crunch, her fingers bend in unusual angles, her legs quiver and break so she bends to the ground. She gasps for air, blood flooding out of her mouth.
"My, my, and what big legs you have," Little Red says to Jaq.
Ella is sweating and clenching her teeth together, "The better to chase you with my dear."
Ella's wolf coat begins to change, becoming a part of Ella. Her hands turn into claws and she tears her skin off with anger and eagerness, revealing fur and blood underneath. Her nose and mouth are being pushed out, the sound of bones crunching echoes.
" And my goodness, what a big mouth you have!" Little Red says this with a bit of fear, she's been feeling something horribly wrong was happening behind her.
Ella's fur finally cover every inch of her body and her pointy ears finally form as she says in a voice so deadly yet soft and quiet, "The better to eat you with my dear."
Little Red stops caressing Jaq, confusion and fear burst in her eyes. She turns to look at Ella slowly. She's scared. As she finally looks at Ella her eyes widen and she screams a terrifying, blood piercing scream. There is a loud roar and the scream diminishes. Birds fly out of the trees, they had been watching. Jaq is whining, eager for this to be over. There is crunching of bones and tearing of limbs and skin. The sound of fresh meat being eaten echoes through the forest. Blood flows over the snow covered ground, it has even reached the branches on trees. Parts of Little Red's cloak are dangling on branches, some of it is all over the ground. Intestine's are on the stump and on a branch. Her blood spattered and torn light blue gown is everywhere. A leg is over there, a hand here, and...half a heart there.
Ella looks up. She is in the middle of the slaughter. Her face no longer resembles a monster but it does resemble fear and sadness. She gasps for air. Her hands are covered in blood with chunks underneath her nails. Her eyes are bright with blue, they are alive but there is so much hate and anger in them. Blood and chunks cover her mouth all the way to her cheek bones. The blood is thick and red.
A tear rolls down her face as she looks all around at the mess she made. The only way anyone would be able to identify Little Red was by the bright red fabric everywhere, that was her symbol. Even with her being torn to shreds the village would know who was murdered. Ella bursts into more tears burying her bloody face into her bloody hands.
Ella stays on the ground for a while. She finally calms herself and stands up. She's still a bit shaky but manages to walk over to Jaq. Before untying him she looks into his eyes with sadness and puts her head against his.
She mouths, "I'm so sorry..."
Jaq rubs his face on hers in acceptance. Ella unties him and hops up on his back. She doesn't look back at what she's done. They ride away, fast, with eagerness, shame, and anger. They must get away from this place quickly. But Ella forgot something...in the middle of the blood and guts...a glass slipper...