Little Red had to stumble back, looking up at the woman who had hair just like Goldilocks without looking immediately guilty or angry. Little Red did not like Goldilocks' hair, it was basically a more perfect version of her own. And everyone just loved to remind her of that. She quickly tried to find her voice, though, before she got yelled at more.

"I don't know what you're talking about, she's normally here." Little Red said, her voice turning into a squeak as Goldilocks' mother grabbed her tighter. Little Red looked around for help, but all of the other children seemed too scared to do anything. "And I just got here anyway. Why would I know?"

"Shut up, brat. I bet you did something to her. Because I know you are trouble. My precious Goldie even said so. You and your mother are crazy." Goldilocks' mother said, starting to pull Little Red to what was likely a place she didn't want to go.

"But I've been around people all day so far! And I don't even go near her anyway." Little Red said, trying to get out of Goldilocks' mother's grip, but it was a grip of iron. She looked towards her house, hoping her mother would come out and say something, but she stayed concealed in their home.

Little Red jerked forward as Goldilocks' mother stopped, right in the center of town. She knew that people were talking as Goldilocks' mother gathered everyone around her, but her mind was spinning so fast that she couldn't make out the words. Little Red felt her breath start to fail her, and she was trying her best to not shake.

A figure then walked up to her, and Little Red slowly looked up, fearing the emotion of them. It was the mayor, who she wasn't surprised about, but she was definitely relieved to see his face relaxed. Little Red knew that if he wasn't angry at her, then there was a very high chance that she would be fine.

Everything was going to be fine.

That was what Little Red hoped, at least, as she stood up straighter, waiting for what the mayor had to say.

"What is all this fuss about?" The mayor gruffly, not really directing his question to anyone in particular. Goldilocks' mother spoke first, before Little Red could even react to the mayor's question.

"This girl is a witch, just as I've told you. My Goldie has been missing since last night and I know she's the one that did it!" She yelled, shaking Little Red as she did. Little Red could feel Goldilocks' mother's spit on her cloak, which she really didn't like. Little Red cringed at the thought of her cloak getting all grimy. After a few moments of silence, though, she realized that her cloak didn't matter at the moment.

"I'm not a witch, I don't even know what she's talking about." Little Red said, her voice coming out a lot quieter than what she hoped for. "And I don't know where Goldilocks is."

"What a lie." Goldilocks' mother said, grabbing the hood of Little Red's cloak. "We all know you were jealous of her hair, and I bet that you killed her for a magic spell to get her looks. See?"

She pulled down the hood of Little Red's cloak, revealing her normal dusty blonde hair, cut short and uneven. Little Red tried to get her hand free so she could pull her hood back up, but Goldilocks' mother would not let that happen. Little Red looked to the mayor for help.

"Well, I have to believe that that accusation is false." The mayor said, allowing Little Red to relax a little bit. "I understand that you're nervous about Goldie, but I bet she just wandered into the woods while trying to get to the other side of town. Don't go around accusing kids."

Little Red thought that meant freedom, and tried to walk away, but Goldilocks' mother held her even tighter.

"No!" Goldilocks' mother yelled. "My Goldie is smart, unlike these dumb kids. She wouldn't do that! Someone took her, and this, this beast is the only one that could've. I say we trial this, throw her in the lake and see what happens!"

Little Red panicked at this, trying harder to get away from Goldilocks' mother. Getting thrown in the lake was a death sentence. If you drowned, you were dead already. If you found a way to survive, you were killed. Little Red didn't want to do that to her mother, she would likely go insane.

"Madelina, I think you're getting yourself a bit worked up, why don't we go inside and talk over a cup of tea?" Mama Bear said, walking up to the two of them and putting her hand on Goldilocks' mother's arm. She started to force her away from the town center, which loosened Goldilocks' mother's grip on Little Red. Little Red took this opportunity immediately, doing the only thing she could think of doing at the moment.

Run.

So, she ran as fast as she could, right to the forest. Even though it seemed like the danger had passed, the beating of her heart and the adrenaline pumping through Little Red's body said otherwise. She didn't stop running even as she got into the woods, ignoring the hunger starting to form in her stomach from not having much of a breakfast and not having any lunch before then. She knew that if she wanted to not get thrown into the lake, she had to find Goldilocks. Only then would Goldilocks' mother be happy, hopefully. Though a little part of Little Red's mind kept saying something else. Something a bit more sinister, but a bit more truthful.

Goldilocks and her mother would only be truly happy if Little Red was dead. And in the most painful way possible.

That's what Little Red was thinking as she missed a step by a creek she never noticed, screaming from surprise and fear as she fell, hitting her head and not knowing if she would ever see home again.