All characters engaged in sexual activities in this story are over the age of 18.
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We are all told stories when we are young about the consequences of straying from the path. 'Stay on the path' they say, 'Stay on the path, or elves will snatch you away'. Or 'Don't go into the forest, because the goblins will get you if you do'. And of course, the famous, favourite and formidable, 'You'd better not stray from the pathway, or you'll be got by the Big Bad Wolf'.
Strangely though, although these tales may appear cautionary and childish, there is an element of truth to them. But the more child-friendly versions of these tales often fail to mention the exact consequences of disobedience. This story is free of such innocence-protecting censorship, and is a true tale of what might happen should one disobey and seek what lies beyond the well trodden paths.
In a cool sun-dappled clearing on the edge of the mountains, where the icy fresh meltwaters wove their way like threads through the tapestry of the lush green pine forests, there stood a village. It was not a particularly special or important village, and was on the way from nowhere to nowhere. The people there lived isolated simple lives, cocooned in a safe womb of warmth within the vast darkness of the forest around them.
But not every inhabitant of this village was happy with their life there. There were many who were perfectly content to wake, forage and fell trees in the sparse coppices all around, and then retreat to the comfort and security of their homes come nightfall. But Little Red, as she was known, was not so content to live such a boring life of monotony.
She was called Little Red mostly because of her short stature and coppery-red hair, unique amongst the predominantly blonde and brunette population. She had always been a curious girl, forever poking and testing the boundaries of her small childhood kingdom, ever enthralled and mystified by the deep darkness of the forest beyond the village borders. Her family had written such fantasies off as childish and hoped that she would one day grow beyond them and settle down with a nice local lad.
And there were many such lads in the village whom her parents may have felt suited her. Little Red was bright and pretty with a keen intelligence and strong will to rival any. As she grew up, her admittedly small frame had filled out beautifully so that she had full curvaceous hips, which flowed up to a tiny hourglass waist, before filling out again at her bosom. She had a pretty, round face with bright blue curious eyes and a cute button nose. Her lips, which were firm and pale, were often parted, as if in a look of far-away wonder.
But despite her credentials, Little Red had yet to be snatched up by any of the lanky, lumber-tossing yokels that she had grown up with. None of them had ever interested her. They were loud and boorish and altogether too unkempt for her. She didn't know what she wanted, but it was certainly more than a simple lumber-lad or farm-hand. Although many had attempted to proposition her, her complete lack of interest in their feeble attempts to woo her, combined with her rebuttals which often left them stunned and confused, had earned her something of a reputation. Now the young men mostly steered clear, afraid perhaps of her quick wit and biting tongue.
Her mother despaired at Little Red's attitude, scolding her that she would never make it in this village as a single woman and that she would surely end up a tired, old and lonely spinster if she didn't find a match soon. Little Red thought that spinsterhood sounded like a preferable alternative to being shackled to one of the boorish swine that eyed her warily from a distance. But she wanted more than that too, something exciting beyond the borders of this little provincial town. She spent a lot of her time gathering herbs and rare mushrooms at the forest's edge and often stared into its deep dark interior, as if waiting for her chance to escape.
There are other tales to tell as part of this story, but this specific tale is of what happened the night Little Red entered the forest at last.
It was a cool, clear night, the moon big and bright in the sky so that the whole world was bathed in a perfect silvery light. It was almost as bright as day for it shone so strongly, and it was the wedding of another village couple. The festivities were taking place in the centre of town and Little Red had stepped away from the noise and drinking and dancing, to come sit on her favourite log by the edge of the forest. She was wearing her best red velvet hooded cape for the celebration and it sat warmly around her shoulders. As she sat and stared out into the depths, she thought for just a moment that she saw a pair of intense yellow bright eyes staring back out at her. But then she blinked and they were immediately gone.
In that moment she was filled with a fiery curiosity. She had been told of course many times by her mother, by her father, by all family and friends that the forest was a dangerous place and who knows what might befall a vulnerable young woman who stepped out into that darkness? And of course Little Red wanted to know, wanted to know and experience it, whatever it was, more than ever.
On impulse- almost not in control of her own body- she stood and took two steps forward, her head now below the boughs of the first trees. What could be the harm of going a little way in? She could still see the lights of the village from there, and she was quite safe. She stepped forwards five more paces and looked back. There was the village, still bright and homely warm from the bonfire at the centre. The moon hung low in the sky and the forest was bright and beautifully silvery. She took two more steps, before her total darkness, behind a dwindling circle of fiery light.
With a last impulsive step, and no look backwards Little Red stepped out into the forest, and was immediately consumed by the darkness. For a moment there was total quiet, nothing stirred the night air, except, perhaps it was just her imagination, but the thin silvery sound of the moonlight alighting on the trees, like the sound of snow.
Almost ready to admit that this had been a terrible mistake, Red took a few steps back towards where she thought the village was. But after ten or more steps, she realised that she couldn't see the firelight from the bonfire. She spun around hoping to see a glimmer of it's glow between the stark wooden pillars all around her. But there was nothing, only trees, and more trees surrounding and trapping her. Her heart beat faster in her chest and the colour rushed to her cheeks as she felt her panic rise.
She stumbled blindly forwards, dashing in the darkness casting her eyes around for a faint glimmer of any human light. Even the faint silvery light of the moon was obscured by the trees and a swath of cloud, so the only light to trickle through the dense foliage above was the pinpricks of starlight shining distantly down on her. And then her foot caught on something, for a dreadful moment Little Red thought that one of the tree roots had reached up and grabbed her foot as she tumbled forwards into the dense pine brush on the ground.
She rolled and ducked, and pushed her back up against a tree, breathing heavily and grasping her red cape around her for comfort. And then she closed her eyes and wept.
