RED

Once upon a time there lived a little girl. She was a happy little girl who loved her grandmother very much. Her grandmother always doted on her with all manner of gifts and trinkets. One day, her grandmother gave the little girl a wonderful gift. She gave her a beautiful red velvet cap. The little girl wore the cap everywhere she went. Hence she came to be called Little Red.

Little Red visited her grandmother all the time. Every time she went, she would take the long, winding path that led through the woods. As Little Red travelled the path, her blond pigtails bobbed and swayed as she walked. On the most recent journey, Little Red’s mother had sent her to bring her grandmother some food and wine. It was her grandmother’s birthday recently and Little Red hoped to celebrate it with her. This trip to grandmother’s house was the same as the hundreds of others before it. The sun shone brightly, the birds in the tall pines chirped and sang sweet songs as she passed. Off in a small clearing a few deer had bedded down to rest after traveling a far ways. But this trip didn’t end as Little Red intended.

Little Red’s grandmother went about her cottage cleaning out some old items from the cabinets. “Oh, I just can’t wait to see my sweet little granddaughter,” the grandmother said aloud. Bright sunlight shone through the thick glass window that overlooked the garden. Behind her, a small kettle whistled as steam poured out of the spout. “Oh! The tea’s ready.” Little Red’s grandmother set about putting out cups, saucers, and a little plate of delightful cookies. The grandmother looked out the window. For a moment, a wave of depression and sadness washed over the grandmother. The crack of lightning shaking the windows in the house as a storm passed overhead.

For several days, Little Red’s grandmother lay ill in her bed. Her doctor came to check on her and make sure that she was eating and taking her medicine. Little Red’s brother also stopped in from time to time. He was much older than Little Red and lived a few villages away. But he too loved his grandmother dearly and hoped that she would get better.

After getting over her illness, the grandmother set about clearing out some old items from the cabinets. “Thank you, Little Red for helping me,” the grandmother said. Little Red looked up from the large cabinet she was scrubbing. “It is my pleasure grandmother,” Little Red smiled back. Dark clouds hung outside and heavy, grey light poured in from the thick glass window that overlooked the forest. In the kitchen, a loud gurgling noise poured into the room. “Oh! The soup is finished,” the grandmother said as she hurried into the kitchen. Little Red set about putting out plates and silverware. For a moment, the grandmother forgot what she was doing and burned herself on the stove. The chirps of birds came in through the window as the sun began to set on this lovely day.

Over the next few days the grandmother’s doctor stopped in. “How are you doing?” the doctor asked as he looked over her. “Oh, just wonderful,” the grandmother said. The doctor took a few notes down in his notebook. “Did anyone stop in to visit you?” The grandmother sat up and smiled widely. “Why yes, my dear sweet Little Red stopped by and helped me clean.” The doctor gave the grandmother a sad smile back. “Did she now…” The house had not been cleaned in many weeks. On the table sat an old basket. Inside sat rotting cakes and a cracked bottle of wine. Draped over the handle hung a tattered, red cap.

The next day, the grandmother spent the morning planting roses in the large plot in front of her house. “Oh Little Red, these will be gorgeous when they bloom,” the grandmother said as she wiped some dirt from her face. Heavy rain fell all around them as both of them continued planting the flowers. From behind the house, the grandmother’s old bloodhound bayed as it chased a white rabbit. “Oh, hush.” The grandmother barked at the dog.

Little Red’s brother stopped in the next day to surprise the grandmother. “Good morning dear grandmother; happy birthday!” The brother handed her a small box bound with a shimmering red ribbon. “How sweet of you dear,” the grandmother said. With trembling hands, she pulled off the ribbon and opened the box. A beautiful necklace shimmered in the sunlight coming in from the window. A few tears fell from the grandmother’s eyes. “When will Little Red get here?” The grandmother asked. The brother let his head fall before answering. “Soon grandmother, she will be here soon.”

The next few weeks passed by without as much as a peep from Little Red. The grandmother was starting to worry greatly. Only Little Red’s brother and the doctor had been coming to see her. Heavy snow fell outside and grey-white light filtered in through the window overlooking the trail. To her surprise, a loud rap rang through the room. “Who is it?” The grandmother asked her voice weak and frail. “Why grandmother, it’s me. Little Red,” the voice outside said. “Oh dear child, you have to let yourself in, for I am far too sick today,” the grandmother said. The heavy latch on the door clicked as two people stepped inside. “It’s far worse than I thought,” the doctor said.

Severe trembles and shakes wracked the grandmother’s body as she lay in her bed. As the doctor works to save the old woman, Little Red’s brother stands in the kitchen, wracked with worry. After what feels like days, the doctor comes out of the bedroom. “How’s she doing doctor?” The brother asks. Taking a moment to wipe his glasses, the doctor answers the brother. “Not too good. Her dementia has worsened to a severe degree. She claims she has been visited by your sister.”

The brother shook his head in sadness. “Oh my poor, dear grandmother... Little Red died almost ten years ago.” The doctor sat down and lit up his pipe. “It’s the dementia. She is conjuring up memories and mixing them with the present,” the doctor said. Pausing to take a puff of the pipe, the doctor continues. “Every day she repeats the same image, but she mixes in parts of the present to create some kind of story to aid her ailing mind.” A wave of pity and despair washed over Little Red’s brother. “Is there any way to break the pattern?” The doctor blew a puff of smoke into the air. “No, there isn’t. All we can do is let her illusions run through until her time is up.”

Little Red ran up to her grandmother’s bed. Her grandmother lies asleep. The sheets moving up and down as she breathes. A sad smile spreads across Little Red’s face. “Grandmother, it’s time to wake up,” Little Red says as she shakes her grandmother’s shoulder. A low mumble comes out from under the sheets as the grandmother wakes up. “Why Little Red, it’s very early!” After struggling to get out of bed the grandmother sets about making Little Red and herself some breakfast. The meal is eaten in silence. “Everything is going to be alright grandmother,” Little Red says. “Well of course dear, it’s a wonderful day out and we have plenty of gardening to do!” Little Red smiles again.  

Little Red’s brother visits his grandmother later that day. He brings a small bundle wrapped tight with him. “Afternoon, grandmother,” the brother says as he walks through the door. The grandmother waves to him as she finishes cutting up some large carrots. Little Red’s brother sets the small bundle on the table. “Grandmother, I brought something you need to see,” the brother said. “Did you bring me a gift?” The grandmother asks as she turns to face her grandson. As she sees the bundle on the table, tears well up in her eyes and she collapses into a chair. “We got him grandmother,” the brother says as he rests his hand on top of hers. The small bundle on the table is the pelt of a large, old wolf.

The following day was dark and rainy. Little Red walked around the table as she looked at the wolf pelt. Everything was awash in pale grey light. The grandmother lay in her bed. A far off clap of thunder shakes her from her sleep. Little Red looks back to her grandmother, hearing her get up from bed. “It’s okay grandmother. Everything’s alright…”Little Red says. The grandmother looks over at the grey-white pelt sitting on the table. The memories come surging back, crashing upon the shores of her mind.

Red. Crimson red blood is everywhere. Little Red lies in her arms, broken and bleeding. The sparkle of life that had always been prominent in her eyes now barely glimmers. “I’m so cold, grandmother,” Little Red whimpers. Deep gashes cover her body. Little Red’s brother ran after the wolf that had ripped her up very badly. His screams of anger blast out from the woods. “Be quite dear, save you strength. The doctor shall be here soon,” the grandmother says as she cradles Little Red’s head.  

The moon had crept over the tree line by the time the doctor arrived. “Dear God…” the doctor says as he looks upon the shredded body of Little Red. “You have to save her! You just have to…” the grandmother cries out. The doctor set to work cleaning and dressing her terrible wounds. “She’s lost a lot of blood. I’ve patched her up the best I could, but… there isn’t much else I can do…” the doctor says as he hangs his head. Behind him lies Little Red. The once bright and vibrant girl now sits pale and cold, the life all but gone from her.

Little Red whimpers for a moment. The grandmother rushes over to her side. “It’s alright, grandmother…. Everything is all… right…” Little Red says as her body goes limp and lifeless. The pale moon light shines coldly down on them. Little Red’s brother comes back from the woods. In his hand he carries a large axe and a small bundle of wet, blood spattered fur. “I got the horrendous creature,” the brother exclaims. As he gets closers, he is overcome with grief. “Little Red? Little Red!?” The brother cries as he rushes to her side.  “She…she’s gone…” the grandmother says. Her voice is barely audible over her sobbing.

“I’m very sorry,” the grandmother says looking back at the memory of Little Red. The ghostly form walks over to the bed the grandmother had collapsed back onto. “It’s not your fault,” Little Red says. She rests her hand on her grandmother’s.

Little Red’s brother comes in through the door. The red light of a far off storm filters in behind him. “Good morning grandmother….” The brother says as he sees his grandmother lying on her bed, motionless. “Grandmother…” As he approaches the bed, tears well up in his eyes. For the first time in a long time, his grandmother looks to be in peace. As he goes to cover her body up, he notices something in her hands. Gripped tightly in her hands is a small, red velvet cap. “Just like hers…” The brother says as he pulls the covers over his grandmother.