The Hood

Innocent eyes gleam apparent to the stuffed brown animal that was once her most precious.

You want some cake little Bear? You want to taste the sweet berry plum bun my Nana made for me?

Innocent eyes grew like wild fire encaged between her eyes spreading to her cheeks and down to her crimson-lipped mouth.

WELL YOU CANT HAVE ANY!!! She shouted. She stuffed the old small bear into her ridged basket and walked ahead.

This is what my Nana gave me so im not allowed to give it away. She said softly.

Holding the bun in both palms was a wrapped note slightly torn and ragged brown. See it says for Little Red Riding Hood. That’s me little Bear, she whispered.

She walked ahead.

Red riding hood was used to walking through the woods it was her only retreat from civilization and disbelief that her grandmother was gone. She often thinks about her when she takes small slow strides on the same pathway to her grandmothers towards the heart of the woods. To her, it was the only way to feel homely.

Ten years had passed since her grandmother’s death. Its all the Wolf Packs fault she thought. All they want to do is pick on small kids, pigs and rob old ladies!

For the Wolf Pack was the maddest blackest most wanted gang in the woods.

But something her grandmother said to her once would drag on in her mind like a broken tape recorder.

Your father was just like you Red Riding Hood. Your father was just just like you.

Just like me? She thought silently.

Red riding hood reached her grandmother’s house.

She stared at the run down house, ragged edges, and crumbled bricks with just an outline of what it once was. Nana’s house she whispered.

Walking through the rubble red riding hood then remembered its old bricked walls standing before her, its windows bright yet warm. The fireplace charcoaled black, leading up to a chimney that would stand out from the rest. It was red with a funny bend to it, choking spits of smoke day and night.

That’s how you’d know Nana was home. She smiled.

Disturbed from the thought. She heard what sounded like bricks being thrown. Making a loud thud as it hit the ground.

THUD! Red riding hood quickly peered outside from the broken window.

Oi! Stop that!! She commanded.

A small boy with worn down shorts and nothing else walked in front of her and eventually gave her a witty smirk.

THUD! Hey I mean it, this is my Nana’s house!!

The small boy dazed at her cluelessly.

Are you lost? She shouted.

His eyes still at a daze. No eah I live here, he exclaimed.
He raised his right arm and pointed to the ground. This is my hood.

Red riding hood chuckled. This isn’t your ‘hood’! This is the woods.

Where did you come from small boy?

With no hesitation he repeated. I come from here! This is the hood!

Red riding hood stared into the boy’s eyes and he didn’t seem agitated.

Seemingly red riding hood somehow wanted to believe the small boy or even better have proven him wrong.

You’re a liar, she said curiously.

The small boy dropped the broken brick in his hand. Eah ill show you then, he answered back.

The small boy never mentioned his name to red riding hood, he just briskly walked somewhat jogged deeper into the woods, never once turning his back to see if red riding hood was following.

Only a few paces behind his steps red riding hood looked at the small boy. She wondered why she was following him; this is silly, she grunted. But her feet did not stop following, her mind could not stop wondering.

There was silence. She looked forward and the small boy was nowhere to be seen. Red riding hood stood terrified since this part of the woods was known to be Wolf Pack territory. She knew this was a bad idea.

Psssst…

The sound circled, echoing through the dark woods.

Who’s there! She exclaimed.

She searched for the voice.

It’s me! The boy leapt in front of her as if inpatient and eager at the same time.

Were here! He grinned. Pointing out towards two gigantic trees. Red riding hood’s eyes widened with amazement. They’re huge! She replied.

Uh yeah it’s a Kauri tree, he answered back.

They walked through the two trees and there hung a giant plank of wood. Carved on it in charcoal black block letters. ‘The Hood’ est. 1993.

Red riding hood glanced around. There wasn’t much but the people seemed happy to be living so simply.

She gazed at the small boy. Gradually she asked, why is it called ‘The hood’?

The small boy stared at his home. My mum told me that it’s named after the founder. He wanted to build a place for people to live simply so that other’s may simply live. His name is Robin Hood.



The END