Chapter One

Thunder roared in the distance as little feet padded through puddles on the cement. The little girl in her pink rain-boots sloshing water around cheerily, a bright smile lighting her face.
She walked up the driveway of a house with bright, sunny yellow shutters, passing the front door and kneeling in front of a hydrangea bush. Her hand disappeared in the greenery, coming back with a small rock with a hidden cover in the bottom. Retrieving the key from it she replaced the stone and made her way up the steps of the small porch. She had to stand on her toes to reach the keyhole, holding to the knob to keep her balance.
The door opened with a click, swinging open slowly to allow her entrance.
"Mamma, daddy, I'm home," She called, her voice drifting through the hall like a melody.
Her hat and coat were thrown haphazardly on the floor at the entrance, her rain-boots left on as she clomped down the hall.
"Mamma, daddy?" Her boot lost traction as she stepped into an unseen puddle, she caught herself on a piece of crown molding on the wall. She continued on toward the kitchen, the puddle seeming to be rather large, and she wondered if maybe daddy had left the sink running again.
She turned the corner into the kitchen, reaching up and flicking the light-switch on with the tips of her fingers.
Her stomach flipped, the color draining from her face. Her fingers still brushed the edge of the switch as her body stood rigid and unmoving in the doorway.
Her eyes burned painfully, wide and unable to look away, her gaze stayed on the ground in front of her, bathed in red. It was everywhere, a sea of bright maroon, and she was standing in the middle of it.
Little hiccupy gasps escaped through her parted lips until they became full blown sobs as the tears started.
She baked away, shaking her head as her tears tried to blur her view. She turned and stumbled forward, running, throwing open the door, crossing the neighbor's lawn, not stopping when she reaches the door, pounding small fists against the wood.
Getting no answer she ran to the next house, and the next house, and the next. Desperate sobs choked her as she crumbled onto the cement of someone's porch. Not one person answered her cries for help, either not hearing or not caring.
The rain washed away her tears having long stopped falling.
A hand reached up to grip the slick railing above her, pulling herself up to stand on unstable legs.
She was wasting time, her mind was muddled, she couldn't even remember what she was supposed to do in this situation.
If I can just make it back to his house everything will be ok, she thought, he'll know what to do, he always does.
She pushed herself off from the banister, her feet hitting the ground running. Her breathing hitched as she gasped on air, she fell several times, gravel embedding itself into her knees, but she ran on. She did not slow her pace until her foot touched the first step leading to the house. Her fist slammed against the door repetitively until she hit something soft.
"Ouch, what did I do to deserve that?" A voice asked jokingly.
"D-dib!" The girl choked out, throwing her arms around the older boy and sobbing into his shirt.
"Kiria?" He gasped, his arms tightening around her shaking form. "What's wrong? Ria, what happened?"
Her breath hitched, she tried to speak but all that came out were gasps and choked sobs. Dib held her more securely, running his fingers through her hair comfortingly. Her breathing became regulated enough that she attempted to speak again.
"M-momma and d-daddy, t-they were on the g-ground, they weren't moving and I d-didn't know what to do!" She sobbed. "No one would help me so I r-ran here, I didn't know w-what to do Dib, I didn't know what to do!" Her arms tightened around him and she grasped handfuls of fabric in her small fists, collapsing into gasping tears again.
"Geeez Dib, what's with all the crying? Did you lose your stupid field notes or something?"
"Gaz, go get dad, now!" He said to the short purple haired girl behind him.
Her eyes locked on the sobbing form of the girl in her brother's arms, freezing her in her tracks.
"Gaz! Hurry!"
She turned and ran further into the house while her brother tried to lead the girl to the living room.
When he finally got her to the couch and sat her down he sat next to her. She leaned into him, her head on his shoulder as he held her, letting her stain his tee shirt with more tears and rain. Eventually her breathing calmed and her body slumped against him in sleep as she drifted into darkness in the arms of her best friend.

When she woke she found herself surrounded by noise and she grumbled sleepily in annoyance of the interruption. She rubbed her eyes with small fists in the cute way little kids do after napping, realizing her head and shoulders lay on Dib's lap while he continued to stroke her hair. He was staring ahead of them, distracted by the grownups running around in front of them.
"Dib...? Was going on?" She asked sleepily, sitting up and facing him.
"They're here to help find out what happened..." He said, looking away. "With your parents..."
Just like that everything from the past 12 hours came flooding back to her. Her expression sobered and she looked seriously at her best friend, more seriously than a 7 year old should ever have to be. "So when are the doctors gonna be done helping them Dib?" She asked. "Can we go see them now?"
He flinched and pulled her closer so she was sitting on his lap, he refused to look at her.
"Dib...? Mamma and daddy are ok right?" It wasn't until she saw the small tear slide down his cheek that she broke down. She cried until her eyes were dry and red, until all she felt were the stinging lacerations of pain and sorrow; she was grateful when sleep finally covered her in it's healing blanket of protection again.

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