Ruby Ridinghood    by Denise Cassino

   "Ruby, I just made a batch of cookies that I want you to take to Grandma’s. She’s ill."
    Wiping cookie crumbs from her lips, Ruby pulled on her red hooded sweatshirt, strapped on
her fanny pack, and headed out the door with the tin her mother had slipped into a plastic grocery sack.
    "Be back by four o’clock and BE CAREFUL!"
    Ruby smiled and rolled her eyes. "Don’t worry, Mom, I’m thirteen now, remember? I’ll be okay."
    As Ruby crossed the busy streets, she pulled her hood up over her blond curls to ward off the chill. She
waited a stoplight, and a long, black car with a wolfish-looking man leaned out the window toward her.
    "Hey, little Red Riding Hood, where are you going?"
    Ruby slipped and said, "To my Grandmother’s house. She’s sick."
    "Well, well, well. Need a ride?"
    "No, thank you." She was frightened and ran, hoping he had not followed her, and soon she was far away.
Her heart pounded and the plastic bag grew slippery in her sweaty fist. She threw her hood back to cool off and
was soon lost in thought.
    It was fall and she kicked the colorful leaves in her path. In the park near her Grandmother’s house, she noticed some beautiful red and orange leaves, which would make a perfect bouquet for her grandmother. But she needed both hands for
gathering the leaves, so she went the short distance to her Grandmother’s, left the bag on her steps and returned for the leaves. She had completely forgotten about the man in the black car, but, unfortunately, he was watching her.
    He saw her go back to the park. Pulling into the alley, he parked and crept around to Ruby’s grandmother’s house. He knocked at the back door and a soft voice called out. "Come in, Ruby. It’s open."
    Looking from side to side, he slipped quickly through the kitchen into the hallway.
    "I’m back here, Sweetie, in my bedroom."
    The man crept closer. He grabbed a dishtowel and moved toward the soft voice. Through the window he saw Ruby cross the street with the bouquet.
    He burst through the bedroom door, grabbed the old lady and stuffed the towel into her mouth. He ripped the cord from the telephone and tied her hands and feet just as a knock came at the door. He pushed her into the back of her closet. He donned a bathrobe and shower cap from the back of the closet door and dived under the covers, pulling them up over his nose.
    "Come in, Ruby. It’s open," he cried in as high a voice as he could muster, though it was quite gruff.
    Ruby entered the house, juggling her gifts.
    "In the bedroom, dear."
    "Grandma? Is that you? You sound awful. I hope your throat isn’t too sore for some cookies," said Ruby. As she neared
the bedroom, and saw it was not her Grandma, but the man who had accosted her, so she played along.
    "I’ll put them in the kitchen and be right back."
    She slipped the pepper spray from her fanny pack and dialed 911 on the kitchen phone. She didn’t wait to speak to the operator because she knew an officer would be dispatched anyway.
    "I think you need a nice cup of tea with your cookies, Grandma." called Ruby as she lit the burner under the teapot.
    "Don’t bother, just come in and see me," called the high-pitched voice.
    "It’s no bother, and it will help your sore throat."
    The wicked man lay anxiously, hoping his trick would work. He could surprise her in the kitchen, but the last little girl had been too quick for him and escaped. He’d rather catch this one with her hands full.
    Ruby found the biggest cup in the cupboard and filled it with boiling water. With the cup in one shaking hand and the pepper spray in the other, she approached the bedroom door.
    "Now close your eyes, Grandma. I have a beautiful surprise for you."
    The nasty man closed his eyes. Ruby tossed the full cup of boiling water in the man’s face and aimed the pepper spray at his eyes. He screamed and writhed in the bed, while she smacked him with the heavy cup.
    Suddenly, the front door opened. "Police!"
    "Help! We’re in the bedroom," Ruby screamed.
    The police were surprised to find a grown man in bed wearing a shower cap and a pink, fuzzy bathrobe. He was weeping profusely and dabbing frantically at his bloodshot eyes. Thumps came from within the closet and one officer rushed to the door while the other handcuffed the beaten man who pleaded, "Please, my eyes, my eyes are burning."
    The policeman helped Grandmother from the closet and untied her.
    "Oh, Ruby, thank God you’re safe. I knew you were smart, but I was still terribly worried that awful man would hurt you!"
    "She did a great job, Ma’am! She had things well under control when we arrived."
    Ruby hugged her grandmother, and they watched the police haul the vanquished man out to the car.

    Two days later, Ruby’s grandmother was feeling much better and couldn’t wait for the presentation.
    "Now, for tonight’s local news," the anchorwoman announced. "Thirteen-year old Ruby Ridinghood received a special commendation from our Police Chief today for her courage and valor two days ago when she single-handedly fended off an assailant in her grandmother’s home. Using boiling water, pepper spray and a large cup, she disabled the man who had entered her Grandmother’s home. Of course, he hadn’t counted on Ruby’s quick thinking and was surprised when the police showed up to arrest and, well, save him, I guess you might say." The anchorwoman chuckled as a mug shot of the perpetrator showed his swollen eyes and blistered nose. Then Ruby’s smile set the screen aglow as the Chief of Police handed her a shiny plaque.     Ruby’s grandmother chuckled, too, as she chewed her cookie and sipped her tea. Life had certainly changed since she was a girl.

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