a branch whipped ominously against the cracked window as rain poured heavily outside. the wind howled, it was indignant and vigorous, enough to blow away a mast of a ship. the weather had been terrible for the past few days, children could not play outside; they were stuck inside the suffocating building they called their home.
tonight was any other night though, save for the treacherous weather. the woman tucked the child in her bed, pressing a fervent kiss to her forehead as she brought the blanket up the child's body. it was routine, every night was like this. it was only this child the woman tucked to bed, perhaps it was because this child was her favorite, as the other children whispered. nonetheless, the child basked in the woman's attention—despite the growing resentment of the other children.
"mother," the child called out, her voice low as she watched the woman take a candlestick from her nightstand.
"yes, dear?" the woman queried as she faced the child, her eyes were full of wonder and innocence, everything she did not have. the child's innocence was something she wanted to protect.
"would you read me a story, please?" the child asked with clasped little hands. this was also routine, the child asked for bedtime stories every night. the woman smiled, a chuckle tearing through her throat. she obliged, not wanting to sadden the little girl.
"once upon a time," the woman started, her fingers tucking the child's hair behind her ear as she spoke. the child listened intently, focused and unaware of the things that were about to happen.
once upon a time, there was a little puppy who lived in a small house along with her siblings. they were well taken care of by their mother and the humans who cared for them. the puppy was quite obnoxious and stubborn, however. it would disobey its mother and run off into the borders of the forbidden forest. one night, the puppy made a reckless decision—it snuck off and escaped through a round window that its human owners left open. it ran into the forbidden forest, where it was met with sprawling greenery. on the outside, the forbidden forest seemed to decay, but right now, it was akin to an oasis, a wonderland where the puppy was free to roam and play.
the puppy explored the wondrous forest, taking in its refreshing atmosphere. the birds flew high in the bright blue sky that never seemed to dim. the day never seemed to die, night never seemed to rise. it was always sunny, the perfect weather to play. soon, the puppy met a bear deep in the forest and they became friends. the bear taught the puppy the ways of the forest and it gave the puppy gifts. the bear told the puppy that it could stay here and play forever, but it must not, under any circumstances, go deeper into the forest where a thick vine connected a chasm. the puppy obliged, but the more it thought about it, the more it became curious. what was over there? the puppy disobeyed yet again, out of its own curiosity. it crossed the vine, and was met with a twisted forest filled with sin and everything dark. the bear appeared in front of the puppy, its form twisting into a monster. the monster was furious, the puppy had disobeyed again and again. as punishment, the monster took the puppy's eyes; this way, the puppy could not see anymore. the puppy cried out as its vision was clouded with eternal darkness; it was a lesson, the monster said, your eyes will be mine and no longer yours. your paws will be mine, your ears will be mine, your soul will be mine. nothing would be yours. the twisted forest would eat you for your disobedience. the puppy felt something twisting around its ankles, dragging it deep into the soil. it did not feel anything, for its soul was the monster's now. and as it felt the soil close up around its body, the puppy became a part of this twisted forest. it became one of the many sins that were stuck in it, forever.
by the time the woman was finished telling the grim story, the child had fallen asleep. the rain grew softer, the wind grew tame. the weather had fallen asleep along with the child.
with a smile, the woman stood from where she was sitting on the side of the child's bed. she blew out the flickering flame of the candle, and stepped out from the child's bedroom with a whisper before closing the door.
"goodnight, ynes."
— A.
bad ending.