Page 6 of The Wolf

“There are monsters outside, my love.”

Scarlet shivered and her bottom lip wavered.

“I’m not trying to scare you but you need to be extra quiet if they find us.” Her mum smiled but it was sad. “You are my whole world and I’m going to protect you with everything I have but I need you to be a good girl—you need to listen and obey me. No matter what, you do not leave this closet—no matter what you hear or see. Do you understand me?”

Scarlet nodded. “Don’t leave me, Mama.”

“I’m not going to leave you, my love. I’m just going to hide somewhere else so the monsters can’t find you. Then I’m going to fight them.” She squeezed Scarlet tightly to her chest and kissed her head. “Remember, my love, you are stronger than you know. Have courage and be kind.”

She set Scarlet between the dresser and the wall before throwing a blanket over the top of her. Scarlet wiggled around until she could see out of a small hole.

“I love you.”

“I love you, Mama.”

“Now, remember what you promised me.”

Her mum kissed her nose through the small hole in the blanket before standing and leaving the closet. She closed the slatted doors and snuck away.

Scarlet’s pulse pounded in her head, and she waited for the monsters to find them. It seemed like forever before she heard a sound. The lock rattled and her whole body stiffened. She trembled as the doors slammed against the walls, making the lanterns shake.

A beat of silence.

“No use hiding, poppets, I know you’re here. I cansmellyou.”

Something whistled through the air and the monster growled.

“I wasn’t hiding.” Her mum’s voice was colder than Scarlet had ever heard it. “There’s more of that waiting for you.”

“Stupid mistake, wench.”

Scarlet pressed her face into the blanket as a series of growls and crashes sounded from the bedroom. She jerked as her mama screamed.

No.

She leaned forward from her hiding spot and peeked out of the slats. Her mum had the monster on its back but his claws were buried in her side. Scarlet began to cry as her mum gurgled but plunged another blade into the monster’s neck.

The monster snarled and tossed Scarlet’s mum aside, his attention snapping toward the closet.

Scarlet snuggled deeper into the blanket, and stuffed her fist into her mouth to stifle the cries. She held her breath as her mum’s gurgling stopped and heavy footsteps moved toward the closet. The doors opened with a spine-chilling creak.

Don’t move. Stay quiet. Be brave.

The monster walked silently into the closet, slowly inspecting the area. She exhaled slowly, trying not to cry in fear. The hair along the nape of her neck rose as he walked past her hiding spot and paused, sniffing the air. Ever so slowly, he turned and faced her.

Quick as lightning, the monster yanked Scarlet up into the air by her arms. She screamed as he bared his teeth at her.

“Hello, poppet.”

The room wavered, but her attention locked onto the wolflike ear perched atop of his head. A wolf monster. He hoisted her higher in the air and Scarlet caught sight of her mama over his shoulder.

She wasn’t moving. There was too much red.

Scarlet glanced back at the monster in horror just as the world went dark.

What had she done?

THREE

---