Little Red Riding Hood

She smiled and wandered,
along down the path
beside the blue river,
raging ever so fast.
Splotches of sunlight,
one here and one there,
broke through tree cover,
and warmed the damp air.
Petals in blue, pink,
purple or yellow,
Bloomed bright with smiles
in a pleasant: "Hello!"
She hummed a sweet tune,
not one could recall,
as she skipped along, happy,
not one worry at all.
Her basket in arm,
filled with goodies galore.
She was on her way,
to Grandmother's door.
Clasped 'round her neck
and perched on her head,
she wore her cloak of
magnificent red.

A long snout raised up,
inhaling the air,
catching the scent he caught
ever-so rare.
A grin consuming his eyes
his teeth he did lap,
Planning to draw that scent,
into his trap.
He sprang to his paws,
ready to work,
Scampering off through the trees,
he knew to lurk-
around in the shadows,
hidden from light,
he knew too well,
this would aid in his plight.

She didn't bother to heed,
her sweet mother's pleas,
to stay on the path
and out of the trees.
She could end up tripping,
over a rock lying in wait.
But really, that could happen,
anywhere anyway.
She could become lost,
these woods could be frightful,
but she'd never go too far,
at least, not so near nightfall.
So spying a a fanciful,
ivory floret,
straight off the trail,
and into the woods she went.
She bent down and scooped up
the beautiful petal,
Just in center palm,
it could calmly settle.
Perfect for grandmother,
so clean and so small,
Surely the most beautiful
blossom of all.

She then saw the wolf,
his eyes gleaming bright,
off in the shadows,
just a bit to her right.
Surprised for a moment
before smiling in greeting,
"Hello there good sir,
What a lovely evening!"
The wolf was bewildered,
she was amazingly calm,
but that was alright,
you'd hear no qualm.
"Oh! Why, yes, I suppose,
it most certainly is my dear,
but tell me, when the trail is back there,
why is it you're here?"

"Oh! Of course! I just saw
this delightful white lily.
I wanted to keep it,
I suppose that sounds silly."
The wolf chuckled softly
and shook his grey head.
"Of course not! You know...
I just saw one of red!"
There was no red flower,
still, he carried on.
"Far prettier than that,
much like a red, rising dawn!"
the girl beamed eagerly
and quickly asked: "Where?"
the Wolf smiled gently,
"Just a ways over there!"
He pointed away
from the trail she did need,
So she shook her head weakly,
before away he could lead.

"Why not my dear child?
Did you not want to see?"

"Oh! That's not it, my dear wolf,
it's merely the trail I mustn't leave."

"But you've already left it,
what's a few steps more?"

"You know... I must go,
It's my Grandmother, this lily is for,
I'm supposed to go straight,
to her house and then back,
but with all of these beauties,
It seems I've gotten off track."

"Grandmother?" the wolf questioned,
eager to learn.
"Mm-hm! She lives just
around the trail's turn!
She's been awfully sick,
and rather weak as of late,"
That's all the wolf wanted,
he wouldn't need bait.
A new scheme was forming,
within his dark mind,
this would, without doubt,
be the best he had dined.
"Oh! Then, my dear child,
you must hastily go!"
The girl smiled brightly,
her thankfulness glowed.
"Perhaps one day, my dear wolf,
we shall meet again!"
"I'm certain we will dear,
tow we'll never know when."
But that was a lie,
by any other name.
As the girl waved goodbye,
this time on the trail she remained.
But it was too late,
what had been done was done,
and not a single person could stop it...
No one... not one.