My Name is Rio

One: Rio at the Inn

"What the hell?!" An alarm clock fell on an unsuspecting passerby's head. The owner of the object didn't care. She just groaned. She didn't want to get up. If she got up, she would have to work. However, she was OK abandoning her dreams. Lately the girl had been having these weird dreams with an unfamiliar lady inhabiting them. If it wasn't a strange unfamiliar woman, it was a man. But it was rare if he showed. And he usually freaked her out.

"Rio, you better be up!" That was her boss. She was only four years older than Rio, but was bossy when it came to her little inn. Rio is seventeen. At least she thinks so. Rio doesn't know her actual age because she doesn't even know her own birthday or how old she was when she woke up in the desert. It had just been eleven years since she came to the inn. Her boss's parents were in charge at the time, and they took her in. But they went missing a few years ago. Leaving Rio, her boss, and her boss's little sister.

"Alejandra, I'll be ready to help in a minuet! Chill!" Rio knew she had three minuets maximum to get ready for the day. Or else Alejandra will probably skin her. Or bring out the chanclas. She may not be a grandmother, but she is just as scary when it work mode.

In lightning speed Rio fixed her bed, got dressed, combed her hair, and raced down the stairs. And sure enough, there was Alejandra, crossed arm and looking pissed.

"Alejandra don't scare incoming visitors," said Rio as she sat in a cushioned chair while munching on cactus candy. "At least some people stay here. We have the older lady in suit three. Two women and their children, who Elena gets along with, in suit five. And I'm staying in four. At least you get some customers. However, with that face, La Llorona would be scared!"

"Rio, shut up. And spit that out! Don't touch the merchandise! I'm a nervous wreck today because people from the city are coming today," Alejandra explained a bit rudely.

"The city?" Questioned Rio. "Why would they come here? Is there a new shipment of water? Or are they dropping off a prisoner or two?" It's true. Those are the only reasons people from outside their little town come to visit. 

"No, Rio. I heard that they are going to stay here for a little while. I don't know why, but this could be good for business! So please, Rio, be good."

"Fine..." Rio grunted. "When do you think they're going to show up in this wasteland?" She knew that when Alejandra got upset easily, someone important was coming. Or it was Alejandra's shark week. Plus, she told Rio to lay off the cactus candy.

Alejandra started speaking again, "between today or tomorrow. Just be helpful whenever they show up. ¿Me entiendes?"

"Sí ," Rio responded. Alejandra was scary when in work mode. She's normally fine any other day, and would let Rio take all the junk food and sugar in the miniature store back to her room so her and Elena can attack it. Not worried over two pieces of cactus candy. Must be really important. Rio thought. What do I do until they show up and until Alejandra snaps out her lame work mode? Rio decided to just stare out of the window. Outside was the inn's basketball court. It's public and anyone can use it. Right now, kids from the town were using it, as is the family in suite five.

Should I join them? No. She looked at the stairs. I could go back to bed? Alejandra was being a jerk, so why not? Rio wandered up the stairs and kept thinking to herself. She mostly was here, in the inn. At least, ever since waking up in the desert. How powerful is amnesia? She doesn't remember a thing. That always makes Rio wonder. And it also fuels her desire for one thing.

"I want an adventure," Rio said out loud. "Just once..." After those words left her mouth, she collapsed on her bed.

...

A young girl was playing in sand. She appeared about eight years old. The child was in her own La La Land. She was dancing as she was chasing a deer on periwinkle-colored sand. The deer made her giggle as it stopped to sniff her. A breeze came, picking up the sand and turning it into translucent pink sparkles that swirled around the small girl. It was perfect. She was dancing with a deer, the sand was magical, and it was all happening under a blue moon.

Unfortunately, a bright light came with a force from the distance that knocked the girl out cold. She was face-first on the ground when she woke up. The only things in her mind being the deer, the scenery, and the hypnotizing colors of sand and the sun's substitute in the sky. She wasn't paying attention to who was shaking her, or how her hair was covering her face, stopping her vision to see.

"Little girl, little girl, are you alright?" It was a voice that came from a women. "I'm sorry my horses trampled you. The lanterns must've blinded them a little." The young girls moved her hair aside and opened her eyes, which caused the women to gasp.

"Y-Y-You, you lost..." The women was having trouble saying the words. So she instead rushed to her cart to go through her belonging that she took. Eventually she returned with a mirror. "Look!"

The little girl looked at herself. Eyes emotionless. Or eye emotionless. She was missing an eye. Instead of feeling pain or scared or disgusted, she looked around the area for her eye. It was a foot away from where she was standing. While shrugging, she walked over to it.

Standing nearby was the woman who caused the incident. She clutched her chest and seemed to be mumbling something. The little girl ripped some of her clothing with ease and wiped the sand off her eye before putting it back in its socket. It looked like nothing happened to her as she seemed fine. Now the older person present looked sick.

"I hate it when I lose body parts, or get sick," the girl explained. "It doesn't happen to often for me, but it's still annoying." She acted like this was no big deal, and was as similar as getting a haircut and letting it grow back.

"I guess I should leave now." Then, the young child walked away as if nothing ever happened, and slowly disappeared. Leaving behind a confused and frightened women. The only clues to show the girls existence were footsteps, a breeze, and pink sand floating in the wind. Including the words, "I'll be back soon. But I won't remember so I can be safe."

...

It was a couples hours before Rio woke up again. As soon as she woke up, Alejandra stormed in practically screaming.

"Rio! They're here! The city people! All hands on deck, so that means you, me, and Elena work as hard as hell!" Sure enough, Rio was put back to work again.

...

❀

[Oh, fun another story. XD I know be working on some other ones before posting a new one but whatever. You know me, a prologue then a chapter and then a post. Oh well. I have fun writing these.]