I sit by the fire enjoying the warmth of the fire place.
Outside the wind howls bringing with it colder temperatures.
I stoke the fire and get lost in the beauty of the flames.
As I stand to go get another glass of cocoa I hear something fall .
I take my time stirring my cocoa making sure to pile on the marshmallows.
I sip my cocoa as I walk around the picture.
How strange I think and pick up the picture of a forest.
It came with the cabin and it looked so nice on the mantle that I had decided to keep it .
I inspect it thankfully no broken glass the back just had slipped off.
I start to put the back on then a piece of paper falls to the floor.
Strangely from a quick look it looks like my hand writing.
“To : Myself . “
My heart starts to race as I pick up the letter delicately.
“Dear Myself . This is a letter from your future self I know this is hard to believe. “
“But if you’re reading this you don’t have much time left you must trust me. “
“Any moment now you will get a knock at the door ..”
I pause as I hear a loud pounding on the door .
Who would dare knock in the middle of the night?
Wait ? What the letter said I would hear knocking on the door.
I hurry to read the rest .
“Whatever you do if you value your life do not open the door . “
“Run !!!”
I stare at the letter with disbelief as a man yells “Hello anyone home ? “
“Don’t be an idiot run now !! “ The letter reads .
My eyes widen as the stranger jiggles the knob.
I look down at the letter my hands shaking the last line simply says:
“Please . “
The door begins to shake it was easy to tell whoever it is not here for a cup of sugar.
I run to the back door taking care to open it quietly.
I quickly look to my left and right no one is there.
I hear voices inside the cabin and I take off running no matter that I am barefoot.
Every twig feels like small knifes in my feet.
A distant shouting seems to be coming my way .
I push the wind with all my might as he closes in .
The faster I run the slower I feel I am going. Like trying to reach the end of a never ending tunnel.
“Just give it up . “ A man mocks .
I break away from the path and hide behind a tree .
The branches dig into my skin as the cold air torments my bare skin .
“ Come out where ever you are ..” The man calls only a few feet away from me .
I hold my breath as tears run down my face .
What the hell is going on ?
Why am I running ?
I wait in the stillness till the man walks away finally I exhale.
A icy hand grabs my wrist as he hisses in my ear “Found you . “ the man says with delight .
I try to escape his grasp but he chuckles and grabs my other wrist and presses me against the tree.
His cloak falls away from his face as the moon shines down on him .
I gasp “ My what big ears you have ..”
“All the better to hear you with my dear ..” He says grinning .
Under the moonlight his human face fades away.
“ My what big eyes you have ..” I say my voice shaking .
“All the better to see you with my dear . “ He growls .
The wolf opens his mouth breathing down my neck .
“My what big teeth you have. “ I say crying .
He chuckles “All the better to eat you with .”
“Please no ..” I beg .
The wolf leans in and smells my neck and licks his mouth in delight.
He laughs “Maybe if you beg more .”
“Please let me go ..” I cry .
“Never .” The wolf growls and bites down on my neck .
And then the wicked wolf fell upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her all up.
Outside the wind howls bringing with it colder temperatures.
I stoke the fire and get lost in the beauty of the flames.
As I stand to go get another glass of cocoa I hear something fall .
I take my time stirring my cocoa making sure to pile on the marshmallows.
I sip my cocoa as I walk around the picture.
How strange I think and pick up the picture of a forest.
It came with the cabin and it looked so nice on the mantle that I had decided to keep it .
I inspect it thankfully no broken glass the back just had slipped off.
I start to put the back on then a piece of paper falls to the floor.
Strangely from a quick look it looks like my hand writing.
“To : Myself . “
My heart starts to race as I pick up the letter delicately.
“Dear Myself . This is a letter from your future self I know this is hard to believe. “
“But if you’re reading this you don’t have much time left you must trust me. “
“Any moment now you will get a knock at the door ..”
I pause as I hear a loud pounding on the door .
Who would dare knock in the middle of the night?
Wait ? What the letter said I would hear knocking on the door.
I hurry to read the rest .
“Whatever you do if you value your life do not open the door . “
“Run !!!”
I stare at the letter with disbelief as a man yells “Hello anyone home ? “
“Don’t be an idiot run now !! “ The letter reads .
My eyes widen as the stranger jiggles the knob.
I look down at the letter my hands shaking the last line simply says:
“Please . “
The door begins to shake it was easy to tell whoever it is not here for a cup of sugar.
I run to the back door taking care to open it quietly.
I quickly look to my left and right no one is there.
I hear voices inside the cabin and I take off running no matter that I am barefoot.
Every twig feels like small knifes in my feet.
A distant shouting seems to be coming my way .
I push the wind with all my might as he closes in .
The faster I run the slower I feel I am going. Like trying to reach the end of a never ending tunnel.
“Just give it up . “ A man mocks .
I break away from the path and hide behind a tree .
The branches dig into my skin as the cold air torments my bare skin .
“ Come out where ever you are ..” The man calls only a few feet away from me .
I hold my breath as tears run down my face .
What the hell is going on ?
Why am I running ?
I wait in the stillness till the man walks away finally I exhale.
A icy hand grabs my wrist as he hisses in my ear “Found you . “ the man says with delight .
I try to escape his grasp but he chuckles and grabs my other wrist and presses me against the tree.
His cloak falls away from his face as the moon shines down on him .
I gasp “ My what big ears you have ..”
“All the better to hear you with my dear ..” He says grinning .
Under the moonlight his human face fades away.
“ My what big eyes you have ..” I say my voice shaking .
“All the better to see you with my dear . “ He growls .
The wolf opens his mouth breathing down my neck .
“My what big teeth you have. “ I say crying .
He chuckles “All the better to eat you with .”
“Please no ..” I beg .
The wolf leans in and smells my neck and licks his mouth in delight.
He laughs “Maybe if you beg more .”
“Please let me go ..” I cry .
“Never .” The wolf growls and bites down on my neck .
And then the wicked wolf fell upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her all up.
It is one of those nights when you sit waiting for a storm that isn’t coming. You watch the windows as the sun sets thinking surely it will rain, maybe even snow, but nothing. You wander out to roll up the car windows and bring in the cat just incase, peering at the sky convinced. You build a fire to protect yourself from the pending chill, stack wood beside the hearth to keep it dry, and wait for the wind to blow open the garden gate but nothing. So you sit holding a book you aren’t reading watching the fire wondering why you are so sure when a rouge gust of wind blows down the chimney the fire cringes then sparks, a loose paper stirs, and the picture above the mantel falls.
ReplyDeleteYou leave your chair to fetch the frame which is lying in splinters on the floor. The painting free of its form rolls into itself and you notice there is writing on the back. Carefully you unroll the stiff canvas to find a note written to you in your own hand: Listen to him. Not what he is saying but what he is doing.
You look around the room. The cat, the book, the fire, and you say out loud, “But who is he?” You turn the painting over looking at the scene, paint cracking in protest. It is a beautiful rendering of a stormy night in the country side. An aging barn, autumn fields with corsets of split-rails, and a man walking against the wind up a dusty road: Listen to him. Not what he is saying but what he is doing.
You let he paper roll closed, place it on the mantel, and you settle in for the coming storm.
Wow yours gave me the chills awesome use of it .
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