The inspiration for this piece came from a picture of a woman dressed in running clothes including a red hoodie. It clicked to do a modern retelling of the Red Riding Hood story. I allowed the characters to run free, and I took several liberties, but I hope you'll enjoy the results.
To Marc for pushing me to write it
Chapter 1
My eyes tracked her as she warmed up at the head of the jogging trail. My body stayed still and silent, only my eyes moved. From this vantage point I would be able to see her for the first quarter mile before the trail curved out of sight. Then I'd creep back into the brush and navigate to my next observation post.
I've been watching runners and hikers for years. They come here onto my land to escape the confines of the city. They skirt the edge of the wilderness, just enough to brag to their drinking buddies that they are adventurous. They tell stories as if they're the next Bear Grylls staring in Man vs. Wild. But they always stay to the path, falsely secure in their impenetrable bubble of safety. They never feel my eyes on them. They have evolved beyond the pricking of their neck hairs and no longer fear the dark. In their world they'd vanquished the dark with their streetlights, lamps and night lights. They illuminate everything so they can see what was coming for them. But in doing so, they've lost the primal reactions of their ancestors who knew when a predator watched.
I crouched down into position, keeping low with the scrub. I knew I would see her soon. In the quiet of the early morning I could just make out her labored breathing and the sound of the tread of her running shoes gripping the packed dirt of the jogging trail. When she entered my line of vision, my breath caught in my throat. She was exquisite. I've been here in this spot hundreds of times watching her, and her beauty always takes me by surprise. Her voluptuous body was incongruous with her athleticism. She'd never be one of the willowy lean runners; her DNA wouldn't allow it. Her rounded hips swayed seductively. Each stride with a rhythm that beckoned to me. Her breasts held me captive. The way they bounced with each of her footfalls, even hindered by a sports bra. I clinched my hands to keep myself from jumping out and taking her now.
I think of her as "Red" even though she's actually blonde. She wears something red every day. The evenings I shadowed her from her apartment, I noticed it right away. A scarf, jewelry or shoes, there was always something red. Most of the time it was obvious, but a few times I'd had to search for it. I've dreamed of peeling her out of her clothes to find red panties hidden beneath.
Winter was quickly moving into Spring, but today the temperatures had dipped with a last nod to the colder climate. She wore my favorite: a body hugging red hoodie. She must have known today would be special, and my cock began to stir in anticipation. I knew there wasn't time for that, at least not yet. My timing had to be perfect and I couldn't allow distractions.
She averages just over a nine minute mile. I know because I've clocked her. Monday mornings she takes a little longer, but I can understand that. I move a little slower on Mondays, too. The trail she runs is a five mile loop. Her furthest point out into the woods away from other trails is just near the two mile mark. That's where I'll take her.
I reached the final watch spot with time to spare. I pulled the rifle from its shoulder strap and got into stance. The stock was cold against my cheek, but it helped to calm my racing heart. I took a deep breath in, and then another, clearing my mind of everything but gun and target. I couldn't afford to miss. I didn't think of Red as a woman, right now she's the mark. No different than a buck or a boar. I'm hunter; she's prey.
Chapter 2
I took aim and squeezed the trigger. The tranquilizer dart pieced her upper thigh and she stumbled with the shock and sting of the impact. She went down hard on her knee and looked at the dart hanging from her leg. I could tell by her slowed movements that the drug was already working. But I didn't want to give her a chance to cry out. The trails were mostly empty this early in the morning, but I didn't want anyone to hear a distress call.
Slinging the tranquilizer rifle back over my shoulder, I stepped out onto the path and hurried to her side. She looked up into my eyes, her eyes wide with panic. She glanced down at my Ranger uniform and her eyes softened with relief. Her mouth opened as if to speak, but her tongue was already slowed from the drug and her voice came out muffled.
"Easy," I said. "Let's get you out of here."
I picked her up, cradling her against my body. Her head fell against my shoulder and I took just a second to breathe in her scent before stepping back into the woods and heading toward my cabin. I had only taken a few steps before her breathing smoothed out and she went completely under.
I still keep my apartment in town, but I prefer to stay in the cabin. This past month I'd spent too much time in the city. I've been following Red, learning her habits, her friends, and where she worked. I knew I'd take her from here, the home field advantage, but I had to pick a day that would give me the most time before anyone noticed she'd disappeared. I'd overheard her talking to a friend that she was taking off Friday to run errands. With a little luck no one would report her missing until she didn't show up to work on Monday. By then the trail would be cold, and I'd have plenty of time to scout back and remove any evidence.
Even if the police do come sniffing around here, as a Ranger I'll be in on the investigation. The city police wouldn't search these woods without utilizing the resources of the park services. I'd be in a position to know the progression of the investigation and be able to sway it accordingly.
I'd been working on enhancing my wolves den for a few years now. With just more than 400 square miles of National Forest, there are plenty of out of the way places and I found the perfect spot in a small natural cave. I'd built up a camouflage around the entrance making it virtually invisible unless you knew it was there. It's close to the river, but not enough to be seen by those enjoying water sports. At only four miles away from the nearest hiking trail and more than ten miles from the campgrounds, its location was close enough to make it easily accessible but far enough away it was private.
The most challenging addition to my cave was to outfit it with a cage. I'd spent weeks hauling the equipment needed and several more to assemble and build it. The end result was certainly worth all the effort. I had an 8 x 12 cell furnished with a military cot.
I stepped into the enclosure and laid Red on the bed. I stood staring down at her and wondered how long she'd be under. I used the darts we keep at the Ranger station for smaller animals, but it would be a waiting game to see how long it would take her to surface from the effects of the drug. I removed her shoes and attached the red leather wrist and ankle cuffs that I'd special ordered just for her. I knew she'd love the color.
In all likelihood it would be awhile before she'd wake, and I had a list of things to do. I emptied her pockets, took her car key and cell phone. I took one last look at her before I walked out of the cell. I shut the door and clicked the pad lock shut. I didn't fuck her yet. I didn't want her unconscious. When I'm inside her, I want her to know it.
She drove a red Mini Cooper. It was a flashy little car and I would be noticeable driving one in my Ranger uniform. I changed into street clothes and headed back to the park entrance.
I had picked out a place in town to abandon the car. I wore gloves, but I wiped it down anyway. I also did a quick check for any trace I may have left. I wasn't too worried about debris from the park, because she did run there every morning. But my hair would be harder to explain if found by law enforcement.
I'd locked a bicycle a few blocks away and was happy to see it still there. I rode back to my apartment, locked the bike inside and drove my motorcycle back to the Ranger station in time for work.
Chapter 3
I arrived back at the cave just before nightfall. She was still out of it. I didn't think she was a good enough actress to be faking it, but I wasn't taking any chances. I walked around the cage to the back corner where the cot was placed. I reached in through the bars and checked her pulse. Slow and steady, she was still under the drug's influence.
I unlocked the door and tossed the keys along with the lock across the room onto my bed. I entered the cell and knelt down beside her. I freed her hair from the braid and fanned out the blonde waves around her shoulders. It was as soft as I'd imagined it would feel. I ran my fingers through the thick mass of it. I unzipped her hoodie and spread it open. She had on a white t-shirt with red stitching and her jogging pants were black with red piping along the sides. I wanted to know if I was right about her panties and hooked my fingers under the waistband of her pants and slid them down her legs.
A little red cotton triangle was the only thing separating her pussy from my view. My cock had been rousing but now jumped to attention. If I was going to keep from fucking her now, I needed to put some distance between us. But I wanted to see more of her. I removed her hoodie and t-shirt. Her red sports bra would be more difficult to get off so I pulled out my pocket knife and cut the offending material away from her magnificent breasts. They spilled into my hands in gratitude of being released from their bindings. They were heavy in my hands. The creamy white mounds of her breasts were capped in dark pink nipples that tightened from being exposed to the chill in the air. My fingers kneaded into her tits and my cock was now straining against my pants.
I put her hoodie back on her, but didn't zip it up. I removed the jogging pants and left her panties in place. I took her arms and positioned them above her head and pushed her hands through the bars. I took a lock from my pocket and threaded it through the O-rings on her wrist cuffs and clicked it into place. When she woke up I didn't want there to be any doubt of why she's here. The sooner she understands that the easier it will go for her.
I took a moment to leer at her as she was splayed out before me. With her hands shackled behind her head, it pulled the jacket open enough so that her breasts were bared. Her hair spilled down and over her shoulders almost brushing against her hardened nipples that peeked out. In this stretched position it accentuated her flat belly that was exposed all the way down to her panties. The red of the material that framed her breasts and covered her pussy accentuated her alabaster skin. She was perfection.
I reluctantly tossed a blanket over her and locked up her enclosure. Then I set about starting a fire and getting my dinner ready.
I had just finished eating when I heard the first sounds of her stirring. She would be disoriented and probably a little nauseous as she was coming up out of the fog from the drugs.
I stood outside the bars and watched her face as she came back into herself. It was gradual at first with just a few moans and her head slowly moving from side to side. She struggled against the restraints still half under and seemed confused about why her hands weren't working. When her eyes did finally open, she looked up at her wrists and saw them bound around a prison bar.
She strained against her cuffs. Because I'd left her legs free, she was able to tuck her feet up underneath her and sit up. But once she'd moved into a more vertical position the blanket slid down to her waist baring her breasts. She looked down and saw her state of undress and yanked harder against her bindings. Her breasts swayed with her jerky movements and I sucked in air.
At my noise she turned her head and we locked eyes. Hers widened in recognition and she took several shallow quick breaths. My gaze dropped back to her tits. She turned her body and tried to cover herself with her arms. "Who are you? Why am I here?" she demanded.
I didn't answer her. The first question didn't matter and as for the second, she already knew the answer. And if she didn't, she would find out soon enough.
I opened the door to her cage and stepped inside. She scooted back further against the corner of the cell. "Don't come any closer or I'll scream," she threatened.
I took hold of the blanket, pulled it off of her and tossed it to the floor. Her arms started to shake, and I was sure it wasn't from the cold.
"Face forward," I said.
