Little Red Riding Hood

by Jennifer

 

CHAPTER 1

 

The day of the village fete and carnival was approaching. Everybody had been looking forward to it, and the girls and boys of Milsom Primary School couldn't wait to dress up in the many colourful costumes that were being hired for the occasion. They'd all been asked which character they'd like to be, and the costumes had been ordered accordingly.

Unfortunately there was only one fly in the ointment. 12 year old Ricky Carter. He was the school bully, who often took a delight in spoiling the other kid's fun, and everybody knew that this would probably be no exception. Despite some coaxing from his mother and the teachers, he just wasn't interested in joining in with the carnival celebrations, and in the end they simply gave up. They just hoped he'd keep out of the way and not spoil it for everyone.

As the day of the fete approached, the boys and girls of his class watched him strutting around the school playground, pushing the smaller children out of the way, and as they watched, Hilary Martin said 'You know, I wish there was some way of taking the wind out of his sails. Just for once I'd really love to see him made a fool of.'

'Yes I know what you mean' said David Mathews, 'If we could only humiliate him in some way so that everybody would laugh at him. I reckon that would put a stop to his swaggering.'

'If only' sighed Fiona McPherson, 'That's something I would like to see.'

'Well why don't we do something to him on the day of the fete?' said Billy Knight, 'You know, something humiliating. It would be a good revenge for the little kids he's always bullying, so they'd certainly enjoy it.'

'What a great idea' said Hilary eagerly, 'But what? Any ideas?'

There was a brief silence until Fiona suddenly broke into a grin. She began to chuckle and said 'You know, I think I've got the most perfect idea. You want to humiliate him? Well how about this?' She began to explain her idea, and as she did so the others burst out laughing. 'You boys will definitely need to help us' she grinned, 'And we're going to need the right costume for him. Can we still order an extra one in time?'

'Oh I'm sure we can' giggled Hilary, 'My Mum's done the ordering from the costume hire company, and I'm sure she can give them a call for one extra one. Especially if I tell her what it's for. Only the other day she said Ricky needed to be taught a lesson because of the way he bullies the little ones, and I reckon she'll be happy to help. And I reckon even his own Mum will approve.'

'Great' smiled Fiona, 'Well it looks as if Master Ricky Carter's going to join in the procession whether he likes it or not. I can't wait to see him up there on the float, it's going to be hilarious!'

They spent the next few minutes working on their plan of attack, and went home feeling distinctly cheerful.

 

CHAPTER 2

The costumes arrived a few days later, and were stored in the sports ground pavilion. Hilary and Fiona eagerly looked for the one they'd selected for Ricky to wear whether he liked it or not, and when they unpacked it, Hilary held it up and they both fell about laughing. 'Oh boy' she chuckled, 'He's going to look lovely in this! Let's get together with the boys once more and make sure everybody knows what to do.'

'Good idea' said Fiona, 'We don't want anything to go wrong. Are you sure you can get him to come into the changing room when we're getting ready?'

'Oh yes' grinned Hilary, 'I've got the perfect bait. As you know, Ricky's one real weakness is computer games, and I know he desperately wants that new one that Billy's just bought. He's green with envy. Anyway, once everybody's changed into their costumes and most of them have gone outside, we'll tell Ricky that Billy's got his new gameboy with him, but he doesn't want to risk taking it on the float with him. I'll go and tell Ricky that Billy wants him to look after it for him for the afternoon, and I guarantee that will bring him running. Then when he arrives, we spring the trap.'

'Oh that's brilliant' smiled Fiona, 'And are you sure we have enough boys to overpower him?'

'Easily' smiled Hilary, 'Six of them, he's got plenty of enemies. He won't stand a chance.'

'Great' grinned Fiona, 'Then all we have to do is wait.' She gave a chuckle of relish as they began trying on their costumes. Fiona was Wonder Woman, while Hilary was a more traditional Joan of Arc, an they were pleased that their costumes didn't feature long flowing dresses that might get in the way while they were dealing with Ricky.

All was ready.

 

CHAPTER 3

The day of the fete was perfect, with the sun shining out of a clear blue sky. The procession was due to start from the village sports ground at 12 o'clock, but all the children were eager to change into their costumes in the pavilion, which had been set aside as a changing room, so most of them were ready by 10 o'clock. Some of the younger boys wee already playing mock sword fights on the grass outside, while the little girls walked around with their noses in the air trying to look as disdainful as possible. By 11 o'clock they were all ready, and only those who were involved with Fiona's devious plan were left in the sports pavilion.

They checked that everything was ready, and then Hilary said 'All right then, let's do it. Where's Ricky?'

'With his Mum' grinned Fiona, 'She knows about the plan and thinks it's hilarious. She told him he had to come with her even if he doesn't want to be in the procession, so she's expecting you. I think you'd better go over and get him.'

'Right' grinned Hilary, 'Here we go then.' She went out of the pavilion, and through the open door the others saw her go over to Ricky and speak to him. There was a moment's pause, and then, as Hilary walked back towards the pavilion with him, Fiona said 'Perfect, he's swallowed the bait.'

'All right boys' said Billy, 'You know what to do. Mickey, shut the door as soon as we've grabbed him. We don't want anybody to see what we're doing, we just want them to see him afterwards. Right, take up your positions just like we planned and be ready to grab him the moment he's inside the room.' Everyone knew their place, and Fiona giggled nervously as she watched Rick blithely walking into her trap.

Hilary let Ricky enter the pavilion first, and the moment he was properly inside the room he was pounced on by strong willing hands. The boys quickly overpowered him and flung him down onto a padded exercise mat while Mickey slammed the door shut to hide them from view.

Ricky heaved and squirmed helplessly for a few seconds, but a couple of painful arm locks soon brought him under control and he said 'What the hell are you doing? Let me go! Now!'

'Oh don't worry' grinned Fiona as she stood over him with her arms folded triumphantly, 'You'll soon be going outside again, but under rather different circumstances to when you came in!'

A ripple of laughter went around the room, and Ricky began to look nervous. He realised he'd been lured into the pavilion for a purpose and was anxious to know what it was.

'Wha….what are you going to do to me?' he asked querulously, all the swagger knocked out of him. It's well known that bullies are usually cowards as well and he was no exception.

'Do to you?' Grinned Fiona, 'Oh not much. It's just that we've decided that you're going to be in the procession along with the rest of us.'

Ricky gave a sigh of relief. 'Is that all?' he said, 'Well if I'd known you felt so strongly about it I might have considered it. 'But' he added triumphantly, 'I don't have a costume, so I can't be in your silly procession can I?'

'Oh but you do have a costume' chuckled Hilary, 'We hired one especially for you, a really lovely one! Would you like to see it?' she added with a broad grin.

By now, Ricky knew by the way the boys were holding him down that he wasn't going to have any choice in the matter anyway, but with as much casual disdain as he could muster he said 'If you like. What is it? Some stupid character like Robin Hood I suppose.'

'Funny you should say that' giggled Hilary as she went across to a row of hooks on the wall where the children had left their own clothes hanging up for safe keeping, 'Because your costume does have a hood as a matter of fact.' At the end of the row of clothes hung one remaining colourful costume on its hanger, and with a broad grin on her face, Hilary took it down, came back to where Ricky lay on the floor, and held it up for him to see. 'Yes' she chuckled, 'You're going to be Little Red Riding Hood!'

The evidence was clear as Ricky stared at the costume as if it was a venomous serpent. Sure enough, there was a sweet little peasant style red dress with a white blouse. The dress had a traditional style of crossed laces up the front of the bodice, and the blouse had short puffed sleeves and a peter pan collar. Even more obvious was the bright red hooded cape draped over the dress on the hanger. It was definitely a Little Red Riding Hood costume, and it was in Ricky's size. His face was a picture of horror as he burst into a paroxysm of futile struggling in the boys' tight grip. 'Noooooo!' he yelled, 'No! You can't do this to me! I'm not a little girl!' The girls giggled and the boys roared with laughter at his reaction, relishing this chance to give Ricky the treatment he so richly deserved.

'No? Well you soon will be' laughed Fiona, 'My goodness, you're going to look so sweet standing up on the float with us where everyone can see you.'

'But first we have to get you into your costume' she added briskly. 'OK boys, get his clothes off will you?'

Despite Ricky's desperate struggles, the boys had no difficulty in removing his clothes, and he was soon sitting upright on the exercise mat totally naked and held firmly under the boys' control.

Fiona picked up a pair of girl's maroon school knickers and said 'These will go with the outfit OK, so just hold his legs while I put them on him.' The boys brought his feet close together and lifted him slightly off the ground while Fiona slipped the knickers over his ankles and pulled them up his legs. 'This is easy' she grinned, 'Just like putting my little sister's baby pants on over her nappy.' A ripple of laughter greeted that idea, and once the knickers were in place she picked up the blouse, held it up, and said 'All right, let's get him into his blouse.' It opened at the back, and the boys forced Ricky's arms into it. Fiona quickly fastened the buttons up the back and secured a hook and eye at the back of the neck.

'So far so good' she smiled, 'Now for the dress.' A long row of laces ran up the back, and she unfastened them and opened up the back of the dress. 'All right boys' she said, 'Hold him in a kneeling position and I'll get him into it.' The boys held Ricky as she requested, and holding the dress open and above him, Fiona lowered it down over him. Willing hands put his head and arms in, and she pulled the dress down around him. 'Right' she said, 'Now stand him up while I do up the back. He won't get out of this dress in a hurry!'

The boys brought Ricky to his feet, and Fiona began fastening the long laces up the back. As she tightened the laces, Ricky felt the bodice closing around him, and realised that there would be no way of getting the dress off without untying the laces.

She worked her way up the back until she reached the top of the bodice between Ricky's shoulder blades, and once she'd closed the back of the dress she tied off the ends of the laces in a tight knot and a secure non slip double bow.

'Excellent' grinned Fiona, 'And it's a perfect fit. Shoes and socks next I think. Sit him down on a chair will you boys?'

Ricky was unceremoniously sat down on a chair, and the boys held his arms down over the back while Fiona slipped a pair of white cotton ankle socks onto his feet and turned the tops down neatly. Then she took a pair of black mary jane style strap shoes, slipped them onto his feet, and fastened the buckles securely at the side.

'There we are' said Fiona as she straightened up, 'Nearly ready, except for one thing. I know he can't possibly get out of that dress by untying the laces, but I wouldn't put it past him to get a pair of scissors and cut the darned things. So how do we make sure he can't get his costume off or unfasten anything?'

There was a momentary pause before Billy said 'That's easy. Just hold him still for a moment.' He went to a locker at the end of the room and rummaged inside among some football equipment and sportswear. He took out a football boot and removed one of its long laces. 'Here we are' he said with a grin, 'This'll take care of his hands. Put his hands behind his back and cross his thumbs over.' The boys forced Ricky's thumbs together, and Bill deftly tied them tightly together, leaving two lengths of the laces hanging from the knot. Then, holding Ricky's tied thumbs close to the laces running down the back of the dress, he threaded it through the laces holding the dress closed at the bottom end just above his bottom. Once he'd tied Ricky's thumbs in position, Bill took the trailing ends of the football lace, ran them up into the small of Ricky's back, and tied them to the laces of the dress, completely out of reach of Ricky's questing fingers. He was now completely helpless with absolutely no way of removing or interfering with his humiliating outfit.

'Oh that's brilliant' grinned Fiona, 'There's no way he'll get out of that!'

'And' chuckled Hilary, picking up the red hooded cloak, 'With this cloak covering his hands, no one will see that he's actually tied up. People will think that he actually wants to be Little Red Riding Hood!' A roar of laughter greeted her suggestion, and grinning broadly, Hilary draped the cloak over Ricky's shoulders. She drew it together at the front of his neck and fastened it with a neat non-slip double bow. 'Now then' she chuckled, 'This should make him look really sweet!' She lifted the hood of the cloak up over Ricky's head, and fastened the two tie tapes under his chin in a secure non-slip double bow so that he couldn't shake the hood back off his head. Then she stood back to admire her handiwork.

Fiona immediately burst out laughing and said 'Oh that's absolutely delightful. Doesn't he look adorable? Good Heavens, he looks more like a little girl than most little girls!'

'That's for sure' giggled Hilary, 'Let him go guys, let's see if he can take any of his costume off.'

The boys cautiously released Ricky, and he immediately flung himself around and twisted and turned in a desperate effort to shake off the humiliating sweet little pointed pixie hood that framed his face. He spun around and shook back his head, but it was all in vain. The secure bow under his chin ensured that the hood remained firmly in place, and after a minute or so he gave up struggling, with no choice but to peep out demurely like a little girl from under the red riding hood.

'Well there we are' grinned Fiona, 'I reckon Little Red Riding Hood is ready to join the procession now. Shall we take her out to the float? They should be loading up by now.'

'Good idea' said Hilary, 'Bring him along will you boys? We need to get him in position up on the float, but let's show him to his Mum first.'

Two of the boys took hold of the helpless Ricky's arms, and the whole group moved out of the pavilion and across the grass to where Ricky's mother was talking to one of her friends. As soon as the two ladies saw Ricky they burst out laughing, obviously enjoying the sight of Ricky being repaid for his antisocial bullying of the past. They entered into the spirit of the thing, and Ricky's mother grinned as she said 'Well goodness me, what a sweet little girl. Isn't she pretty?'

'And that costume suits her so well' chuckled her companion, 'Little Red Riding Hood was certainly a good choice, she just looks so cute peeping out from under that hood doesn't she?'

Ricky blushed crimson to the roots, and his mother said 'Well you children had better get him up onto your float. They'll be moving off quite soon.'

'OK then' said Hilary, 'Come on everybody.' The two ladies gave Ricky a little wave as if he really was a little girl, and he was marched over to the exit of the sports ground and into a small roadway where the lorries and floats were parked in readiness for the procession. They'd been set up with portable step ladders next to them, and when they reached their float, the boys and girls forced the reluctant Ricky up the steps and onto the float. Then they moved him across to a fixture at the front of the float just behind the driver's cabin. The boys stood Ricky with his back to it facing back across the float, and while Hilary held Ricky's cloak up out of the way, Billy took a piece of rope and tied Ricky's wrists to it so that he now had no choice but to stand in the most prominent position on the float dressed as Little Red Riding Hood while in full view of everyone. With the cloak draped around him, nobody would realise that Ricky was actually tied up, and therefore they would assume that he actually wanted to be in the carnival procession dressed as Little Red Riding Hood! He almost wept with humiliation.

Fiona arranged the cloak neatly, pulling the front open slightly so that the sweet little dress that Ricky wore underneath the cloak was clearly visible, and laughed as she said 'Well there we are Little Red Riding Hood, you're the star attraction on this float. Now all we have to do is make sure that everyone knows it.'

She looked around the assembly area around them and suddenly chuckled. 'And I think I've just seen the right person for that' she giggled, 'Look, there's the photographer from the Fordham Gazette. I'll bet he'd be interested in how we deal with bullies with all this anti bullying thing at school on at the moment. I'll go and have a word with him.'

Ricky jerked uselessly in frustration against the ropes restraining him as he watched Fiona go over to the press photographer and point to him while she explained Ricky's fate for being a bully. The photographer looked across at him a few times and then burst out laughing before he started walking across towards the float with Fiona.

Suspecting what was about to happen, Ricky groaned with humiliation as the photographer clambered up onto the float and stood looking at Ricky with a huge grin on his face. 'Well goodness me' he chuckled, 'If it isn't Little Red Riding Hood. I must say it sure is a delightfully appropriate way of dealing with a bully. He bullied the little girls, so now he's turned into one himself. Oh yes, I think this will make a good article for the Gazette; we're supporting the latest initiative to stamp out school bullying, and this will be a salutary warning to any of his kind. Just a minute and I'll take some pictures.'

Ricky was in no position to stop him as he checked the settings on his camera and then took several photos of him both with and without Fiona, Hilary and the others being in the photo. Blushing crimson with humiliation as he peered out from under his red pixie hood, Ricky wished that the earth could swallow him up as he imagined how he would be received on his next day at school with almost everyone having seen this evidence of his downfall.

The photographer finished taking his pictures and said 'Thanks very much girls, that's exactly the kind of publicity we need to discourage school bullies from trying it on.' Turning to Ricky he grinned and said 'And as for you mate, well I don't envy you the rest of the day dressed like that, but it serves you right. Enjoy yourself, and look out for the next edition of the Gazette. You're going to be famous around here!' With a final chuckle, he stepped down off the float and went on his way.

Fiona looked at Ricky, grinned, and said 'Well that was a bonus. Can't wait to see how the photos look in the paper.' Ricky on the other hand, would rather have waited forever.

A few moments later, the procession organisers told the boys and girls to take up their positions on their various floats, and after a short while the procession started moving forward. It moved off the sports ground, and then proceeded down the main village street.

Much to Ricky's embarrassment, the girls took every opportunity to draw every onlooker's attention to him, and he blushed crimson with humiliation as several of his classmates from school were in the crowd. They hooted with laughter when they recognised who the sweet little girl in the Red Riding Hood costume was, and Ricky knew that he would never live this down.

The procession took about half an hour to go through the village, and terminated at a recreation ground where the carnival with its fairground and amusements was in full swing.

Once the floats had come to a standstill the boys and girls climbed down onto the ground while Billy untied Ricky from the float, but leaving his thumbs tied securely to the back of his dress. Fiona and Hilary took a firm grip of Ricky's arms and climbed down off the float. Once they were on the ground, one of the other girls said 'So what shall we do with him now?'

'You'll see' grinned Fiona, 'Come on, we've got another little treat for Little Red Riding Hood now.'

Surrounded by half a dozen of their friends, Fiona and Hilary began marching Ricky purposefully through the fairground, and he had an uneasy suspicion that they had something in mind.

They certainly did. Among a line of stalls was a space between two of them occupied by a set of old-fashioned wooden stocks. As soon as Ricky saw them he had a horrible feeling who the occupant was going to be, and he tried to jerk to a halt. But with the willing assistance of several helpers, Fiona and Hilary manhandled him up to the stocks.

Hilary raised the upper half of the board which imprisoned the feet, and as Ricky struggled helplessly against the firm grip of the girls, they sat him down on the seat and forced his ankles into the slots. Hilary then lowered the board down onto his ankles while Fiona produced a padlock. She swung the locking hasp of the stocks into the closed position, and sliding the padlock through the loop, clicked it shut. Then the girls stood in front of the hapless Ricky to admire their handiwork, and shrieked with laughter as he sat there helplessly squirming in full public view, dressed as a sweet little girl.

But Fiona and Hilary hadn't finished yet. Hilary looked thoughtful for a moment, and then said 'Well he sure does look cute, but hiding under that hood, it's not all that obvious that he's a boy is it?'

'Good point' said Fiona, 'So what do you think we should do about it?'

There was a short pause before Hilary grinned and said 'Well I'm glad you asked, because I've brought something with me that will do the job nicely. Nice and girly, but it will still be obvious that he's a boy.'

'Like what?'

'These' chuckled Hilary, 'Some nice pretty hair ribbons.' She reached into a small bag and took out a hairbrush, two lengths of white satin hair ribbon, two elastic bands, and two white plastic hair slides in the form of small bows.

'Oh Hilly you're a genius' giggled Fiona, 'They'll do the job nicely, and with his thumbs tied like that there's no chance that he'll be able to get them out of his hair.'

'That's right' grinned Hilary, 'And if we now remove the cloak, everyone will be able to see that gorgeous cute little girl dress he's wearing as well. Take it off will you, and will someone hold his head still while I put these ribbons in his hair.'

Ricky felt doomed, but with his ankles in the stocks and his thumbs tied securely to the laces at the back of his dress, he knew there was nothing he could do about it.

Fiona unfastened the hood of the cloak, pushed it back off Ricky's head, and then pulled the cloak off him completely, exposing the colourful dress he was wearing to the full. In the bright summer sunshine he stood out conspicuously.

One of the girls stood behind Ricky, put her arm around under his chin, and held his head in a vice-like grip before Hilary started arranging his hair like that of a little girl. She began by combing his hair with a parting down the middle, and arranged it into two bunches held in position with a couple of elastic bands. Ricky squirmed and groaned with humiliation as she took one of the ribbons and carefully tied it tightly round the base of one of the bunches in a neat bow. Repeating the process with the other ribbon, she made sure the two bows were identical in size. Then she took the two white plastic hair slides, and sliding them into position next to the ribbons, she clicked them shut. 'There we are' she smiled, as she combed the front of Ricky's hair forward in a little fringe, 'That's how I used to have my hair done when I was a little girl. Well near enough, anyway. All right, you can let him go now.'

The girl released her grip around Ricky's neck and they all stepped back and shrieked with laughter as the helpless Ricky struggled and squirmed, held fast in the wooden embrace of the stocks. He desperately shook his head as he tried to loosen the humiliating ribbons in his hair, but there was no chance of that because Hilary had done far too good a job of tying them. He desperately tried to use his hands, but the boot lace tying his thumbs to his back held them securely in place. He was completely helpless, and had no choice but to endure the jeers and catcalls of the girls. He blushed crimson with embarrassment as they commented on what a pretty little girl he was, and he was by now regretting his bullying ways to the full. It wasn't long before the girls attracted the attention of passers by, and they too began teasing him and laughing at him incessantly.

Hilary and Fiona decided to keep an eye on Ricky while he remained in the stocks, but the others decided to go and enjoy all the fun of the fair before they eventually went home. In the meantime, Hilary and Fiona left Ricky in the stocks for the next three hours.

Eventually they decided it was time to let him go, and Fiona unlocked the padlock and raised the upper board of the stocks, releasing Ricky's ankles. With a sigh of relief, Ricky put his feet on the ground and the two girls helped him to his feet. But they left his hands tied behind his back, and Hilary replaced the cloak around Ricky's shoulders and put up the hood. Fastening it on securely so that he couldn't shake it back off his head she grinned and said 'There we are, now you're sweet Little Red Riding Hood again. Let's go shall we?' They set off through the crowd, where people continued teasing Ricky and laughing.

The girls walked Ricky back through the village to give everybody one last chance to laugh at him before they finally arrived back at the pavilion changing room. Once there they untied him and helped him to remove his humiliating costume. He sat down, and as Hilary untied the ribbons in his hair, Fiona said 'Well there you are Ricky. Maybe that will teach you not to be such a bully in the future. Have you learnt your lesson?'

'I sure have' said Ricky emphatically, 'I've never been so humiliated in my life!'

'Good' grinned Hilary, 'That was the general idea. Actually, it seems to have worked so well as a punishment that we just might keep the idea in mind for future use.'

'That's a good idea' giggled Fiona. 'Yes, come to think of it Ricky, I've got an absolutely adorable little party frock that would fit you, so watch out. We can always force you into it with the help of the boys, so if we ever find you've been bullying someone again, you'll find yourself going shopping over in Fordham with us dressed as a real little cutie. It's a big shopping centre, so there wouldn't be any shortage of people to laugh at you. Understood?' she grinned.

By now Ricky had finished dressing in his own clothes again, and he looked at her, nodded his head and said 'Understood. Don't worry, I'm not going to risk a repeat of today's dose of humiliation. I'll behave.'

'In that case we've achieved what we set out to do' smiled Fiona, 'So you can go now. See you at school on Monday.'

Ricky couldn't wait to get away, and quickly went out of the pavilion and set off for home. Well satisfied with the day's events, the girls hung up the Little Red Riding Hood costume and went out into the warm late afternoon sunshine. It had been a perfect day. For them.

 

THE END

  

  

  

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