Chapter 1
"Red, honey! Time for school!"
Roberta Elaina Desdemona, or Red, as she preferred, leapt off her bed. After getting dressed, combing her long, auburn hair, and throwing on her red hoodie, she grabbed her lunch and headed out the door.
"See you tonight." She called.
Red lived alone in the thicket with her mother. Her father was killed by wolves when she was five, and ever since then, there was a wolf ban.
Every morning, Red would walk to school, never once worrying about wolves. Today, however, something felt different. Something inside her felt... Uneasy...
"Calm down, Red..." She muttered to herself, "you've been down this path so many times, it's just your brain."
She carried on down the path, but, to her horror, saw a young grey wolf lying by the side of the path.
"Oh my goodness!" She yelped.
The wolf, struggling, lifted a head and turned to look at her. Red paused. He looked so scared... Tired... Red cautiously took a step closer. The wolf's body stiffened and he let out a warning growl, but interrupted itself with a whine.
"Shh..." She whispered. "It's ok. I won't hurt you."
The wolf cautiously watched her as she took a step closer. Crouching down, she crawled closer, the wolf growled again, causing her to stop. Looking closer, she saw a small hole in the wolf's side.
"You poor thing..." She murmured. "How could this happen?"
"Shot..." A low voice replied.
Red paused, looking around for the speaker, then her eye fell on the wolf.
"Did you speak?" She ask.
The wolf whined. "Yeah..." He replied.
Red was surprised? "I didn't know wolves could talk."
"We aren't allowed to share that with the humans. Are you going to kill me now?"
Red shook her head. "No. But I'll tell you what. Meet me by the path by three o clock, and I can help you."
The wolf huffed. "Not like I can go anywhere."
Red rolled her eyes and headed to school.
As soon as she arrived at the building, she heard a familiar "How's it riding in the hood, Red?"
Red rolled her eyes. Her friend, Jack, was there.
Jack and Red had been best friends since they we're five. Jack was a tall young man with shaggy brown hair and green eyes.
"Hey Jack." She groaned.
"What took you?" He asked. "The ladies are worried sick. Thought you we're devoured by a wolf."
Her mind flashed to the dying wolf, but she shook it away. "That's ridiculous. Wolves are banned here."
Jack laughed. "Come on, let's go find the others."
Red and Jack headed into the building where her friends, Goldilocks, her sister Miss Muffet, and Bo Peep, we're waiting.
"Red!" Bo called out, running over to her, throwing her arms over her. "We we're worried about you!"
Red rolled her eyes. "Why?"
"Girl!" Muffet began, "there's been sightings of a wolf! We thought maybe you we're his dinner."
Red opened her mouth, but closed it.
Goldilocks, on the other hand kept quiet.
Red was concerned. Ever since last summer, Goldie had been very quiet and frail, and no one knew why.
"Anyway," Bo continued, "lets jam! Time for class!"
All throughout class, Red spent her time wondering, and worrying about the wolf in the forest. Would he still be there when she came back? Jack kept shooting her puzzled looks, but she ignored him. She couldn't tell him.
Once the class broke for lunch, Jack cornered her outside the class.
"So, why we're you late?" He asked.
Red shrugged. "I lost track of time."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Red... I know you are keeping something from me." He began.
Red gulped. "Keeping something?" She asked.
Jack nodded. "Yeah. Whatever it is, I don't like it when you keep secrets. Please... Tell me."
Red shook her head.
Luckily, Bo came down the hall. "Red! Jack!" She called out.
They turned to look at her.
"Stop flirting, you two!" She joked. "Today's special is meatloaf! Your favourite, Jack."
Upon hearing that, Jack bolted down the hall.
Bo turned to Red, her expression blank. "What was that?" She asked.
Red shrugged. "He doesn't seem to understand that I can be late too."
Bo laughed. "Chickie, that boy has got it so bad for you."
Red raised an eyebrow. She kinda suspected Jack had feelings for her.
"Anyway," Bo continued, "we're still trying to find out what's eating Goldie."
"Still hasn't cracked?" Red asked.
Bo shook her head. "Muffy has been trying to find out, but nothing is working."
With that, the two girls headed to the cafeteria. Goldie and Muffy had already saved a table while Jack was sitting down with a plate of meatloaf with extra beans.
"Hey girls!" Muffy waved.
Bo and Red sat down and pulled out their lunches.
"Curds and whey again!" Muffy cheerfully exclaimed.
"Yeah..." Goldie began.
"Ok! Seriously!" Muffy began, "why are you being so blah! Is it our lunch? Too hot? Too cold?"
"It's just right..." Goldie murmured, before suddenly running off, tears streaming down her face.
"That was odd..." Jack commented, before digging into his meal.
Red couldn't believe this was happening! The five of them had been a group since they were ten.
Jack and Red had met Bo, the youngest daughter of the local Shepherd. She was super shy, and her older sister, Mary, had abandoned her in the middle of the playground. She had long curly black hair and coffee coloured skin.
Later on, they met the twins, Goldie and Muffy, the daughter of a cheese farmers. They were young with curly blonde hair.
Years passed, and, while Bo was more outgoing with her hair cut shorter, Muffy put on a little weight from all the curds and whey, and Goldie switched to dark make up, the five were still inseparable... Or so she thought.
Clamming up, she nervously took a bite of her sandwich. Ham...
"Maybe he would like some..." She thought.
"What was that?" Bo asked.
"Nothing..." Red replied, wrapping up half her sandwich.
"Oh!" Bo replied. "You'll never believe the new farm hand dad hired! He is so delicious!"
Red snickered to herself as Bo went on about the new farm hand.
"Little Boy Blue is my name for him." She began, wiggling her eyebrows.
After lunch, Red headed back to class. After tedious hour after tedious hour, Red sprang to action when the final bell rang.
"See you tomorrow!" She called to her friends as she sprinted out the door.