Hey, I thought "why not make a fanfic for Christmas?" And I also thought, "Instead of making a Christmas special, like everyone else is doing, why no just upload something about family and trust? Love and warmth? Something like that. So, I made this. Enjoy
The sparkling night sky was amazing and serene. The crescent moon hovered in the sky, empty and alone. The frosty gusts of wind flowed through the trees and blades of grass, creating a soft whistle in the night. The gentle swaying of the leaves and flowers was hypnotizing. The running fountain water crashed like a booming waterfall and the lifeless state of the park created a pregnant silence that was completely maddening.
The park lamps were lit but dim. An orange-brownish color of light cast a filthy layer on the concrete paths. There was an infinite stretch of concrete that ran down the length of the park, but one look into the horizon and only darkness greeted the end of the path.
There was no life around. Any other time, cheerful laughing and incoherent chatter were engraved into the dense atmosphere. A sense of bliss and relaxation washed over everyone and everything that came and visited the park, but not now. Not anymore.
Linka ran past the concrete path and into the green grass. The copper light crashed into her face and revealed her terrified expression, then quickly creep onto her back. Linka noticed that the light died down as she ran further into the trees. The cold wind pressing against her face made her feel numb.
Linka's pounding feet matched that of a horse. Her heavy breathing crawled into her ears and her chest ached. Her legs burned and her heart throbbed with a mix of fear and adrenaline. She didn't dare look back, even though her curiosity was getting the best of her.
She didn't want to admit it but she could almost hear the other set of feet running through the grass, close behind her. Without a second thought, Linka looked behind and found nothing. The lamp's light was an orange dot in the far distance. Her heart soared a little in joy.
A small breath of wind pressed onto her cheeks. Then, Linka felt the tip of her foot burry into the ground. She came to a firm stop and her body thrust forward. Luckily, she had enough time to shield her face before she crashed into the ground.
Small daggers buried in her skins. She felt hot pain in her arms and legs. She groaned and laid still for a while, the pain too strong for her to move. She opened her eyes and noticed a bed of rocks beneath her.
Linka muttered out a curse. She felt something hot running down her arms and legs. She stirred and began to move. She placed a hand on the rocks and pushed herself up. An electric pain ran through her hands, but she managed. Her hands gripped something cold and she kept it close. She placed her shaky feet on the rocks and kept herself balanced. She brushed the dirt off her skirt and shoulders. Her hands stung and so did her knees.
Linka looked at her hand, the other was limp on her side, still holding something cold. Her palm was scratched and bleeding, her knees very much in the same state, if not worse. Her skirt was slightly tattered and her orange blouse was dirty and ruffled up.
Linka looks back and notices the light in the distance flickering. The girl kept herself calm and collected. Keep running, she warned herself. And she did.
She roughly crossed the bed of rocks. The rattling and crunching beneath her made a loud ruckus and her heart jumped. The shifting rocks were arrogant, but she made it across as swiftly as she could. As she ran, the gentle wind pushed her snowy hair back. The burning scratches on Linka's knees hollered for her to stop but she pressed on. Her eyes were glossy and there was a bump in her through, but she refused to sob now.
She ran into the tree line, a heavy darkness fell around the world. She stopped at a small clearing, looked up and barely saw the scattered stars through the thick leaves and branches. She heard the crackling rocks behind her. She stopped and looked back, but couldn't see anything past the number of trees. She looked left and right, searching for something, anything that can help her.
She dodged to the left and hid behind a tree. The faint footsteps approached closer and stopped at the clearing. She calmed herself and kept quiet. The heavy breathing from behind sounded like it was right next to her ear.
"Come out, dammit!" A firm voice yelled.
She pushed her back against the sharp bark, the dark wood dug into her smooth skin. Her wounded hand roughly pressed against her mouth, but her warm breaths still trickled through the cracks of her fingers. A pregnant silence followed. Her heart was beating against her chest and her eardrums pounded. She heard the crunching grass behind her moving around. It went far left, then right.
Linka's head spun and her body felt warped. A state of vertigo washed over her, but she managed to keep herself still. The crunching sound stopped for awhile, but then started marching its way to Linka. The ominous stomping made its way behind her tree and stopped. She felt that if she turned around, she could touch noses with the wicked figure.
She stood there, silent and afraid. Her legs were weak and her spine felt brittle. Her mind was flashing red and a nervous flutter danced in her stomach. The night was cold, but tiny bits of sweat ran down her forehead and stopped at her brow. A tear ran down her cheek.
Linka heard a low growl. The heavy steps tentatively backed away. Her heart soared when she heard the crunching grass grow fainter and fainter. She barely heard the steps mix with the wind.
She hesitated, but Linka had enough nerves to peak around the tree. She moved like a nervous child, shaking and timid. She looked at the glowing light in the small clearing and it was empty. Not a soul in sight. She looked around, hoping to find nothing. When she was absolutely sure that the evil was gone, she spun around and ran the opposite direction.
Her legs were numb and her bleeding hands went dry. Cold sweat also ran down her face, but Linka didn't want to admit that there were more tears than anything. Unwanted memories invaded her mind. The first day she came here was amazing, but what went wrong, she asked herself. For some reason, she was a little mad at herself. She did something wrong, she knows it.
Linka's been in this Royal Woods for about two weeks now and the Loud family just adored her. Lori wasn't as bossy around Linka as she was with the other siblings, Lola loved having another girly-girl in the house and everyone just loved her personality.
She eagerly told the Louds where she came from; not like she was going to say she was Lincoln's twin or something silly like that. No, she boldly stated that she came from another dimension. There wasn't much to it, she remembered saying. Linka told them that everything was pretty much the same, except that she had brothers instead of sisters. Linka didn't say how she got here, she just said she simply woke up here.
That's wasn't hard enough for the Louds to accept. So, naturally, they left Lisa to find a way to send her back. Linka remembered Lisa hmphing in curiosity, "And here I thought that I was the only genius in the universe." The little genius locked herself in her room for days on end, working tirelessly.
The times were good. The Loud parents treated Linka as one of their own. They bought her clothes and nice things, went to amusement parks and talked. The Loud children got along well with Linka. She had this approachable aura around her that made her likable and easy to talk to. They had a couple laughs and shared stories most of the time, but she mostly enjoyed seeing the Loud family interact. They were far more close than her family, for some reason.
Linka loved the Louds, but she was extremely interested in Lincoln the most. Why wouldn't she? She was practically looking at herself. She wanted to know what was different and what was the same. I mean, there was the obvious gender difference, but personality wise. Even though she only met him for a couple days, she wanted to know everything about him.
The first night was so memorable. The lovely parents, not finding any more space in the rooms and finding the couch a rude place, let Linka sleep with Lincoln. The little gentleman gave Linka the bed while he slept on the floor with a spare comforter and pillow. They did little sleeping that night. They talked until early morning. Linka learned that she was much different compared to Lincoln. He was a comic-loving geek and she was a princess type introvert.
Their lives took different paths too.
Lincoln had to help his sisters with their problems as often as possible, but Linka's brothers were mostly kind and obedient when Linka was around. She kind of hated it when her brothers treated her like a special snowflake. She felt belittled when they treat her like a baby. Linka knew she can brawl like them, joke around like them, and act like them but they never gave her the chance.
It took a couple days to get Lincoln in the bed, but seeing him a little nervous is far better than seeing him shivering every morning. Linka cared about Lincoln and she knew he cared too. She didn't want to admit it, but she wished she had a brother like Lincoln in her world. That'd be nice.
Now, the icy wind pressed against her sensitive skin. The golden stars were in an abundance and the trees cried and swayed. Linka didn't know what she was going to do after she was free, but she knew she needed to get back to her dimension, fast.
Linka pushed past the end of another tree line and into the blue moonlight. She penetrated the light and she skids to a halt. Her heart skipped a beat.
A tall, chain link fence blocked her path. She looked left and right, the fence stretched for miles. On the other side, there were more trees and lights. The bright light waved and swirled in the distance. She ran up and grabbed the fence. She shook it violently in desperation. Linka looked up the length of the fence and saw it as impossible. She took a deep breath. She needed to turn back and find another way out.
When she spun around, she was meet with Lincoln's firm stare. She jumped in fear and leaned into the fence. The rattling chains sang in the desolate night.
Linka's chest was pounding, her breathing caught in her ears. She looked at Lincoln. He was far different than she remembered. His hair was messy and his clothes were tattered, much like her's. His head was low and his legs were stiff. Lincoln was breathing heavily, his shoulders rising and falling in tempo. He looked like a savage animal.
Linka's eyes crawled down his arm and she noticed the gun in his hand. She had little time to think before Lincoln raised the gun and pointed it at her chest. She pressed harder against the fence and shielded her face with her hands.
"Wait," she yelped. "You don't have to do this."
"Believe me," Lincoln aimed high. "I do."
"Why?" Lika's voice shook. "I thought you cared about me?"
"I did, but my family comes first."
"Family?" Linka lowered her hands and timidly looked at Lincoln. "What do mean?" Lincoln hesitated but gave her the favor.
"You probably didn't know it, but your putting my family in danger," Lincoln's eyes narrowed. "This universe can't exist with both of us here. The longer you're here, the faster my world starts crumbling."
"I-I…" Linka stuttered. A quick idea ran through her mind. "I'll go back. I swear. I'll leave and won't come back. Please, ju- just don't kill me." Linka's voice broke. Tears ran down her rosy cheeks.
"We both know that's not possible," Lincoln stated. "Lisa couldn't make the portal, she told me." Lincoln growled, "You know what else she told me? She said, 'How crazy is it that someone from another dimension randomly appears here?' Hmm?"
Linka was frozen. Her mouth was dry and her mind was blank. Lisa couldn't make the portal? That wasn't right. How is it that Levi was able to make the portal and not Lisa?
Levi made Linka promise that she wouldn't talk about the portal watch and she didn't. Levi confidently said that when Linka got here, the portal watch she wore was going to break, and it did. She crushed it and tossed it out like Levi told her to. Levi was certain that Lisa was going to make a portal for her to get back, but she couldn't.
Why is that?
Her focus was on the ground, her eyes darting furiously. Her eyes widened and her heart locked. She gasped and looked at Lincoln.
"Oh my God," Linka mumbled.
"What?" Lincoln asked, the gun still pointing at her head.
"She's lying." Linka blindly said. "Lincoln, please, you can't trust her."
"And why not?" Lincoln asked, his tone was cold and distant.
"Believe me, she can build the portal, she just doesn't want to. I-I just don't know why." Linka was an inch from breaking.
"Alright, that's enough out of you," Lincoln commanded. "Lisa warned me that you'd try to lie your way out of this."
Linka was flabbergasted. Why is Lisa doing this? What did Linka do to her? She understands why Lisa would make Lincoln do this, though. Linka learned a lot about Lincoln in the time she was here, but the most worrying was that he carried too much for his family. Put that together with his gullibleness and you got this murderer.
"I'm not lying," Linka barked. "Lisa wants me dead, Lincoln. I know she can build the portal. Levi did it and she can do it too."
"Levi?"
"Yes. He's the Lisa in my universe. He built the portal. I didn't wake up here, I came here." Linka took a breath. "Think of it, Lincoln, would Levi really send me here if he knew your world would be at risk?" Lincoln's brows scrunched in thought. He was conflicted. His eyes fluttered and were full of trouble. He looked off the ground and slightly lowered his gun.
"If… that's true, then why would Lisa want you dead?"
"I don't know, Lincoln," she said desperately and out of breath. "I really don't."
A fury of assumptions and reasons we're running through Lincoln's mind. He shook his head and began mumbling to himself. He was a madman.
"Lincoln," Linka timidly reached her hand out, her other hand behind her back. She kept her knees bent and her body low. "Please, put down the-"
Lincoln noticed her advances. He jumped in fear and took a step back. He quickly brought the gun up and pointed it at her again. Linka gasped and pressed against the fence.
"Don't get any closer," Lincoln commanded. "I know you're lying, dammit. You're not gonna fool me."
Linka's jaw dropped. Her head boiled and her hand clutched the fence. She grits her teeth and growled.
"I'm not lying, dammit," Linka shouted. "I'm you, Lincoln, and you're me. If you can't trust yourself, then who can you trust?"
"I am not you." Lincoln pointed the gun at her. "I'm nothing like you."
Linka gasped. Her face fell and warm tears fell freely. Her heart ached, but it wasn't in fear. What did Lisa say to him? What did she do? Linka thought she knew Lincoln very well, at least well enough to know he wasn't a murderer. Linka knew Lincoln was a nice guy and she grew to love him in the short time they met. He treated her like family and cared for her too.
It was Lisa, Linka convinced herself. She's behind all this, but there was nothing Linka can do. Lisa had Lincoln wrapped around her fingers.
"Fuck you," Linka screamed. The lump in her throat was tight. She choked on her own words. "Can't you see you're killing your own sister."
"You're not my sister," Lincoln painfully muttered. The boy's eyes were glossy and shining in the moonlight.
"Please, I-I have a right to live just like everyone else." She begged, her whining voice grew desperate. "I love you guys. I love our family, o-our sisters, our mom, and dad. I love you and I know you love me too. Y-you don't have to do this, Lincoln."
Her sobbing fit struck Lincoln hard. She was afraid to die, but who isn't. Linka didn't want to leave her family behind. She still has so much life to live, so much she hasn't experienced and so much of the world she hasn't seen.
It was difficult, but Lincoln had to do it. Lisa told him, she warned him of the consequences. He didn't want his family to die. The boy pointed the gun at the girl and kept his aim firm and steady. He turned his head to the side and closed his eyes. He didn't want to look at her. Not like this.
"I'm sorry," Lincoln said. He took heavy breaths and tried to calm himself.
Linka jumped and quickly acted. She tightly gripped her hand and her fingers wrapped around the cold object. She reared back the hand that was behind her back and flung a heavy rock. She aimed for his head, but the rock struck the gun with a powerful clunk. The gun bent to the side and spat fire into the empty night. The roaring boom bounced off the trees and rang in the night.
Then the gun jerked out of Lincoln's hand and the boy hissed in pain. The gun flew in the air and landed on the soft grass, a foot away. Lincoln held his hand in pain. He glanced at the gun and gasped. He was about to make a grab for it, but a deadly shriek caught his attention. He turned and noticed Linka making a dash at him. Linka rushed at Lincoln like a bull.
The boy didn't have enough time to act. His heart skipped a beat and his eyes widened. Linka rammed her head into his stomach and both went tumbling down. The back of Lincoln's head slammed into the floor with a thud.
His world went black for a while. He groaned and his head spun. He forced his eyes open and he saw the black sky. His throbbing head made him see stars twice, but he cleared his vision and focused. His back ached and his chest felt heavy.
He felt cold fingers press down on his chest and saw Linka lift herself up. She went up slowly and carelessly, like a zombie. Her white hair covered her face like a heavy curtain and her shoulders were stiff. She crawled and sat on Lincoln's groin. She grabbed his arms and pinned them down to the side of his head.
Lincoln barely realized what happened and began thrashing. He forcefully arched his back and pushed against her, but his efforts were futile. The frosty, wet grass was sending shivers up Lincoln's back. His breaths came out rugged and his chest rose and fell with haste. Linka's breathing was just as odd. The girl's back was slouched and her head was hung.
"I hate you," Linka muttered.
Lincoln felt Linka's silky hair brush against his face. Her face was drenched in darkness, but her sad, blue eyes shined in the night.
"I-I hate you," Linka repeated. Her voice was choppy and broken. A tear fell on Lincoln's cheek and he flinched. Another fell on his cheek. Linka buried her head in the crack of his neck and cried. She shook and choked on her own tears. She kept repeating those words, softly and quietly.
Lincoln was frozen for a moment, but he saw his chance. He wiggled his hips and his arms. Linka slightly lost her balance and almost fell off to his side. Lincoln yanked one of his arm free. He grabbed Linka by the waist and pushed her off. She rolled to the side and grunted when she met the ground.
Lincoln rolled away from her and laid on his stomach. He huffed and puffed, but his breath caught in his mouth when he saw the gun sparkling under the moonlight. Lincoln eagerly pushed himself off the ground, stood tall and focused on the gun.
He made a mad dash for the gun, but a cold hand wrapped around his ankle. His feet collided and he fell back into the ground with a thud. His chest slammed into the dirt. His eyes shut and the breath was knocked out of his lungs. He grits his teeth and fought back the pain as best he could.
Lincoln caught some wind and his eyes fluttered open. He tried to make sense of his surroundings. The gun was an inch away. His eyes widened. He pushed himself off the ground and leaped for the gun. Before he could grab it, the gun was swept off the ground. Linka took the gun in her hand and took a giant step back.
Linka pointed the gun at Lincoln. The boy was on his hands and knees. His eyes meet the end of the gun. He was paralyzed. He looked at Linka's shaken face, then back to the end of the gun. He slowly pushed himself off the ground and stood firm.
Lincoln slowly lifted his hands in the air. Linka held the gun in both hands, her legs were shaking and her body was trembling. Tears filled up her eyes and kept running down her face. She lifted the gun up with both of her shaky hands and pointed it at his chest. Lincoln's shock morphed into a mad glare. His eyes were dark and hopeless.
"Do it," Lincoln spat out with venom and hostility. Linka's heart skipped. "Do it, you fucking monster."
Linka was shocked. Her eyes widened but then filled with sadness. Lincoln was looking at her in a way that she didn't know he could, with total anger and hatred. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She looked at the gun, then searched the ground. She lowered the gun and her shoulders fell.
She glanced at Lincoln, hoping she'd see that same person she was so fond of: The boy with a big heart and intoxicating laugh. The boy with a bright, toothy smile and loving aura.
But she didn't.
Linka only saw his hollow eyes and insidious stance. All of it, directed at her. Her heart snapped. She lowered her head and felt fragile. Her body was numb and her mind was bitter. She looked at the gun and something cried out.
"Okay," she said defeatedly. She brought the gun up to her head, right above her ear. She looked at Lincoln one last time, his eyes were wide and his mouth was gapped.
She closed her eyes, felt the breeze push her winter hair to the side and squeezed the trigger. A booming crack of thunder rang in the chilly night. The girl's lifeless body went limp and her legs gave out. Her frosted hair covered her face as she slowly fell to the cold dirt. Her body hit the ground like a bag of meat.
The silent night brushed a gentle wind past the park. The trees swayed back and forth. The grass danced and sung mournfully. The stars twinkled and the crescent moon felt empty.
Lincoln was speechless. The only thing he could hear was his rising breathes and his pounding heart. His eyes lingered over the corpse and the gun. His eyes fluttered on its own. Lincoln thought that if he closed his eyes long enough, she might stand back up.
Lincoln shook his head and brought himself out of his stupor. He gently made his way over to Linka, dragging his feet the whole while. He hovered over her body and saw nothing missing, except her soul. Her milky, long hair perfectly covered the hole on the side of her head. The thick crimson liquid mixed with her hair and the blades of grass.
Lincoln hesitantly reached for the gun. He tried to avoid the body as much as possible. He grabbed the gun and tucked it into this pants waistline. Lincoln looked at the corpse and gulped. He looked up at the stars and he could have sworn they were whispering. He prayed for himself and filled himself with weak bravery. He walked around the body and wrapped his hands around the ankles. He pulled and dragged it along.
It took a couple minutes for him to realize, but when he was about to make it back into the light of the park lamps, he noticed the trace of blood that was left behind. The blood ran all the way back into the treelines and deep into the darkness.
He huffed and puffed. His lungs ached and his legs burned. The sweat running down his brow quickly cooled. Goosebumps ran up his arm and a shocking chill went down his spine.
He gulped again and wrapped his arms around her waist. He heaved her up and over his shoulder. Her head hung down his back and her skirt was cut and messy. He felt the long, silver hair brushing against his calf and he tried to ignore it, but it was impossible.
Lincoln limped away with the body. He passed the dying light of the park lamps. He walked over the concrete path and past the flowing fountain.
He needed to get home, quick. Lisa will be waiting there. Only then can they properly dispose of the body.
But for now, Lincoln was marching through the darkness, alone.