ʜɪꜱ ᴘʀᴇʏ || вαηg ¢нαη

Chapter 4: Big Bad Wolf

Chan sniffed the air. I tilted my head at him. He somehow knew what I was thinking and answered my thought.

"I- I smell meat," He told me, still sniffing the air. I let out a little giggle, finding what he was doing rather strange, yet not wanting to say it out loud.

He stopped sniffing around at the sound of my laugh. "Yeah, it's beef. I'm going to make food for my grandmother." I clarified.

"You live with your grandmother? What does that make me? The Big Bad Wolf?"

"It depends," I said. "Are you planning on hurting or tricking me? Maybe even eating my dear old Granny?"

He laughed. "No to the last one. As for the first question... care to find out?" Chan moved closer to me. Creeped out (and quite scared for my life), I backed away.

"No thanks, Mr. Big Bad Wolf, Sir." I responded. A smile canvassed his face. His teeth looked like pale, shiny, white daggers. Oh Granny, what sharp teeth you have.

"So, you must be Little Red Riding Hood," He joked. "Pleased to meet your acquaintance." I smiled at his joke.

"Believe it or not, I actually have a red coat. I'm actually kinda glad  I didn't wear it today." My thoughts came out of my thoughts without filtration, making it feel as if I were confessing to him.

"What a pity. You'd look great in red."

For some reason, that sentence felt so two-sided, like it had a double meaning. It's like that feeling when you hear your friend say something to someone else, and it doesn't make sense until you find out that it's an inside joke. Awkwardly, a smile appeared on my face. I couldn't tell, but it sounded like he was flirting, just really badly.

"Really? I feel like I'm more of a blue type of person." I told Chan. He was still smiling as we walked together through the last few feet of trees.

My cottage appeared snow covered and in full winter glory. Chan stared at it, looking amazed. I glanced at him, who seemed to be sniffing the air again. I furrowed my eyebrows. He noticed my staring and shifted his gaze towards me. He looked a little embarrassed, yet he moved on like it was completely normal. Odd.

"I'm gonna go now. Bye, Mr. Wolf."  I said while heading to the door. He lifted his hand to his forehead, jokingly saluted to me as a way of saying bye, then walked off as if I didn't exist. I watched him leave for some reason. Something about him felt... different. In a good or bad way, I don't know, but it was weird.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

That night I laid in bed idle; I couldn't sleep. All I could hear was Chan's voice ringing in my head. Something didn't sit right with me when it came to him. He's a total stranger- a stranger that I happened to become almost friends with... in a weird, twisted way.

"Collie, Sweetie." Grandma called. "Can you come here for a minute?" She called me. This is unusual, she's never called me this late at night unless there was something important she wanted to tell me about and just remembered. It only happened once before though.

I stumbled out of my room, going to her to see what was the matter. Her family showed a weak smile that felt conscience-strict somehow.

"Yes?" I asked her.

"Collie, come sit." She said, patting the seat next to her. I did as she told me, sitting down next to her.

"One day, there will come a point in your life you'll have to live alone," She began. Immediately, I knew what she was going to say. I dreaded that day more than my own death, more than anything.

"Grandma please don't-"

"One day that day will come, my child. You'll have to be prepared to face it."

I took a deep breath. I could feel this conversation was going to get deep.

"Listen, Collete. You need to be ready. As you said yourself, you're growing up. You've been taking on so many responsibilities. I'm so proud of the person you're becoming. All I ask of you is one thing: When I die, I want to be buried where the rays of light create the saturated magic of color. Can you do that for me?" Her request wasn't atypical, but it didn't make sense. What did she mean 'where the rays of light create the  saturated magic of color'?  What Shakespeare poem was that stolen from?

"One more thing," She continued. I looked at her. "Promise me you'll marry a humble, kind person. Remember to always listen to your gut. When you get a bad feeling about someone-"

"-don't follow it." I finished for her. I've heard her repeat that to me a million times. Understandingly so; she didn't want me to end up like my mother.

A stronger smile appeared on her face. I know exactly what she was thinking. 'I raised her right'. A smile appeared on my face now as well just at the thought of it. I hope she's right. As long as she's here, I know I'll be okay.

"Oh Sweetie, it would pain me to see anything bad happen to you. I love you, alright? Don't give your heart to anyone who doesn't deserve it." That's the last thing Grandma said to me before rushing me off to bed.

The night ended so soundly, only for hell to break loose the next day. The worst was yet to come, and I haven't experienced even the least of it yet. I just wish I were prepared.