Das Mädchen in Rot - Chpt 3 [English - US]
Das Mädchen in Rot [English - US]
Description:
Das Mädchen in Rot (German: The girl in red) is a dark version adaptation from the original story wrote by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm. The adaptation tells the story of Nella - a young girl that lived with her family in a tribe and her father was killed by a black Wolf-Being (it's how the tribesman call the werewolves) as he and a friend of him saved the young Nella. After she reached her full age, Nella was summoned to be part of a cult where the grown up women wears a red mantle and depart from the tribe to the Grandmother's house for the Ancestors blessing to keep the Wolf-Beings away from the tribesmen. According to the Oracle, the Grandmother's house is deep inside of the forest - the same where the Wolf-Beings and other dreadful creatures lurk inside, preying upon the visitors that venture without a portion of cautiousness.
My second Youtube channel:
My other Blogspot places:
My Instagram:
Note: Don't you dare to download these images and re-share it without my permission. If you do, please, leave the original author name.
Introduction:
About fifteen full moons ago, an ancient tribe lived in what would become a forest. This tribe was known for worshiping a mystical entity whose form resembled a wolf.
When the first Red Moon rose in the sky, the people of that tribe began to transform into the image of the entity. No one knew what happened to make them become the image of the entity, but it was said that the wind carried various howls throughout the world.
One night, a small group of hunters entered the forest in search of food. And when they spotted the first deer to take back to the tribe, a huge figure appeared and devoured three of the hunters who entered that place, leaving only one of them to tell what happened. He said the creature that killed the others who went with him had the shape of a man, but the head and fur of a wolf.
And it was on that day that the tribe began to fear the wolf creature that attacked our people in the forest.
Chapter 3
Hours have passed since Nella left the tribe she was born into. As she moved forward, it became a little scary to the point of making her worried since the last time she was in that place, from the time when she was a child chasing that runaway little goat, until she was ambushed by the Wolf-Being and her father came to her rescue.
Nella closed her eyes after that memory and looked around the forest. Only the trees and the local vegetation were the only things to be seen here. Basket in hand, she continued onward to the Great Mother's house. She wasn't sure where her house was, but she imagined it would be the ideal place.
////
Everything seemed calm in the forest. The birds were singing, the stream was flowing normally, the sun was touching some parts of the ground and filtering through the tree branches. Nella walked along without worry or fear. And when she spotted a fallen log on the ground, she decided to sit down and rest. Removing the hood from her head, she went to fix her long brown hair. She knew it was styled by the Elder's servants, but she wanted it to look more natural. And in the midst of all this, she heard something moving in the bushes behind her. She was serious and a little scared. She was afraid she would be ambushed like last time, without having entered the forest properly.
But the noise and commotion in the bushes stopped completely. This relieved her so she could pick up her basket and continue with the Grand Journey. She walked as far as she could. At her current pace, it sometimes took too long, as she had no idea which direction to take. And halfway through, she stopped again, sensing something around her. Something that suddenly passed in front of the Girl in Red.
“You're not from around here, are you?” called a voice from behind Nella.
The girl was startled when she turned to see who it was. A tall boy with short hair, long sideburns, ruddy skin, and light blue eyes. He wore a sleeveless jacket with fur covering his shoulders and neck. But the scariest thing was that his arms were hairy and his nails were long.
Since the Chief of the Tribe asked her not to speak to strangers, she tried her best to avoid answering him.
“What's up? You seem quiet. But don't worry. I'm not a stranger to anyone,” he said as he walked around.
Nella tried to remain silent, but the way he walked around her made her nervous and scared. She wanted to run away from him, but she tried to remain calm.
“My only disturbing question is: Why would such a beautiful young lady come into the forest alone?”
“That's none of your business,” he replied immediately, breaking the silence by not speaking to someone unknown like him.
“None of my business?” he said with a light laugh. “You know, you're curious. Brave to come to this place. There may be thieves and scary creatures lurking in the shadows to ambush you. I doubt your courage will protect you from them when they find you and then take your belongings and throw your remains on the ground.”
“I bet you're one of them.”
“Me? No. I'm a traveler who lives around this forest and from time to time I wander around here.”
“Really? As far as I know, there isn't even a village in the region surrounding this forest. May I ask where you came from?”
“Like you, this matter is none of your interest.”
“What a shame. Then there's no point in continuing this conversation,” the girl replied seriously, about to leave him there. However, he didn't just stand there, preventing her from continuing her journey in peace.
“I don't think that's a good reason for you to continue with whatever you're doing,” he replied, taking her hand.
Sensing that, Nella's fear spread throughout her body. “What are you doing?!”
“Taking you back to where you came from!” he replied, dragging her forward.
“You have no right to take me wherever you want!”
“No, but at least I'm doing you a favor.”
“What favor?!”
“Protecting your life!”
As he pulled her, the girl fell to her knees. Fortunately, the snow cushioned the impact of her hands, giving her the chance to grab a handful and throw it in his face. As he approached, Nella threw snow to momentarily blind him. She had the perfect opportunity to grab the basket and run.
“You…!” he shouted angrily after wiping the snow from his eyes.
The Girl in Red ran as fast as she could to get away from the boy who'd tried to take her back to the tribe without her consent. When she looked back, she could only see trees and bushes receding into the distance, but no sign of him. She thought he'd given up. But then a figure came from above and stopped in front of her, causing her to lose control and fall to the ground. It was him again.
“I found you. Throwing snow at me was a clever move. But it is no use.”
“How?” Nella said, turning her gaze back to him. “How did you manage to catch up to me?!”
“Did you really think you could escape me that easily?!”
He lifted her by the collar of her dress and placed her back against the tree. It was a terrifying scene, one in which Nella was powerless to defend herself against someone as fast and strong as that young man from the forest. In the midst of that scene, she could see his hand closing in on her face.
“Next time, you will be taken back, even if I have to take you unconscious!”
With that, he threw his punch at her. However, he heard a call coming from that person.
“Wait! Please don't hurt me. I'll tell you what you want. Just please, I don't want to die!”
The boy could see the expression of fear and sadness in Nella's eyes. Deep down, he didn't want to hurt anyone, even though she'd avoided speaking when she first met him. In an instant, he released her.
“Okay. Who are you and what exactly are you doing here?” he asked, crossing his arms.
“My name is the Girl in Red, and… I come from a village where people live in fear.”
“In fear? In fear of what?”
“With the… the Wolf-Beings.”
“Wolf-Beings? I've never heard of these ‘Wolf-Beings’. What are they like?”
“They…” as she continued speaking, various memories of their stories and the scene where her father confronted one of them began to frighten her. “They… are scary.”
“Scary? Okay. But you didn't really explain what they're like. And why ‘Wolf-Beings’?”
“They… look like a human, but their head is that of a wolf.”
That answer silenced him for a moment. He looked human, but with the head of a wolf. Nella looked at him and was surprised by his sudden reaction.
“Are… are you okay?”
“These ‘Wolf-Beings’ you spoke of. How often have they attacked your tribe?”
“Well, they've been roaming this forest for a while now and… they've attacked countless hunters. Including… my father.”
“I feel sorry for him. Even though I don't know him, that's all I can tell you.”
“Thank you. But why did you want to stop me from going forward by dragging me back?”
"As I said, this place is full of scary things lurking in the shadows. It's not safe for you to stay or go where you want. I must take you back."
“No, wait. I… I can't go back.”
“And why not?! Are you stubborn enough to throw your life away or are you deaf?”
“I have to go to the Great Mother's hut. If I don't, the entire village will be lost. My mother and the others will be devoured by the Wolf-Things.”
Nella covered her face to cry. The boy stared at her, doing little more than witnessing her distress. Looking toward where the village would be and then ahead, he decided to approach the girl.
“I have no idea what this is all about, but I'll see what I can do.”
Hearing that, the Girl in Red was stunned. Saying he would do whatever he could to comfort her was a bit surprising of him.
“Wait. You said you'll help me as much as you can?”
He nodded in the affirmative.
“You mean you won't take me back to my tribe? Why?”
"Let's just say you got me. Even though you and your tribe have a rather strange mentality, I wouldn't want to see anyone crying in front of me. Especially a girl."
“Well, I… thank you,” Nella replied, her cheeks a little flushed. She got up from the floor, adjusting her cloak and dress to continue with him.
“What exactly is this Great Mother? Is she your real grandmother?”
“I don't know. Many people call her that. I don't know why. I just know she's like the Elder of the tribe.”
“Elder? Then you're some kind of spiritual leader.”
“Like this.”
“And do you know more or less where the Great Mother lives?”
The girl shook her head. “All I know is that it's deep in the forest.”
“Okay. I'll take you as far as I can deep into the forest. It's a shortcut I usually take; it might lead to where the Great Mother lives. But I don't want you to venture too deep into the forest. The danger is greater there.”
“No problem.”
The two continued on to the Great Mother's house. Everything felt safer after they reached an understanding. Although she disregarded the Chief's warning not to speak to anyone she encountered, Nella realized the young man wasn't too strange for her. However, she had no idea who he was. To find out, she decided to call him to learn his name.
“Excuse me.”
“Hmm? What's up?”
“May I know your name?”
“Brown.”
“Brown? Why a color name?”
“Isn't it the same with you, Girl in Red? You also use a color name.”
Nella sighed at his answer. She couldn't use her real name often around strangers. But she didn't have much choice but to hide it forever.
“My name is Nella. That's my real name.”
“Nella? That's a beautiful name for a girl like you.”
“Thank you,” she replied, a little embarrassed by his compliment.
“I'm William.”
“Nice to meet you, William.”
“Same as you, Nella the Red.”
“Please don't be like that.”
“What's wrong? Did you think it was bad that I called you by that name?”
“No. But I don't want it to be like that,” she replied seriously.
“As you wish.”
The two adventurers spent the trip talking. William may be a different guy from most of the boys she's met. A bit rustic and curious about things, he's sincere and has a caring side. I don't know if it was Fate or the Spirits who sent him to help her.
////
Hours passed, and we continued on our way to the Great Mother's house. Halfway along the trail, Nella stopped for a moment after feeling her stomach growl with hunger. William stopped when he saw her holding her belly.
“What happened?” he asked as he walked over to her.
“I didn't eat anything when I left.”
“You didn't eat? And what do you keep in the basket?”
“I would like to leave some food for the Great Mother.”
“I know you would like to, but that's no reason to hold back something you can enjoy to the point of starving you.”
Nella fell silent after hearing that. William turned slightly to the right and continued walking to a bush. She sat down to check the basket and get something her mother had prepared for the girl to eat. And when she took out a portion of potatoes, he returned with a rabbit in his hand.
“I hope you know how to make a meal out of rabbits.”
After he caught the rabbit, they gathered some wood for the fire, and with the potatoes, the girl in the red cape prepared a rabbit and potato soup in a small cauldron. From the smell and appearance, it was ready to be served.
William was watching her, bowl and spoon in hand. He watched her eat several mouthfuls of soup without taking a break. The next time she ate, Nella became nervous when he looked at her.
“What?”
“Nothing. Seeing you eating your soup gave the impression that you were very hungry.”
Nella was nervous about that comment. But then she ate some more. He resumed his soup. When she saw him, she noticed he'd barely touched his food.
“William, are you okay? Did I say something wrong to you?”
“No. It's not that. It's just that I'm not used to eating that way.”
“What do you mean? You're not much of a stew person?”
He remained silent, without answering the question. Getting up from his corner, he approached the girl and sat down.
“Nella, the truth is… I feed on things you're no longer used to.”
“We left? What do you mean?”
Before he could respond, he heard something coming from afar. He had no idea who it was or what it was, but William began acting in a way that, to him, signaled danger.
“We need to get out of here!”
“But William, I've barely eaten and I'm exhausted from all the walking. Why do we need to leave here?”
The sound of footsteps echoed loudly in the boy's ears. In an instant, he threw dirt and snow onto the fire and carried Nella with the basket to a corner he believed safe. A ravine covered in dirt, moss, and bushes.
“William, what's going on?!” asked the girl, scared and serious after having been dragged to that place.
“Nella, listen to me. Something's coming this way, and it won't be good if they catch us there. In this ravine, our scent will be hidden among the plants and the earth, but you'll have to stay still until I say it's safe.”
Nella didn't really know what it was. But she had to do everything he told her if she was to survive the imminent danger. He stared at the extinguished fire, keeping their presence obscured. And in an instant, two Wolf-People appeared. Identical to the first one she saw as a child. They were looking for something different to hunt.
William narrowed his gaze when he saw their paws. The expression he saw on both of them was one of marked disgust, but the reason forhateThey were still unknown to the Girl in Red. When she looked through the gap between some roots, the first thing that made her eyes widen in fear was their paws. The boy grabbed her mouth before Nella could let out a scream or any other loud noise. He watched in that space as the two Wolf-People looked around the place, except for the ravine where they were hiding.
They tried to sniff for anything unusual hovering in the air, but they couldn't catch the two adventurers' trail. This made them give up on that spot and run elsewhere. Nella was nervous about it all, but she had to wait until she could leave the ravine and continue their journey to the Great Mother's house. William released her mouth so she could breathe, allowing them to leave after the Wolf-Things had left.
“Why did you do that?!” Nella said, recovering from the shock. “I would have been out of breath longer if I had kept blocking my breathing.”
“They would have picked up any sound you made, even if your scent was muted in the ravine,” he replied. “But don't worry. They're far away now that this place has proved useless to them.”
“Them? The Wolf-beings who came here?”
"Those ‘Wolf-Beings’ are werewolves. Half man, half wolf. They hunt by instinct and live in remote corners of the world, united like packs."
“‘Werewolves’? And have you ever faced one?”
“Yes. It wasn't the nicest meeting I had.”
William looked back to where they'd gone, to the setting sun on the horizon shrouded in tree branches. To him, it was a sign that they should find a safe place to rest.
“We must find a shelter for you to rest. We will continue our journey to this Great Mother's house in the morning.”
Nella agreed with him and they went to a place in the forest where they would be safe from the monsters that roamed this place, now called werewolves.
////
Night had fallen since they left the place to eat. They lit a fire because the cold wind was common in the middle of the night. She held out her hands to the fire to avoid getting cold and to warm up a little at this time of night. Then she saw the boy arriving with some dry twigs he found nearby to keep the fire going.
“There. With this we can stay warm all night,” William said as he placed them on the floor. Nella remained silent as he spoke. Surprised by this, William approached her.
“What's wrong, Nella?”
“I just can't stop wondering if it was a good idea to go to this place and search for the Great Mother's house, even knowing the risks of encountering these monsters.”
He sat on the fallen log to hear what she thought about all this.
“I could have had a different life, the one my mother wanted for me. Instead, I chose to serve the tribe for the Great Journey.”
“What would this Great Journey be?”
“The Elder said that several young women like me are selected to go into the forest to the Great Mother's house and consult the Spirits for their protection. Many before me have gone, but none have made it far.”
“And why didn't they succeed?”
“They say they got lost or were ambushed by the Wol… I mean, the werewolves, who attacked us irrationally,” Nella replied, correcting her speech by adopting “werewolves” instead of “Wolf-Beings.”
William paid attention to young Nella's brief account.
“Many people began to avoid entering the forest, with few demonstrating the courage to enter and obtain food and wood to meet our needs. But they ended up paying dearly with their lives.”
“And your father was among one of their victims?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“A friend of mine who had a daughter old enough for the Great Journey defied the Chief of the Tribe by taking her away from the tribe, and when I was a little girl at the time, I went into the forest to look for a baby goat from the house's enclosure.”
“A bit brave. For you to come all this way alone and for your friend to have violated this Grand Journey.”
Nella laughed at William's comment. Then she shifted her gaze to the fire.
“But I find this all a bit sudden. Is this really true? That I really have to go to the Great Mother's house and consult her to ask for the protection of the Spirits and save the lives of everyone in the tribe?”
William looked at her and then looked forward, sighing a little at what he was about to say to her in response to that question.
“I'm not good at this, but you had the chance to return to your tribe just before we met. You could have your ordinary life and do anything until you died. But the strange thing is that even if we wanted an ordinary life, we don't know how we'll handle the things life has in store. And sometimes, it's worth choosing different things, conceived by life, and discovering that they'll be worth more than an ordinary life.”
Hearing that, the girl's eyes widened in surprise. Almost giving in to nervousness, she smiled at William.
“Look, for someone I've only known for so little time, you've done a great job of inspiring me in the role I have to play. Thanks, William.”
“You're welcome,” he replied.
In an instant, Nella yawns with sleep. The boy added another branch to the fire to fuel the fire and protect them from the cold. She was about to fall over, about to fall on top of him. He places his hand on Nella's shoulder to keep her awake a little longer.
“You should rest now to regain your strength.”
“Okay. I'm almost falling asleep for a moment,” she replied, getting up and preparing a corner for her to sleep. As she lay down with her arms supporting her head, William took off his coat and placed it on top of her. Then he went to the other corner to rest. The flame kept them safe from the cold during their rest.
////
The next day, Nella was still sleeping on the floor with William's coat on. When she opened her eyes, she noticed the fire was out and the boy was gone. When she got up, she felt something slip from her shoulders. When she picked it up to see what it was, it was William's coat.
“William?” called the young woman, worried about being alone.
She set out to find him so she could continue the Great Journey. As she walked, Nella looked from side to side, searching for him. All she could find were trees, bushes, and grass. Birds sang among the branches. Her heart pounded as she walked.
Up ahead, she heard the sound of water flowing freely in the stream. Nella followed its sound, finding the boy who was guiding her to the Great Mother's house. He washed his face and slowly drank to quench his thirst. Hearing her footsteps, he turned his face, a few drops running down after the last wash.
“Hello Nella,” he greeted.
“Hi. What were you doing?”
“Drinking water and washing my face. I always come here when the water isn't cold.”
When he stood up and approached the girl, her sudden reaction was to feel nervous seeing him without his coat. Without anything to cover his chest in such a cold environment, it wouldn't be pleasant for someone with a stable body temperature to get sick.
Nella handed William the coat and then he took it to put on.
“Thank you Nella,” he thanked.
“You are welcome.”
The Girl in Red was confused by his hairy arms and long nails. A young man or a tribesman wouldn't have such features. What was he, anyway?
“William.”
“Yeah?”
“Why did you offer me your coat? Didn't you feel cold without it?”
“Nella, I don't mind the cold. I got used to low temperatures for a long time. You need clothing to retain your body temperature so you don't risk dissipating it into the external environment.”
“Even if clothes can retain my body temperature, how can you withstand the cold with just those hairy arms and little clothing?”
Before continuing the conversation, William heard something that put him on constant alert. He chose to end it abruptly by resuming his original course of travel.
“We must continue our journey. If we delay, we don't know how or who will find us in a place like this,” he concluded with a serious expression.
“Okay, William.”
The two picked up the basket and continued their journey to the Great Mother's house via William's shortcut. Some felt they weren't having much success finding the mysterious figure's home through Nella's tribe, even though it was the quickest route into the forest. Sometimes it seemed the danger grew greater as they advanced. Meanwhile, Nella was getting to know the place they were in a little better.
////
At one of the stops, William found a hot spring for his companion to bathe in. Since he's a boy, he decided to leave her alone to undress and get into the water.
“I'll search around to find the Great Mother's tent. Call me if anything happens.”
“Okay, William. I'll be fine,” the young girl replied, removing the red cape that covered her shoulders and body.
With that said, William nodded forward, walking away. Meanwhile, Nella stripped off her dresses and boots and headed toward the hot spring.
As she stepped into the water, Nella felt the warmth flow through her body, enough to make her close her eyes and relax. Even though she was alone in that place, she felt a certain worry that she would be attacked at any moment. Nella closed her eyes, feeling her body being swept away by the calm and the sound of the water flowing through the spring.
Behind her was a dense forest. And in the middle of it, something was approaching her. It was crawling toward the spring, passing through the dense vegetation. When she spotted the young woman bathing in the spring's warm waters, she watched her without moving or reacting. She was quiet, unaware of what was lurking in her bath. But when she opened her eyes, she heard something moving in the forest. Turning her face, she fled.
“Hello?” called young Nella, worried about whoever was in that place. No answer. “William, is that you? If it's you, know that it's no fun spying on me.”
William wasn't around, which left her at the mercy of anything in this forest. Wild animals, bandits, werewolves—anything that would come to this hot spring and kill her without remorse. But the fact that it fled after Nella opened her eyes suggested it might be a wild animal that couldn't demonstrate any aggressive force.
Then the girl left the spring to dress and continue her journey to the Great Mother. Picking up her dresses, she put them back on one at a time. Then she donned her boots and red cape. All seemed calm after the bath, with no harm done to harm her or derail her. In an instant, I heard something moving in the woods. This time, the source of the sound was approaching Nella. In response, the girl tried to back away, trying to get away.
She backed away slowly, keeping her eyes on the source of the noise. But a minor disaster occurred during her escape attempt. Nella tripped on a branch on the ground. And just when it seemed like the end, as she covered her face with her hands in fear, the boy who had guided her there reappeared.
“William! God, you scared me!” cried Nella, frightened and almost distressed.
“I didn't mean to scare you.”
“No? But then, what were you doing?!”
“I told you I went looking for something that could help us get to her house. And I found it,” he replied. Nella noticed his gaze shift to where he'd been.
The Girl in Red approached him to see, to better understand what this is all about. He pointed with his finger to a region in the forest, indicating to Nella where the house of the person the Elder advised her to seek would be.
“There. Can you see it, Nella?”
She looked where William was pointing with his index finger. To her surprise, it was smoke. Small and grayish. From a distance, it wasn't visible, but to William, it was visible.
“Something,” said the pale-skinned girl, trying to close her eyes a little to see better. “It's too far away for me to see.”
“The Grand Mother's house may be far from here, but if we keep going, we might be able to get there by nightfall.”
“But what about the werewolves?” she asked, frightened by the sunset.
“They won't attack us. At least that's what I believe,” he replied as he prepared to guide her to the Great Mother's house.
Nella was afraid his answer might be false, and those beings might ambush and kill them. Going to the Great Mother's house proved more dangerous than anything she had ever seen. Even so, she had to keep following William as he showed her the quickest way to get there.
////
Hours of long journey on foot had passed since that moment at the hot spring. The journey seemed too long to reach the home of the person the Girl in Red needed to speak to and communicate with the Spirits to save her family and everyone in the tribe. But the entire journey and the small setbacks along the way made her feel like she should have given up at the beginning. Now that they were close to arriving, the option of giving up was out of reach.
William continued ahead, looking for any signs of danger in case one appeared and threatened them. Fortunately, things seemed safe and a little faster to get there. However, on the way to her house, Nella slipped as she took the next step. The boy heard her and turned to help her.
“Nella! Are you okay?!” he asked as he came to the young girl's aid.
“Yes. It seems so.” She replied, raising her hand for him to take and help her to her feet.
“We should stop for a bit and rest.”
“No. I'm fine.”
After saying that, Nella tried to move, but again she skidded from exhaustion, almost falling if it weren't for William who was next to her.
“Nella, you better rest for now.”
“William…”
Before she could continue, he scooped her up in his arms and walked over to a fallen log, placing her on it. Then he examined Nella's feet, removing her boots in the process.
With one of them removed, the two travelers noticed some redness on the heel and back of the foot. The other had the same effect. This was a sign that Nella had forced them on the journey to the place where the Great Mother is.
“That's what I figured. Let's stop for a rest and continue later.”
“But William, if we wait any longer, we might die of cold or from nocturnal beasts. Including them,” she said, frightened, as they rested on the trunk.
“We're not going to die here. Not while I'm around,” he replied, demonstrating confidence and courage to help her face this fear.
Seeing that look and his courage made her feel safe from any danger—from the night, the cold, the beasts, and the werewolves. Looking ahead, she felt a little nervous, but confident in herself and William.
“Thanks, William. I'm glad you'll be around to protect me and give me courage in difficult times,” Nella replied, smiling at him.
“You're welcome, Nella.”
Suddenly, Red decided to lift the basket to see if there was any more food. Since her mother had said they could enjoy something but that Nella should save some for the Great Mother, he went to get something light that would sustain them during their rest. At this point, he pulled out a kind of bread with a hard crust. Dora had made this in case her daughter got hungry. Breaking off a piece of the bread, Nella passed it to William. He thanked her and went to try a piece. Nella took the piece from her and ate it.
“This bread is a little hard. Could it have gone stale?” he asked, surprised by the hardness of the crust.
“Oh no, it's just like that. My mother used to make this kind of bread.”
“Cool. Is he always tough?”
“Always. But you can still use the filling if you don't like the crust.”
“No problem, Nella. It's just that I'm not used to this.”
William's comment reminded her of the time he'd said about "eating something they're no longer used to." Because of this, she asked him what he felt accustomed to that she didn't.
“William, just one question.”
“Ask away,” he said as he swallowed the piece of crumb.
“What do you mean you said about 'eating something we're no longer used to'?”
He stared straight ahead, the piece in his hand. He was a little wary of telling the whole story of his origins. Nella had no idea who he was or where he came from. But he did tell her one thing.
“Nella, I live near the forest. I wander around here often and can only find whatever nature can offer me. I eat roots, berries from the bushes and trees, eggs, and meat from creatures I hunt and catch. This has been my way of life.”
“I mean, you live on raw food from the forest and the animals you hunt?” the brown-haired girl asked, with a certain degree of eagerness.
“Yes. Although you have the ability to make fire and cook food, I have not developed any kind of illness or discomfort just from eating raw meat.”
“I wouldn't have the courage to eat that kind of meal.”
“That's why I said you've lost the habit of eating this kind of food. When you served me that rabbit soup, I wasn't really in the mood to eat it, even though you prepared it in the best way possible for someone like you.”
“Like me? In what sense, William?”
“You know, someone who lives in a human community and does things you understand. Me, I am… different from you.”
Nella wanted to ask him what he really was. But before she could, he got up to check her feet. They'd felt somewhat better after the break, but he needed to check with her if she could still continue the journey to the Great Mother's house.
“What?”
“I'm just seeing if your feet are better.”
“And how are they looking?”
“Well, see for yourself.”
Looking at them, the girl could see they were normal. But could they still support all that weight and move? Only she needed to see for herself. She stood for a minute and extended her right foot forward, followed by her left. Nella felt she could resume her journey on the Great Journey.
“Amazing! I didn't think they'd get better again, just because we spent all this time talking.”
“Yes. Who would have thought that time heals.” he replied with a humble smile.
“Yeah. Thanks, William,” she said with a smile. William was almost speechless, but he answered her.
“No need to thank me, but I appreciate the help.”
“Well, we need to go to the Great Mother's house soon. Can we?”
He agreed with his colleague. The two resumed their journey to the Great Mother's house. Everything seemed peaceful along the way. William was in front to ensure they were on the right and safe path.
Nella looked at the horizon, seeing that the sun was a little closer to the ground. She worried that the werewolves would come hunting and catch them in the open air, with nothing to defend them. Looking at the boy again, she felt safer. It felt like the time her father took her to these woods when none of this had happened. That courage emanated from his arms as he moved from one place to another. It was… comforting.
////
The journey was slowly coming to an end. Upon arrival, the two could see the Great Mother's hut, made of wood and some parts of coarse cloth. They smiled at having reached the end of a part of the Great Journey. And since William had helped her with that shortcut to this part of the forest, some of the credit for this journey would be given to him.
“See, Nella? I told you I'd take you through this shortcut. We're just in time for dusk,” the boy said, smiling.
“Sim, William.”
The two young people exchanged a brief glance just before Nella advanced toward the house. She had so many questions about what the mysterious figure the Elder and the tribal chief had mentioned was doing in the forest, how it got there, and how it had avoided attack during the time it had spent alone.
“Look, I didn't imagine how lucky I was to meet you by chance and help me with this responsibility that was placed upon me.”
“I say the same about you, Nella,” he replied, looking at her. "I didn't imagine you managed to convince me to give up on taking you back to the village you came from. Just to get here."
“Yeah. I didn't think I could do that.”
“Even though some things were difficult for you to overcome, you went ahead and managed to conquer them.”
Before entering, they gazed at the horizon for a moment. The sun was disappearing as night fell. Nella was a little scared, knowing the werewolves and creatures of the night would come out to hunt. She took a step toward the house, but William remained where he was before. This surprised her.
“William, what happened?”
“Nella, I can't go with you this time.”
That answer was frightening. How could he no longer go with her? Was there a reason for him to stay there?
“Can't? But why?”
“My part of taking you to the Great Mother's hut is already done. All that's left is for you to go there alone.”
“William, I… I don't understand,” said the Girl in Red, almost distressed to the point of tears.
Before he could leave her alone, he placed his hands on her face. “Don't worry, Nella. I guarantee no harm will come to you. Think of me when you feel any threat.” Then he kissed her forehead. It was a comforting touch, giving her some courage and strength to continue what was assigned to her on the Grand Journey. Nella closed her eyes as his lips touched her forehead, and little by little, he pulled away from her. She didn't want him to leave her alone in the forest.
She opened them again, only to see trees, snow, earth, and other things. But no William. The boy who had guided her to the Great Mother's hut was gone. The Girl in Red wanted to cry, but couldn't. It would show weakness and undermine her duty to my tribe. She wiped any tears from her eyes with a piece of her cloak and continued on to that place.
-x-
Main page where you can find available chapters (Das Mädchen in Rot):
Previous chapter:
Next chapter:
Coming soon
.jpg)
.jpg)
Comentários
Postar um comentário