[ WP ] The Riding Hood Prompt .

Once upon a time, in the small village of Sanguidene, lived a small girl by the name of Emily. One day, as she skipped down the winding path home from school, cute little Emily stopped on the rustic cobblestone bridge that crossed a deep, but placid stream. In typical country style, there was a wall protecting the traveler from falling over. The rocky wall was rough and gray with a slight arch to it, but the keystone in the center was a smooth polished black stone. 
 
 Emily stooped down to pick up a loose rock from the bridge. She leaned over the edge of the bridge, and the innocent little girl stared at her reflection. The resemblance to her recently deceased father was striking, and she relished the sight of her father's eyes looking back into her own. 
 
 But, before long, tears began flow and she cried out loud `` I miss you Daddy! Why did you have to die and leave me with HER!'' She threw the pebble into her mirror image. The ripples of waves distorted her face, and the once comforting image transformed into the face of her new, vindictive step mother. 
 
 `` Ha, ha, ha,'' the evil woman's picture seemed to cackle. `` Hurry home for your beatings! I have the hickory switch all ready for you!'' 
 
 `` I hate you!'' sweet little Emily bemoaned. `` I wish you would die! Die! Die! Die!'' Emily screamed at the imaginary voice. She began to weep louder, and shouted `` I want to see my daddy again!'' 
 
 `` What's with all the noise?'' a low, gruff voice responded. `` Ca n't I get a moments peace around here?' The voice seemed to come from beneath her feet. 
 
 `` Who's there?'' Emily gasped, glancing all around. `` Where are you?'' 
 
 `` Here,'' the little troll replied `` right behind you.'' 
 
 She spun around and looked down to see a curious looking creature. He was two feet tall, with wild sporadic hair spouting from various patches of his head and misshapen ears. His skin was rough and gray. It resembled the loose stone she had tossed into the stream. He had a crooked, yet friendly smile, which exposed his dirty, damaged, and oddly placed teeth. His beady red eyes were gazing right at her. They seemed to glisten like two fresh drops of blood on a stony surface. 
 
 `` Who.. What are you?'' Emily gasped as she wiped the sorrow from her eyes. 
 
 `` A friend,'' the little troll replied. `` One who might be beneficial, if you will benefit me.'' 
 
 `` What do you mean? How can I benefit you?'' questioned girl. 
 
 `` Well, I could not help but hear your cries. You seem to have a problem, perhaps I can help you? What evil can make such a sweet, pretty girl burst into tears?'' 
 
 `` It's my step mother. My father died hunting a wild boar to cook for my birthday celebration, and she blames me for his death! Each day when I come home from school she whips me for my punishment.'' 
 
 Emily turned around, and lifted up the back of her dress exposing the raw skin on the back of her upper thighs. Deep red marks crisscrossed against her legs, and crimson scabs were woven as from a loom. 
 
 `` These are not the worst. There are more in less noticeable places, `` she whimpered. `` If only my father was by my side, these beating would stop!'' 
 
 `` Well, perhaps I can help,'' cooed the troll. `` if you help me. You see, I am a rock troll, and I love to eat rocks. In fact this bridge is made of the most delicious form of granite in the land. I live beneath this bridge and gobble the pebbles that fall from above. Unfortunately, all the loose stones have already made their way below, and my meals have been very small lately. I dare not come up here to often, for most human would not hesitate to slice my head off if they see me. But, you, I feel I can trust.'' 
 
 `` How can I help you?'' the innocent girl inquired. 
 
 `` If each day, on your way home from school, you stop and throw a tasty rock down below, my strength will grow. When I am large enough, I will prevent your step mother from ever harming you again.'' 
 
 `` That's all I have to do?'' Emily gleamed. 
 
 `` Well, yes, in a way. You can help me gain my strength by increasing the amount of rocks you drop below each day. For each pebble I consume, so does my appetite for them. Multiple the rocks by three each day and recite this chant.'' 
 
 *Multiple each rock by three/ and my beatings will not be/ Offering these rocks to thee/ my sweet father I will see* 
 
 `` And if I do this every day, my father will be by my side? And my step-mother will no longer hurt me?' 
 
 `` I promise you,'' grinned the troll. 
 
 `` I shall see you tomorrow!'' the little girl beamed. 
 
 The next day on her way home from school, cute little Emily hopped and skipped her way to the bridge. Once on top she found three stones and tossed them over the side. She sang the chant as a lark sings to the morning sun. 
 
 *Multiple each rock by three/ and my beatings will not be/ Offering these rocks to thee/ my sweet father I will see* 
 
 She raced home that day, brave to face her whipping, knowing those beatings would soon be done for good. 
 
 The next day, as Emily stopped atop the bridge on her way home, she scoured the bridge for nine rocks, and set them in a pile. One by one she plunked them down and sang her joyful song. 
 
 *Multiple each rock by three/ and my beatings will not be/ Offering these rocks to thee/ my sweet father I will see* 
 
 `` I ca n't wait until that troll is big enough to teach my step-mom a lesson,'' Emily thought as she continued her stroll to her home. `` Maybe he will beat her with that hickory stick so hard that she ca n't walk anymore!'' 
 
 On day three of her ritual, she collected the twenty seven rocks into a large pile. They were getting more difficult to find, as she had already collected most of them lying around. As she pushed the pile into the water below, she once again sang her joyful tune. 
 
 *Multiple each rock by three/ and my beatings will not be/ Offering these rocks to thee/ my sweet father I will see* 
 
 On the fourth day, it took her almost an hour to collect the first eighty rocks. She placed them into a huge pile on the center of the bridge. She could not find any more loose rocks. As she searched the surrounding area, the smooth black stone in the center of the wall caught her eye. 
 
 `` I wonder if the troll would like to try this tasty black rock today. I will make his eighty-first stone a special treat!'' she thought. 
 
 She began to toss the large pile over the side of the bridge singing her little song. 
 
 *Multiple each rock by three/ and my beatings will not be/ Offering these rocks to thee/ my sweet father I will see* 
 
 After she sang the song multiple times, all the rocks were finally overboard. She walked to the shiny black rock, and jostled it loose from its position. She shouted below `` I have a special treat for you today!'' 
 
 Cute little Emily lifted the shiny, black rock from its position and attempted to throw it below, but before she could toss it over the railing, the bridge collapsed. The keystone was holding the whole bridge together. 
 
 Emily fell into the stream below, where the 10 foot tall troll caught her in his loving arms. 
 
 `` Thank you for all those tasty stones!'' he said to her. `` I am now strong and big enough to fulfill my side of the deal. Please, sing the chant one more time and my power will be complete. He lifted her high above his head as she sang one more time. 
 
 *Multiple each rock by three/ and my beatings will not be/ Offering these rocks to thee/ my sweet father I will see* 
 
 `` You will no longer be hurt by your mother, and your father will soon be by your side'', he smiled with his crooked grin. He slowly opened his mouth, and began to consume the sweet, innocent little girl. 
 
 
 
 
 Edit: punctuation and spelling 

