"How much for a dozen apples?"
"For you? Four dollars." Scarlett sighed and leaned against the pole holding the tent over the fruit stand in town. She had agreed to come with Grandma in the hopes that she would buy her a cupcake or something at the end. Grandma was a great baker but didn't like to make cupcakes.
"Deal. I'll be by to pick them up on the way back home." Grandma handed over the four dollars and the man picked up the basket, putting it to the back so no one would try and buy them.
"Sure thing Ms. Edon." He smiled brightly at her. Grandma Edon was well liked in the community. It was a small town, mostly consisting of farmers and farm hands. The Edons employed a few men from town during harvest and planting season, as the two girls couldn't handle all of it on their own.
"Grandma, how many more places are we going?" Scarlett asked as they moved onto the next stand.
"As many as I please, Scarlett Rose." Grandma replied, her little handbag hanging from the crook of her arm. "I told you that you could stay home."
"But you didn't tell me this was going to take three years."
"Enough, Scarlett." Grandma looked at the girl, who crossed her arms over her chest. The twelve year old didn't like being at home alone, she had started hearing wolves out in the woods by the house and she didn't want to risk one finding their way into the house. Part of her knew that was a silly fear but it still worried her.
"Fine." She muttered, walking behind her grandmother to the next stand.
"Hello there Ms. Edon, Miss Edon." Grandma and Scarlett turned to see Ezekiel James sauntering over to them. Grandma reached over, drawing Scarlett closer to her.
"Ezekiel." She drew her lips into a tight line. Everyone knew that Ezekiel James was trouble. He brought destruction with him where ever he went. He had been in town off and on for years. Every time he was spotted, bad things were coming.
"And how are you lovely ladies this morning?" He asked.
"We are fine." Grandma answered. "In a hurry though."
"That's too bad, I always look forward to a chance to catch up with old family friends." The man grinned, his eyes trailing over to the small blonde girl. "I haven't seen little Scarlett in years."
"I don't think we've ever met." Scarlett replied dryly.
"Scarlett, hush." Grandma snapped.
"Oh that's where you're wrong, Little Wolf." Ezekiel leaned down so he was about the same height as the girl.
"Little wolf?" She asked, curious.
"Edon, it's often associated with wolves, in french." He explained.
"You don't look like the kind of guy who dabbles in foreign language."
"Scarlett, enough. Let's go." Grandmother grabbed the sleeve of Scarlett's red hoodie to drag her away.
"Better be careful, Elizabeth. She's turning out just as beautiful as Ruby… just as wild too, it seems." Ezekiel smirked and took a few steps back before walking away.
"He knew my mom?" Scarlett asked, looking over her shoulder at the man.
"Don't listen to him, Scarlett, he's a liar." Grandma warned, pulling her towards the Cupcakes she had been craving all day.
Scarlett's arms were tired from carrying the dozen apples home from the market.
"Next time you're going to get that many, can we take the truck?" Scarlett asked, rubbing her sore arms.
"You know I don't like using up gas."
"Yeah, but my arms feel like wet noodles."
"Oh stop your belly aching, you're a strong young woman, you can handle it." Grandma replied. She was in the kitchen, working on dinner. Scarlett wandered in, peeking in the pot to see how it was going, then she went to set the table, getting out their usual dinner plates, the forks and spoons and knives. Even if they didn't use them all, Grandma liked to have them all out, it looked nicer, she argued. Scarlett placed them on the table and got two drinking glasses down.
"Scarlett… sit down for a second." Grandma nodded at the table. Scarlet walked over and took a seat.
"What did I do?" She asked.
"You didn't do anything, baby." Grandma promised, walking over she lowered herself into the other chair. "I need to talk to you about Ezekiel."
"He's my dad… isn't he?" Scarlett asked.
"No- oh goodness no." Grandma shook her head. "I promise you, Ezekiel James is not your father." Scarlett let out a sigh of relief.
"Good." She nodded.
"I want you to promise me you'll stay away from him though."
"Why?"
"He's a bad man, Scarlett, and he is trouble. Not the kind of person you need to be hanging around with. Promise me, if you see him, you'll turn and go the other way. Stay as far away from him as you possibly can."
"Okay… Okay."
"Say it."
"I promise. I promise if I see Ezekiel James, I will turn and walk away from him." Scarlett promised.
"That's my girl." Grandma reached out, pulling the pre-teen into a hug. "Now go wash your face, you still have frosting on your mouth." Scarlett wrinkled her nose at her grandmother and hopped up, heading back towards the bathroom.
"Hey Grandma?" Scarlett called over her shoulder.
"Yes?"
"You've been hearing the howls too, right?" There was a clank of metal against metal, Scarlett guessed it was the spoon against the pot and a moment later Grandma appeared in the mirror behind her.
"What did you say?"
"The howls… you've heard them too right? I think we might have wild dogs, or wolves or something. I'm worried they might go after the chickens." Scarlett picked up a wash cloth and wet it, running it over her mouth and cheeks.
"I'll call Daniel Stevens in the morning. He'll go out and take care of any wolves out there. You stay out of the woods, you hear?"
"I don't go out into the woods anyway." Scarlett shrugged, and that was true, every since she was seven, and was chased by… whatever it was she was afraid of the woods.
"Good." Grandma walked to the open window, looking out towards the woods, she closed the window with a solid 'Thunk'. "Good."
another day, another Chapter. I've been on a roll and I'm pretty happy about it. Chapter eight will be coming soon!
Quixotic
