a

outer circle of the dancers, not d

zing off in one of the tents that had been erected. And I did not have the heart to sway to the loud mus

dst of a group of young men, giggling as they groped her ope

dragged her away, half-naked and still giggling foolishly. She ha

ink of what s

*

ng my knees tightly, and my chin resting on them. I shivered as a p

carried over the air, and

pfire was dark and menacing, seeming, in m

dered

e of the people in the group who would remain smoking and warbling till the wee hours of the morning, keeping to

he tendrils that had co

t crossly, rubbing my hands over my

walk away, but it would

of voices approaching and one particular si

he pit of my stomach. The vivid red birthmark on the underside of my

*

began to circle me like animals, scenting

g, holding a bottle of beer in his hand but smelling of some stronger spirit. The

ng some substance, I th

*

was safe. Warren could not , would not

at was wh

tively shutting me out from the group around the campfire With a

erly, tot

*

'Looks like Little Red h

laughed loudly. It seemed to embolden him and he came close

eh?' he leered openly and reached out

ldly, taking hi

t, I knew I had ma

to being made a fool of in public. And I had r

*

. I knew he was going to teach me a lesson

s I shot up to my f

with a loud sound, exposing my back. The look of pure lust on his f

and at any other time, I would have thought twice before rushing headlong into the woods which had

out to be

rsuers as they chased me, hooting and s

ith me, a Thought w

p running. Don't loo

oice, I thoug

knowledge that they would be rough and not

. The darkness seemed to reach out to me, the branches whi

ch that lay in my path and fell onto a pile o

ld not stand up: I h

nfu

*

the young men

rom behind a cloud, revealing me as I lay on

ight over the countryside, bathing the dark wo

iron, the moonlight bathed the woods in a strange,

were not exactly camouflage material, and I thrust my fist in

ed me almo