(28) Retold
Goldilocks
trigger warning/**SPOILER** skip the warning to avoid spoilers!!
has violence and is gory. also is horrible. it’s metaphorical, but that doesn’t make it less dark.
Goldilocks walked through the forest, her silver booted feet covering the ground with deliberate, unhurried, steps. Her black matte jumpsuit blotted the tree filled, sun spotted, panorama, a swatch of fair skin glinting stubbornly behind her torn shirt sleeve. Her movements through the thick woods refused acknowledgement from the silver metal basket on her arm; the handle lay perfectly still against her limb, its seamless body reflecting nothing as her torso swished against it. Her young face was serene underneath a mess of molten gold hair tied in a sloppy bun.
She pushed through a layer of tall foliage and stepped onto the path just beyond it. There was a large stone house at the end of the path, two stories tall with big opaque windows. Goldilocks approached the side of the house and scaled the wall, without ruffling the basket on her arm. She swung her legs onto the second story window ledge, and she crouched there, head tilted towards the window. The Bear Family’s financial discussion wafted through the glass towards Goldilocks’ unimpressed ears.
“Don’t worry, Mama,” Papa said. “We’ll ask for an extension, and get them the rest next week. It will be ok.”
“There wasn’t any way around it, Papa!” Mama sighs heavily. “We had to help Farmer Cotton. He has helped us so many times. It was the least we could do!”
“Of course it was! And The Owls will understand. They know us, and are not unreasonable. We’ll go right now.”
The Bears walked towards the staircase, their already muffled conversation growing fainter. The last comment Goldilocks heard as they exited the house and disappeared down the path towards the forest was Baby Bear’s:
“Is it double shifts again? Can’t we just take longer to pay?”
The Bears returned as the stars reached peak illumination. Goldilocks stood stony in the corner of the living room, only the dull shine from her basket giving her away, and listened to their optimism fill their front path as they approached the house.
“A whole month to pay it off!” Baby Bear said. “We could make extra! We could be extra safe for next time!”
“And that’s exactly what we’ll do,” Mama Bear replied. “We’re so lucky the Owls are broad minded and invested creatures.”
The Bears opened the front door, that led to their living room, and stepped inside.
“Let’s set out the honey jars and go straight to bed,” Papa Bear said as he closed the door. “We’ll-”
Papa Bear stopped short as he caught sight of Goldilocks’ basket in the darkness. Goldilocks leapt t0wards him, her jump taking her across the room and over furniture. Her basket rested, unmoved, as she flew. Papa Bear roared and swiped at her. She sidestepped easily, her facial expression blank. Papa Bear reared up on his hind legs, wedging Mama Bear and Baby against the closed door behind him. They scrambled for the door knob as Goldilocks approaches them at an angle, the deliberation in her steps a stark contrast to the height and ease of her jump mere seconds earlier. Papa Bear circled to keep facing her, keeping Mama and Baby behind him until they were in the center of the room.
Goldilocks stuck her hand out, as if to offer peace. Papa Bear leaned forward, and sniffed cautiously. She flicked her wrist, and casually ripped off a chunk of Papa Bear’s muzzle. Papa Bear screamed, his voice cracking and gurgling over the lumpy mess where his jaw used to be.
Mama Bear grabbed Baby Bear and dragged him up the stairs. Goldilocks took the chunk of Papa Bear’s muzzle and jammed it into his eye. He collapsed, and was still and soft on the floor. The gurgling stopped.
Mama Bear and Baby Bear ran to the nearest bedroom, and shut the door. Mama Bear struggled with the window and Baby Bear tried to move a dresser in front of the door, but Goldilocks opened the door before either attempt met success. She stood in front of Baby Bear, who gazed at her through is traumatized confusion. He cried,
“Mama! The gold and the silver! It shines, and I can’t see!”
Mama Bear turned to see Goldilocks twist Baby Bear’s head in a full circle. Baby Bear crumpled to the ground, still and soft. Mama Bear wailed, and sat down in a simple gesture devoid of hope. She looked at Goldilocks with calm and terrible grief, and waited.
Goldilocks approached her quickly, moving with urgency for the first time. She plunged her hand into Mama Bear’s chest and removed her heart. Mama Bear’s eyes filled with relief and she fell on her back. Still and soft. Goldilocks dropped her heart next to her outstretched paw, and left the room.
Goldilocks stood outside The Bears’ house and let the wind ruffle her hair and torn shirt sleeve. The basket snickered. Her face was placid. She slipped down the forest path leaving only the lingering snicker, still and soft, upon their doorstep.
***in honor of empathy, and its often agonizing lack.
