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Sklonda sighed deeply as she returned home. Her grocery run, or more specifically buying so much ready meals at the all night convenience store, had lasted longer than expected and it was already one in the morning. Maybe she can get a bit more than three hours if she finishes her reports quickly and...
...Riz’s still up. Sklonda can see the line coming under the door of his room. She should be mad or at least annoyed but tonight she can’t be either. Gods know the kid has a reason to feel like this. Still, she should at least get him to bed.
“Riz. Kiddo you know the rules. You have to get to bed at least at... twelve?”
The goblin kid had made his wall into a massive theory board with strings, photographs and the odd objects taped to it.
“Riz, what are you doing?” Sklonda said slowly with apprehention since she could already make it out. The headache was coming strong.
“No-nothing?”
“Kid, what even is this? How long did you-” She stoped talking as she noticed the nature of the things photographed and tapped to the wall. Pieces of wood. Orc sized clothes. Old metal toys. A broken bed. “Riz you didn’t.”
“Mom I-”
“You went to their home. You told me you wanted to talk to them.
“Mom, please I-”
“You stole their kid’s things! You went through his stuff! I know I let you get away with many things but this crosses a line, Riz!”
“I CAN EXPLAIN!” He yelled back and looked up to his mom who was fuming. Riz has seen his mom angry some other times of his life but now he was genuily feeling threatened by how she looked. “It... it just didn’t make sense.”
Sklonda made no sound and only continued to stare down at him. Riz continued.
“It was the human girl the one with the book and then he was the least particular out of everyone. He is adoped and not one, not one of his parents is even remotly important! He was homeschooled after breaking stuff in elementary. He had trouble sleeping and I... I didn’t know anything about him.”
Riz sat on the foot of his bed and put his face in his hands.
“It doesn’t make sense that he was the one who died! Everyone else was more of a target than him and it! Doesn’t! Make! Sense!” He ended yelling as his breathing started to quicken. Sklonda’s face changed from anger into a resigned sadness. She sat beside him and put his head under her chin.
“Oh, kid.” She rocked them back and forth. Riz had started to cry on her blouse. “These things just happen.” It wasn’t much comfort but it was what she could give him.
Through out Elmville there were other kids had gone through similar experiences. A demon girl had secluded herself in her room not wanting to see anyone while an elf girl spend the night alone, neither her parents or sister deciding to check on her. A half elf boy spent the entire night tossing and turning thinking about the fight he had goaded the other guy into. And a human girl was still up.
“Please, Helio. Please show me where is he.” Kristen had been deep in prayer all night hoping to find the kid that died with her. She couldn’t.