The Gothic Red Riding Hood

Sally woke up at an early morning, she sat up and her blonde hair bounced around, she adjusted her white corset nightgown and looked out the window to the town of New Haven. Sally stood up and decided to get ready; she went over to her outfit and dressed in a black dress with a corset and a red cape. Sally put them on and tied on her black knee high boots; she put her hood on and went downstairs. Sally’s mother, Cindy came over, her wrinkles under her eyes were noticeable and she looked tired. Cindy handed Sally a basket with a red and white napkin on the edges.

“I made some jams and bread for the journey and some cupcakes, I hope she is alright,” said Cindy.

Sally nodded, “She’s probably fine.”

Sally was a vampire slayer and so was her grandmother, it had been a few days since they last talked and they were worried. Sally took the basket, hugged her mother and left her comfy safe home. Sally walked down the streets of New Haven, none of the shops had opened yet and not even the Town Guard was awake yet. Sally sighed, she did like protecting her family and the town from monsters but Sally was getting tired of it. She couldn’t meet a nice man without him becoming scared of what she did. Sally exited the west gate and walked down the dusty trail to Forever Forest. Forever Forest was a dark forest where evil creatures lived in, mostly swamp monsters and lizard creatures but if anyone deeper went in they would probably find a werewolf or a spirit. Sally held onto the handle of her silver long sword, ready for anything, Sally heard someone break a branch, she turned in a circle and then looked forward when she saw a brown matted haired burly man with a yellow button up shirt with the first few buttons undone which showed his chest hair, tanned pants and dark brown hiking boots. He saw Sally and pulled out a revolver.

“Whoa little missy,” He said in a country accent, “Put down the sword. I’m a hunter.”

Sally sheathed her weapon but was still cautious. The hunter also put his weapon back in his pocket but was cautious.

“Will you let me pass?” asked Sally.

The hunter crosses his arms, “Where are you going?”
Sally sighed, “To my grandmother’s.”

The hunter smiled and laughed a large booming laugh, “That’s the oldest story in the book.”

“I’m serious, my mother and I haven’t heard from her for days,” said Sally.

The hunter nodded, “Let me join you. I know these forests like the back of my hand.”

Sally walked past him and decided to let him join for a bit. They walked for hours, the hunter, who was John by the way, wouldn’t stop talking. Sally couldn’t concentrate, she was glad when they made it to a lighter part of the forest and decided to rest for a few hours. Sally took off her cloak and used it as a blanket. John made a fire and was picking at it.

Sally sat up, “Are you going to be alright?”

John looked at her, “Oh yeah I’m used to the cold.”

Sally nodded and turned over, John might’ve been loud and obnoxious but she felt like he was hiding something, maybe it was just her, Sally was always suspicious. Sally started thinking of her grandmother and fell asleep.



Sally woke up 3 hours later in the late afternoon, she looked around and John wasn’t anywhere. Sally stood up; she saw that his clothes and his gun were gone. Sally sighed and decided to continue her journey. Sally put on her cloak, sheathed her sword and started to walk through the forest again. After an hour Sally came upon a fork in the road. There were two signs, the first one pointed to the left and said “Elven Towers”, the second was to the right and said “Kingdom of Rodigan.” Sally knew that the Elven Towers were towers created by elves and were helpful but too fair and Rodigan was a large kingdom that was closer to Grandmother’s house. Sally felt like something was up but she needed to hurry so she turned right and went down the path to Rodigan.

A few hours later Sally came upon Rodigan, she starred at the massive kingdom, it was darker then she remembered but it had been 11 years since she last lived here. It was already getting late so she hurried into the gates and looked down the dark streets. Sally wondered where to stay, she saw an inn called “The Grey Wolf” and even though she sensed evil there it was the only place around. Sally went to the wooden door and pushed it open. Inside was a bar with an older gentleman with scratches on his face and many other people but they were dressed in dark clothing and had shadowed faces. Sally walked to the bar, everyone starred at her, and she took out a brown cloth bag of gold.

“I’d like a room,” said Sally bluntly.

The bartender nodded and gave her a small iron key. Sally gave him ten gold coins and went upstairs. Sally went to the first door and went inside, she saw a small wooden bed with no blanket, a wooden old dresser and iron bars on the window.

“Oh well,” said Sally.

She sat on the bed and went to sleep. Sally wondered how grandmother was, she knew her grandmother used to be a slayer and told she was haunted by an ex-lover. Sally and her mother never believed that but now…Sally didn’t know. Suddenly the door creaked open, Sally pretended to be asleep. A tall, dark haired slender man stood over her; he wore a black jacket, black pants and shiny shoes. He reached over to touch her face when Sally grabbed his hand, twisted his arm and pushed him on the bed.

“What do you want vampire?” asked Sally.

“I could ask you he same thing slayer,” said the vampire.

“Tell me or I’ll break your arm,” said Sally.

“I am stronger then you think,” said the vampire and he disappeared. Sally fell on the ground, she turned around and he was standing over her.

“So going to kill me now?” asked Sally sarcastically.

“I’m not evil,” said the vampire, “But I’m not good either.”

Sally nodded, “Oh…ok. So what do you want?”

“My name is James, I…knew your grandmother,” said James.

“How did you know her?” asked Sally curious.

“I was…in love with her,” said James, “I heard she was attacked.”
“Attacked?! By what?” asked Sally worried.

“There have been werewolf reports around the area,” said James, “But no victims.”

Sally got up, she almost tripped so James grabbed her around and waist, she looked into his dark blue eyes and he looked into her green ones.

“You look so much like her,” said James, “Your grandmother.”
Sally smiled slightly, she moved away and picked her up her basket, she went to the door and went to the street. James followed her, he walked as fast as she ran.

“Why are you following me?” asked Sally.

“I can help,” said James.

Sally showed her sword, “I can handle myself.”

James super sped behind her and grabbed her warm skin around her throat, she didn’t move, knowing he could break her neck in an instant.

“You’re strong but not as strong as me,” said James, “Let me help.”

Sally nodded the best she could, James let go, he sniffed her a bit and walked in front of her.

“Let’s go,” He said and he walked off.

Sally ran up and they started walking, they took a side road which led to Grandmother’s cottage. James didn’t talk at all and Sally was glad of the silence but she did want to know about him more.

“So how did you meet grandma?” asked Sally.

James looked at her sad attempt to talk so he decided to talk a bit.

“She actually was going to kill me but then I helped her find a demon who was killing children, throughout the years she trusted me and we became friends and then one night on a stakeout we kissed,” said James.

“What happened?” asked Sally.

James sniffed, “She started getting older, she turned 21 which was 2 years older then me. She…asked me to turn her, I didn’t want to destroy her so I said no and left.”

“She’s never talked about you,” said Sally.

James smiled, “No she wouldn’t. She probably hates me.”

“My grandmother is a forgiving woman,” said Sally.

James stopped and sniffed, Sally looked at him and arched brow, “What is it?”
James looked at her, “Wet dog.”

Sally looked forward and ran through, James called to her but she continued, she got to the cottage, there was no lights and the door was broken open. Sally unsheathed her sword and went inside, everything was tossed around, there was a rocking chair and a body on it. Sally walked forward.

“Grandma?” asked Sally.

She touched her grandmother’s shoulder and the head fell off, Sally gasped, she turned around and she bumped into John. John was soaked with something, his hair was plastered against his forehead and he was scratched.

“John! How did you get here? What happened to you?” asked Sally as she held onto him.

“Y-you have to g-get away, I…” said John, “I'm sorry.”
“For what?” asked Sally.

“I’m sorry I killed her,” said John.

Sally looked at him as he moved away, John got on his knees as he started to change, his skin flaked off and he grew long brown hair, his nails turned to yellow claws and he stood to be 7 feet as the werewolf. Sally aimed her sword as she cried, John got on his knees and he growled a bit.

“I know you can’t be stopped,” said Sally as she cried, “I’m sorry.”

Sally swung her sword and beheaded John. John’s body fell, Sally took a match, she threw it and left the house as it started to burn. Sally looked at James who smiled a bit.

“I know that was hard,” said James.

“He was a good man,” said Sally.

James rubbed Sally’s arms and wiped her tears, Sally leaned closer to kiss him when he grabbed her face, she looked at him shocked and he twisted his hands and broke her neck, killing her.

James dropped her body and walked away while mumbling to himself, “I told you I wasn’t good.”



The End