Rain pattered against the window as eight year old Lucy Loud slept, her book of poetry open and haphazardly sprawled across her chest. From down the hallway unnoticed footsteps thudded against aged carpet before abruptly halting. There was a moment of silence before Lucy's bedroom door crept open, and a silhouette slid into the room. Neither Lucy nor her sister, who was sleeping beside her, Lynn, stirred as the intruder dragged themselves towards the sleeping child's bed. The intruder leaned over the raven haired girl and placed trembling hands just above her throat.
Lucy's eyes half opened. Through her bangs she could make out a familiar, bucktoothed visage.
"Luan?"
In a jolt of motion, Luan squeezed her fingers around Lucy's throat. She let out a soft, startled gasp as her own sister dug her fingernails into her flesh. Lucy thrashed, but Luan only tightened her grip until something firm inside of Lucy's throat gave in. From beneath her dark bangs, Lucy's eyes rolled into the back of her head. Luan bared her crooked, braced teeth in a vicious snarl. Lucy fell limp.
Luan remained hunched over her now deceased sister. Adrenaline raced through the teenager's veins, making it impossible for her to release her fingers from the corpse's neck. Luan panted. Sweat dripped down her forehead and landed like teardrops on Lucy's blanket. A numbness washed over Luan and she loosened her grip. The anger, the hatred, and the bitterness that she'd felt just moments prior melted away as she stared down at the lifeless body of her little sister. Her little sister that she'd trained in public performing just a few days prior. Her little sister that'd biked three blocks just to tell her that she'd be performing at the Royal Woods Theater. Her little sister that she'd just killed.
Lynn produced a mighty snore, snapping Luan out of her trance. As stealthily as she could, the teenage killer slipped out of her sister's room.
The sun peeked over the horizon. A piercing scream filled the Loud house. Lynn savagely shook and jostled Lucy's body while tears streamed from her eyes. Luan stared up at the ceiling, her eyes bloodshot. She'd expected this, but she still cringed as Lynn's wails were joined by her other sisters.
"Lucy's dead!" Lynn shouted.
With shaking legs, Luan climbed from her bunk bed. Sirens wailed in the distance. Luan walked through her open bedroom door and entered Lynn and Lucy's room. Her siblings crowded around the corpse, weeping. Luan hung her head. Luna turned towards her roommate.
"L-Lucy" her voice hitched.
"I know," Luan said.
Luna began to turn away from her.
"I did it."
Nine pairs of eyes snapped towards her.
"I, I couldn't take it! She stole my dream from me!"
No further words were said as the crowd eight girls and one boy converged on her.
Lynn, despite being the farthest from Luan, rushed through the pack and jump kicked her in the stomach. The breath was knocked out of her instantly, and she crumpled to her knees. Lynn unleashed a barrage of punches. One punch connected with her jaw in such a way that it broke her teeth, sending a piece of frayed wire loose. Seething, Lynn grabbed the metal thread and ripped it out, producing a geyser of blood. Luan collapsed to her side as Lynn and her other siblings stomped her.
Luan lost consciousness when a four feet simultaneously connected with her forehead.