Once upon a time, in a land long forgotten, there lived a girl, a girl whose hair was the color of ravens, and who had eyes of ocean blue. She lived in a cottage on the outskirts of a forest with her mother. Every Sunday morning, she walked down the forest path to her grandmother’s house. She carried only a basket of freshly made rolls and her scarlet red cloak. Her mother warned her to stay on the path or else the monsters would find her, and her grandmother told her that only her red cloak would shield her from the demons that hid in the shadows. The villagers spoke of a world hidden in the forest that lured unsuspecting travelers into madness; but alas, the girl did not hear their words of warning.
It was an early Sunday morning in June when tragedy struck. The sun had barely peeked over the horizon and the grass was still wet with morning dew when the girl headed out into the forest. She had packed her basket full of rolls, wrapped her scarlet cloak around herself, kissed her sleeping mother on the cheek, and left. As she closed the wooden door to her cottage, the girl looked around at the sleeping homes and couldn’t help but feel discontent. The forest beckoned her to come and she listened to its calls. Sunlight had not yet breached the canopy of the forest, and the girl could barely see the path in front of her. It was a dirt path that was worn from the footsteps of the many travelers who had come before.
There was only one rule when venturing into the forest: never stray from the path. Babies were taught this from the moment they could walk, and every traveler and tradesman knew it too. The forest was a dangerous place, or so they said. The girl did not believe the stories that the villagers told. She loved the forest with all its mysteries, but she too did not stray from the path. She had never listened to the men in the pub talk and didn’t hear their warnings of a wolf lurking in the shadows.
Birds began to chirp overhead and sunlight had just started to peek through the leaves. The girl smiled as she saw the forest light up and sat down on a log to admire the way the forest had awoken. She closed her eyes and let her head tilt back, causing her red hood to fall, revealing her dark hair. The wolf was hidden behind the tree, and his lips curled in a smile as he saw the girl. Carefully he stepped out from behind the tree and leaned against the worn bark. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?”
Startled, the girl looked up and saw the wolf standing against the tree. “I-uh, yes, quite beautiful.” The girl answered warily, eyeing the upright wolf dressed in a suit and tie. “I don’t mean to be rude, but who are you?” asked the girl, her eyes cautious.
The wolf smiled at her question, “You may call me Wolf, Miss Red.”
“Wolf?”
“I believe we should call things by their true name and not by something that isn’t true. Hence you are Red.” The wolf grinned, flashing his sharp fangs.
“I see. Well, if you’ll excuse me, Mr. Wolf, I best be off.” The girl stood up and grabbed her basket. She began walking down the path, away from the wolf.
“Now, now, that’s not very nice of you. Leaving poor old me all alone without anybody to talk to!” The wolf protested as he appeared right next to the girl. The girl lifted her hood and walked away, ignoring the wolf’s pleas. “What if I told you I could take you to a place where you would have emeralds the size of those rolls?” the wolf asked. The girl continued to ignore the wolf. “Or perhaps pearl necklaces with sapphires the size of an apple? Your tears would turn to amethyst and your laughter to gold.”
The girl turned around and faced the wolf. “I have a job to do, Mr. Wolf. I must bring these rolls to my grandmother’s house. Stop trying to tempt me with your fantasies.”
The wolf grinned at her declaration. “Very well, what do you desire, little Red?” The girl paused and turned to the wolf.
“What does it matter?” she scoffed. “No matter what I say, it’s impossible; I am meant to stay in this village for the rest of my life, and that is that.” Her eyes had turned cold and hard, and the wolf couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Now, Red, don’t be ridiculous. Anything is possible, so long as you believe. So, tell me what it is that you desire, and you shall have it.”
The girl tilted her head at the wolf, and her eyes narrowed, “What’s the catch?”
The wolf put a paw to his chest in mock disbelief, “Catch? Whatever do you mean, my dear?”
“You are offering me some magical solution to all my problems. A dream that will fulfill all my desires, and you tell me there isn’t a price to pay?” The girl placed her hands on her hips and looked up at the wolf.
“Clever, clever girl. I knew from the moment I saw you that you were special. There is one condition.”
“And what’s that?” The wary look in the girl’s eyes had returned.
“You have to step off the path.” The wolf grinned at the girl’s expression.
“Me? Leave the path? In case you haven’t heard, Mr. Wolf, the one rule of this forest is to never step off the path.”
The wolf’s grin fell and his eyes narrowed. “Why do you think that is? Has anyone ever told you why you aren’t allowed to leave the path?” The wolf’s eyes glowed amber, and the girl was reminded that this wasn’t an ordinary wolf she was dealing with. This was a wolf who had been touched by magic. The girl held the wolf’s stare, her piercing blue eyes bore into him, forcing him to look away. “Never mind, Red, I thought you were different. I can see I was wrong.” The wolf turned and stepped off the path, turning away from the girl.
Such a strange divide that path created. The dirt seemed to glow on the path. Sunlight glowed through the trees where the path was but off the path was filled with darkness. One could barely be able to see what was beyond, and yet, the darkness seemed to call to the girl.
“Wait.” The wolf’s ears perked up. “I want to travel, to leave this small village and find someplace new. Somewhere without any rules, any expectations. This is what I want, Mr. Wolf.”
The wolf turned and smiled. The girl’s head was bowed, and her hands clenched into fists. The wolf walked towards the girl and stopped just before the path began. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “What about a kingdom, filled with madness and joy? Magic in abundance, all yours! Now how does that sound?” The girl’s hands tightened.
“No such place exists.”
“Oh, but it does, Red. It’s been waiting for you your whole life. All you need to do is step off the path.” The birds ceased chirping and the forest fell quiet. The wind blew through the girl’s hair and the wolf’s eyes now bored into hers. The girl turned her head and looked down the path. Her grandmother’s house was visible in the distance, and she couldn’t help but feel sorry.
“Let me do something first, Mr. Wolf.” The wolf looked at her puzzled. Walking to the house, the girl placed the basket outside the cottage door. She smiled briefly as she looked it over. Her grandmother wouldn’t be awake yet, and she would never know that her granddaughter had been here.
Without another word, the girl turned and faced the wolf. He was intrigued by her actions, by the heart that was hidden under that red cloak. Her eyes were young and bright, so filled with life. Taking a deep breath, the girl stepped off the path.
The wolf grinned, “Well done, Red. Well done.”
The girl smiled her own feral smile back. “Where to, Mr. Wolf?”
“To your own Wonderland, Red.” The wolf held out his paw and the girl placed her hand in it. “Close your eyes and make a wish.” The wolf whispered, “Picture where you want to go.” The girl tightened her grip on the wolf’s paw, and without a sound they disappeared from the forest.
