Red Roses - (FCRAs 2016 Winner)

Into The Woods

"There has to be someone else!"

"Lorelie, this is not the time," her mother muttered out of the corner of her mouth, smile fixed in place as she handed over a customer's shopping, the woman's eyes flicking between the mother and daughter before smiling slightly and hurrying out.

Her mother turned on her daughter, slamming a hand down on the counter.

"This is not up for debate, Lorelie, this is your grandmother we're talking about, you can't just deny her her medication."

"I'm not! But there has to be someone else!"

"Who? From what I last knew, everyone has work to be doing. We can't just get anyone to go traipsing off into the forest to play delivery boy."

"But," Lorelie started and her mother turned away, dismissing her.

"You're seventeen, Lorelie. It's time we worked on his fear of yours. I understand that you're scared but this fear can't continue. It's my fault I didn't tackle this years ago, those woods are not going to harm you, you have to understand that – and the only way to understand it is to go in there and face your fear."

She reached behind the counter and pulled out a basket, turning to her daughter and holding it out.

"I've put things in there for Granny, you put in her medicine and go."

Lorelie stood there, trembling, hands curled into her skirts.

Her mother looked at her for a moment, then sighed slightly.

"Sweetheart," she said gently, "People enter and leave those trees every day. Every day they come home without damage."

"Illegal hunting parties don't," Lorelie muttered.

"Well isn't it fortunate that you aren't a hunter," her mother said, taking her hand and resting the basket handle on it. "Go on now. Face your fear and you'll see there really isn't anything to worry about."

Lorelie pursed her lips, then took a step backwards, before gripping the handle and walking away, heading upstairs to collect the medicine and her cape, throwing it over her shoulders and walking out, not looking at her mother or the new customers as she passed, closing the door behind her and heading out of town.

When she reached the edge of the forest, she stopped, looking down the path that stretched before her.

It was long and wide – big enough for the carriages that passed through – but it was dark. There was limited sun that day and it wasn't reaching the ground.

The trees were still mostly green, touches of gold and red here and there but not fully changed yet.

It was the mist that made her stomach lurch.

It was still early enough that the fog of the morning hadn't cleared and it rolled along the ground like waves, creeping in and out of the trees and slipping away into the shadows.

She took a breath, deep and slow, eyes scanning the shadows as if she'd see growling fangs at any second, and a hand closed on her shoulder, making her scream in fright and drop her basket.

A hand shot past, catching the handle, saving the content and she whirled around to see Christian, staring at her like she was insane, one hand on the basket, the other holding the reins of his horse.

"Sorry," he said quickly, staring at her, "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you, I was just surprised to see you this close to the forest."

"Yes, well, with your brother ill I have to... I mean... well I..."