moonstruck [closed]

Roderick would have never guessed that elephants roamed North Dakota. He also didn't understand why one had taken his phone away from him.

While everyone else in Rosebury was bundled up from head-to-toe to combat the cold, Roderick looked appropriately dressed for springtime, at best. The cold was more of a distant tingle than an unbearable irritant to him, though. He was far too focused on his task at hand to care about the temperature.

He hadn't been able to find his phone all morning. He was sure he'd checked every nook and cranny of his room, but to no avail. Then, in the afternoon, there it had been - the elephant, watching him from the courtyard outside through his window. That bastard. He'd had a devious twinkle in his beady little charcoal eyes, Roderick was sure of it. He knew a thieving elephant when he saw one. Oh, yes. What use an elephant had for a mobile phone, Roderick didn't know. Perhaps he was part of the South African mafia, sent to spy on Roderick to study his gift. Shit. Oh, shit. That would be bad.

A woman and her son, hand-in-hand, were coming along the sidewalk a little ways away from Roderick. As they passed by, he turned and tapped the woman's shoulder. "Excuse me, but did you happen to see which way the elephant went? He's got my phone."

The woman furrowed her brow, looking a tad bewildered. "..Sorry?"

"Big grey animal?"

She tilted her head. "Elephant..? Ahm.. What, like a balloon?"

Roderick kept walking, waving her off dismissively. She would be no help to him. Clearly she didn't understand the implications of the South African mafia acquiring his phone.

Thump, thump, thump.

The sound continued as a slim girl walked down the streets of the small town. Her fist knocked against her chest in a repetitive motion, hitting right above where her heart was situated. Her heartbeat was dissonant beyond measure, thumping so randomly she was sure she had just contracted a terrible case of arrhythmia.

Minami's feet dragged against the concrete sidewalk. There was no direction in her mind, only panic. Her chestnut brown eyes darted around, wide and frightened as she watch the passersby with caution.

She never could have known how they day would go when she woke up. Her usual morning ritual was so easily ruined by one simple thing. No medication. The sight sent her into a full blow panic before her anxiety could properly kick in. Without a second thought she found herself throwing on any clothes she could find and rushing out the door towards Rosebury. Her father always had a bottle hidden away at his house, ready in case of this certain situation. The auburn-haired girl didn't give much thought to bring a phone, much less her keys, so when she arrived she was unfortunately greeted by a locked door and no father to be seen. The anxiety began to settle in her stomach, churning it and driving paranoid thoughts into her head.

Things only became worse as a boy with wild hair strolled right towards her, stopping only to ask a mother and child a rather queer question. Without meaning to, she found herself listening in.

Like the woman in front of her, Minami stood in confusion. A-An elephant stole his phone?

They could do that?

Patting her own pockets, the girl jumped with a startled expression. Where was her own phone? She was sure she had grabbed it before racing away from her dorm. As the boy dismissed his inquiry, she skipped over to him, hands clamped tight and eyes wide with worry. "I-I think he took my phone too..." It had to be the only logical answer. Why else would her phone be missing?

Roderick stopped mid-step as a new voice sounded from behind him. He turned to face the girl. She was a beacon of anxiety and panic. Her head was swimming with it; leaking it into her nerves like a runny poison, and to top it all off, her phone had gone mysteriously missing. This could all only mean one thing -  he wasn't the only one! It was good to know he hadn't lost his marbles, or was dreaming, or something. The lady he'd spoken to a second ago had looked at him rather like he'd been at the piss. In actuality, though, that lumbering, thieving bastard of an elephant had struck not one, but two people..

..Oh, but what if there were more, as well? What if this thief had been making his rounds at the academy, snatching up any mobile phone he could get his trunk on? This could not be overlooked. Someone had to take action, and soon.

"Oh?" The initiate's eyes, pink and glossy from another sleepless night, widened a degree in interest. "I saw him in the courtyard this morning. He looked awfully guilty, if you ask me." Roderick raised an eyebrow, tapped his index finger against his temple in affirmation, and turned to scope the surrounding town out. He squinted against the cold breeze, scrutinizing each and every building with care. Where would a hulking beast hide in such a small settlement?

Hm.. It was time for an investigation.

Roderick turned back to the stranger, crossing his arms. "How do you feel about detective-ing?"