LSS: Once Upon A Time

Blistering pain clutched me in its
Raging grasp. I couldn't move. Its grip was so tight, it squeezed my breath out of my lungs.
Only watch the dull gray slowly seep across Huntsman's arm was all I could do. Fear
Kept me from uttering a word.
Even if I wasn't so terrified, my lips quivered so much I would
Not have been able to breathe a sound.

Overwhelming emotions loaded my body. I could do
Not a thing.

Then, when my fear burned out, a sparking rage took its place,
Hate and anger stirring into a dangerous mixture.
Every bit of energy I had in me sizzled with frustration.

Fiery rage tinted my vision red.
Life was draining from the man in my arms.
Oh, what I was going to do to whoever did this.
Oh, how I was going to strangle-
Right then, an orange carriage poofed in front of me, Fairy Godmother peeking out from it.

I glared at her, my eyes as sharp as a piercing arrow. I balled up all my anger and poured it out into my raging stare.
She smiled at me.
It was a heartless, teasing smile that made my rage bubble into a spewing volcano.
"YOU." I was breathing hard, "YOU DID THIS."
She didn't say anything, she just kept on that smile. I wanted to slap that silly grin off her face, but then she'd probably have turned me into a frog or something, which wasn't in my best interest. She had silver pixie cut hair, and glasses that lined her blue eyes. A misty-blue cloak hung loosely from her body.
"Oh deary." She chuckled, a snicker that said, Ah, you are so naïve. "Oh, deary. I couldn't do such a thing." She said "couldn't" instead of "wouldn't", then sighed, as if she wished she did. She had her head peeking out of her orange carriage. No. It wasn't a normal carriage, it was a pumpkin that glowed an obnoxious orange. A arched window was carved in it, and a door with a green vine handle stuck out from it. It had white wheels that were so thin, it was a miracle it carried the weight of a heavy pumpkin and the fat lady inside.
"I could only dream of doing something that powerful." She sniffled, as if she was on the verge of crying over lacking the ability to destroy the world. I grit my teeth. This old woman was sobbing over insane things while the man in my arms was slowly fading away. She took no notice of him. The Godmother rolled her eyes.
"Now. Are you just going to sit there and stare, or are you going to come in?" I blinked
"Come in... to that big chunky vegetable?" She looked offended. Yes! Just what I was going for.
"Big chunky fruit." She corrected, like that was a really important detail.
"Oh. Excuse me." I scoffed.
"Well." She huffed, "I guess you don't want to save your Prince Charming." I was about to tackle her, or stab her with my dagger then, but I looked at the Huntsman, and his whole body was feverishly gray. My heart dropped, I had never seen it progress so quickly. By the looks of it, he'd be gone in a few hours. No. I couldn't let that happen.
I got into the carriage. The Huntsman magically floated into the seat beside me, which would have been unnerving if I wasn't already unnerved. The seats were surprisingly comfortable, even though they were made of pumpkin innards.
"Did you steal this thing from Cinderella?" I chided her. She grinned again.
"I made it, dear. I have rights to keep it." She said mischievously.
"Whatever. Get us out of here!" I commanded her. She winked, and in a POOF! We disappeared.

Phor

The ceremony will arrive in but two days
And I already have a dress tailored for it
It is a strapless gown with a red and black ombre
And adorned with crimson red roses
It flows down my waist like our neighboring river
I have gazed at it in my reflection many times
Spun on my tip-toes
And it is beautiful and perfect
So I am all ready for the coronation
But Nat keeps bugging me
Saying I should prepare a speech
About our parents and who they were
About our kingdom’s prosperity
About how I plan to help it
And read the monarch’s handbook
About how to rule the kingdom
But I really don’t need to
I have been preparing my whole life
Every time I watched my parents speak addressing our people
Every time I held onto my mother’s shoulder while she walked the grounds
Every time I held my father’s hand during a conference meeting
I don’t need any preparation
I don’t need any pep talk to say to the people
I am ready
I will walk down the aisle
In my beautiful dress
They will all look at me in awe
And cheer,
“There goes the princess Phor!”
And I’ll say,
“I am not going to be a princess for much longer.”
And the crown will be placed upon my head
And everyone will know that I am the most amazing queen

In land where fairy godmothers
Set insanely beautiful curses on their godchildren
Lived Princess Aurora, who would later on
also be known As sleeping beauty

As dreamy as she was, she fell asleep
For a thousand days and a thousand nights
A thousand hours, a thousand minutes
And at last a thousand seconds…

As Shanti arrived at the castle, the three fairy godmothers disguised as birds welcomed her in and told her the princess would be with her in just a second. Shanti was nervous for this one, I think it’s because this was the biggest betrayal that had ever occurred in her life; Her fairy godmother cursing her and snatching her kingdom. And Sleeping Beauty really could relate to this.

“Shanti, my good old friend”
Aurora said as she greeted her
“I understand why your here,
I shall not make you wait any longer

Hope and patience, were the key to life for me
In shadows and strangers lurked evil for me
That does not mean that you have the same experiences

Thought cursed to sleep for may many years,
I eventually made it out with a little help of course
Don’t hesitate to reach out to your friends,
Family or anyone with a pure heart.

Fairy godmothers' care; Maleficent cared for me
In a way I couldn't see it at first.
She made faults and she acknowledges it,
That does not mean I should keep hating her.

She was practically my mother after,
My real one died at birth

Even if people don’t acknowledge their faults
Your heart should be bigger, you should find the courage
And eventually forgive them

Don’t let your flaws limit you, you are a wise princess, Shanti
And a graceful one, never let your light be dimmed
People will always try to disappoint you in ways,
And you will always disappoint people,
That does not mean you’re not worth of redemption
Or second chances.

Keeping hatred in your heart for what another being did,
Will only bring you down and keep you focused on what is
Not on what can and will be, think about that dearest Shanti

Let go of that hatred, I know it’s not easy,
I would lie if I said it was and that it went in a blink.
Remember that you are greater and wiser,
Don’t stoop low and never ever say,
“I can’t do it anymore.”

That’s my advice to you,
I hope you find what you're looking for and
keep peace in your mind and heart.

Shanti was now on her way to another being who was searching for her long lost voice. Any guesses? That’s right! They call her The Little Mermaid 🧜🏻‍♀️

On the other hand and literally the other side of the world there was heavy thunder and extreme anger.

Shanti’s fairy Godmother, now queen of Ragnapur, did not know anything of Shanti’s little mission to find her calling and help save the Grimm Kingdom.

How dare she leave under my nose?
The walls of the kingdom were shaking
And heavy thunder and rain raised
Terror in the Ragnapur

Who does she think I am, Voldemort?
Nu-uh, excuse me last time I checked
I still had my beautiful nose
She stamped on the ground causing and earthquake
And several volcanoes to erupt simultaneously

She composed herself and let out a chuckle
You will find her and bring that little girl to me
Is that understood?!
If… She manages to get away contact the spy
And run… because I’ll kill you all

Useless little ordinary people!
I will catch you Shanit dear,
And when I do
Hahahha - Ahahaha

Gone are all your little morning walks,
Going to the silly sea to see the fish,
Gone are your days of singing,
Gone are the beautiful days of dreaming
Little princess, I will find you.

And I’ll crush you…
Hahahha - Ahahaha
Long live princess Shanti
in a very sarcastic tone

Little did she know that her words, “Long live princess Shanti”, would give Shanti hope and actually a key to everything she needed. That’s also why they say, be careful what you wish for, because it just might become true …

Arrived in the Dark Valley of Unwanted Souls…

As Shanti arrived at a dark gloomy castle, which was known to be Ariel and Prince Eric’s on Land Kingdom, she stopped by the beach and splashed her face with the refreshing ocean water. She sighed contently to where her journey was taking her.
After that she continued and walked inside, she couldn’t help but notice the dark clouds that hung over the Palace and the angry thorns that looked ready to attack every stranger with negative intentions. “What was the meaning of this?” Shanti thought, “Is there trouble? Is there a possibility that Evil Ursula took over the kingdom?”

As Shanti arrived inside
It was like an entire disney movie started
Everything was so beautiful and sparkly
That you wouldn’t believe that the outside
Looked so dull and dead

Ariel walked to her with her daughter
On her arm towards Shanti
The baby girl had the most beautiful eyes
Just like her father, but she looked
like a drop of water like Ariel

Shanti played with her for a couple of minutes
Until Eric joined Ariel’s side and took their daughter
That way Ariel could talk freely and calmly

As they sat down, she began,
Ariel, once the little mermaid
Completely lost in the name of love
Sold her beautiful voice
In exchange for a pair of legs

Little did she know that Ursula
Would not keep her promise entirely
For she was also in love with the prince
She stole Ariel’s sweet soothing voice
And used it as her own

Ariel totally oblivious to this
Didn’t pay attention to the little changes
She kept on brushing her hair with her metal fork
Sebastian tried his best to warn her,
but it was all in vain.

Ariel’s heart belonged to the prince
Ursula’s heart belonged to the prince
Ariel had a beautiful pure heart
Ursula had a beautiful stolen voice

Both of them were mesmerising
Both of them were adored by the prince
Ariel Ursula’s voice was full of magic
The prince was totally captivated by that

This made the magic of Ariel weak
And if the prince didn’t choose for her
She would turn into a mermaid again
With a glittery tail, but broken hearted
And she’ll have to live with that forever

Prince Eric was oh so confused
He didn’t want to hurt any of the girls
His heart belonged to Ariel
But his mind was enchanted by Ursula

What a hard choice!
But of course true love found its way
Back to the lovers
And Eric listened to his heart instead of his enchanted head.

He chose for Ariel and the curse was broken
She could keep her legs, but return
to the ocean if she wanted it

Ariel explained to Shanti
No matter what difficult situation you are in
Love will always find its way to you
It may seem hard and impossible
But believe is the key to magic

Dear Shanti, don’t be afraid
To make mistakes
Or to wait for centuries
Or to believe in the impossible
Everything will come on it's time
And just the way they are supposed to be

No need to rush things
Or to search for shortcuts
Like i did with my legs
To reach my true love

If something is meant for you
It’ll come for you

And don’t be deceived by the darkness
And ugliness around you
The dark clouds and ugly thorns outside
Are just illusions, my dear,
If you look closely you’ll see the beauty
Just like in here

Not everything is sparkles and glitters of course
But there’s beauty in everything

As Shanti looked outside the window, there was indeed a rainbow and the sun winking at her. She chuckled and realised that Ariel was right. She should not be afraid to take risks, to love and to lose. If something is mean for her, it’ll arrive on its own time, no shortcuts.

On the other side at Ragnapur kingdom, Shanti’s evil fairy godmother, Nala, had a visitor.

Nala was fast asleep enjoying her beautiful nightmare
She dreamed of Shanti dying a painful and very s- slow death
How satisfying, she thought and smiled.

Your Majesty! Someone’s voice ran through her head
Disturbing the beautiful nightmare, hmm maybe a guest
Nala thought and searched for the person in her dream

Your Majesty!! The voice ringed in her ears again…
Ohh... it’s not in my nightmare, it’s stupid reality

Nala’s eyes shot open, bloodshot and annoyed
“How dare you disturb my beautiful nightmare!
What can be more important than my imagination?”
She choked the messenger and lifted him from the ground

“Your majesty, a truce?
Ursula of the water kingdom is here”
The poor messenger was almost dying
And speaking in that difficult position
Was even worse

When Nala heard Ursula, she dropped him on the ground
And immediately stood up
“What could she possibly have to offer?
I don’t need tips from losers!”

As Nala made her way to the front
She saw Ursula who bowed before her
Respect, hmm…
Maybe she’s not so useful after all
“What do you want?”

Ursula held her head low
And said, “I have something that can help your majesty
to finish off Shanti and claim Ragnapur forever,
never endangering your position as the Queen anymore.”

“You think I’m a wimp!
don't you?”
Nala roared, clearly offended
by what Ursula just said.

“No, your majesty.
I know what Shanti is searching for,
A cure to all illnesses and all curses.”

Nala’s eyes lit up by hearing this

“I wish to help your majesty retrieve it
And kill Shanti.”

Nala said, “Alright,
What do you want in exchange?”

“I want Ariel’s life to be mine.”

“Done.” Nala said.

On the other side Shanti had already left Ariel, Shanti was totally oblivious again to the dangers waiting for her and the danger she had put Ariel in by going to her. She was on her way to meet someone who could teach her some skills to defend herself in case needed. She knew there was going to be danger, but she didn’t know what to expect. She was headed to… Mulan!

For a “Dark Valley of Unwanted Souls”, the place was pretty… well, pretty. And it wasn’t dark at all. The tall, thin trees were rather a shock from the thick oak trees I was used to seeing back in The Woods. Rays of sunlight dripped through their branches, staining the ground with golden splatters. The green grass swayed gently, creating mesmeric ripples. Two large, majestic mountains towered above me, like two big waves that stopped mid-crash. They were like green walls, creating a valley, almost a ravine, in between. The place made me feel good and… warm. The Fairy Godmother (whom I forgot existed, by the way) laughed.
“Oh, my dear girl. Don’t let the forest play its tricks on you.” I staggered backwards.
“Tricks?” I shivered, “Another forest of knavery?” Suddenly the place seemed as cold as the Forest of Insecurity. She laughed again.
“No, there are no sorts of enchantment on this valley.” She paused with a mischievous smile, “Well… maybe there are… but the beauty of the forest is not one of them. It’s just so strong, it has a way of distracting people from their goals. Like saving their true love, perhaps.” She raised an eyebrow at me. I gasped, trying to sound disgusted and not embarrassed.
“He’s not-“
“Do you want him, to die, my sweet?”
“…No.” I spat.
“Come along then.” She waved her hand, and the Huntsman’s limp body floated to her side. His gray body followed closely behind her as she walked. I tried to act glum and worried, but it was hard to do so while taking a walk through a forest that seemed so… magical. I got carried away in the fantasy of the place. Glowing sparkles of yellow floated listlessly, like daytime dragon flies. The moss and closely cuddled trees gave the place a cozy feel. The warm sun rays thawed the snow off my hood and huddled me in its embrace. It felt like only a minute had passed when the godmother spoke.
“We’re here.” She grinned at a short cottage, almost identical to my own. A meek log cabin, one that stood out among the other fantastical nature and objects.
“Um… No offense, but isn’t your living area supposed to be, I don’t know, cooler? Like a palace or something?” The woman looked ashamed.
“Well, palaces are awfully expensive these days and…”
“Huh. So you can afford a magical pumpkin carriage, but not a sophisticated living space?” Her expression was pained, but she seemed to shake it off. She gestured to enter, and we walked in.
The inside was ten times more disappointing than the outside. There was a small bed in the back corner, a moss carpet, a wall lined with cabinets, and a small wand holder sitting patiently on a wooden desk. That was it.
The Fairy Godmother levitated the Huntsman onto the bed. The gray discoloration had consumed half his body. I put a closed fist over my mouth as the woman sped from cabinet to cabinet, snatching glasses of sloshing, glowing liquids and pouring them into a cylindrical cup. Finally, she lifted the Huntsman’s head up, and poured some of the mixture down his throat. 2 seconds. 3 seconds. 4 seconds. 5 seconds passed until a flood of color washed over his body, and a wave of relief flooded mine. He sat up and gasped, looking absolutely terrified. I fought back the urge to tackle the man in a hug.
He felt his chest, tapping his body as if to check if he had turned into a ghost.
“Am I-“ He stopped, studying his surroundings, “Okay. At least I know I’m not in heaven.” He murmured.
“Huntsman.” I nodded at him, my accustomed greeting toward him.
“Blanca. You saved me.” He blinked.
“Not after you saved me.” I turned away, muttering, “Twice.”
“Thrice, actually.” He smiled.
“Yeah, whatever.”
“Ahem.” The Fairy Godmother cleared her throat, “I hate to break this up, but your dear huntsman isn’t fully healed.” The Huntsman grunted, grasping his arm as if to prove the point.
“I simply slowed the disease down, but the curse is almost inexorable. He will still die, and so will you if you don’t lift the curse.” She said bluntly.
“Yeah, I know.” I clipped harshly. “What is the deadly fruit, and where can I find it?” The Godmother let out an icy cold laugh.
“Oh, like I’d tell you that easily.” She rolled her eyes. I gripped my dagger.
“You want to die? You’re okay with the world withering away, you along with it?” I started getting angry again, even though I had the same carelessness earlier that day.
“Oh, you little, naïve, little girl.” She chuckled, probably still offended by my insults I had made earlier of her living space, (note to self: try not to offend really powerful old ladies who happen to be fairy godmothers.) “Of course I’m not going to wither away. I do have magic, you know?”
Anger completely enveloped me. This vintage lady was going to take the cowardice way out. Someway, somehow, she would probably use some sorcery to escape this fate, or at least try to. She didn’t care about the people of the Grimm Kingdom. But… why did she save The Huntsman?
“Nevertheless, I will still help you furthermore… if I must.” She grumbled half-heartedly.
“You sound overjoyed at that.” The Huntsman put in. It was good to hear his voice.
“What do you mean, ‘if I must’? You’re not obligated to aid us.” I scoffed. She rolled her eyes, her expression said, “You don’t even know, my dear, you don’t even know…”
“Here are some extra rations.” She held out a small sack.
“We have some already. Thank you.” I said ungratefully.
“But we’ll take it anyway,” The Huntsman quickly interjected, “just in case.” The woman tossed it to him. He caught it and stuffed it into the pack on his back. I shot him a look that said: you-are-so-incredibly-annoying-and-paranoid. He returned it with a look like, hey-I-might-be-saving-our-lives-so-deal-with-it.
“Now about that poison apple…” The godmother fixed her glasses, “actually I don’t think I’ll tell you about the girl tricked to eat it, cursed to an eternal sleep. Or about how it’s still in that kingdom.” She moistened her lips, “No, I won’t tell you a thing. Now run along now. Have a cheery time.” We were forced out of the cottage, the door slamming behind us.
“Well, that was helpful.” I muttered sardonically.
“Actually, it was.” The Huntsman stroked his short beard, “I think I know just what fruit we’re looking for…”

“A long time ago, I took a shady deal.”
The Huntsman began grimly,
the falling sun illuminating his face dimly,
“My job was to steal.”

“Steal what?” I was curious,
this man wasn’t a stealing type.
He hesitated, “… Steal a life.”
I gasped. “But you were dubious?”

“I was going through a hard time-“
“So you did it?” I hoped he would shun,
“You killed someone?”
I couldn’t think of it, of such a crime.

“Well, I- I took the bribe.”
I didn’t mean to,
but tears started coming through.
“But when I found her, I just couldn’t oblige.”

“Her?” My voice was filled with disbelief and spite.
He nodded gently.
Raging, that gesture sent me.
“Yes, her name is Snow White.”

“Snow White?” My anger melted.
“The princess?”
The Huntsman nodded again, “Yes.”
He was feeling guilty, even I felt it.

“I was paid to get rid of her.
I snuck up on the girl, but…
I just couldn’t. It was too much.
I couldn’t go through with it, of that, I was sure.”

“So, you didn’t do it?” I pushed.
“No but-“ He stopped.
“Someone else did.” He sobbed.
My heart turned to mush.

My voice cracked, “Who?”
“The person who bribed me.
I found out who it was, you see?”
“Just tell me!” I was frustrated, especially because he knew.

“The Queen of a kingdom
in the Enchanted Forrest.”
A Queen? I never would’ve guessed.
“She was evil. Pure evil.” He said, his voice glum.

“What does this have to do with the poison fruit?”
I rolled my eyes.
“It was the murder weapon.” He sighed.
For a moment, I was as quiet as a mute.

“Snow White’s apple?” I asked.
Everything came into view.
So, the story was true.
Some answers, at last.

“But she survived eating it,”
He paused, just for now,
and raised a brow.
“saved by a prince’s kiss.”

I forced a shiver.
“Yeah. Everyone in Grimm Kingdom knows the tale.”
I tried not to look red or pale.
I tried not to look embarrassed. Not even a sliver.

“So, it’s still in the Enchanted forest?” I guessed.
“That’s what the Fairy Godmother said.” He grinned.
Something started sparking inside me, something deep within.
“Do you know which kingdom it’s in?” I pressed.

“No…” Yet another trial.
I shook my head,
depressed.
“But I know someone who does.” He smiled.

Phor

As the coronation approaches
I can't help but feel this strange feeling
that something is missing
something I cannot figure out
It is weighing me down like sacks of rice ties to my ankles
but I do not know what
I have been preparing for a while now
rehearsing the crowning
fitting the dress
and everything in between
but it feels like I have forgotten something
something important
something I was about to grasp but it evaporated from my hand
something I was about to say but the words rolled off the tip of my tongue
I am sure I am ready
but I feel strange
my breath feels like it is being held
by some otherworldly being
my wrists feel tied together
by invisible bands
And I do not know why
but I can only hope
hope it is all just imagination
shadows in the fog
and that I really am prepared

After walking for about a million miles with nothing but trees, forest, moss, and oh! More trees, forest, and moss to look at. The sun was sinking below the horizon, and we had no other source of light. We stopped in a small clearing, a fairly level mud platform laying out in front of us. The Huntsman studied the dimming atmosphere, then the clearing. He looked very lost in thought. Finally, he spoke.
“Let’s stop here for the night.” He decided. He didn’t need to say another word. I dropped my pack on the muddy ground, and my legs collapsed underneath me. I sat on a rock, while the Huntsman went off to find firewood. He was gone for quite a bit, probably because this was a damp forest, and wood capable of burning would be very rare. This gave me time to think about the events that had occurred that day. It was not a fun day to reminisce on. Almost being killed by the one creature I dreamed of meeting (a phoenix) then almost drowning/sinking in the Forrest of Insecurity, and then I had watched my best and only friend almost wither into a pile of ash. Fun, fun.
It took quite a bit for every bizarre event to register in my brain, but then when it did, I just felt disappointed, depressed, and hopelessly, utterly, befuddled. I heard the ruffle of branches, then saw the Huntsman approaching with a grin on his face and wood planks in his arms After a long silence, I brought myself to speak my thoughts.
“Why me?” I sighed, fully conscious of how cliché I sounded. He tilted his head.
“What do you mean?” He asked, still focused on piling up chops of wood into a cluttered mound.
“I mean, why me? Why am I the one who’s supposed to save the world from imminent destruction?” He pondered that remark for a minute.
“Well, it’s not just you. There’s four other people…” He ventured.
“Yes, but you know that’s not what I mean.”
He nodded, fixing the wood pile into a more open structure.
I continued, “I haven’t been doing that well of a job. I spent most of the time of this ‘quest’ walking through cursed forests and enduring near-death experiences helplessly. Couldn’t the universe just have picked someone better? Someone more capable?” He just listened, staying quiet and gesturing for me to continue.
“Like you for instance. You’ve been doing most of the saving, and me doing most of the running away and being weak.” I didn’t mean to sound spiteful, but the emotions just poured my emotions out of me. This mission had been revealing more emotions than I ever uncovered publicly before. I guess the promise of near-inexorable death could do that to a person. It felt like a millennium past before he answered.
“First, this is only the first day. You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. Second, I don’t know why the universe didn’t choose someone else, but it chose you. I don’t know the logistics of why, but I do know one thing: Everything has a plan and a purpose. There’s a reason you’re here, venturing in the unknown. Just the fact that you had the courage to do that is, I gotta say, downright admirable.” He consoled.
Admirable? He admires me? He put a hand on my shoulder.
“And third, you saved my life. So we’re even.”
“Not really. You rescued me thrice. So technically, I owe you-”
“Oh, be quiet and take the compliment, Blanca.” He smiled, his deep brown eyes a glinting scarlet in the moonlight.
He reached into his pack, rummaging through it for a bit. Then he pulled out two rocks. One was a dull orange, and slightly transparent. The other one looked like a lava rock, dark as the approaching midnight and lustering dimly.
“I didn’t know you were a rock collector.” I chuckled.
“I’m not.” The Huntsman stated, bringing the two rocks close to each other, “I just carry around these rocks for… special purposes.” He swiftly struck the two objects together. Sparks flew. He repeated it. More sparks. After about five repetitions, a smaller wood piece caught fire, spreading to the next. Then the next. Soon we had a blazing fire to ward off the crisp night air. The sound of crickets filled my ears, along with the occasional pop and crackle of the flames. When the Huntsman brought out food, I almost devoured it raw. I waited hungrily as he roasted it over the fire.
After I ate, my eyelids became too heavy to hold up, and my head became droopy.
“You should sleep. You have a big day ahead of you. I’ll take first watch.” The Huntsman said, probably noting my sleepy expression.
My body didn’t hear past the word “sleep”. Like a zombie, I plopped down my sleeping bag, crawled into it, and crashed.
Unfortunately, I dreamed. The same dream I had bee dreaming the past decade. No, not a dream. A nightmare.
I saw myself skipping through a whimsical road, my olive eyes glistening with excitement. My golden locks twirled downward in perfect curls, bouncing merrily on my shoulders. I held a woven basket, filled with sweet-scented deserts, colorful fruits, and other picnic necessities. My bright red hood was pulled over my head. It was so oversized then, but I didn’t care. It dragged behind me like a cape as I happily wandered through the forest. I was humming an all too familiar song, “Lullaby”. The one that Grandma always sang.
Finally, a house came into view. Not just anyone’s house. Her house. I saw my little body jump with anticipation. The maroon wooden walls and pointed roof stuck upwards in a daring way. The triangular dark green top had a chimney jutting out from it. 8 year old me ran to the mahogany door, climbing up the porch stairs, and knocking on it rapidly.
“Grandma! Grandma! Grandmaaaaaa!” My incredibly annoying, high-pitched voice came screeching out of my lips. I should’ve noticed something was off. The usual smell of warm apple pie wasn’t filling the air, instead the place smelled of dead fish. Or dead something… And Grandma didn’t rush to the door to welcome me as she always did. But I was too young to make a deduction, too focused, or more, too distracted. A raspy, almost monstrous voice had come from inside.
“Come in, dear.” I felt myself shudder under my covers. I would never forget that raspy voice. The ignorant Little Red smiled and turned the polished door knob. I saw me entering the kitchen, pass the dining room, and finally arrive in Grandma’s room. I wished I could close my eyes in the dream, for I knew what was to occur next, but it was impossible.
“Grandmother” looked hideous. “She” was tucked under multiple sheets, dressed in bed clothes. “Her” face was lined with brown, sticky fur, “her” eyes no longer a deep, kind, hazel, but instead, a cold, icy blue. My little mouth hung open at the sight of “her”, the basket I was holding clattered to the floor.
“G-grandmother?” I looked terrified. Run away, little one! was what I wanted to scream at myself. Why was I so frustrating?
“Yes, dear?” “She” snarled, “her” razor sharp teeth unnerving me. My heart slammed in my chest as I watched my younger self climb onto the bed.
“I was just troubled by your big arms…” I frowned.
"The better to embrace you, my child." “She” grinned, the gesture sending a evil chill across the room.
“…and your legs… they are indeed larger than before…” I scratched my chin with my tiny finger.
"The better to run with, my child." That wicked smile, why didn’t I see the knavery in “her” eyes?
“And your ears and eyes… they are big too. Grandma, are you sure you are okay?” I saw me tilt my head in confusion.
“The better to hear and see you with, my child. And yes, I’m perfectly fine.” “Grandmother” grinned, showing off her teeth once more, sharp like fangs of a vampire. I cringed with fear and anxious anticipation as I saw myself inch closer to “my Grandma”.
“You just look different!” I exclaimed. How in the Grimm Kingdom was I so intelligently disabled? “She” licked “her” lips with a rough tongue. A tongue stained blood-red.
I continued, inching closer still, “Like your teeth.” I pointed into “her” mouth, the tip of my finger hovering in between the top and bottom rows of fangs. My heart beat faster. And faster. The booming sound almost drowning out the innocent voice leaving my small mouth. “Were they always so pointy? They’re so pointy now.”
“Grandma” sat up and gave a different smile this time. One of pure, unfiltered hunger and greed. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM. My pounding heart raced, a sound so clamorous I thought my ears were going to explode.
“The better to…” The Wolf smirked, “EAT YOU WITH, my child.” A ravenous snarl filled my ears. The last thing I saw was teeth lashing out at me and the slimy throat of a wolf, and the last thing I heard were the ringing shrieks and wails of an all-too-trusting 8 year old girl.
Then I woke up.