Red Riding Hood - Chapter 10
Cinq ran.
At first, she only jogged, but soon she clutched the basket tightly and sprinted with all her strength.
She realized someone was chasing her.
Before long, her pursuers caught up.
A rough hand grabbed her red hood.
“Let go of me!” Cinq shouted.
A thick palm struck her cheek, sending a shock so intense that her vision went dark.
She collapsed to the ground in one blow.
Ruthless kicks rained down on her small body.
“You insolent wench!”
“Filthy wh*re! I’ve despised you since you started strutting around with that innocent face!”
Each blow landed heavily, sending waves of dull pain through her.
Cinq curled up tightly, swallowing her sobs and enduring the physical assault.
When it was finally over, someone said,
“Take her shoes. Let her walk back barefoot.”
Another person grabbed her ankle.
Too battered to resist, Cinq could only lie there as they twisted her shoes off and disappeared.
“Sniff… hngh…”
Left alone, Cinq struggled to her feet.
Clutching her basket, she walked while tears streamed down her face.
Her bruised body throbbed, and her bare feet ached.
But her heart hurt even more.
She was free now—why had this happened?
Walking alone on the forest path felt as though she were being devoured alive by a wild beast.
Twigs and sharp stones jabbed her tender soles like fangs biting into her flesh.
The harsh wind tugged relentlessly at her clothes, like a long tongue wrapping around her body and squeezing tight.
The cracking sound that echoed through the forest—was it the sound of branches about to snap, or the sound of her bones being crushed as she was dragged into the maw of a beast?
Before her, amidst her tears, appeared a pale gray figure.
It was Six’s ghost.
Six looked sorrowful and extended a hand toward her. It seemed to beckon her to follow.
Tears streaming, Cinq reached out as well.
“Six, come back. Vinya is gone now. Don’t leave me alone.”
But all her hand grasped was pitch-black darkness.
Cinq looked around and called out,
“Six, where are you?”
It seemed Six’s ghost had vanished into the forest.
Cinq felt as though Six was waiting for her in the forest’s shadows.
Perhaps today was the day she was meant to follow Six there.
But a warm light also called to her.
It was the glow from Vinya’s house.
Drawn to it, she followed.
Soon, Vinya’s house came into view.
In the yard lay a gray lump, limp like a slug.
This time, Cinq felt not even a shred of pity.
“Vinya, go away. I told you, this is all your fault.”
Weeping, she opened the door and entered the house.
Inside, the first thing she saw was the wolf, now wearing his dried linen underpants, pacing in front of the hearth.
The wolf turned to her, stammering an excuse.
“Little one, you’re back? I wasn’t going to eat without you. I was just checking if the meat was done…”
He trailed off as his large eyes widened in shock.
Sniffling, Cinq placed the basket on top of the pantry.
Only then did she realize the basket was soaked with milk.
The bottle must have broken during her ordeal.
Seeing the precious basket she had made with Six in such a pitiful state, fresh tears welled up.
She pulled off her red hood, tears streaming like a waterfall.
“Cinq!”
The wolf rushed to her, cupping her cheeks with his large hands.
Her face was a mess of blood from a nosebleed.
The wolf growled furiously.
“Heavens! Damn it all! Who did this to you? What scoundrels dared?”
“The dogs,” she muttered.
“Dogs? My God, were you attacked by stray dogs?”
“I don’t know… I just need tea. If I drink Vinya’s tea, I’ll be fine.”
Still held by the wolf, Cinq reached for the kettle, only to find it empty.
Her face turned pale.
“The tea… it’s gone!”
The wolf spoke.
“I threw it away.”
“What?”
Cinq was on the verge of bursting into tears again.
“Why? Why would you do that? Without it, I can’t bear anything!”
Looking into her eyes, the wolf said,
“Cinq, listen to me. That wasn’t tea. It was poison—meant to paralyze you and make you hallucinate.”
“But… but…”
“Your fear, your pain—they’re yours. You can’t escape them with poison.”
