|Little Red|
"ADELE. GET YOUR ASS UP, WE'RE BRINGING YOU OUT TO COLLECT SOME BERRIES."
My body jolts awake, and I fluttered my lashes to kind of see where I was. For a blissful second I had a nice dream where I thought I was at home. Eating my mom's home cooking. Time to remember reality is not all that forgiving, and I am fucked. That's all I can say. Grappling with a sigh, I shoved myself onto my feet. The basket was already waiting for me. Would I be allowed to shower? Probably not. I had one yesterday in the night when I couldn't sleep. The guard were kind enough to let me.
I hid my scoff. They just wanted to watch me bathe. Perverts. I forced my limbs t work, the heavy chains make it difficult to get the simplest of task done. I grabbed the basket, and dragged it towards my side of the wall. Away from my sister's rotting body. I could gag and throw up if I wasn't so used to the smell. Insects and maggots have started to form. This place will soon turn into a nightmare. More so than it already was. And I would like to find myself far away from this.
I bent to pick up the baton, and shoved it into the basket. In it, I found the only item the warden let me keep.
A red coat that my father had gifted me only a week before our abduction. Before he was killed mercilessly.
I frowned. Why is it in here? I swore the warden told me I wasn't allowed to wear it unless I ate some meat. And as I've stated, I'm punishing my stomach by staying true to what I know. I do wish Mira hadn't eaten the shrimp but she had been starving for too long.
Nevermind the past. She's gone now. I tossed on the coat, clipping it at the center and pulling the hood over my head. Unlike normal coats that come with sleeves, this one is pretty with stunning designs and no sleeves. It only hangs over my shoulders, and it's long enough to cover me till my thighs.
But that is it. It can't protect me from the snow.
With the baton safely tucked into the basket, I prepared myself for the plan I'd whipped up. Not sure if I'll succeed, but I will try. Or kill myself. If I fail and they catch me, only the gods know what the warden will do to me.
A ghost of a shudder creeps up my spine. Twenty minutes later and the two guards from before returning with a key. They unlocked the cell first before stepping in to release me from my restriants. I tried to keep myself strong despite wanting nothing more than to dispose of the contents of my empty stomach as they brushed their fingers over my body. One of them light flicks my nipple but I don't move.
His friend pulls him away.
"Move." He orders, his eyes tell me that he's talking to me. I nod, holding the handle on the basket tight as I hurry out of the cell. They stay close, their guns placed on safety.
They're not worried about me running off. I can use that too my advantage. On my way down that hall I spotted one of the other girls that still lives. Her eyes were red, and she a list of bruises on her lips, under her eyes, her arms, and more.
We locked eyes and she sent me a look of pity.
My lips went tight, this is not a way for us to live. I hadn't realized that I slowed my step until one of the guards hit me with something and I went tumbling to the floor..
"Get off your ass. We need those berries."
Fuck. That hurt. Pain runs through my back. They were impatient for no reason. I hurried to my feet, hearing a small snap at my spine. Yep, something is broken. Or just stiff and in a lot of ache.
"Don't make me tell you again."
I resigned a sigh, and did as I was told. Wasting time will only get me in more trouble.
We were out in the snow in minutes. The further I walked towards the forest, the less of the warden's prison I could see. I could almost smell my freedom and death. The air was cold, patches of thick snow covered what was likely a rocky path.
The guards hadn't drawn their guns yet, which again caused me surprise. With only a few steps away from the long lines of bushes that held the most delicious berries, or I think they're delicious I've never tried them. We pick them to make the warden pie.
The front of this supposedly terrifying forest should not be this beautiful. With fresh wild life all around. Birds tweeting. A sparrow lands in front of me.
Without thinking I dropped to my knees to pick the poor fella. Then I continued walking because the guards, again, they said nothing. That should have tipped me off that something was right.
Apparently my senses are not at their best.
When the leg came forward and tripped me, I realized my mistake. My gown pushed up, and a guard dropped between my legs. I only had a minute to panic before the sparrow flew from my hands, jamming it's beak into the guards eye.
I let out a scream that scared the animals, rolled on to my stomach and then my feet. I'll find a way to repay that bird because it gave me the opening I needed to run.
And run I did.
"GET OFF THE FUCKIN BIRD, YOU BASTARD. SHE'S RUNNING AWAY. THE WARDEN WILL MURDER US!"
That sounds like it's their problem not mind. The first sound of a gun being cocked, sent my heart into a frenzy. I heard the sparrow again. And when I looked up, it was flying but leaning to the left. Every part of me screamed to follow its instructions. So I did. I moved towards the left side, closer to the larger trees just in time to see a long silver bullet zoom through the air. It dug into a tree up ahead, and the sparrow directed me to take the left path.
Who on earth is this bird?
I crossed over a sign, but I didn't get a chance to read it. With those two hot on my tail, I don't have time for warnings.
Even though it looked serious.
Glancing up again, the sparrow flew just above my head before it took off and I couldn't see it anymore.
"No wait." I flailed my arms in the air. "Come back." Too focused on trying to call a bird back, I was once again too late to notice something that would cause me harm. Not until it slickered over my leg, and clamped it sharp, metallic teeth into my ankle. I fell forward, my head smacking into the snow while my leg throbbed.
I leaned up on my elbows, the guards stopped running. They were now walking, one had lost an eye but that didn't stop him from glaring at me.
"You bitch. Do you have-"
A howl, so frightening and loud raced through the air and we all froze. Even the bear trap holding my ankle didn't send my heart into frenzy the way this did.
"What the hell was that?" The guard missing an eye asked. He was shaking, and I know the cold had every little to do with it.
A growl silenced him. The girly squeak he released made me clutch my shoulders.
"We're in his territory. We should have left her. Run, run."
"We can't leave without her."
"We can't even see HIM YOU IDIOT! SHE HASN'T BEEN PREPARED WE'RE FUCKED! RUN!" I watched the guard sprint like his life was on the line while his friend stood in place watching him.
Whose forest? And what on earth is he-
My eyelids closed for a second, when they reopened a large beastly with black fur and the deepest red eyes I'd ever seen was leaping out of the tree and slamming into the running guard.
"Oh my god." I shouted, his teeth crushed into the guards skull. He turned, ripping the head off his shoulders. I watched as the beast spat the pieces of the guard's head on to the floor. He snarled at the only other man here.
"What just happened?" Guard looked everywhere. Unlike me, he didn't have the curse to see this creature. He was left aiming his gun at the wrong side. He could hear the beast growls of anger and mockery, but he could not see the massive wolf.
And I use the word massive strongly. Because this creature's shadow covered the guard, me, and possibly more. His breath blew against the guard. I heard him gulp, I heard his teeth clatter, and I saw his pants as he wet himself.
He knows, he knows he's done for.
Horrified that I would be next
I turned until my stomach touched the snow, wincing because the bear trap tightened. I need to get away from this beast before he eats me. Something wet splashed me on the back, and a loud screamed started only to be silenced just as quickly as it begun.
I sobbed, fuck, this is a far worse fate than the warden.
"Where are you crawling too, my prey?"
He can talk? I paused, how can that be?
The sounds of bones shifting and crackling made me turn my neck around. Instead of the cold beast that had slaughtered two men just now, I faced a man. Just as cruel looking as he was handsome. His eyes were dark red, his beard and hair a thick color of black. But the kicker was his nudity.
My eyes widened to the point they ached.
But I shook off the dark place my mind was going. This man is going to kill me.
"Please-" I tried to beg, but he shushed me by raising one hand.
He's tall, too damn tall like his wolf form. His size is bulky, and the muscle jutting out as every step he took made them flex grabbed my attention. I think being in captivity for too long has messed with my head.
"Don't move, you'll only hurt yourself." He bent down by my wounded ankle. He dug one finger into the small space. The metal broke under his touch, and I saw an image of my neck doing the same. After all, the blood rolling from the side of his mouth and the one on his fingernails didn't come from an paint.
"There. We'll get you patched up and healed."
I must be dreaming.
"Uh, no thank you. I just need to go-" where, Adele? You don't even know the way to the old woman's house. But I guess wandering this cold forest would be better than letting a beast take me somewhere. I did not run only to end up being lured into another prison.
The wolf laughs, it's wholeheartedly, villainous and full. "You don't think I'm going to let you go, do you? You smell like you're mine."
My lower lip trembled. "E-excuse me?"
He only laughs, jumping to his feet. He shoved both of his hands under my body and hoisted me up. Slinging me over his shoulders.
This can't be happening. This cannot be happening to me!