Red: A Fairy Tale Novella

by Beth Poppet

Sunlight poured out from between the wisps of leafless branches. There was no wind and she grew warm against his coat. The afternoon was singing. It was blue. Blue like lips without life. Blue like the stillness of a tame winter sky.She must have fallen asleep. Her mind at rest was dreamless and lonely, but within her unconscious state she had grasped the meaning of three small words strung together to form a thread of reclamation. When she awoke, the wolf was gone. A pit like a great, splitting chasm rose up in her gut and she prepared to scream with every breath left in her.Until she saw she was not alone. Her palms that once were buried in fur lay flat against a man’s chest. Rather than a long snout, the end of a strong chin rested on the top of her head, and hands that were nothing like paws held fast to her waist. She wriggled back to look into the face of the shivering man, bare except for the lace thrown over him.The wounds inflicted by poachers were gone. His shoulder sloped upwards to his heck without red or ruin. She looked into his eyes and saw a wolfish gleam in them.“Who am I?”“You’re Red.”

118 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 28, 2020

About the author

Mrs Poppet was born and raised in the California valley, though her delight in English tea, literature, and rainfall lead some to believe otherwise. Immensely grateful for modern comforts and communication, her heart is still captured by the romance of bygone eras, and will rarely scribble anything that isn't primarily a love story.

Her writing proclivities tend toward fairy tale retellings and Jane Austen fan-works, each genre seemingly writing themselves when the inspiration strikes. Mrs Poppet is not affiliated with any Jane Austen fan groups but attempts to do her utmost in preserving the historical and cultural integrity of the characters she takes liberties with.

She currently resides in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, facing the daily challenges of raising no less than three young lads with her veteran husband, and finding the magic in ordinary things. By the Grace of God she remains a Christian of the Tulip variety, and gives all glory to Him for her artistic inspiration. Praise also is due to her dearest friend and editor, Miss Catherine Miller, without whom not a single scribbling of Mrs Poppet's would be properly finished for publication.

Reviews

[Bethany Naykalyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little rewrite of Little Red Riding Hood. This would be so fun written as a full novel.

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads)]

I did not notice the category/content on this one when I started it. I'm just glad I DNF'd for not liking the poetic style before I got the parts of the story I *really* wouldn't have liked.