“Thats adorable! I had a dog named Bunny when I was little but that’s the most creative I’ve ever been with pets names.” Riley actually had a dog currently to help her with her anxiety, but his name wasn’t so much as cute as it was punny. “You have a whole zoo. That sounds amazing. I’m jealous.” The blonde smiled, “Good! Because I have a bunch to get rid of.”
“But Bunny is such a cute name! I bet they were a really cute dog, too.” Moana hated to brag, but she did love to talk about her animal friends. “I’ll have to take you to meet them sometime! Pua will be so happy to have another person to cuddle and get treats from. Hei Hei will...probably not even notice you’re there- he’s not so observant,” she laughed. “I hope this pizza we’re talking has extra toppings- though honestly, all pizza is good pizza.”
Is this the first time you’ve been called to the precinct? Do you have a criminal record?
“I don’t have a criminal record, no, but this isn’t technically my first time here. My first grade class came here on a field trip! But I, uh, guess that’s not what you’re talking about.”
Where were you during the events of Ms. Winnipeg Sanders’ disappearance? Specifically between the hours of 8 and 11 pm?
“At 8, I was at the mall, just...shopping. Okay, that’s not entirely true- I was at the mall, but I was getting a tattoo. I didn’t plan on it! But I met this guy named Jack, and he convinced me. Oh God, please don’t tell my parents! They don’t know yet.”
Can you describe what you were doing immediately before that?
“I was biking around Sunnyside. I have a driver’s license but, sadly, no car. It was too cold to be at the beach, or else I would’ve gone, so I just sort of biked across town and ended up at the mall.”
Can anyone confirm your whereabouts at this time?
“My parents know that I was biking around that time, and that Jack guy knows I was at the mall. I can’t remember his last name, but it sounded like ‘skeleton.’ Maybe it was like...Skellison? I don’t know.”
How well did you know Ms. Winnipeg Sanders?
“Not as well as others, because I usually just get iced coffee from the Surf Hut. But whenever I wanted, like, a cookie or a muffin, I’d get it from Winnie’s, and she was so sweet! Now I’m wishing I had gone in more often.”
Did you and Ms. Winnipeg Sanders ever have beef, or a quarrel? Have there been moments where you wished- even if it were just in the heat of the moment- to inflict harm on her?
“No way! She was too nice. I’m not even sure if Winnie was capable of having beef with anyone.”
What was your reaction when you heard the news?
“I was so sad....scared, too. I never thought something like this could happen in Sunnyside, of all places, and not to someone like Winnie. I hope she’s okay...”
When was the last time you saw Ms. Winnipeg Sanders? Did you notice anything different about her?
“It must’ve been a week or two before- Mom wanted a coconut donut, so I picked one up for her on the way home. She didn’t seem different at all! She was as smiley and sweet as ever.”
Do you know anyone who may have had any problems with her? Do you know anyone who have have had it out for her?
“No, not at all! There are some not-as-nice people in Sunnyside, sure, but most of them don’t go to Winnie’s, so they wouldn’t even know her. Besides, I don’t think even a bad guy would hate Winnie.”
Have you noticed anything peculiar since the disappearance? Anything you think is worth mentioning?
“Not that I can remember. Thing’s have been pretty normal, besides Winnie not being there.”
“Hold the dang phone! You own a chicken?!” Riley was shook to say the least. “I’ve always wanted a pet like that. Except I always really wanted a chinchilla but turns out they’re not good as pets and I would rather have no animal at all than falsely take care of one that deserved a better home… like nature and all that.” The girl stumbled over the words awkwardly, “Yes! Please come. I’ve got pizza ready to pop in the oven afterwards.”
“I do! His name’s Hei Hei, and my family bought him so we could have fresh eggs, but, well, he’s a rooster,” Moana smiled and shook her head at the memory of discovering Hei Hei’s rooster-ness. “So that didn’t work out. But I love him anyhow! And I have a pet pig named Pua, and he is my baby. I adore him!” The mention of pizza perked her up even more. “Dude, I’m always down for pizza!”
“I feel like that vine! You know the one where he goes ‘Hi, my names Tre and I’ve got a basketball game tomorrow.’ Except it’s ‘Hi, my names Riley and I’ve got a hockey game tomorrow!!!” Riley giggled, “I’m honestly starting to get sad because we’re so close to the season being over. I don’t want it to end. Have you been to a game?”
@sunnysidestarters
Moana laughed, remembering the vine. “That’s a good one! My favorite, though, is the little girl who’s all, ‘Look at all those chickens.’ Of course, I own a chicken, so I’m biased.” She then admitted, “I haven’t yet! Guess that means I’ll have to make your game tomorrow.”
Thomas nodded slowly. He supposed he could understand that, though he himself felt that way about big cities or large crowds of people. He couldn’t imagine feeling that way in any sort of natural setting. “Eh, ya feel what ya feel.” He said simply. “As long as it makes ya happy, who cares right?”
Moana nodded excitedly, as talking about the water tended to bring out her bubbly side. “Yes, exactly!” She then tried to calm herself, realizing she may have been overwhelming her new friend with water-talk. “I mean, there’s gotta be something that make you feel like that, right? What makes you feel at home, O’Malley?”
“Maybe it’s just one of my isms.” Thomas mused with a small smirk and a wink. His brows arched a little at Moana’s words- believing a force of nature was their friend was pretty common, but Thomas never understood why someone would befriend the water of all things. “What makes ya love the water so much anyway?”
Moana admitted, “Yeah, it’s a little weird, I know. Don’y worry, I have human friends!” Looking back to the ocean, she tried to put into words her aquatic love. “Something about the ocean…I’ve been drawn to it ever since I was little. I just get into the water and I feel like I’m home. Maybe it’s crazy- it probably is. But I can’t help how I feel, right?”
“You must be one of those water babies or somethin’.” Thomas mused, wiping his wet hand off on his pants. He chuckled a little, shaking his head. “Makin’ new friends is better than gettin’ in that water. Guess I’m not a water guy.” He shrugged. “I don’t like gettin’ my hair wet.” He played it off- not many people knew about his fear of water. He kept it very close to his chest.
“My mom calls me her “little minnow,” Moana explained, “but I’ve never gotten ‘water baby’ before. I like it!” Moana returned O’Malley’s shrug, not able to imagine how someone would choose their own hair over the ocean but able to tolerate it. “If you can believe it, I always thought the ocean was my friend. And my hair is always a crazy mess anyway, so I don’t mind if it gets wet.”
Thomas glanced back up as the girl came out of the water and made her way over to him, arching a brow. He took her wet hand, giving it a firm shake. “O’Malley.” He replied with a swift nod and a crooked grin. “Done swimmin’ for the day?”
“Nice to meet you, O’Malley!” Moana grinned earnestly, then realized she had offered Mr. O’Malley a very wet handshake. “Sorry about that! I’m so used to the water that sometimes I forget that I’m wet.” She shrugged, brushing off her own faux pas. “I’ll probably get back in later, but I figured I’d make a new friend first.”
“All good!” Thomas insisted with a shake of his head, leaning his head back against his chair. He kept it pretty close to his chest that he didn’t like water, that was his secret to have and keep, he could be an open book about anything else. “You just have fun out there kid.”
“Well, alright,” Moana shrugged, beginning to leave the water in order to not have to shout to the man. “If you’re not coming in, I guess I’ll have to come out!” She made her way to him, wrung the water out of her long, thick hair, and held out her hand. “I’m Moana, by the way.”
“I’m good doll!” Thomas called back with a more insistent nod. He didn’t care how warm or how cold the water was, he wasn’t about to willingly jump into it all willy nilly. Open water was freaky.
Something was up with this guy, though Moana couldn’t tell what. “Is everything alright, sir?” she asked concernedly.
“Having to pick a college major. Or having to go to college at all instead of traveling.”
38- When was the last time you were extremely disappointed?
“When I went to see Captain Marvel the other day. Not because of the movie itself- it was awesome! But everyone I knew was busy, so I had to see it by myself. Which I don’t mind, but who will I talk about spoilers with afterwards?”
47- Have you ever found it hard to tell someone you like them?
“Oh, yes. But let’s not go into details on that...”
“Call me Miss Manners, but I hate when people don’t say ‘please’ or ‘thank you.’ It’s such a basic form of courtesy that it blows my mind when people don’t do it!”
