A Girl Walks in the Woods

Once upon a time there was a little girl

With great big eyes and bright red curls

She lived in a village near the whispering wood

And her family was poor but they did what they could

At a very young age she learned to hunt for her food

And her weapon of choice was a bow that was crude

Her mother had warned of the dangerous woods

And not to go hunting where no man should

Her mother told stories of vicious man eating beasts

But the little girl’s belly cried out for meat

So she picked up her bow and her little red cape

And headed towards danger to put food on her plate

She found luck with two rabbits and spotted a third

So she drew back her bow and that’s when she heard

A booming voice that howled through the trees

“That’s enough meat, now please go in peace”

Shaking with fear she dropped down her bow

And it fell to the earth in a soft bed of snow

She looked all around for the man who had spoke

But all she could see was the cedar and oak

Though she shook in her boots, she still stood her ground

And called to the darkness: “Reveal yourself now!”

Out from the shadows stepped a most ancient force

In the shape of a wolf but the size of a horse

“That’s enough meat, now please go in peace”

He repeated himself, but the girl disbelieved

Could this be a dream? The little girl thought

But the chill in her bones said it was not

“Are you a God?” The little girl asked

It pondered her words then started to laugh

“That’s enough meat, now please go in peace”

But this time he added a warning to leave

So she looked at her satchel and pulled out one rabbit

“This one is extra. Here, you can have it”

And she tossed the dead hare at the great beast’s feet

And picked up her bow to take her leave

But before she could flee the beast spoke again

“You may hunt these woods once more, my friend”

Back at home she told not a soul

Of the beast or the story of the rabbit in their bowls

As they sat down for supper and held hands in prayer

The girl thought of the wolf and the sacrificed hare

The very next day she returned to the wood

With her bow and her arrows and her little red hood

And once again she gave half to the beast

Who allowed her to hunt his woods in peace

What deal had she struck? What pact had she made?

The little girl pondered after each finished plate

Is it a demon? She sat there and thought

But her family was fed so it mattered not

She continued to hunt and to visit her friend

This cycle went on for seasons on end

One awful day the girl heard the news

That her grandma was ill, she was sick with the flu

So the girl packed a bag as quick as she could

And headed for grandma’s with her bow and her hood

“Don’t stray from the path” her mother did plea

But the girl knew a shortcut just through the trees

“I’ll be home tomorrow. You worry too much”

The girl told her mother as she left in a rush

“I have a bad feeling, please hear my words”

The mother called out, but the girl hadn’t heard

Deep in the woods while walking along

The girl met a man who was chopping at logs

“Dear girl, it is dangerous to walk here alone”

The woodcutter spoke in a deep manly tone

“Here let me escort you, just take my arm”

He said to the girl with chivalrous charm

“No thank you kind sir, I do know the way”

She called back at him as she picked up her pace

“Oh come now sweet girl, don’t be so naïve”

He said as he followed and kicked up the leaves

“Where are you headed? I can take you there now”

Damn, doesn’t he listen? The girl thought with a scowl

“I told you no thank you. I’ll be fine on my own”

“Oh come now” he said “You can’t walk here alone

There are bears in these woods and big bad wolves too

And they would make a quick snack of a girl small as you”

Something felt off, a feeling she dreaded

It wasn’t his words, but the way that he said it

She quickened her steps, but he still followed near

Repeating his words as if she couldn’t hear

“Come now sweet girl, here take my hand

This place is a danger, please understand”

Who is this dumb asshole? The girl thought in a sprint

Clearly some jackass who can’t take a hint

“Come now sweet girl, I must be insistent”

The girl yelled in anger: “Well, aren’t you persistent?”

“Come now sweet girl” he started to say

But she cut off his words with “Please go away”

“Come now” he said, but her nostrils they flared

“Holy shit, dude. Are you hearing impaired?”

“No need to be rude. I’m just helping you out”

He huffed and he puffed and he started to shout

“I’m a nice guy” he screamed in her face

The walk she was on now resembled a chase

“Just leave me alone you stupid jackass”

“My” he exclaimed “What a big mouth you have”

He grabbed up her arms and he spun her around

And tossed the girl hard onto the ground

With a great force he pinned back her wrists

“Come now sweet girl, just one little kiss”

“Get off me you creep, I’m warning you now”

And that’s when they heard that ethereal growl

Out from the shadows launched her big bad wolf friend

Who tore open the throat of the man end to end

As she looked at the remains of the man that he was

She laughed to herself “Walk here alone? A girl never does”