Ryder

Chapter 2

As soon as the realization came to me, I tried to deny it.  But it just didn't add up....I couldn't be imagining this.  I just couldn't.  There was another person in the house.  It was not just me. 

"Daddy?  Where did you go?"  It was a little girl's voice.  She needed help....where were her parents?

I remembered the writing....She's Gone....She's Gone....

The calls were coming from the basement door.  It was next to one of the beat-up kitchen cupboards.  I hesitantly walked towards it, not sure of what to expect.  Was this paranormal?  I never believed in ghosts before, but this could change my mind. 

As I approached the door, I realized it was locked.  There was a person....locked....in the basement.  Why the hell would there be a little girl locked in a basement?  She had to be dangerous....a menace.  She was left to rot and die. 

But she wasn't dead.  Heck, for all I know, she could've just been locked up.  Or, you know, dying at this very moment.  I was still human, though, and my 1st Grade "Knight Club" oath made me swear to help a damsel in distress.  And I ALWAYS kept my promises. 

I found an old, blue screwdriver in one of the drawers.  I grabbed it and took it over to the door, where the brass keyhole was preventing me to further explore.  I carefully wedged the tip of the tool into the hole, wiggled it around, and popped the door open. 

A small crack of light flooded the basement steps.  I creaked the door open all the way, until it could swing out no more.  I heard a small squeal and the scuttling of feet. 

"Hello?"  I called out.  My voice was cracking and sounded small.  I cautiously stepped onto the first step that was going down, fully aware that at any second I could fall through the stairs and die.  No one would find me, except the little girl.  Damn, I am an idiot. 

I walked down all of the steps until I reached the concrete basement floor.  I pulled out my iPhone, typed the passcode (1235, just to mix things up a little), and turned the brightness up to 100%.  I shone it over most of the basement, uncovering spiders, cobwebs, cardboard boxes, and at least 4 tons of dust.  It was one of those really creepy basements that you see in horror films, right berfore the murderer kills someone. 

Crap.

I tried to steady my breath as I slowly stepped around in circles.  My foot crushed an empty water bottle, and the sound made me jump back about 2 feet.  This didn't make sense.  There was supposed to be a girl down here. 

"Hello?" I called out again.  The only response was rugged breathing....but it wasn't my own.  There WAS a person down here!  I walked toward the breathing.  The sound drew closer....and closer....and clo-

I stopped dead in my tracks.  A small girl was hunched in a corner behind the stairs.  Her arms and legs were toothpicks, and her face was sullen and thin.  Her long, tangled dark hair covered her huddled body.  Her face was covered in freckles that sprung out around her nose.  But her eyes....they were a pale silver, as though there was no iris at all.  The sockets were dark in colour, and looked even more so against her pale skin.  She was the very imp of death in search of souls. 

"Who are you?"  She whispered.

"I-I--I--"  I couldn't find words.  "Ryan," I finally spat out.  "Who are you?  Why are you down here?"

The girl smiled.  How she could, I just don't know. 

"I am Ryder."