Friend or Fred

A Story About Friends, Fathers And Daughters

The other children called Ingrid odd. They all lived in the little town while Ingrid lived in a little house in the forest. That was odd, therefore she was odd.

The reason Ingrid lived in the forest was her father who was a hunter. Nature was at the centre of everything they did. He only went into town when absolutely necessary. Usually to buy essentials, or to attend school matters. Ingrid suspected her father was relieved she had no friends. It would mean another attachment to the townspeople whom he dreaded having anything to do with.

Then it happened, Ingrid made her first friend. They met in a clearing in the forest, not far from Ingrid’s home. There was no doubt in her mind; it was friendship at first sight. Ingrid named this wolf Fred and fed him her lunch. They played and Fred listened to all Ingrid’s sorrows about being lonely. As the sun went down, Ingrid skipped all the way home, excited about the day gone and the days to come.

When Ingrid came home, her father scolded her for befriending a wolf. He told her to never go back to the clearing. To run away if she ever came across Fred again. She had to promise.

*

Throughout that summer, Ingrid secretly met Fred every day. She brought him lunches stuffed with wild game her father had caught and he wolfed each one down with delight. For hours on end, he listened as Ingrid talked about this, that, and the other.

Come autumn Ingrid had lost too much weight. Too much play and too little food. It was impossible to hide her bony physique from her father. Even worse; he quickly guessed who had eaten the food. Furious with Ingrid for deceiving him, and for letting herself be deceived by a wolf, her father swore to kill Fred the following day.

While her father slept that night, Ingrid stole all the meat she could carry and snuck out of the little house in the forest. To protect Fred from her father, Ingrid ran away with her friend.

*

After walking for two days, Ingrid built a shelter for them. At night, Fred kept her warm and safe. And she kept feeding him the stolen meat from her bag. They explored the forest and Fred listened to Ingrid talk about her favourite colours and stories.

The summer was warm and the two friends had fun during the days, but Fred grew colder as meat had to be rationed. Despite his change in demeanour, Ingrid was confident Fred would start hunting for his own dinner once provisions ran out completely.

When Ingrid fed Fred the last wild game from her bag, the portion was more meat than was left on her own fragile body. Fred wolfed down his dinner as usual - without chewing - and quietly watched Ingrid as she began apologetically suggesting they start hunting.

But Fred no longer listened.

*

When Ingrid’s father found her she had been dead for a day. While there had been no meat left on her, Fred had eaten what little else there was.

He ate the eyes that adored him,

the brain that thought about him.

He ate the tongue that praised him,

the intestines that starved for him.

Fred ate the big heart that loved him.

Ingrid’s father concluded the only unscathed part of his daughter was the hand she fed the wolf with. And holding it, he wept.

Written by: J. Gaasdal-Bech
Email: Pepwritesshortshorts@gmail.com