Red Hood on a Lost Boy

Ryan lived in a small village near the woods. He was told to stay away from there, since there were evil creatures hiding in the shadows, waiting for people they could corrupt. If someone had to go in there they were to stay on the paths and never as much as just look into the darkness surrounding them.

Ryan’s mother handed him the small basket with a warm smile.

“Remember to stay on the path and talk to no one.” She said and Ryan nodded before he put on his red hood and turned to leave the house.

The door closed behind him and he took a deep breath before strolling down the way to the forest.

The basket held food for his sick friend Spencer who lived in a small house in the middle of the woods. Ryan didn’t visit him much so he was excited to do so.

He didn’t hesitate as he walked into the dark forest, always staying on the path. The walk would take him a few hours but he didn’t even think about hurrying.

Ryan didn’t understand why people were scared of the dark trees around him. It was beautiful to him and so calming to walk around here with only his mind to occupy him.

His gaze raised and he looked through the trees to see a few clouds in the barely blue sky. When he looked down again his eyes moved to look at something in the darkness of the trees.

Usually everything there was just pitch-black but there was a tiny spot where sun shown down on the ground and Ryan’s eyes widened at the sight of a beautiful blue flower.

His feet moved forward without him noticing and he gasped when he noticed he wasn’t on the path anymore. His head turned to look back at the safety of the light route and then back at the flower barely eight feet away from him.

He decided it won’t hurt him to run there and get the flower. Spencer would be happy. It was such a lovely flower.

Quickly he ran the last few steps and crouched down in front of it. He never saw a flower like this before. Carefully he took a small knife and cut the plant out of its gloomy nature. His hands took it and he looked at it in awe for a moment before putting it away and getting up.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” a voice behind him said and Ryan turned around quickly.

There was a man standing in front of him, wearing a smirk while observing Ryan though he probably didn’t see much in the darkness.

“Yes” Ryan answered quickly, grabbing his basket and holding it against his chest.

“You have to be careful. There are bad people out here who would love to kidnap a beautiful boy like you.” The man purred and Ryan nodded quickly.

“I know. I just … I have to go.”

The red-hooded boy walked past the man and quickened his pace till he was on the path again.

What he didn’t expect though was to see the man next to him, destroying his safety.

Ryan lowered his gaze quickly after taking in his features. His hair was dark but not quite black, matching his eyes. His skin was pale though, like he didn’t leave the forest often.

“Why are you walking around the forest on your own anyway?” the man asked.

Ryan took a step back before answering.

“My friend is ill. I bring him some food.”

The smirk was back on the man’s face but his mouth wouldn’t turn into a real smile.

“Who is your friend?”

“S-Spencer”

“Oh, I think I know him. He’s living in the cabin, right?”

Ryan nodded.

“What’s your name?” the man asked and Ryan didn’t know how to answer.

He wanted to tell that guy to leave him alone but what would he do if that man was some kind of killer.

“Ryan” he answered eventually.

The smirk widened and Ryan wished he could turn and run.

“I’m Brendon.” The man said and held his hand out for Ryan to shake.

He wore black gloves and Ryan stared at them for a moment before slowly shaking his hand.

“That is a beautiful hood.” Brendon said.

“My mother made it.”

“Why red?”

Ryan stared at him from under his hood for a moment, asking himself why he would ask that.

“I-I don’t know.”

Brendon’s eyes stayed on him and after a few minutes Ryan started to feel uneasy under the dark gaze.

“People sometimes call me Red Riding Hood because of it.” He whispered then in a try to get away from the stare but Brendon didn’t look away.

“You really have to be careful out here. It’s dangerous.” Brendon eventually purred. “You sure are looking good. You’re everything a big bad wolf could want.”

Ryan’s eyes widened and he took a few steps back.

“B-big bad wolf?” he asked carefully.

“Didn’t your parents tell you what creatures might be out here?” Brendon purred with a smile that didn’t show his teeth. “I don’t think boys like you should walk around these spooky old woods alone.”

“I know.” Ryan mumbled. “I should get going.”

Ryan showed a forced smile before turning and walking away quickly. He was about to sigh relieved when Brendon called out behind him.

“Wait”

Ryan stopped after two seconds and then Brendon was in front of him again, just looking at him. Ryan didn’t know where to look so he switched between looking at the ground and into Brendon’s eyes.

“What big eyes you have, the kind of eyes that drive wolves mad.” Brendon purred. “Just to see that you don’t get chased I think I ought to walk with you for a ways.”

The scared boy started shaking his head quickly.

“Thanks … but you don’t have to.”

“Oh, I do. I can’t leave you out here on your own. That would be mean.”

“No, really. It’s okay. I walked this on my own a few times already and I’m still alive.”

Brendon rolled his eyes with an amused smile before observing Ryan again.

“What beautiful lips you have. They're sure to lure someone bad.” The dark boy whispered. “So until you get to Spencer's place, I think you ought to walk with me and be safe.”

Safe? Ryan thought. I’m not stupid.

“I appreciate it but you don’t have to. Really.” Ryan hurried to say.

Brendon’s eyes narrowed while his eyes stayed on Ryan.

“Don’t you trust me? You didn’t even give me a chance.”

“That’s not it.”

“Then let me walk you. I promise entertaining conversations.”

Ryan bit his lip and considered for a while. Brendon would have hurt him already if that was his goal, right? Maybe he shouldn’t judge so quickly.

“Alright” Ryan whispered and Brendon smiled.

They started walking and at first no one said a word. Ryan wasn’t sure what to think of this man but there was something exciting about him. The red-hooded boy had always craved excitement in his life since his existence till now had lacked of it.

His mind kept going on like that.

Oh, little did he know what was going on in the other’s head.

Oh, Little Red Riding Hood. I'd like to hold you if I could. Brendon thought, looking next to himself to watch the other boy for a moment. But you might think I'm a big bad wolf so I won't.

“So what’s in that basket of yours?” Brendon asked.

“Bread and some wine.” Ryan answered quickly.

“And the flower.”

A chuckle escaped him at that and he thought that maybe his fear had been silly.

“Yes”

They walked for a while and even started talking and laughing.

Brendon was easy to talk to so they stopped making small talk really quickly and Ryan told Brendon about his family and friends.

“Sounds boring. Living in a village, doing the same things over and over again every day.” Brendon whispered and Ryan looked up at him, considering.

“I guess you’re right … but there’s nothing I can do about it. Visiting Spencer is the most excitement I get every once in a while.”

Brendon smiled to himself and Ryan whished he could read the boy’s thoughts.

“I guess the rest of the way should be safe. It’s another twenty minutes from here.” Brendon said when he stopped.

“Really? But the walk takes four hours.”

“Yes, we talked for quite a while.” Brendon laughed. “Can you promise not to get lost or hurt on the way?”

Ryan nodded with a smile. Brendon watched him for a few seconds before leaning down and kissing his cheek carefully.

“I hope we meet again.” He said when he drew back and as fast as he appeared, he was gone.

Ryan looked around and a sigh escaped him. He had liked Brendon’s company. Maybe they would meet when he walked back home.

Quickly he walked the rest of the way and after twenty minutes, more or less, he arrived at Spencer’s small house.

He smiled to himself but frowned when he saw the door. There was a big scratch across the door like claws scratched it into the wood.

Ryan covered his mouth with one hand before he started walking towards the door slowly.

“Hello?” he asked. “Spencer?”

There was no response and Ryan considered for a moment but there wasn’t really anything he could do so he just raised a hand and pushed the door open carefully.

It opened with a creek and the boy flinched.

Inside it was dark but he could make out shapes. The usual furniture was still there but there was something dark on the walls.

Ryan stood there for a while before he forced himself to go inside and open the windows. Light flooded the room and Ryan gasped, walking backwards till his back hit the next wall.

The walls were covered in blood and there were some scratches.

A whimper escaped Ryan as he pressed himself against the wall while observing the room. When he noticed the bump under the covers on the bed his eyes widened.

The basket fell to the floor because of his shaking hands but he crouched down quickly to get the small knife.

“Who is this?” he asked, holding the knife in front of himself. “S-Spencer?”

There was a chuckle and that definitely wasn’t Spencer.

“W-where is he?”

The person moved and a hand appeared from under the covers. It looked more like a claw than a hand but it had five fingers nonetheless.

It pointed towards the window and Ryan walked over there slowly.

“Fuck” he whispered when he saw the bloody bodies of Spencer and another man lying out there in the small garden.

He covered his mouth with a hand to prevent a scream.

When he heard the shuffling of the covers he froze. Footsteps came closer till hot breath hit Ryan’s hood. Something touched his back and moved higher to remove the hood so the breath hit the skin of his neck.

Ryan closed his eyes and took a deep breath before whirling around in a try to hurt his attacker with the tiny knife but whoever it was just chuckled and took the knife from him.

Slowly Ryan opened his eyes and stared into brown orbs.

“B-Brendon?” he asked and took a step back, stopped by the wall.

“I knew we would meet again.” Brendon purred and smiled, showing his teeth for the first time.

They were sharp and looked like the ones of a wolf. Ryan looked at them briefly before watching the boy’s face again, all of it without emotion.

“Did you do this?” he asked and Brendon smile faded.

“Yes”

“Why?”

“I wanted to meet you again so I came here and there was a huntsman with your friend. He attacked me and I … couldn’t control myself.”

Ryan swallowed and looked down.

“I thought I could trust you. You lied to me.” He whispered.

“I didn’t lie. I told you there were dangerous creatures out there. I didn’t tell you I wasn’t one of them.”

“You could have told me.”

“You would have been scared.”

Ryan bit his lip and remained silent.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” Brendon whispered and Ryan looked up at him with big eyes.

“So you’re the big bad wolf?”

Brendon didn’t answer and Ryan just nodded to himself and pushed past Brendon, grabbing his basket off the floor.

“Ryan, please.”

“What do you want?” Ryan hissed.

“I want you to stay.”

Ryan said nothing and got up, putting his hood on again. He looked at Brendon for a while before he walked over to the door. Brendon’s eyes stared at his back, he was sure of it. He didn’t even know if he wanted to go but he forced himself to walk out of the door and onto the path again.

After walking for a few minutes he heard someone running after him and then he was turned around with strong hands so he was faced with Brendon.

Brendon hesitated for a moment but eventually he reached out and took Ryan’s hand carefully not to hurt him.

“What a big heart I have, the better to love you with. Little Red Riding Hood.” Brendon said softly. “Even bad wolves can be good.”

Ryan looked down, considering. This guy just killed two people and he didn’t know if he himself would survive too long in his presence.

“You’re not scared, right?” Brendon whispered and Ryan shook his head because he wasn’t scared, not really. “You said yourself how boring your life is. You’re bored and I’m lonely.”

Ryan looked down at the claw holding his hand and he didn’t know what was wrong with him. Usually someone would run as far as possible in Brendon’s presence but maybe that was the problem about all of this.

Everyone ran.

“What do you want?” he asked again and Brendon just smiled sadly.

“I want you to come with me.” He said carefully. “I want you to love me.”

“I just met you. I don’t love you.”

“Then learn to love me.”

Ryan considered but he didn’t know what to do. Sure, his life was boring but he couldn’t leave his family to go with a man who just killed two people, one of his friends, that is.

“I don’t know.” He said eventually and Brendon looked around frantically for a while.

“Please” Brendon pleaded. “Ryan, please”

They stood there for another ten minutes and Ryan kept thinking about it. A part of him wanted to give in and follow Brendon wherever he wanted to go and that part almost won.

“What will happen if I come with you?” he asked and looked up at Brendon.

“You would love living in the forest. I live in a nice cabin with a warm fire.” Brendon told him with a smile, showing his teeth. “And no one would get to you. No one would hurt you. I promise.”

Ryan closed his eyes and tried to imagine it, living there with Brendon, and something inside his head clicked.

He started to smile and nodded.

“Okay, I’ll come with you.” He whispered.

Brendon beamed at him and leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

“Little Red Riding Hood. You sure are looking good. You’re everything a big bad wolf could want.”

When he leaned back again he smiled softly and started to tug at Ryan’s hand. Ryan imitated the smile and let himself be lead into the blackness of the woods which swallowed both of them.

They all had warned him but in the end the village lost a boy to the woods anyway.