LIttle Red Hunting Wood: Red's Revenge

Little Red Hunting Hood: Red's Revenge

         “Oh my God, that was so amazing,” Red said with an afterglow filled tone, rolling over on the bed.
         “Yea I know, I am pretty damn good, at least that’s what they tell me,” the logger retorted placing his hands behind his neck.
         As the two lay cuddled in bed drifting off to sleep a loud crash awakened them.  Quickly Red rushed to her grandmother’s room, her lithe form racing down the hallway, her damp auburn hair trailing behind her. As Red entered her grandmother’s room, she was confronted by the one thing she feared most, Raziel.
         “Hey!” Red shouted
         “Grrr,” Raziel began to bear his teeth growling through the cuspids.
         “That won’t work on me again you infernal animal,” Red said her green eyes turning red with anger.
         At that moment, things in Red's life would change, and maybe not for the better. Red pierced the eyes of Raziel, their eyes locked, his greens eyes glistening and her green eyes fading into the insurmountable fear she was experiencing. Raziel looked down at grandma, and up at Red--his jaws elongated, his teeth pointy and sharp. One fatal move was all it took, Raziel clamped down on grandma’s neck, shaking his head ferociously like a feral animal devouring his prey.
****
         Red was like most 20-something women her age, at times she was reckless, always going after the bad boys and the rebels, never settling down with what her grandmother thought were proper gentlemen. Red and her grandmother never got along, it was not until the death of her mother that Red came to realize that the only person who truly loved her in this world was her grandmother. Red’s father worked at a nuclear testing facility just outside her home city of Kernshaw in the province state of Dysenia. During the worst invasion of the century, the United States divided for the final time due to the carnage and inexorable amount of bodies caused by an infestation of rabid wolves, carrying with them diseases and incurable illnesses. As a result of this invasion, the states that were left became their own governing nations and within it each resident was responsible for nothing. 
Red’s mother was the town’s horticulturalist and the towns medicine woman. She was enlisted to make salves and treatments for the wounds of the fallen men and women, but to no avail, the population of the US slowly started to cease. Red’s mother also owned a little store front in the middle of town; where she did all of her work, she knew plants inside and out. One night after the store had closed; a man came in looking for something out of the ordinary.
         “I am sorry sir, but I am closing soon,” Morgana said politely.
         “I need some wolfsbane and henbane, preferably before the next full moon,” the man said in a monotone.
         “I don’t think I have any in stock, but I will go check. Please wait right here,” Morgana said walking away. Morgana began contemplating why the man needed these two herbs and in such a hurry, the next full moon was tonight.
         “Sir, I am sorry but all I have is one sprig of wolfsbane and one sprig of henbane, will that be enough?” Morgana asked rummaging through her herb collection.
         “It will suffice,” the man responded harshly.
         Ringing the total and taking the man’s money, Morgana closed the store. Before turning around, she heard a faint growl and started panicking. Slowly turning around she was met with a pack of wolves, blood thirsty and hungry.
***
           “No!” Red shouted running towards her grandmother
         “Red, duck down!” The logger commanded charging the wolf with his ax cutting him just above the ribcage.
         “I will come for you again Red be sure of it,” Raziel said with a whimper jumping through the window and disappearing into the night.
“Where the hell have you been? And only wounding him, how could you be so careless?” Red asked in between tears. Having seen her grandmother ripped to shreds just moments before almost being eaten herself.
         “Sorry kid, didn't hear your cry until it was too late, you’re lucky I got here at all,” the logger said, cleaning the wolf's blood from his ax.
         The wolf's blood was only the beginning of the problems facing this world. This particular wolf decimated an entire population; his disease ridden cronies, his insatiable appetite and blood lust over ruling that of any preclusion; always salivating over the next kill, methodical and elusive, some have said invincible that is until now.
         “Why you good-for-nothing-son-of-a-” Red stopped. Looking the logger up and down, sizing his worth with her eyes. Grabbing the bread knife from the kitchen table, slowly placing it behind her back, Red crept beside the logger, thanking him for helping her; noticing the pool of blood from the wolf.
         “I'm sorry I'm so upset, you know almost being eaten and all, tends to frazzle one's nerves.”  Red began to say, moving the knife from behind her back; the scent of blood, thick in the air.
         “No worries, kid. Well I've got to get going.” The logger said making his way to the door.
         “Yes, I suppose you do have to go.” Red said in a maniacal tone.
         With the logger's back turned away from Red, something inside of her snapped. She felt a rush of adrenaline and a pause of fear. With one fatal strike, Red lunged towards the neck of the logger, plunging the knife deep and quickly removing it, blood splattering everywhere. Before falling to the floor, the logger took his ax and chopped Red's forearm off, leaving only a nub.
         Screaming in agony, trying to stop the bleeding, Red gazed down at the logger, gasping for air. Kneeling beside him, Red noticed her grandmothers’ mini Tommy gun she kept taped under the kitchen table next to a roll of silver bullets, should she need them. Affixing the gun to her missing forearm with nothing but kitchen twine, ace bandages and some luck, she began loading the first round of bullets, and laughing.
         “Now you know what it feels like to be helpless.”
         As the last breath of life exited the logger's body, Red looked around for something to put on her naked body; not wanting to go hunting without being clothed; Red picked up the kitchen knife, wiping off the loggers’ blood.
“Just for insurance,” Red said as she began to get dressed.
         After the final of the wolf invasions the entire population of Dysenia was decimated; the capital, and the surrounding villages. Nothing but desolation, bones, and broken dreams, remained.
         Red, The logger and Grandma were the three sole survivors, and the reason Raziel was hell bent on killing them. They were the only ones with the means to destroy him. Raziel, the leader of the Osiris clan of werewolves, so named due to the similarities between the elite group of non-shape shifting anthropomorphic beings,and their namesake. These humans whose conversion was sealed after a nuclear reactor exploded thereby preventing Raziel and anyone he turned from shape shifting into their human form.
         “Mark my words Raziel, I will catch you and when I do, I will send you straight to hell where you belong,” Red said lacing the final grommet of her leather high heel boots and wrapping her body in the coil of silver bullets.
         Gazing out the window, the silvery moon hanging high in the night sky, Red began contemplating her first mode of attack. She did some of her best hunting at night; nothing standing in her way; after all, humanity ceased to exist. With revenge engulfing within her soul, Red took to the street.
         Swinging her leather coat around her slender body, blocking herself from the rain, the hunt began. Slithering like a snake on the prowl, Red perused the dark rainy alley's in search of her first victim, only to be met with a faction of loyal and angry werewolves.
         “We have been looking for you Red,” Demarcus said bearing his teeth, foam dripping in between the cuspids.
         “Oh really, did you miss me?” Red said yielding her gatling gun, pointing it at Demarcus' head.
         “You could never kill me, and you know it. If I hadn't been in that nuclear hotspot, I would still be your father.” Demarcus said continuing to bear his teeth at Red.
         “But you would still be a killer, and that is something I do not associate with.” Red said cocking her gun, “Be sure to hello to Raziel when you meet him in hell, he'll be joining you shortly.” Grinning, Red fired a shot at Demarcus, watching him fall to the ground groaning, the other wolves scattered with their tails between their legs.
         Four down, only three-hundred-thousand to go, Red thought reticently to herself. Not knowing what was lurking around the next corner excited Red, the thrill of the fight and the resolution she would feel when she finally killed Raziel, enacting revenge for the death of her grandmother just fueled the flame of adrenaline through her body.
         “Is that the best you've got, you can't even shoot like your grandmother, that is a disgrace.” Demarcus said slowly getting up from the ground.
         “What the hell, I shot you, I didn't miss did I?” Red whispered to herself, hoping Demarcus would not hear her.
         “I can't believe I once called you my daughter.” Demarcus taunted Red with his words.
         Red stood eye to eye with Demarcus, feelings of her childhood stirring in the back of her mind, feelings of uselessness her father always instilled within her. She knew this was her chance to get her revenge on the one person that never loved her. Looking around for a vantage point from which to escape, she thought to herself that is just what my father would want, his little girl always running away from him, always afraid of standing up for herself, well not this time.
         “Demarcus, where is Raziel?” Red demanded
         “Raziel? Like I am going to tell you that, he is my best friend, and has been for quite some time, why I would sell him out?” Demarcus laughed, knowing Red would never pursue her questioning.
         “I am not going to ask again, where the hell is Raziel? Tell me or you will regret it!” Red started to get irritated and all inhibitions for not attacking her father were starting to wither rapidly.
         “I will take that secret to my grave,” Demarcus said confidently.
         “As you wish,” Red said running towards Demarcus, drawing the bread knife from behind her, the tip positioned with the neck of Demarcus. The two rolled around and in the heat of battle, Red lodged the knife into the neck of Demarcus, thrusting violently, cutting each tendon that secured his neck to his shoulders, finally ripping his head off,  breathing violently.
         “That is for disrespecting me, ” Red said flinging Demarcus' head to the side, “And that is for lying to me.” Red, covered in the blood of Demarcus, and scratches from the fight, affixed Demarcus' head to a pole as a trophy and continued on her way to find Raziel. Red knew this vast terrain like the back of her hand; she had grown up here and wandered aimlessly many times.
         “Where the hell could he be?” Red said irritated. Red started wandering around aimlessly, rummaging through the debris for a clue or tracks, something tangible to make the search more effective. Worn out from the evenings' battle with Demarcus, Red found an abandoned storefront, about 3 miles from the explosion site. Red entered the store, a shelter from the rain and a place to rest for the evening, to continue her hunt in the morning, when Raziel least expected her.
         Red slept, but her sleep opened the door to dream. The thoughts of revenge deep-seeded in Red's heart, all of her dreams flooded with vivid images of the chaos which ensued just months prior to where she found herself at that every moment. The death of her grandmother remained a prominent image within Red's psyche, the brutal force and absolute lack of compassion Raziel took when tearing her apart limb from limb. The dark green eyes of Raziel staring her down, with blood lust on his mind. Feelings of helplessness surrounding Red, as Raziel attacks, it goes dark.
         Red awoke suddenly in a sweat. The sun was trying to rise behind a misty haze from the residual radiation precluding the sun's radiance. Slivers of white light were trying to escape the shady gray prison which encapsulated it. Red's desire and passion for revenge was heightened from the nightmare she had, her drive and ambition more focused on the task on hand.
         As Red exited the storefront, to continue her plight to find Raziel, she found herself subsequently surrounded by a brood of blood hungry wolves, seething foam from their mouths like feral dogs looking for food. Something about these wolves was different. Their eyes were not green in color, they were brown, which meant only one thing, and they were trackers. Red silently cocked her gun behind her back, and just as one began to strike, Red started shooting rounds of bullets like fireworks in the night sky.
         “Obviously Raziel is scared, sending these mutts after me,” Red said without catching her breath.
         Dumb-founded and confused as to what direction to travel, Red looked up at the misty haze swirling around the sun, vying for inspiration. Moments later, after wandering what seemed like forever, a scent so disgusting loomed in the air, the smell was of rotting flesh, either from the explosion or from the feeding rituals of werewolves. Red crept in closer, the scent becoming too much to bear, but she pressed on, deep inside the hotspot, without fear of her life.
         “Oh my God, how the hell could anyone eat rotting flesh?” Red said trying not to gag.
         The camp where Raziel is at, had to be close, Red thought to herself, not wanting to open her mouth with fear of what might come out. Through the haze, Red began to emerge and in sight was a cluster of huts.
         “Bingo!” Red said creeping stealthily into the camp ground.
         Walking silently amidst the drooping trees, dying from the radiation and the dead and decaying bodies made for a great nest, suitable for anyone of the werewolf persuasion. Deep in the heart of the explosion site, the haze turned green, the same color as Raziels' eyes. It's curious though, Red began to think, Demarcus had green eyes as well, but the wolf-pack I fought their eyes were brown, I wonder what significance this holds? Red's thoughts distracted her, which was not a good thing, considering the locale in which she found herself.
         “Okay, Raziel, come out and fight me like a-,” Red traipsed off, she was not sure how to refer to Raziel; he was once a man, but now has that inability to become such.
         “Fight me like the man you wish you could be.” Red insulted.
         A deep growl and a rumble came next, the ground shaking as if an earthquake was shaking the very core of the country. As Red gazed upon the sky, her view was overshadowed by a bright white hairy figure, with shining green eyes.
         “How dare you insult me,” Raziel bellowed.
         “Oh, you're bigger than I remember,” Red retorted.
         “I should have killed you when I had the chance,” Raziel groaned.
         The incidental words uttered from Raziel put Red in a heated mood. All she could focus on--was killing the creature she had come to despise for so long. Images playing in her head of her grandmother's death, was what motivated Red to take on such a burly challenge. A premature inclination overshadowed Red's judgment, with a skip in her step Red made the first move; lunging towards Raziel with fire in her eyes and revenge in her heart, as if possessed.
         “Go to hell you beast!” Red shouted drawing her knife from her back pocket.
         “You think you can thwart me with a knife? Foolish little girl,” Raziel said blocking Red's attack, smacking Red to the ground as she attempted to stab him.
         The radiation has done wonders to the stature of Raziel, because of his prolonged exposure, it has made him double in size, by mutating his bodily structure, as well as making his skin iridescent green, which she shrouded in a white fur only covering his body, but leaving his hands and face exposed.
         “I have been around for over 100 years, foolish girl, which has given time to learn to speak among other things-”
         “I don't want to hear your sob story; I just want to kill you,” Red interrupted.
         Returning to her feet, Raziel gazed deep into Red's eyes, trying to psyche her out. The final battle had begun, Red thought to herself, trying to muster the remaining courage needed to fight the biggest battle of her life. It's going to be him or me, one of us is not going coming out this battle alive, Red reluctantly thought to herself. Taking her final stance, Red contemplated her next move. Backing up, slowly, whipping his sharp claws from their furry sheath, Raziel charged towards Red. Growling and bearing his teeth with the same feral attitude with which Red was familiar.
         “Hey Cujo! Who are you growling at?” Red insulted as Raziel lunged faster towards her.
         “I will finish the job, my dear, and when I do, say hello to grandma for me,” Raziel didn't care how far he pushed Red, he was out for blood.
         The heat of battle ensuing within both Red and Raziel was scorching; the fire enraging within them could tame even the wildest of beasts. As Red went in for her second attack, she was stopped, dead in her tracks, a faint whistle echoed in the air, summoning a pack of wolves before Raziel like a barricade.
         “To get to me, you have to go through them. Attack!” Raziel commanded as the pack charged towards Red, her heart pounding, the blood racing to her head, she had to think fast.
         Cocking her gun behind her back once more, Red looked up, her eyes locked on the pack charging her; Red opened fire, decimating all in her path. Not wasting a beat, Red surveyed the destruction she had caused, knowing it was evenly matched, just her and Raziel, the battle to end all battles.
         “It looks like it’s just you and me, Wolfie,” Red taunted, taking aim with her gatling gun, waiting for Raziel to make his next move. Methodically and elusively plotting his next attack, Raziel grunted and garbled.
         “You will not best me, my dear, for I will come out on top,” Raziel said confidently.
         “We'll see about that,” Red countered.
         Running out of patience with the retorts being exchanged, Red opened fire, silver bullets flying everywhere. As Red's fire ceased, bullet casings scattered amidst the debris, a solitary figure stood, cloaked in white riddled with bullets, blood squirting from each pore, rage seething ever stronger.
         “Is that the best you've got? Silly girl, don't you know by now?” Raziel said maniacally.
         “How the hell does this keep happening?” Red asked, confused as to why her bullets were not working.
         “Fool, do you think I would openly battle you, if I were susceptible to the means of a myth?” Raziel asked insultingly.
         “How is it you are impervious to the silver bullets? It was the radiation wasn't?” Red inquired.
         “Ding. Ding. We have a winner,” Raziel mocked.
         “Don't patronize me, you infectious rodent, you are nothing but pestilence,” Red was getting tired of the tired, she had to think quickly, and she needed a higher vantage point as to gain the proper angle to take this miscreant out once and for all. Spotting a brown rock formation; one that would bring her eye to eye with Raziel, taking her position, awaiting Raziel's final attempt. Drawing her gun, knowing its uselessness, but still not giving up on the revenge she sought.
         As Raziel approach the formation, taunting Red with the evil glare in his eyes, the battle was drawing to an end. With one final ounce of adrenaline in her body, Red leapt from the rocks, clinging tightly to the neck of Raziel, berating her knife violently in and out of his veins, tugging vigorously and trying desperately to disconnect his neck from its shoulders. After the final plunge, Red pressed the knife clean through the back of Raziel's neck, lopping his head clean off, as Raziel fell backwards to the ground, breaking Red's fall, she stood, victoriously on the chest of the defeated giant. Red's revenge exacted, with a grin and a gaze toward Raziel's dying body, she whispered.
         “Now you know what it feels like to be helpless.”