"Little Red Riding Hood"

A day later, in the boat house, Christopher got up with the intention of going to see Lily. It had been a day since they took her to her grandmother's house. He thought it would be better to let her be with her grandmother and rest for a day before he could go and see her. Perhaps she would be able to talk well after a good rest.

His mother was was also going to see for herself because all she ever knew was the incident narrated to her by her son. So she really wanted to see for herself, she could not believe it when she heard that Lily was really back. And so she was more impatient to see her.

They walked to Tabitha's house since it wasn't that far from the boat house. By this time the whole neighborhood had already got word of what was happening.

Judging from the fearful shock that the two fishermen who were with Chris and his father got, they probably relayed a different kind of version to the story of Lily's return.

Chris even heard some people passing by gossiping about their versions of how Lily was found. But Chris lost it when he heard some neighbors speak so ill of Lily. " I hear that bastard child is back to haunt our town, they say she was found hiding behind some rocks by the shore and her clothes were drenched in blood," a tall man spoke staring fearfully.

Everybody surrounding him gasped and murmured in disbelief.

Then a woman among them carrying a basket with bread in it moved a little closer to the little group and spoke in a whisper, " She must have killed someone that evil child," everyone gasped again and looked at her.

She spat on the ground and continued, " don't you all remember her mother passing shortly after she was taken to live with her?

She must have killed her, that devil child. I never liked her even as a little girl, always pretending to be quiet and you never know what evil thoughts she has in that little skull of hers.."

Before she could continue Chris interrupted and shouted in a loud stern voice, "enough! None of you really saw her or what she looked like when she got here. Instead of going about your day minding your own business, you all gather here to spread rumors about an innocent girl who has finally found her way back home?

You don't know what dangers she might have faced on her way back here. And I was there when we found her, and trust me you wouldn't have survived it if you were in her place. You should all find something better to do with your lives than gossip about someone probably young enough to be your child."

Christopher's mother followed Chris hurriedly after she bitterly looked at the people who were now dispersing to various directions feeling embarrassed of their actions.

One even forgot where he was going before and looked around in a confused manner. Christopher's mother shook her head and walked along with Chris.

Chris and his mother finally got to Tabitha's house. Chris took a deep breath and exhaled sharply and then knocked on the door. Before he could knock again, Tabitha came to the door and let them in. She was happy to see them and she directed them to the dinning room and said they were just in time for breakfast.

Lily didn't seem to hear them coming in and so she didn't give a reaction as she was just getting down from her room for breakfast. She asked her grandmother what they were having and her grandmother smiled enthusiastically signaling her to look at the dinning area.

By the time she understood what her grandmother was trying to mean, Chris and his mother were already giggling looking at her. She looked towards their direction and cleared her voice in composure.

She then walked towards them and greated them.

Her sudden seriousness was interrupted by Chris's Mom who stood up the moment her eyes settled on Lily.

"Poor child," her eyes watered as she walked towards where Lily was standing. She moved close to her and lifted her hands slowly to touch her face. She held her face and while breaking down, she pulled her in for a hug. She sobbed as she consoled her of all the things she had to go through all by herself.

Lily was not so much shocked by Christopher's Mom's reaction. She knew her to be a very emotional person even when she was still a kid. Anything slight would move her to tears. Lily rubbed her back sofltly and smiled slightly as she patted her back gently.

"I am alright auntie," Lily said sweetly as she pulled her from her embrace. She held her hand and led her back to her seat. Before she could also join then and pull a seat, Chris cleared his voice and looked down. He immediately then looked at Lily and their eyes met.

He stuttered confusedly shifting his gaze from Lily to his mother, " I... I think something is stuck in my throat.."

Lily looked at him and felt guilty of not acknowledging his presence and with a low steady voice she cleared her throat and then spoke looking at him, " pardon me Christopher, auntie's hug got me a little emotional and distracted."

Chris got even more uneasy the moment Lily spoke to him. And he couldn't seem to break off from the eye contact, or maybe he did not want to. How could he stop looking at those beautiful eyes of hers, those eyes that could capture even the meanest of creatures and tame them for a second.

Lily looked away then shifted and focused on the table that was set. She served herself a little helping of the pancakes that looked so delicious and they all ate with an awkward silence. They both wanted to question Lily of what really happened to her but none of them seemed to have the guts to do it.

However, no timing was ever perfect so with hesitation in his voice, Chris directed his question to Lily, " What actually happened out there? Did someone attack you or try to drown you? And where have you been all this while?"

Tabitha who had already joined them eyed Chris and waited impatiently for what Lily had to say. They all wanted to know so bad what had happened. So there was another awkward silence in the room but this time the mood was tense.

Lily kept eating as if those questions were not that disturbing. She was the only one comfortably eating. " I was exploring the woods when I was a little girl and I heard something..." She hesitated then continued, " I got scared and before I could go check it out, I saw a deer run across the woods but before it could run further an arrow was shot.

I got scared and I couldn't move. The next time I moved I was in some little hunter village. For years I tried escaping from the hunter who abducted me and kept me locked up.

I warmed up to him later on and he started lowering his guard. To him I was a daughter who was given to him by the woods as a gift.

It was only the other day I succeeded to escape after him letting me tag along with the people sailing to get on this other side of the ocean and I remembered this side was my hometown.

I wasn't quite sure how I was going to escape but that evening there were massive waves that rocked the boat and the few people I was with fell in.

It wasn't long until I also fell in but it wasn't that far deep into the ocean so I tried swimming but it seems like the waves had other plans, so Chris found me. I finally managed to escape."

Silence followed in the room as everyone was taking in what they just heard. They could not believe what Lily had to go through. Lily got a little uncomfortable and excused herself to get some air. She walked outside and locked the door behind her. Chris got up to follow her but he was stopped by his mother.

Lily kept walking until she was a little further from her house and any person walking by. She then checked if there were any people around and the moment the surrounding was clear, she vanished and appeared near the woods. It wasn't that far from where she lived but it was a good distance away.

"That story you gave back there was quite moving," Titus spoke from behind her. " It was your idea," Lily replied. "It was good enough, believable." After the little conversation between them, it was quiet again and Lily moved by herself through the forest.

She looked around time to time but didn't change the direction that she was heading to, which was leading her deeper into the woods.

She suddenly halted at once and her eyes turned pitch black, she turned her head a little to her left but didn't turn her whole body. She stretched her fingers and was just about make a move then she suddenly stopped.

She heard movements from behind her. " Uhm hello," a voice came from behind her. Her pitch black eyes suddenly shifted to her normal blue eyes. She then blinked and turned around.

She was intending to speak the moment she turned around but she couldn't form the words perfectly after what she saw. It was a young man. He stared at her curiously just the same way she did him.

For a moment it seemed like they were studying each other. She looked at his brown beautiful eyes that had a sharp focus in them. His dark brown hair that had lazy trails on his forehead falling a little lower to his right side eye looked so perfectly hot.

Lily's lips trembled slightly as she scanned his body, he wore a pair of black pants and a loose fitting grey tshirt. The slight wind that blew in the forest revealed his well packed muscles that left Lily zoned out.

Handsome was an understatement, he was built like a god. At this time Leo was scratching his head looking cluelessness at the lady who was still staring at him.

"Hey forest fairy, are you a forest fairy?" He waved in front of her face to bring her focus back. He chuckled slightly and started walking towards her and stopped a few yards away.

"Is that your way of calling me pretty," Lily spoke. " No not at all, pretty fairies don't roam these kinds of woods, you are the scary type of fairy," Leo responded cheekily then chuckled.