Dante's Story--Hansel and Gretel prelude

Dante’s Story (The prelude to Hansel and Gretel)


"Well, well!" said an old woman, peering out with a crafty look. "And haven't you children a sweet tooth?"
"Come in! Come in, you've nothing to fear!" went on the old woman. Unluckily for Hansel and Gretel, however, the sugar candy cottage belonged to an old witch, her trap for catching unwary victims. The two children had come to a really nasty place.
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         Crouched down in the corner of my room, I began to cry. Glancing down, I see my worn leather boots covered in a fine layer of dust. My trembling bloodied hands lift towards my ears to stop the screaming, only to halt halfway. Pain sears through my arms as I try to break free from the chains that enslave me to my bedpost. Cries of pain and torture continue to penetrate my ears, and any counter screaming I do can't stop it. Suddenly, a bloodied bony young boy walks through the door and collapses onto me. The last thing I remember is a great pain shooting through my head as a large shoe squishes my crown into the rusted metal ground; I fall into unconsciousness.
         “Dante!” I can hear my voice being called. “Dante!” the voice grows louder and louder. Abruptly, I’m awoken into consciousness. What I see before me would make the boldest of men scream, but I hold my tongue. Looking up, I am faced with a pair of scrawny legs encompassed in a thick layer of mud; my eyes continue to move upwards. Long scraggly arms rest by his side, and black wavy hair flows around his ears. I begin to search for his eyes, but in their place lay two lumps of swelling bloodied skin. I let out a stifled yelp.
         “What’s wrong? Through chapped lips, the sound of a boy’s voice reaches my ears.
As I throw my arms around the boy's neck, I almost scream, “August!”
“What did he do to you?” I whisper. Catching a glimpse of his buried eyes, I am relieved they aren’t completely gone.

“It’s nothing, I'm fine” He looks down, or at least I think he looks down.

“No! Don’t tell me its fine August! Ever since our parents died and we were put into foster care, nothing has ever been fine!”

“Keep your voice down Dante.” he whispers into my ear. I can smell traces of aged blood as he continues to talk. “There is nothing we can do Dante. Every time we try to run away, they always catch us!”
“No, not this time!” I almost whimper. I move to the corner of the room and sit on the edge of the stiff unmade bed. There is only one bed for the two of us to share, so most nights, the two of us end up wrapped around each other trying to keep the intolerable coldness out. “We can do it this time.”  I look to the corner of the room where spider webs have formed on the stained white walls. I feel the warmth of August as he sits down beside me.
“Okay, but first let’s get some sleep.” August begins to crawl into bed and I squeeze in beside him.
“Tomorrow we will find a way out.” Tears form in my eyes and I lay my head down on his chest and fall asleep to the thumping of his heart.

         The next thing I know, I'm lying on the floor in a dark dank lifeless room. I sit puzzled and perplexed, until I hear a resounding click bounce around the walls and then finally reach my ears.
A high squeaky male voice comes onto what I think is an intercom.
“Do you really think we are fools? We heard your plans for tonight,” the voice says. I stay quiet. “You and your brother have tried to leave this place for years, why?” I still don’t respond. Tears form in my eyes.  “Why!” his voice grows more intense.

“Why don’t you take a look at my brothers face and you tell me why!” I yell absently into the darkness. There is a long pause and then a large wooden door opens and two men with long black sticks enter. The man from the intercom comes back on,

“If you want to leave, fine, that’s what you’ll get.” The two men come down on me and beat me as if they were trained to hit people for a living.  Thump, Thump, Thump. I begin to black out; the thumping continues.
In a Dazed and Perplexing state of mind, I awake. For a minute, I lay on the stiff bed as the thumping continues. Finally, I realize my head is rested on August's chest, and the thumping is that of his heart. “August,” I shake him lightly. He stirs a little and I shake him again. “August, we need to go!” Sitting up straight he looks at me with his puffy red eyes and nods his head. Slowly, we both sneak towards the door when it opens slowly, revealing a continuous trickle of light. While in mid step, August and I try to retrace our steps back to our bed, but it’s too late.

Standing in front of us is a tall slender young man with long thick wavy blond hair and a straight pointed nose. His eyes are Pure black. An umbrella is hooked neatly around his scrawny arm, and a black top hat sits crookedly on his head. The almost too big (uniformed) clothes he is wearing -- even though they would be able to fit a starving child -- tells me he is one of the foster cares escorts. But what sets him apart from the other escorts is his peculiar shade of light olive green skin. Before we have time to say anything, he is grabbing us by the scruff of our necks down a flight of stairs and through a chain of corridors. Before we reach wherever he is taking us to, he bends down and whispers into our ears. “Don't protest, you’ll make things much easier for me,” he speeds through his words as he half carries half drags us down another flight of stairs. That voice, I think to myself. I've heard it before, almost like in a dream far off. August and I both glance at each other wondering if they are going to beat us again like they did last night. Maybe they found out about our plans, or perhaps they know we stole extra food rations last week. Before I'm able to get out of this man’s death grip on my neck, his weight shifts, hitting a pressure point on our neck. Both August and I let out a squeal as we pass through a wide open room and head towards two large Painted white doors. The other two guards don’t stop the man, but instead let out a few snickers and give a few cruel winks. As we reach the doors and they are opened, a blinding light causes both August and I to squint; I finally realize that we have been transported to the outside world.
The sweet smell of fresh air reaches my nostrils, and I remember how long I’ve longed to be outside. It's been almost 2 months since I have last seen trees, or grass, or the sound of birds singing their joyous tunes. When I'm able to almost see completely, I finally feel that the man’s grip upon me has left.
I look over to see August reading a note, and I bend over to read it also.

Dear Dante and August,
I have learned about the many treacheries that have caused the both of you so much pain. I am offering to help you, by releasing you to the outside world, and by this, allowing your freedom. You must never speak of my kindness towards you, for I fear my job. Oh, and one more thing: If you do decide to take this opportunity to run away, whatever you do, don’t go through the woods; there are many dangers out there that could harm two Innocent little children. Remember, trust your conscience!
Sincerely: Jiminy J. Cricket

I can’t help but smile.

“Who names their child Jiminy J. Cricket?” August beats me to it.

“I don’t know,” I smile back. “But if we want to get out of here before they catch us, we better get a move on.” I head off in the direction of the forest.

“But Wait!” August protests and walks closer towards me. “Remember what that guy said?”
I turn around.

“And you’re going to trust a guy named Jiminy!” I can’t help myself from laughing.

“I'm just kidding big sis,” he says. Suddenly he is shooting past me towards the forest like a dart.
“I just wanted to beat you there!”

“Over my dead body!” I run after him.

A few hours later of roaming around in the forest, we stop to let our legs rest. I sit on a tree stump and gesture August to do the same; he sits on a stump beside me. Just after August sits down, an arrow goes whizzing over his head. We both hit the dirt sodden ground, and as I’m falling, another arrow fly’s over my head, this time, I follow its path. Laying twenty feet away from me is a giant bloodstained deer. I watch its sad brown eyes close and breathe its last. I catch the emerging attacker off guard as I run and jump, pummelling the person to the ground. Lifting a hood, I reveal a man’s face. I stare in awe at his beauty, and I realize he is staring back at me too.

“And what might I owe to you on this fine evening?” the man smiles as he talks. I can’t help but notice the handsome features of his face. Short brown hair with nice tanned skin, and a stubbly black beard. His eyes are bright orange and his teeth are pure white. He looks to be about twenty; 4 years older than me, and 6 years older than my little brother.

“What’s your name?” I ask him.

“Robin” he replies “And may I ask that you get off of me?” He smirks.

“Oh! I'm so sorry” I Stand up while blushing.

“Get away from my sister!” August finally has overcome the shock of being shot at.

“It's okay August,” I respond. He backs off after sending a menacing scowl in Robin’s direction.

“What’s your name?” He asks me.

“I'm Dante, and my brother over there is August,” I give a sarcastic bow.

“Are you hungry?” He smiles revealing his perfect white teeth.

“I Thought I just told you my name!” I say jokingly.

Robin and August decide to do some bonding and prepare a fire together; we eat deer meat in silence. I start up conversation with Robin as soon as August is asleep.

I find out about Robins home life, and learn that he too had run away from his foster family at about the same age as me.

“I've been hunting alone in the forest ever since.” He ends his story.

Where did you learn to hunt?” I ask him.

“My father taught me at a young age, and it’s been a hobby of mine for as long as I can remember. Did you know your father very well?” He asks.

“No' I respond solemnly. “My father and mother died when I was just a baby”

“Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't know,” he utters with a cracked voice.

“It’s okay,” I try to smile. An awkward silence passes between us before Robin speaks up again.

“I love you Dante.” I almost fall of my stump in shock.

“Wh...What?” I stammer.

“I Love you Dante.” He walks around the fire towards me. I stand up and back away from him.

“How do you love me? I've known you less than a day! And besides, what is there to love” I sit back down.

“Don't talk like that Dante. I know we hardly know each other, but When I saw you,” He pauses and I wait. “You were different. Don’t get me wrong, I love your long flowing golden hair, your freckled nose, your eyes as silver as the moon, and even your cute little dimples when you smile. I don’t know what’s overcome me but there is something different about you, almost like…” 

“Magic,” I complete his sentence.

“I felt it too, when I saw you laying on the ground,” the words surge from my mouth. By this time, I am smiling. Walking towards him, I gaze into his bright orange eyes and press his hands into mine. His sweet warm breath on my cheek gives me a tingly sensation. I lean up, pressing my body against his, and our lips meet. We stay locked together for what seems like a precious moment, but I never want to leave. His lips are moist and gentle; my first kiss. I have always been afraid of kissing someone before, because I knew they might reject me, but this feels right.  We part from each other, and as he kisses my forehead, I lay down by my brother in the dead of the night, slowly drifting away to the sound of the crackling fire. My dreams are twisted and contorted.
It seems like I'm in another world. In my dream, I'm surrounded by candy; chocolate, sweets, anything you can name is there. Robin and August are nowhere to be seen. Finding a table full of pastries and a wild assortment of baked goods, I begin to lift a cupcake to my mouth, when the weird cricket dude- whom he said his name was jiminy- burst forth through my mind.

“You don't want to eat that Dante. If you try to eat it, you shall be cursed for all eternity.” I hear him say, but his voice is clearer to me now, it sounds like my own. I ignore him, and soon his pestering fades off like a long lost conscience. I lift the luscious blue and red pastry to my mouth. I try to take a bite, but I’m unable to open my mouth around it. I grow hungrier, as my desire to eat intensifies. Precipitously, my body is transformed into a ghastly snarling brown wolf.
         
I'm awoken in a cold damp sweat, only to be staring up at the menacing beast of my dream.
“Run Dante!” Someone tells me; I realize that it's Robin. To my horror -- as I prepare to run for my life -- I catch a glimpse of a disfigured boy lying beside me; my brother. Tears swell in my eyes as I run for my life. Blinded by twigs and trees, I make my way through the forest. “I Love you Dante,” are the last words I hear from Robin, as I trip over a log and black out. Awoken, I scan the surroundings upon where I’ve been placed. I’m in a room, a room I’ve seen before. My dream has come true, or shall I say, my nightmare has come true. The house is pure sugar, and delicacies are set on tables around the house. I try leaving the house in many different ways, through the doors, the windows, and even the chocolate chimney, but I'm trapped.
Drenched in my own blood, from the cuttings on my arms, I sob in the corner of the living room. I welcome death, but I am unwelcomed back. My mind goes numb, and I try to remember why the wolf appeared, and why my nightmare came true, but no logical explanation can explain these events. The only thing I can think of, is “Magic.”

Many years pass, and I’ve not been able to eat a thing since before my captivity in this accursed home; leaving is not an option. My vision fades and my memories of Robin and August Have long since passed, until now. Two children show up at my candy house hungry and tired. I too am starved, and the curse causes me to crave human flesh.  The children spark a memory of my brother and me as children, and I’m able to recognize that they are orphaned children with no mother or father in sight. Painful thoughts of my long lost loved Robin and my dear old brother remind me of all the pain I grew up with, I know that the best way to help these children is to put them out of their misery. Hobbling over to the massive wood oven, I warm it up. After a while of watching them eat parts of my candy house through the window, I slowly open the door. "Well, well!" I say, peering out with a crafty look. "And haven't you children a sweet tooth?"

"Come in! Come in, you've nothing to fear!" I gesture for them to come in. Looking them over, I know I am doing the right thing, but then again, I lost my conscience long ago. I give a devious smile revealing two missing front teeth. I lock the two children in a cage, their names are Hansel and Gretel.