"One day in the giant, bright green forest, a mother and daughter had an idea to make a basket for the mother's mother. The little girl pranced around in her bright red cape to pick flowers and the mother baked cookies and bread. "

"This is lame, I've heard red riding hood before!" A little girl whines. I look over at her and she sticks out her crossed arms at me. I roll my eyes, putting my finger to my lips.

"This is not red riding hood, you see. This is a story about a lonesome wolf, "The little girl uncrosses her arms and leans forward in anticipation. I look at all the other kids and raise the fairytale book back up to me.

"The mother gave the girl the basket and told her to run to the grandma's house, but to return before it got dark out. The little girl started to skip and prance and sing through the forest, looking at the bees and the flowers and the oaks. What she did not look at was the big gray wolf watching her from afar.

This wolf was no ordinary wolf, this wolf was a talking wolf! He would talk about everything he saw, the bees, the flowers, the oaks. He loved to talk. But no one loved to listen to him. They all thought he was big and scary, and bullied him away. So, he watched the people and the bees and the flowers and the oaks. He grew to love watching people, especially the little girl with the red cape. He wanted to talk to her and be best friends, but she was scared that she would hate him and bully him like all the other people.

As she went on her way, the wolf decided to follow her to her destination. The little girl walked all the way to the big brick house. There, she went inside to see her old grandma and give her the gifts that she and her mother made. The wolf watched from the window as they laughed and played and ate the goods the mother made. The wolf grew a little too jealous. He wanted to be there too and joke and play and eat. It just was not fair.

The wolf got so angry, his fur started to turn red! How was he going to get the girl's attention so they could be friends? The wolf watched the girl leave the grandma's house and go back home, just before dark. He then snuck into the grandma's house and scared her so bad, she fell asleep and would not wake up! The wolf saw his chance and dressed up as the grandma, so when the little girl came back, he could finally talk to her! He pulled a hat down over his head so the little girl would not see his furry head.

The wolf waited and waited and waited until she finally came back. He waited so long, he fell asleep too! When the little girl came back, she thought she was her grandma and they laughed and played and ate more cookies the mother made. But the little girl knew something was wrong. Her grandma did not have gray fur or sharp teeth or wide ears! She took the hat off of the wolf's head and screamed so loud and so long, everyone in the forest came rushing to see what happened. There, they saw the wolf and the little girl, who cried and shouted at the wold. Everyone joined in and ran the wolf out of the forest and into a cold cave. He was so sad that the little girl hated him, he cried for years and years until he lost his voice. "

"And then? "The little boy with the cowlick asks, sitting up on his knees. I look down at the bright-eyed kids, all hanging onto my words. 

"No one ever saw the wolf again. People say that if you stay really quiet, you can hear him crying. Sh, sh, I think I hear him now, "I put a finger to my lips and look around the room. All the kids turn to each other and shush each other.

"Boo!" I yell and they all scream, a few start crying and a few start giggling non-stop. I crack a wide grin at everyone and start to coax the few that started crying to calm down when someone turns on the overhead lights. I look up to see a few parents and Mrs.Lean at the door, all with more than discerning faces.

"Kids, it's reading time is over, go out to the front for some snacks," They all get up, a few hugging me and a few still laughing at my scare-attempt. The cowlick boy comes up to me again and throws his arms around me.

"I wish my daddy read to me like you," I look down at him in confusion as he runs out, leaving me speechless again. Who even was that kid? I look up at Mrs.Lean and the two women who stayed behind. The women were dressed in typical yoga pants and running shoes, but designer blouse tops and ponytails. Their faces looked both disgusted and scared, but Mrs.Lean looked more scared than both.

"Is there a problem? Listen, if it's about scaring the kids I can st- " 

"No, no it's not that. Frankly, our Emory loves you quite a lot," The mom with blonde hair and freckles rushes out, waving her hand dismissively. I narrow my eyes at the women in front of me.

"Then. . . what is it? "I cautiously ask. The two women share a look as Mrs.Lean walks up to me. It was then that I realized she was holding a piece of paper in her frail hands. It looked like one of those mass-prints that people made for lost dogs or yard sales.

"Patricia and Megan were wondering if you could answer a few questions. A few about what happened at the house. "I feel a nerve in my face tick. I had not been back there in three days, staying with Mrs.Lean in her apartment downtown instead. The first time in the four months I was in a house the did not creak like it was going to cave in. The first time I felt safe in four months.

"Look, I've told the sheriff everything. There is not anything I can tell you that I did not tell them, "I sigh and grab the backpack sitting next to my reading chair. The other mom steps forward, her red ponytail swinging behind her like a tail.

"Please. It's about the cat. "My hand stops, grazing the back strap. I look back over at them, the pleading eyes now rid of disgust.

"What about the cat?"

"You said it was gray and striped, right? And that someone threw it into your house? "I nod, the blonde mother cringing.

"Did you notice any collar on it? Any pink bows? Anything special? "She begs, taking the paper from Mrs.Lean and shoving it in my face. The paper smelled old and had a few water stains on the corners and top. It was of a lost cat named Piper, with a picture of a gray striped cat with pink bows in its fur. I shake my head.

"I don't know. I looked away before I could tell, "I say, pushing the image of the mangled carcass out of my mind as it tries to fight it's way back in. Three days of trying to forget about that damn thing, three days strong and three days fighting. The woman stamps her foot down and clenches her fist.

"Remember harder, you freak! Piper has been missing for months the least you can do for us is tell us if that was our cat dammit! This is why everyone hates you! "Before anyone could say a word, Mrs.Lean steps in between the two of us. The blonde woman grips her wife's arm and tugs her back. The redhead looks at me with a piercing gaze, her eyes overflooding with tears.

"Patricia, this was not what we agreed to. You said you'd ask your questions and if she did not answer you'd leave with no fighting. This looks like fighting to me, "Mrs.Lean sternly says, her arms protectively in front of me. I grab onto my backpack and sling it over my shoulder.

"No, I'm leaving. You're right I am a freak. Time for me to go back to my freak house with my freak self, "I push past Mrs.Lean and glanced coldly at the two women. Megan gave me sorrowful eyes, but her partner was looking at me with utter disgust. She was right, the whole town was; I was a fucking freak who lived in a house that did not belong to me.

//

"So what? You're just going to sit in your car for the rest of your life? "Mare asks as he glues another piece of paper to the giant mass behind him. Another art project that would probably end up looking like an alien and would end up in the corner of his room for seven months. I stare up at my grandma's house and back over at Mare, who's small face was barely visible through my phone.

"Well, I'm not going back into town and I do not want to be alone in the house. You got a better idea? "

" Yeah, not going back in and running away, "Mare scoffs, setting his glue down. I roll my eyes and rub my arms. Fuck, I left my sweater at the library again. No way in hell was I driving back to get it and no way in hell was I going into that house. I do not even know why I drove here. That woman pissed me off beyond the point of logic, that's why. The freak had to go back to the freak house. I must have looked so pathetic to them.

I turn on the heat in my car and relax in the driver's seat. My arms welcome the heat and my body starts to feel less like we were stuck in the ice age.

"Ace, you can not stay in your car. Just go back into town and stay with that librarian again, "Mare says after the long silence between us. I shut my eyes and lean my head away from him.

"Sure. As soon as you stop believing in aliens. I looked crazy, Mare. I'm not going back there, "I say, trying to get comfortable in the seat. I did not feel exactly safe anywhere near the house, but I did not feel safe in town with all the people that hated me, either.

"Please. You can not keep doing this to yourse- " " La la la la la la. I'm not hearing it, no, nope, no! "I sing, plugging my ears with my fingers. I could hear Mare yelling at me to take them out and open my eyes, but I was not going to let him win. I would do whatever I wanted, even if it was the wrong choice. Damn if I was not my parent's daughter alright.

Mare stops his whining and I smirk in the victory. Look who finally let me win a fight. I open my eyes and look down at him. His mouth was closed and his eyes were frozen to a spot behind me. Crap, he has frozen again. The wifi worked when it wanted to around this town, of course, it froze at a time where I win.

"Fuck, not again, Mare," I shake the phone and look back down at it. Mare still had not moved from his position. I tilt my head back and loudly yell in anguish.

"Drive," I hear from my phone. I look back down at Mare, who was now holding his phone closer to his face, so I could see the faint scars on his face.

"What? Mare, say it again, you were frozen,"

"Fucking drive, there's someone behind you!" I look back behind me and see a figure in the distance of the driveway, right where the mailbox to the house was. The blood in my skin runs cold. Could it be? Could it be the person who threw that cat in the house?

"Drive!" Mare yells at me again and this time I listen. I turn on the engine and reverse the car as fast as I could. The car goes right past the person, but I do not even care to look at them as I back up all the way into the road and back out onto the road. The only thing I did catch was the person waving as I drove down the road like old friends.