21st Century Little Red Riding Hood

It was on the edge of the city, in a down town neighbourhood
Where we encounter our 21st Century little miss red riding hood
She was of an age of sexual maturity
If I had to guess? I would say about 20
She did not actually own many clothes of red
But she did go to her grandma one day, when she was ill in bed
Her father worked as a self-employed car mechanic
He suffered from depression I think it was manic

Her dad became ill, when their mother died
Found hanging from a tree one day, a definite suicide
She had a sister, but she lived in another land
And there was also a brother, but he was touring a lot with his band
Little red riding hood was actually called Claire
She was a petit, beautiful woman with long, black hair
So when the call came through one morning about granny being ill
Little red riding hood had to go and visit her and use her skill
Dressed in her leather coat and her little red beanie hat
She went of to her granny, in her flat

The skies suddenly turned from blue to grey
And so for shelter she choose a different way
The rain came pouring down, as she knew it would
So she took a longer, but dryer way through the wood
She done this trip many times
She was used to the smell of flowers and pines
But today she felt liked she was being watched from the trees
She felt the hairs on the back of her neck begin to freeze
The woods became ghostly and quite and sinister
Dark thoughts came into her head about her mum and her sister

The flicker of light from within the clearing
Exposed her grandmothers little house, but from a far she heard screaming
She ran into her grandmother's house, and saw the place totally trashed
All her stuff on the floor draws open and furniture smashed
She ran upstairs and saw her grandmothers, eyes wide open and in bed
But she screamed, when she saw the stains, a crimson red
Her grandmothers throat had been slashed and, bruises on her face
Whoever did this was still in the place
As if her thoughts exposed the truth
A voice started to talk behind her, cold and aloof
“ Well, well, well, what do we have here?”
She just froze in fear

When she looked round, she saw a man in jeans and a t-shirt
He had blood on his hands, but he did not seem hurt
“ What big eyes you have!” he told her
“And what beautiful breasts you have, and beautiful hair”
“You have eyes that can see beauty”
“But sadly for you, they also see me!”
“ You loom as good as your friend here did”
“ I strongly advise not to try and hide like she did!”
He laughed then, a laugh of pure evil, “ ha, ha, she hid in her bed!”
“ And now look her all cosy and…DEAD!”

Little red riding hood was near to the stairs, she had a chance to run
“ That woman you killed! She screamed, “ Was my grandmother you SCUM!”
He licked the blood from his fingers, and laughed
His eyes beckoned to the stairs, “ you want a head start?”
Little red hiding hood made a run for it
Ran for her life, scared as sh*t
Out the door and in to the woods she went to hide
She was shaking and consumed with fear she was petrified
The cold voice of the stranger, was close as well
“ Urrmm” he shouted, “ you have a fragrant smell!”
“ When I find you, which I will for sure!”
“ I am going to rape you, then bury you under this forest floor”

Claire ran, deeper and deeper in to the wood
And still she heard the voice say, “now, now, come here my little red riding hood!”
To her delight she saw the edge of town, and she ran to safety
Only to fall over a branch and smash her knee
The sudden force that hit her back, when she heard that laugh
As rough bloodied hands went round her neck with a scarf
And as she gasped and fought for breathe
She felt his hand go up her dress
And just as she felt his hands pull her hair
From a distance she heard a voice, from somewhere

“ Help” it was spoken more than a scream
But it must have worked as the voice was now seen
She saw her rescues face. It was bleak and sad
But she smiled at this face, as it was her dad
Shouting began, and a fight occurred
Fists were thrown and insults were slurred
The grandmother's attacker lay still on the forest path
No more could she hear that evil laugh
Her dad picked her up and carried her in his arms
Away from the wood and all its harms
That night father and daughter after talking to the police
Found solace in pain, and love through grief
And whilst Claire told her dad what happened in detail so gory
We our remembered of the real and truthful, little red riding hood story.

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