The dog gave Davion an incredulous look. "What?"

  Davion didn't spare the dog a second glance as he hurried back to where the two wolves were. He knew that if he did, he might lose his nerve, so he steadfastly kept his gaze forward. Behind him, he could hear the dog pawing at the ground before ultimately coming after him.

  Phew. For a second, I thought it wouldn't follow me.

  If the dog hadn't joined him, he would have been more hesitant about rushing back to the wolf's aid. It'll be three against one, or rather, two against one. Davion wasn't sure how much help he would be, but he was sure the dog would make up for it. The other wolf would surely back off when it saw that it was outnumbered.

  He pushed past the bushes only to see his worst nightmare. His jaw dropped at the sight of the huntsman wielding not just one but two axes and glaring menacingly at the two wolves.

  Davion couldn't believe this was happening.

  What was with his luck? How did the huntsman show up so fast? Was he just around the corner when he heard the two wolves fighting?

  If that was the case, then he got really lucky that he hadn't run into the man when running earlier.

  He shuddered at the idea. Fortunately, no one seemed to have noticed him, and Davion prepared to take a step back. Unfortunately, the dog collided into his legs, causing him to topple to the ground face-first with a loud thud. Davion refused to lift his head off the ground and continued to lie there, hoping that they didn't notice him at all.

  As if. There's no way they would miss me making a fool of myself. If they somehow didn't see me, I'll eat the cloak I'm wearing.

  Davion reluctantly glanced up. Three pairs of eyes stared back at him. He was certain that another pair was burning holes into his back as he slowly picked himself back up. Luckily or unluckily for him, no one made a move until he was completely upright.

  "Boy, you shouldn't have come here. It's not safe with all these wolves prowling around," the huntsman said in a gruff voice.

  The two wolves and dog snorted. Davion gave them an odd look.

  Could wolves and dogs snort?

  "If we're talking dangerous, shouldn't we talk about you?" one of the wolves asked.

  It took Davion a moment to realize which wolf spoke.

  Why did the three have to look so similar to each other?

  "Why are you provoking him?" the dog snapped, throwing a vicious look at the wolf Davion had originally been mistaken as the dog.

  "You can't be telling me you don't think the same. If anyone is likely to hurt the human child, it's the huntsman with his axes," the wolf said.

  "You don't need to point that out."

  Frankly, Davion agreed. He didn't need a reminder that the huntsman was armed and dangerous. Davion could see it just fine from where he was. It would just remind the huntsman he had two axes if he somehow forgot about them, which Davion didn't see that happening.

  Taking a good look at his surroundings, he felt his stomach drop as the reality of the situation sunk in.

  There were two wolves, a dog, and a huntsman with him stuck in the middle. Things weren't really looking good for him. Even though he was certain that the dog and one of the wolves were on his side, he didn't like their odds. The wolves and dog had always run away when confronted by the huntsman.

  Would they do so again? If they did, who would the huntsman come after?

  This is bad. Very bad. Why is the wolf making things worse?

  He didn't think it could get much worse.

  "Oh, it's you. I've finally found you," said a very familiar old woman as she stepped out of the bushes.

  Davion took back his words. It just got a whole lot worse. Now there were two wolves, a dog, a huntsman, and a grandma with him stuck in the middle.

  What was even happening?

  "Please don't get worse," he muttered to himself.

  The dog glanced up at him and asked, "Aren't you just jinxing yourself?"

  Davion ignored the dog and focused on the old blind woman he had encountered a while back.

  What was she doing here? How did she even get here?

  It couldn't have been easy for her to walk through the forest by herself.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  How did she avoid tripping over tree roots or crashing into trees?

  Then he suddenly recalled where her house was and took back his previous thought.

  She must really know how to get around this place if she lives here, but what did she mean by "I finally found you"? Wasn't she looking for her granddaughter?

  The huntsman narrowed his eyes as he ordered, "Granny, stay out of this."

  Instead of listening, she raised a fist and waved it at the huntsman as she said, "Oh, I won't let you bully my granddaughter."

  In disbelief, Davion watched as the old woman rushed over at an incredible speed despite her old age to attack the huntsman with her bare fists. The huntsman carefully avoided pointing his axes at the old woman while trying to fend off her attacks. She hadn't raised her cane, but Davion had a feeling it was only a matter of time as he continued to watch the spectacle. Something nudged his leg, and Davion glanced down at the dog.

  "What are you doing? We got to go," the dog whispered.

  Distracted, Davion asked, "What?"

  "What do you mean what? This is our chance to escape while the huntsman is distracted."

  He looked back and forth between the fighting old woman and huntsman—could it really be called fighting?—and the dog.

  "What about the old woman?" he asked.

  "I'm sure the huntsman isn't going to hurt her. I can't say the same for myself," the dog said.

  The dog had a point, but Davion still felt uneasy leaving her behind. She had been so kind to him, even if she was a bit odd when they met. Even now she was helping them out by protecting them from the huntsman for some strange reason. He still wasn't sure why, but it didn't change the fact that she came to their rescue.

  Could he really leave her behind?

  The two wolves didn't have the same hesitation as they bolted away in opposite directions. One ran the other way while one ran past Davion and the dog. Caught off guard, Davion was nearly knocked to the ground. He just barely managed to keep his balance thanks to the dog's presence, meaning he used it as a cushion. Unfortunately, this drew the huntsman's attention.

  "Enough, Granny. The wolves are getting away," the huntsman said as he finally pushed the old woman away.

  She stumbled a few steps, her hands gripping her cane tightly. "Where do you think you're going? I'm not done with you just yet."

  "Crazy old woman, I don't have time for this. Leave."

  "Oh no you don't. I won't let you lay a hand on my granddaughter."

  Davion shot the old woman a bewildered look.

  Granddaughter? Where?

  He wasn't the only one confused as the huntsman demanded, "What are you talking about? Your granddaughter isn't here."

  "Oh yes, she is. She's right there," the old woman said, pointing in Davion's direction.

  Davion immediately glanced behind him, yet he didn't see anyone there. To make sure he wasn't looking in the wrong direction, he looked back at the old woman. She was still pointing at him. He scanned his surroundings, thinking that the old woman might be pointing the wrong way—she was blind after all—but there was no one else there besides them. Then a crazy idea struck him as he looked back at the old woman.

  He pointed at himself and asked, "Are you talking about me?"

  "Oh, of course, dearie," the old woman said, lowering her hand. "Who else would I be talking about?"

  For a moment, no one said anything as they stared at the old woman.

  I think she's serious. She really thinks I'm her granddaughter.

  She looked so happy, ready to run over to Davion and give him a hug like he was actually her lost granddaughter. It felt wrong to burst her bubble, but he couldn't let it go.

  "Grandma, I think you got the wrong person," Davion said slowly, hoping the shock wouldn't be too much for her.

  "Oh, what are you saying? Of course you're my granddaughter. I'm certain. I've been looking everywhere for you. Do you know how worried sick I was? I thought the wolf got to you," she said, waving her cane.

  "You blind old woman," the huntsman snapped. "That's not your granddaughter."

  "Oh, are you saying I can't recognize my own granddaughter?"

  "Yes."

  The old woman swung her cane at the huntsman and landed a direct blow on his arm with a loud smack, just like Davion expected her to do from the beginning. He winced at the sound, rubbing his own arm at the thought of the pain the huntsman must be feeling.

  However, the huntsman didn't so much as flinch. "I don't have time for this, Granny. I'll help find your granddaughter after I deal with the wolves."

  She didn't listen and continued to attack him with her cane.

  "Davion, we really have to go," the dog whispered.

  After a moment's hesitation, Davion reluctantly followed after the dog but not before giving the huntsman and grandma one final glance. The two were too busy fighting to notice their escape as they continued to argue about Davion being the old woman's granddaughter, which he pushed to the corner of his mind as not to think about it. After some time, the duo stopped and glanced back in the direction they came from.

  There were no signs of the huntsman or old woman. It seemed like neither of them followed after them, so they were safe for now.

  "That was a close call," the dog said as it pawed at its nose. "I don't know what you were thinking heading back there to begin with. We nearly got skinned by the huntsman."

  Davion barely paid the dog any mind as he continued to stare where he had left the old woman. Guilt clawed at his heart, and he clenched a fist.

  The whole incident left him with mixed feelings. On one hand, he never expected to be mistaken as the old woman's granddaughter. They were nothing alike. He was a boy, and her granddaughter was a girl. Not only that, but they had already met before, so it couldn't be because this was their first time meeting each other. He couldn't even say it was because he was wearing a Red Riding Hood costume. The old woman was blind.

  Was she going senile?

  He had heard that old people had memory problems, so that could be the reason. In that case, he couldn't really blame her, though it stung to be mistaken for a girl. It reminded him of the ongoing issue he and his twin sister faced. He couldn't count the number of times people would confuse them with each other. It would get so infuriating when someone mistakenly called him Sharlene and vice versa.

  Just because we're identical twins doesn't mean we don't have any differences. I'm a boy, and she's a girl.

  It was why they tried their best to show how different they were, even if they did like doing things together and sometimes wearing the same clothes.

  "Hey, are you even listening to me?" the dog asked, its words cutting through Davion's thoughts.

  Focusing his attention back onto the dog, he saw it wagging its tail furiously. "Yeah."

  The dog huffed, clearly not believing him but not calling him out either. "What now?"

  "What else? We can only keep going."

  Despite the craziness of everything, Davion hadn't lost sight of his goal. They needed to find their way to the hospital to cure his twin sister. That hadn't changed. Davion was determined to see it through to the end.

  Now if only we could find a way out of this fog, but it's not like the answer is going to fall in my lap.

  That's when something jumped out of the bushes.