{Disclaimer: Despite the fact that Little Red Riding Hood is public domain, I don't own it. If they were alive, the story would be property of either Charles Perrault or the Brothers Grimm. No infringement intended on any part.}
Little Modern Riding Hood
The news had the usual news for tonight; Murder.
"Last night, The Brixons, a brotherly trio of contractors, were attacked in their homes by 'Bad Wolf', a serial killer responsible for the murder of seven kids a week ago. Only one of them survived, the eldest, who was named Tyler. We interviewed him on what he will do after this, and he said that he would temporarily retire and work as a lumberjack, surveying the forest near Bluth Street in memory of his brothers. We also asked him how he felt about 'Bad Wolf', seeing, as he is the only one to have seen him face to face and lived to tell the tale thanks to some quick medical attention. He said, and I quote, 'I want to fill his stomach with rocks, and then boil him.' Looks like Mr. Wolf will have to be watching his back from now on," the reporter said with a chuckle "but then again, with that septuple murder, he will have to have his head screwed on backwards. In other news, the Wolf Flu, no relation to 'Bad Wolf' has taken its toll of over 100 reported deaths, and 500 reported infected. Its symptoms include fading eye vision and sniffles that can be mistaken for the common cold. A vaccine was made but it quickly ran out of stock the hour the hospital opened." After that sentence, the TV was turned off.
"Rose, you should not be watching the news. It can give you nightmares." Rose's mother said to her, holding the remote. "Besides, I want to give you an errand." The mother said as she grabbed a basket lying near the couch. "I assume you know that Grandma has the Wolf Flu. I want you to give this to her. Among the goodies is a vaccine for the Wolf Flu. I assume you know which bus route to take?" The mother said as she handed her the basket.
"Yes I do! It's the number 9 bus!" Rose, who was no older than 10, said as she jumped in glee. Rose's mother gave her some money for the bus. Rose took the basket, and on her way out the door, she took a red hood and put it on herself.
"Rose! Remember! Don't talk to strangers!" Rose's mother tried to tell Rose, but she was already out the door by the time she finished.
Rose skipped along the sidewalk; being her cheery self as she said hi to every living thing she passed by. She soon went to the bus stop and sat on the bench. A bus stopped in front of her with the number 8 on it. The doors opened, coming out of the bus was a man with a scowling face, clenched fists, and a look on his face that says that he was up to no good. Rose shuddered in fear as the man passed by her and walked down the sidewalk. Rose sighed in relief. Soon, another man was crossing the street and was heading to the bench. Rose looked at the man. His face was clean-shaven, unlike the previous man whose face had a five o'clock shadow. His hair was brown with hints of graying and balding. His eyes were as gray as metal.
"You! You are the one who insulted me a month ago!" The man yelled at her.
"I don't know what you are talking about!" Rose said in a scared tone, holding up her hands to try to defend herself from the man. The man looked at the basket Rose had with her.
"Oh wait... No, you are not. Sorry about that. My vision must be going." The man chuckled, taking out a handkerchief to blow his nose into. Rose lowered her hands slowly, feeling a bit relieved that the problem was settled so easily. This man sat beside Rose and gave a look at her basket. "What's in the basket, mind if I ask?" The man asked.
"Oh, this, these are some snacks that my grandma would enjoy." Rose said.
"And what is that syringe looking thing that is inside it?" the man asked.
"My grandma's sick and mom told me to give it to her and make her all better." Rose said to him.
"Did your mother say what she was sick with?" The man asked her, intrigued at the syringe.
"Why yes. She said she was sick with that new disease..." Before she could remember, the man answered for her.
"Wolf Flu?" The man asked.
"Yeah! She has the Wolf Flu!" Rose replied.
"How far is your grandma's house?" The man asked Rose.
"Not that far, but far enough for me to travel by bus." Rose said.
"Would it happen to be that cottage on Bluth Street?" The man asked.
"Yeah." Rose answered.
"Well, I can show you a shortcut that can save you the money and the hassle. It's just through that forest." The man pointed to a large hill with trees covering the entire area.
"I don't want to go there. It's too scary." Rose told the man.
"I see. Well, enjoy your time at grandma's house." The man said as another bus stopped. This time with the number nine. Rose got on the bus.
"I will. Thanks Mr..." but before she could get the kind man's name, the doors closed and the bus began to move. The man then got off the bench and walked towards the forest.
The bus dropped off Rose on a dirty path with a sign saying 'BUS 9'. Rose walked along the dirt path until she came across the cottage. Rose went into the cottage.
"Hello Rose, your mom called, said you have something for my condition." Grandma said as Rose entered the cottage. Her sweatshirt was cherry red and it had a strange smell to it. She was wearing a bonnet as well, obscuring her hair.
"My, what big eyes you have." Rose said to her grandma.
"The better to see you with, my dear." Grandma said.
"But... doesn't Wolf Flu impair your vision?" Rose muttered, glaring into grandma's eyes. It had been a long time since Rose had seen her grandma, but she did not remember her grandma having gray eyes.
"Can you give me the basket please?" Grandma asked. Rose gave Grandma the basket. Grandma then took the syringe and injected herself with the vaccine. "Ahh..." She sighed in relief. "Put the basket away, I am going to rest for a bit. Best you go on your way home." Grandma said. Rose gave a disappointed look on her face as she took the basket.
"Okay, I will put the basket in the closet." She said as she walked to the closet.
"Stop it! Don't open that door!" Grandma yelped, her voice cracking to a calm male's voice. A voice Rose had heard recently. Before Rose could factor in the change in voice, she opened the closet as a bloody body fell onto the floor. Rose quivered as she put her hands to her shuddering jaw. Her pupils shrunk in the horror she saw as her eyes began to moist, almost ready to cry. It was her grandma, dead from some nasty stab wounds. She turned around and saw the other grandma. "Yeah. It's me!" Grandma said, ripping her bonnet off, revealing him as the man whom Rose talked to at the bus stop. "First off, let me tell you just how stupid you are for not knowing me! Did your mom tell you not to watch the news? I was literally plastered over the news last week for that septuple murder!" Rose began to shudder even more as she remembered the news she saw that morning. This man was none other than Bad Wolf. "Despite that, you were smart for having that basket with you. I would have killed you had you not had that basket back at that bus stop. Therefore, I guess I am grateful for you." Bad Wolf said. "But why? Why did you kill grandma?" Rose asked him. "I had the Wolf Flu as well! Can you imagine your life being wasted away by a disease that robs you of your vision? It was to the point in which I would do anything to obtain a cure or at least a vaccine! Including Murder!" Bad Wolf exclaimed. Rose was trying to hold back tears. "Finally, I can retire my life as a murderer. I left a large enough mark on this world as it is." Bad Wolf began to mutter. Rose grasped her fists. She may be stupid according to Bad Wolf, but she knew that a single word could make the sadist go away.
"HELP!" Rose screamed.
"Go ahead, cry wolf. No one can hear you!" Bad Wolf said to Rose. Rose then looked at the window. She ran over and opened it up. She cried again.
"HEL-" However, this time, her cry was cut short with a hand over her mouth and a sharp pain entering the side of her back.
"Shh. It will be over soon, and you will join Grandma soon." Bad Wolf said as she laid her onto the ground. Bad Wolf pulled a knife out of Rose's back and wiped its blood off with the handkerchief he had earlier. "You know what? Screw it. It is fun to kill. Forget retiring, I am going to keep killing until the day I die!" Bad Wolf said as he walked to the door. Just as he opened the door, he saw someone at the door, holding a gun directly at his face. Bad Wolf knew who this person was. Bad Wolf's look on his face gave the suggestion that the man staring him down should have been dead. With a loud bang, Bad Wolf fell to the floor, dead in a pool of his own blood.
"Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin!" The man said. He then went in the room and saw Rose writhing in pain. "We got to take you to a hospital!" The man said as he picked her up. Her last image before she passed out was the face of the man. She first saw the man at the bus station with the scowling face.
The news was on again. This time the reporter was happy, after a month of reporting nothing but murder and death, he can now announce the relief that everyone can have when he says,
"Yesterday afternoon, 'Bad Wolf', the infamous serial killer, was killed on Bluth Street. His murderer, Tyler Brixson, the survivor of the commonly nicknamed 'Three Little Pigs incident' turned himself in. The police, responding to both public outcry and their own personal justifications on Tyler's actions, have released him, with the sentence of a week's community service, which Tyler happily accepted. The event happened soon after 'Bad Wolf' killed his last victim, an elderly woman by the name of Rosa Capucha, and attempted to kill her granddaughter, Rose Capucha. In other news, the dreaded Wolf Flu may be put to a close. New batches of the vaccine, almost twice the amount it had when it first hit the hospital, were made, and is being put for anyone who wants it. Last time we checked, there were just enough to immunize an entire orphanage." After that sentence, the TV was turned off.
"Mom, you should not be watching the news. It can give you nightmares." Rose said to her mother, holding the remote on the hospital bed.
The End