Alice hurried along the path of the ancient forest in fading light. Listening to her elders and obeying were two different things and now she was hungry and lost.
As night descended, fog slithered like silent serpents through the understory. She stopped in her tracks as it wrapped around her narrow ankles and swallowed the trail.
While reconsidering the fork one mile back, Alice noticed a twinkling light in the distance. She trotted towards it.
In the twilight, the thatch-roofed cottage appeared inviting and the scent of baked apples lured her to the threshold. She knocked twice and waited.
A white-haired old woman cracked open the door, peeked out at her and screamed.
Alice growled and burst through the entry, gobbling the pie with one bite. Her bushy tail wagged in delight.
Her elders never could understand why Alice chose to be a vegetarian.
What is your favorite fairy tale?
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Good one… fooled me. Clever about the animal vegetarian. And I liked the name Alice.
I am not sure why Alice popped into my head, but it stuck! Thanks so much Ted! I have been enjoying your photos!
Thanks, Susie… we’re even… I enjoy you blog…
Thanks so much!
Hahahaha! That’s awesome. You know, I’ve been watching the first season of “Grim” and saw an episode the other night that this reminds me of.
I was thinking about it as I was reading your piece. Your words brought the visuals to mind. Love that twist.
I meant “Grimm.” Doh!
Haha… very interesting! On another note, I’m always amazed at your ability to write, to follow, to comment, and to respond. You’re a true blogging gem within this digital sphere
Thanks so much Barry! That makes my day!
Ironically, I took the day off and focused on a blog post and my rewrite. I just got past the halfway point. Yeah!
Awesome! I look forward to hearing more about it!
Cute and twisted; I like.
Scott
Thanks Scott. I am glad you like!
I love the twist. My kind of story.
Thanks so much! Soon there will be many haunted tales!
Excellent twist! Loved your description of the fog.
Thanks Angelia! I am practicing writing metaphors.
You tricked me, Susie!
Hahaha! So glad that I did! But who would have predicted a ravenous vegan hairy something-rather! (wolf? werewolf?)
Thanks for stopping by to read!
LOVE is an understatement! Spooky with a sense of humor…I’m in. Keep them coming. The last line made me laugh because I am dieting and could easily be Alice with that pie!
I am thinking of doing a series of twisted tales from the original stories we grew up with. We’ll see.
I was hungry for the slab apple cake sitting on the kitchen counter when I wrote this! Hahaha!
Thanks so much!
ha ha ha brilliant..hey i didnt know Alice had gone vegeterian way.
what a brilliant story Susie
She is one of a kind, that Alice!
Thanks Soma!
Nice, Susie. Surprised me with the pie (apple is my favorite pie, btw) and the tale.
Thanks MJ! Apple is my favorite too. I have two loaded trees full of ripe apples, so it’s apple pie time!
That would be something people would talk about for generations!
It sure would be! Hahaha!
Thanks for coming by to read Glossarch!
Twisted is right. You twisted it wonderfully!!
Thanks so much. I am glad you liked it!
I guess I’m past the fairy tale stage of my life–I thought Alice was a female werewolf which made the vegetarian designation even more bizarre.
She could have been! I really hadn’t decided on which kind of monster.
It was a twisted tale….
Thanks VB!
Twisted but awesome!
Thanks Hook for coming by to read!
Good story… favourite? Hmmm… so many of them were spooky, and I didn’t care for spooky.
True! I never thought of how spooky fairy tales can be! Actually most are downright terrifying!
Thanks Nelle!
Great story, the “trotting” made me wonder what was going on here, and the tail finished it off for me – a cute twist indeed!
If I had one concrit, it would be that the lines about the elders felt a tiny bit clumsy in what is quite a fast-paced piece, I’m wondering if there is some way you could merge this information in better, but I haven’t any concrete suggestions i’m afraid.
It stated off slow and slambanged yah! I would rewrite it if submitting it somewhere. Thanks for your thoughts. They are always appreciated!
Cute story. I loved the ending with the pie.
http://ebooksscifi.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/devolution-copyright-2012-ilyan-kei-lavanway/
Does it make you hungry? I had to slice a piece of slab apple cake after I wrote it. Hahaha!
At first I thought it was Hansel and Gretel remade. I love the bushy tailed subterfuge
Actually I thought it was more of a twist on Red Riding Hood after I wrote it, but I can see the Hansel and Gretel slant too! Now I want to write more. They would be fun to illustrate! Thanks Bliss!
glad I could be of service
I love it, Alice the Vegan Wolf. I liked both Grimms’ Fairy Tales and the Canterbury Tales very much when I was a youngster, not that I have much recollection of any of them now that I’m an oldster with a severe case of CRS (Can’t Remember Shit).
You should pick up a copy of both sometime. The illustrations alone in some of those books are worth a look. They are such well-told stories.
Thanks V! I am glad that you “got” Alice!
The tales will likely all seem fresh to me now since it’s been so many decades between readings.
Especially with your condition: CRS!
That w as a cute story and I never saw the ending coming.
Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella
Thanks Linda!
Both are lovely fairy tales…
Very nice Susie. I may have to try this.
You should join in the fun Brian! Thanks!
You had me at twisted tale. Although your twisted tales is a little less controversial than the ones I write, I like it.
Controversial? I like the sound of them. I will stop by!
Thanks Poeplace!
Lone wolf who likes pie. It worked.
It’s a Boulder vegan wolf… OooooOOOOOOooooIIIILikePIIiiiiiiiiiiieeeeee!
Thanks Bumba!
I sense a strong identification with your characters.
Hahaha! Or should I say.. Muahahahaha!
I didn’t even notice when you said ‘trot towards’ that was awesome!
I was hoping that would slip through! Thanks so much Catherine!
Your safe with me. An awful lot slips through lol.
Heehee. Very nice Susie. Lovely twist. And and fun fun story to read. See mine: http://niftitalks.com/2012/08/23/misty-eyes/
Thanks Nifti! I will be by after I eat my pie.
Excellent tale! Brought a smile to my face. Very nice description of the woods too! Favorite Fairy tale…mmm not sure. Jack and the Bean Stalk, Hansel and Gretel both come to mind first.
Those are great ones. I am thinking of doing a series of twisted tales based on the classics. This would be my twist on Little Red Riding Hood.
Thanks so much SF! Smiling is good..
A surprise twist at the end. Always a fun wake up call to the reader’s assumptions. Mine is here: http://erinleary.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/flash-friday-fiction-13/
Glad it gotcha! I will check out yours too!
I love the rhyme at the end.
Fun story, Susie! I’m not sure what my favorite fairy tail is, but Cinderella holds a special place in my heart.
Love Cinderella and the birds flying in and out the windows with the mice and dear doing dishes. Ahhhhhhh!
Thanks August!
I should have got the hint when I read “trotted” but it took me to the end of the story to realise Alice wasn’t a child!
I left a clue like a bread crumb in that deep dark ominous forest and am glad you never saw it!
What a clever and chilling take on the prompt. Mine is here and linked: http://readinpleasure.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/fridayfictioneers-light-on-the-hill/
Thanks readinpleasure! Glad you came by! I will be over to read.
A wonderful piece of writing Susie. So much in just 100 words.
I loved some of your descriptions, such as, “As night descended, fog slithered like silent serpents through the understory. She stopped in her tracks as it wrapped around her narrow ankles and swallowed the trail.” Some great imagery here.
While the elders couldn’t understand her vegetarian leanings I bet the white haired old woman was glad of them.
I bet the old woman was very thankful of the “vegan” wolf. Hahaha!
Thanks so much for reading and your kind words Mike!
Very cool! I loved the alliteration: “slithered like silent serpents,” and the twist at the end was great. Thanks for a great story from my photo.
Here’s mine: http://unexpectedpaths.com/friday-fictioneers/pillar-of-salt/
I loved the photo! I had a dark fairy tale in mind so it was perfect!
Thanks so much! I will come and read yours too.
Fooled me. Good one.
Thanks!
Cute and funny. So I am always looking for ‘the moral of the story or meaning’ and I don’t know why, let’s blame that on childhood. lol. The fork, the fog and the twinklin’ lights and with that you have put a nice spin on an old tale. In other stuff, may I ask you a ? I see you have a copyright for your blog, do I need a copyscape or something like that? Can anyone take something if you don’t have that there? Thanks.
WordPress has one that you can copy and modify to put on your blog. I think the copyright dissuades people from stealing material. If I ever found one of my stories under another author’s name in a published book for sale, they would hear from me.
I have heard that since you “publish” your blog, it is automatically copyrighted. But I read recently where you should send them in to be copyrighted. The jury is out on that one. Pun intended…..I’ll let you know what I find out.
Thanks Lilie!
Susie…I forgot to answer the ? My favorite fairytale…there are so many, but snow white, three little pigs or pinocchio come to mind. The saddest one is the little match girl by far.
The vivid imagery of those stories just popped right into my head when reading your titles. They really did shape my perspective of the world when growing up. Thanks for coming back and sharing!
I didn’t see that end coming Susie.
I’m glad I gotcha with the twist!
Hahahahahaha. Very clever! A vegetarian wolf? Ripe Thanks for the early morning chuckle.
http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2012/08/22/escape/
Thanks Rochelle! I couldn’t resist using a little Boulder humor…. I will be over to read yours!
You’re great, Susie. As usual, neat little twist at the end
Hey, maybe she has desert before the main course, LOL.
Fav, ??? too many to pick one
Ohhhhhh nooooooo! **Gulp**
Thanks Rich!
Thank goodness it wasn’t hair pie. It wasn’t, right?
Apple Renee. Apple…
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