Biting into a sweet, bright red apple, Rose’s stomach began to warm. This was one of her favorite things to do. She enjoyed apple picking more than eating cookies. Her family has had an apple farm for generations and this year Rose was granted the opportunity to pick the apples with her older brother, Asa. The orchard was hidden in the middle of a forest filled with tall trees that to Rose, appeared could touch the sky. There was only one way in the forest and one way out by following a small dirt path. It was very important to stay on the path or else you would get lost in the woods.  Rose never worried about that too much though, she knew the path like the back of her hand.  

She thought to herself, “There is absolutely no way I’d ever forget where the path is.”

Asa warned Rose of all the responsibilities that came with apple picking. 

He told her, “You have to go before dark, always follow the path, and never talk to strangers.” 

Rose followed these rules since she knew how important they were.  

One dark and cool evening, Rose’s mother refused to let Rose leave the house to pick the apples because of the bad weather. Rose was furious as she stormed through her room slamming the door behind her. 

“If Asa can go out in bad weather then so can I! I am tired of being told that I am too young.” Rose said to herself.  

Rose decided that night she was not going to listen to her mother anymore. Rose put on a heavy jacket and grabbed a basket for the apples. She creaked open her window just enough to let her small body slip through without a sound. She quickly ran down the stone road until her house disappeared in the night. By the time she got to the dark forest, the moon shone barely any light. The only way she knew where she was going was because of the way the dirt path felt under her feet as she walked. By the time Rose got to the apple trees, it was as dark as black ink. Rose began to get frightened and rapidly grabbed as many apples as she could. She knew she was breaking all the rules Asa told her about and she knew she needed to get home quick. In a frantic rush, Rose sprinted down the path with her pulse racing. She never realized how eerie the forest really was until now. With every sound she heard she lunged forward and ran faster. She sprinted so fast that she couldn’t feel the ground under her feet. It wasn’t until she was far off the path she realized she wasn’t running on the dirt road. She whipped her head around in all directions hoping something looked familiar. Rose could only see the long pointy branches of the trees surrounding her. Helplessly Rose needed to cry out for help. 

“Is anyone out there?!” Rose yelled as panic took over her. 

She heard rustling in the bushes next to her. Just before she was about to scream she heard a deep voice. 

“Are you lost little girl?” the deep mysterious voice asked. 

“Yes I am,” replied Rose shakily, “can you help me?” 

A large figure appeared out of the dark where Rose had heard the voice. It wore a baggy cloak that draped to the ground and covered its face. 

“Who are you?” Rose curiously asked the figure. 

“I am just a lonely man who is trying to help someone in need,” the figure replied, “you do need my help don’t you?” 

Rose had remembered the rule of not talking to strangers, but then she remembered she had already broken the other rules and thought one more couldn’t hurt. 

“Yes, can you help me find the dirt path I was on so I can get home,” Rose asked desperately. 

“It’s too dark to find the path,” the man replied slowly, “you’ll have to stay with me at my house.” 

Reluctantly Rose followed the man through the woods watching every movement he did like a hawk. Rose’s feet ached as they finally reached the man's house. From what Rose could see it was made out of dark wood and hidden behind the trees where no one could find it. The man opened the door with a loud creak and the smell of death flew through the air choking her. 

“What is that awful smell?” Rose asked while plugging her nose. 

“My apologies, living out in the woods alone I have to kill and cook my own food,” the man replied spookily. 

Rose had felt a churning in her gut ever since she arrived at his house, but part of her was still thankful she wasn’t alone in the woods anymore.  

Rose and the strange man sat around a small fire listening to the wind whirl outside. As she sat there her eyelids began to droop and her head wobbled. After the long journey through the woods, Rose realized how tired she’d become. She curled up next to the fire and began breathing steadily as she fell asleep. She was awakened by a screeching sound on the floor next to her. She shot her eyes open to see sharp claws dragging on the ground next to her head. She lurched forward only to be pushed back by a large creature standing over her. She had never seen anything like the creature before. It had a deformed face with gashes and scars running across it revealing rage and evilness. Rose tried to scream but nothing came out of her mouth. The creature dug its razor-sharp claws into her arm. Pain engulfed Rose as she tried to release herself from his grasp. The creature continued to claw at Rose causing blood to pile on the floor. After being stabbed with his claws many times she finally stopped moving. Rose could only think about who would pick the apples now.