The Rise of Rufio

CHAPTER III - A Formidable Leader

          Later that same day Rufio is standing alone in the middle of the black top courtyard on a square metal drain under the hot sun. Tinker Bell flies between two girls' heads sitting on a bench in the near distance making flowered jewelry. "Why is he standing there like that?" Tinker Bell questions aloud. One of the girls answers while working intensely on her bracelet. "He's in trouble again; he has to stand in the sun all day."

"Does he get in trouble a lot?"

"He likes to make the grownups angry" the other girl confesses with a nod while both continue to focus on their necklace assembly.

"But orphans he cares about." Tink begins to understand

"Of course, that's why we're making him these prizes." Tinker Bell's glow brightens as she quickly shoots away while the two girls are left looking at each other puzzled as to who was asking what question.

Tinker bell now standing on a high branch notices Rufio's eyes fixated on something but what? What is it he's looking at? She wonders. She follows his gaze to the park outside their facilities at a bench on the other side of the field.

On the park bench is a teenage couple making out. They finish their kiss and proceed to leave the bench in a hurry. The teenage boy leaves his black leather jacket behind and this makes Rufio smile.

The second Rufio sees the teachers' lounge door close he leaps into action. Few students watch as Rufio stands himself up and runs towards a tilted tree leaning close by the enclosing fence.

Jumping off the hip of the tree Rufio immediately leaps for the top of the spiked fencing. He swiftly spaces his footing and grips the iron between each spike of the iron fence to further survey his landing on the other side. He sees and reaches for a close enough branch to swing down from and makes the distant leap for it only to have it splinter with his weight.

Rufio tumbles into bushes below but gets up quickly to look around while brushing the leaves off his head. He runs for the bench and quickly grabs for the jacket while moving back towards the school yard to try and figure his way back in.

While tying the jacket around his waist he looks up and continues towards the storm drain hugging the corner of the facility and climbs it high above the fence. Once high enough on the storm drain Rufio pulls the jacket from around his waist and flings it around a telephone cord hanging high in the corner of the school roof dragging down and across the school yard to the other side. He catches the other side of the black leather jacket and zip lines down and across getting close to the storm drain he was originally standing on. In this moment I imagine Rufio's war horn subtly sounding off in the distance as a sound of destiny.

Sliding fast down the telephone line Rufio nears the storm drain he once stood on for punishment. He fears to see the faculty door begin to open. Forced to drop himself from the telephone cable he lands hard before the metal storm drain and tumbles to it to seem un bothered. The administrator walks out and across the yard while turning to look to Rufio a bit peculiar but none the wiser.

Rufio appears as if he is merely sleeping with the jacket held in a ball in front of him covering his face.

Other kids watch as the administrator leaves the yard. The kids all hurry and run towards Rufio to happily inform him.

"He's Gone Rufus, He didn't see you, you can get up now!" The kid waits for a reply from Rufio as he simply swooshes them away with a wave of his raised hand as to not be bothered. "Rufus?" The boys again ask "Are you ok?" Rufio remains tucked into a ball with his knees covering his face. Rufio again waves his hand for them to leave him as he is still absorbing the impact of his rough landing while catching his breath.