Butterfly Moth (GxG)

• riodinidae •

Riodinidae: A the family of metalmark butterflies. The common name "metalmarks" refers to the small, metallic-looking spots commonly found on their wings. The 1,532 species are placed in 146 genera. Although mostly Neotropical in distribution, the family is also represented both in the Nearctic and the Palearctic.
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8

Without fail, Hemera Leora made sure to return on Monday afternoon once school got out. Instead of walking inside once she reached her home, she quickly ran passed and down the street to the yellow building. She knew that Miss Alisman worked Monday's because she always drove off right as Leora was getting ready for school in her bedroom. The Volvo was still gone, meaning that she had enough time to stop by.

Quickly climbing the stoop and standing inside of the porch, she approached the door. Thankfully, Miss Alisman's porch was one of those closed off ones with the screen walls and a roof, so it further protected her from anyone noticing that she kept going to that house.

She sat down at the base of the door, before lighting rapping her knuckles against it. The sound echoed and she only did it with the hope of alerting whoever it was that was in there. Then, she lifted the mail slot to peer inside.

That time around, she didn't catch a glimpse of anyone. The living room appeared to empty, but Leora kept her hopes up. She knew someone was in there. They had to be. "Hello." She said softly.

There was no response, but that didn't stop her from doing as she pleased. Maybe Leora was truly losing her mind. Maybe no was there at all and she was just imaging things. But what if someone was? What if she wasn't crazy? Leora knew what she saw, and what she saw was a person. When she glimpsed that figure the other day, they didn't seem to be all that big. In fact, they looked smaller than Leora was.

So Leora decided that it wouldn't hurt to at least try to speak to them. They were bound to reveal themselves eventually, right? Leora didn't have too much time to waste, since her mother was to be expecting her home. That was why Leora decided to cut to the chase. "I only ask of you one thing, okay?" Silence. "Does Miss Alisman know that you're living here? One knock for yes, two for no."

The quiet swallowed her and the person for a little while. Leora was starting to think that she truly was going crazy. "I won't tell her no matter how you reply. But if you don't respond at all, I'll tell her what I saw."

This was a partial lie. If they responded with no, then she would have gone to the authorities then. But she wouldn't have directly told Miss Alisman, having the police do that for her. Technically, she told the truth. Leora didn't like to lie and would always find loopholes when it was necessary.

However, what she said must have caused for the person to panic, because a singular knock echoed throughout the home and into Leora's eardrums. It almost startled her. She was starting to believe what everyone was telling her. Turned out that she wasn't losing her mind. Someone was truly living there.

"Miss Alisman does know about you?" She couldn't help but make sure that they were answering her question. A moment later, another knock told her that she was right. Leora couldn't quite pinpoint where the knock had come from, but it sounded like it was near the couch area. She guessed that they liked that spot.

"Why has no one ever seen you?" She asked before pausing and realizing that they wouldn't answer something like that. And besides, she said that she was only going to ask one question. Sighing in annoyance at her own curiosity running rampant, Leora forced herself to calm down and be patient. "I'm sorry. No more questions. I won't tell Miss Alisman, but I will be back."

With that, Leora stood up and made her way back home. Something told her that going there was going to become routine for her. She was going to find out more, even if it took a long time. As much as she wanted to tell someone about the mysterious owner of that beautiful blue eye, she knew that she couldn't. At least, not yet.

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