The Sound of What Wind

Rio whistled to himself as he made his way down numerous neighborhoods, making sure to keep to the sides as cars made it way past. Through his headphones, he listens to when angels fall by Breaking Benjamin. With every beat he would tap his finger against his thigh. It wasn't much, but it was basically the only thing keeping him from going bored on this walk.

"I wonder what Adrian is doing right now." Rio asked himself as he opened his phone to text him.

Rio: Hey! Just wanted to check on ya! Text back when you get this.

Rio slips the phone back and reverts his attention. He should be home by now. Walking wouldn't be that far for him, neither is riding with those asshole 'friends' of his. Maybe i should stop by, just in ca-

The sound of bushes moving caught the boy's attention. He wanted to say it could've been the wind, but the movement was way too hard for that. He would have definitely felt the wind if it was that hard. He wasn't dumb enough to go venturing down there. What if it was a wild animal, or a crazy homeless person. The thought of anything bad happening to him caused Rio to speed walk his way out of that neighborhood. With each step, the boy could feel his heart sinking into his stomach. Why was I so nervous? He continued to ask himself as he eventually made his way down the street. The neighborhood didn't give off any weird vibes. The houses were pretty nice, they all seemed at least two or three bedrooms. Which wasn't surprising due to the fact that the houses were in between two schools. Most houses were this soft green, almost as if one person owned everything. Surrounded the house he was in front of was a picket fence you would see in those movies about happy families. Rio stopped, something was different about this house. Mostly due to the fact that it wasn't green like the others. He took in how the house was more tall than wide. He took in how there was so much back yard, the shed looked as if it could be a house of its own.

"Who would live in a place like this?" Rio took one last glance at the entire building before he continued on his way. He decided to walk the rest of the way without headphones, just in case something decides to move again. But no matter how much he walked he would stop thinking about that house. It couldn't just be the paint that threw him off, no something was weird about that house. To be honest a part of him wanted to turn and go find out. Another part… had common sense. He sighed as he came to the conclusion that he was probably bored and looking for some adventure to go on.

It didn't take the boy that long for him to get to the school. Considerable if you think about the distance. RIta didn't wait at the school, since it would already be closed by now. So instead she patiently waited across the street at a small italian restaurant. Rio smiled at the smell wafting from the building. Maybe one day, me and my family could actually eat here. Rio opened the door to let Rita know she was here, but… she wasn't. She couldn't have gone into the store, she didn't have any money. Rio immediately pulls out his phone to text Alfred.

Rio: Did you pick up Rita?

The phone buzzed immediately.

Al: No. She should be across the street.

Panic quickly takes over the boy's body as he looks up the number to the school. It took a few rings, but the front desk woman finally picked it up.

"Hello, this is Fredar Mill Middle School. How can I help you?" Despite her nice tone, Rio wasn't in the mood to have a subtle conversation.

"Did Rita Lanier Show up to school today?" Rio could tell the woman took offense to his tone, but began typing anyways. Minutes began to go by as the woman began to call on the phone.

"Actually," Typing continued for a good few seconds before she answered the question. "No, I don't think she did. I could on the intercom for y-" Rio had cut off the phone. He couldn't even register what she had even said after that. Didn't Alfred drop her off? How could she not be there?

Rio: The school said she's not there!

Al: How! I dropped her off at the end of the street!

Rio suddenly remembered the movement of the bushes. That's probably where she was! He continued to think to himself as he ran to the place. He continued to ignore the buzzing coming from his pocket.

Rita was known for pulling pranks on him because of his gullible personality, but this was too far. Way too far. Rio slowly began to run out of breath. Now that he thought about it, how was Rita able to get this far? She didn't know the city very well, and she was only in the sixth grade. As he was thinking he heard the moving again. He knew for sure this was Rita pulling something. In anger he pulls the branches to peer into what his little sister was doing.

"Rita! For the love of god, where are you?" Rio shouted, only to see a dirt road that led from the bushes. Why would a trail lead out here? Many thoughts ran through the boy's mind as he began to walk the path before him. No, he didn't WANT to be here… but where else could Rita be. Knowing her, she probably was too nervous to go to school so she skipped and waited around for us to find her. Rio continued to think about how much of a clutz she was until he made his way to the end of the path.

Behind, that's where it led. Behind the house. The dark coal gray house. The back looked even more dingy than the front. The poarch was barely hanging on, while the stairs looked as if one step would cause them to scream in horror. In the corner of his eye lies the shed. The shed that stood out in the field of green.

"Maybe she went to sleep inside, that's possible." No the hell it isn't! Rio's mind contradicted his every move as he eventually made his way to the door. He took a deep breath to remember the horrid smell of the thing. It smelled as if several animals had taken a shit inside of a bag. Rio grabs the bottom of his shirt to turn the handle. He didn't want to leave prints in case this was someone's house.

"God, I hate this." He thought about the things he'd say to her when he found her inside. First he would ask, why here? Then he would chew her out about her terrible ways of playing hide 'n seek, and that's not even including her lecture from Francis and Mom.

Rio slowly opened the door only to find the thing he feared so much. His body froze in the doorway, unable to move. What would his family do right now? His body began to shake. He did find Rita, but he wasn't expecting to find a pitchfork through her body. The girl's head was gushing, probably due to some sort of bashing. Her eyes had this sheen to it. Her eyes held fear in them as she died. Rio wanted to move, but couldn't. He didn't know what he was thinking. Of course he needed to go. The only thing that brought his body back to earth was the vibrating of the phone in his pocket. Not thinking about anything else, he quickly picks up.

"Rio, where are you? I'm at the restaur-"

"Rita Dead."