Lincoln woke up that morning to Lily staring him in the face.
"Ah!" He yelped. "Lily, what're you doing?"
"Morning, Lincoln!" The 13-year-old basically yelled.
"Morning, Lily…" Lincoln said bleakly. He rubbed his eyes and look around his crappy small room. He a black dresser, which only carried underwear on the top drawer. On top of the dresser were comic books littered about, mostly unfinished. His bed sat on the rightmost side of the room against the well, the left side of the bed facing his white door. Perpendicular to his bed was a window with protective curtains, tucked away behind his dresser. His closet carried most of his clothes, other than his...uniform, of course. He kept his outfit tucked away in his backpack, not just stuffed at the bottom, but through a series of intricate designs and puzzles that could only be solved by somewhat like Lisa. Hence the reason she designed the backpack.
"Can you make me breakfast? Lori isn't here, and I wanna finish my homework before I leave for school," Lily asked.
Lily usually walked to school if Lori couldn't take her, (Luna obviously wasn't a reliable source), and Lincoln was usually busy managing his two jobs. Lincoln was having trouble with her recently, her grades had been slipping in school, which she admittedly stated that she just wasn't interested in learning anymore. Lincoln understood in a way, a trait he was sure she gained from him. He wasn't strict with her, but firm and his dedication usually got through to her. Her grades have been climbing, but she'd still rather be sketching away in her sketchbook. She was extremely talented, like prodigal talented, but extremely insecure about her art, especially around strangers. Lincoln never understood why, but he was sure she had her reasons.
Of course at 13, Lily was growing up faster than Lincoln could remember. Hormones caused her a developed interest in boys, food, and other...items. She had her little group of friends that skated or whatever, and Lincoln was fine with that, he just worried. He didn't want her ending up with the wrong crowd, or endangering herself or others. The city's long gone.
But aside from Lisa, Lily seemed to be the only "normal" Loud sibling left. She barely remembered Lynn or Rita, she was only one and a few months. But Lincoln could tell that they were no strangers to her. Every once in a while, Lily would stop in activity or event and just sadly gaze off into the distance, lost in thought. Lincoln never knew exactly what she thought of, and assumed they were just questions a kid without a father asked.
"Luna can't do it?" Lincoln asked, a question he regretted as soon as he asked it.
"No, she ran off with her dumb boyfriend today, doing whatever the hell the do," Lily said.
"Language, Lily," Lincoln sighed. He stood up and stretched. "What about Lola and Lana?"
"They're still getting ready for school."
Lincoln sighed, defeated. "Alright. I can't say no to you. I'll make breakfast in a second, just let me get ready.
"Ok," Lily said. "...Uhm. Lincoln?"
"Yes?"
Lily didn't like intruding on people's' lives, as she wouldn't want them to do to her, but her curiosity got the best of her.
"...What happened to your eye?" Lily said, gesturing at her own eye out of instinct.
"Nothing important. I, got, uh, punched," Lincoln said.
"You know Lori's gonna be mad when she finds out, right?"
"I know, Lily."
"How'd it happen?"
"Got into a fight."
"Did you win?"
"Let's just say, I left with a black eye, the other guy left with something worse."
"Badas-"
"Lily."
"Sorry."
As Lily left, Lincoln started to get dressed. He didn't like lying to Lily, but he figured it was better lying to her instead of saying, "nothing" and acting like nothing happened. He didn't want to raise suspicion, and have Lily snooping around. So he was always straightforward whenever Lily asked a question, didn't really matter about what, unless it was something he genuinely didn't know the answer to. More...girly things.
He made to the kitchen, travelling through the thin hallway, glancing at the family photos on the walls as he always does. Regretting his life as he always did. He entered the retro-style kitchen, and went to the cabinet, examining it's contents. There wasn't much...maybe a peanut-butter-jelly sandwich? That's what teens ate...right?
As he was slathering a slice of bread with raspberry jam, he heard the familiar key jingle of the front door. Entered an exhausted Lori, wearing a silky dark blue blazer with a light blue long sleeved collared shirt, and a long dark blue skirt.
"Morning, Lincoln," Lori sighed, as she tossed her purse on her run down couch. Lori worked in marketing, usually managing social media of businesses, small and big. She worked hard, and therefore was high up the chain, properly earned.
"Hey, Lori," Lincoln said. "How's it goin'?"
"Fine. Just exhausted."
"What's new?" Lincoln said, though it was muttered so only he could hear it.
"What's happening with you?" Lori said, taking off her heels.
"Just making Lily some breakfast."
"Great, thank you," Lori said, but regretted it as she entered the kitchen and saw Lincoln drowning a soggy slice of bread in jam. "You know what...I'll take care of it."
"No, Lori," Lincoln accidently said a bit more demanding than he meant to. "I-uh, I got it. Thanks."
Lori sighed, attempting one more time. "You sure, Lincoln? I mean, I don't mean to be rude but-"
"It's fine, Lori. You need some rest. If Lily doesn't like it i'll just pick her up some fast food or something.
Lori looked as if she was going to say something, then sighed, accepting her fate. She glance over at Lincoln.
"...Lincoln?! What the hell happened to you?!" Lori exclaimed.
"Calm down, Lori, I just got into a fight," Lincoln said.
"Seriously, Lincoln? What happened this time?"
"Hey, they tried to mug me. I only fought back in self-defense. You know how this city is, Lori."
"Yea…" Lori said, regretting her outburst. "Sorry about that."
"It's fine. We all make mistakes, right?"
"Yea…" Lori said, walking off. "I'm, uh, going to bed."
"Alright."
As Lori left, Lily, Lola, and Lana entered, after shortly greeting Lori. Lola sported a pink and white striped vest with a white dress shirt underneath, and white jeans with pink shoes. Although she had dropped her princess phase, as she now called it, she still consider social statue extremely important, and worked her way to the popular kids. After her parents died, she learned that she didn't always get what she wanted, the not everything revolved around her. In a way, she was wiser.
Lana wore a long sleeved blue shirt, and resembled more of a cowboy instead of a plumber like she formerly did. She still wore her red hat, and kept her hair in pigtails. Lana hung out with the Busely Boys, a large family of southern boys and girls that were essentially the white trash of Michigan. Hung out at the Dump, they were disrespectful hooligans that smoked, cursed, and partied all the time. Lincoln despised them, but Lana just said he wasn't on their level, and left it at that.
"Morning, Lincoln." Lola and Lana said simultaneously. "Sorry to hear about your eye."
"Morning, guys," Lincoln said. "Yea...I'm sorry to hear about it, too.
Lily happily when over to Lincoln to receive her well earned breakfast, only for her face to be met with displeasure at the overflowing, ripped, soggy remains of what barely passes as a sandwich in front of her. Lincoln read her face and sighed.
"I'll just pick you guys up something for breakfast," Lincoln said. "You don't mind your big brother drivin' ya, right?"
"Thanks Lincoln!" All three sisters said brightly.
Lincoln quickly ran back to his room, threw on his shoes, and grabbed the keys from the kitchen counter. He escorted the girls out of the premise, and locked the door as they walked to the minivan. It slightly resembled Vanzilla, it just had a different coat of paint.
After Lincoln went and picked them up some breakfast sandwiches, he took the girls to Royal High. The Woods part had been dropped in protest to the deforestation of the area. Currently the only high school in a ten-mile radius, the school was gigantic and it seemed more and more kids were joining every year. As Lincoln pulled up to the school, he got out to walk them to the entrance.
"Uh, what're you doing?" Lola asked.
"Letting my paranoia get the best of me," Lincoln said.
"We'll be fine, Link," Lana said, strolling along casually.
"Guys, it's fine," Lily said. "If Lincoln Loud wants to worry, he can worry. He knows what's best."
"Thank you, Lilian," Lincoln said. Lilian is what Lily went by at school, fearing Lily was too childish, and wanted a more professional name in school. Lincoln respected her choice, and called her Lilian around anyone from her school.
"Bye, guys," Lincoln said as they approach the entrance.
"Bye, Linky," Lola and Lana said, as Lily said "Bye, Lincoln."
And with that, they were gone. Lincoln wasn't really sure what to. He could swing by TaBee's and see what Bill's doing. It was either that or stay home doing nothing all day. He drove Vanzilla 2.0 back to Lori's place, as he always walked to work. He needed to get his backpack, anyways.
As he entered, he practically screamed at the sight of Lucy.
"Sorry, Lucy," Lincoln said. "I-uh, forgot you were here."
Lucy said nothing, as Lincoln expected nowadays, and quickly went to his room and grabbed his backpack.
"Bye, Lucy!" Lincoln said as he exited.
.
.
.
As Lincoln was entering TaBee's, he was shoved aside by an infurious customer, or at least, former customer.
"What was that all about?" Lincoln asked Bill as he tossed his backpack in the employees' only room.
"Just some clown," Bill said. "Just a joke. Don't waste your time on him."
This statement seemed to be said more towards Bill instead of Lincoln, but Lincoln didn't mind.
"I can see you got quite the beating, Lincoln," Bill said. "How was the mission?"
"Fine," Lincoln shrugged. "Wasn't very interesting."
"Still probably had more fun than me," Bill sighed.
Suddenly, Lincoln had remembered Maddie. "I gotta go, Bill."
"What? It literally hasn't even been a minute yet."
"Yeah, I know, just…" Lincoln began.
"Kid, it's fine," Bill said. "No one comes 'round here."
"Thanks."
.
.
.
"Lincoln! I'm glad you're here," Maddie said.
"Yeah, thanks… I'm glad to be here. Sorry about yesterday…"
"Lincoln, it's fine. Take as much time as you need. You're in control."
"...Things are still pretty tough, Doc."
"Yeah? Sorry to hear that, Lincoln. Well, that's why we're here. To address these problems and, find a way to work with it, if you can't eliminate it...What do you want to talk about?"
Lincoln took a deep breath and sighed.
"I'm worried. About my family...the town...I hate that Lily has to live in such a crappy world. I always thought I could do something about it. Fix it. Change it. Save lives. That's why I had joined the Army. But it amounted to nothing. I ended getting lost in the crowd, in a haze of panic and unsureness. I thought I had lost my mind. Then I came home. By God I did it, I came home.
"And I was disappointed. I didn't expect to come back. I didn't want to. I just thought that if I died-maybe I'd be apart of something bigger. It'd mean something. No one gives a damn until blood is splashed. Until lives are lost. Until loved ones disappear into the horizon of darkness. Then people want to call for change. Then people beg for reform. Then people call for the President to act. It's so selfish, and I can't help but be guilty of the same problems. They wanted difference, but none of them we're brave enough to make one. No one wanted to pull the trigger.
"So...I did. Or, at least, tried to. But we were met with defeat, humiliation, and lost. I want my family out of here because this city can't change. Just like the world, recycling mistakes like faulty blueprints for reuse. I don't know where I'd take 'em, doesn't matter. I just…"
Lincoln trailed off.
"Well, Lincoln I'm glad you got that off your chest," Maddie said. "I understand you want change, but this isn't a one man job. Everyone has to do their part. I think you'll get stressed pondering on why things won't change, which isn't your responsibility. You can't put the world's weight on your shoulders, neither of you would get very far. I suggest you take some time away from work, or any stress-inducing obstacles. Maybe find yourself in this world. You may have found where you belong, but you've yet to find where you are happy. Then, and only then, do I believe it is safe to carry loved ones with you."
Lincoln sat in silence long, pondering Maddie's words. Finally, he answered.
"...Thank you, Madelyn."
.
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2 days had passed since Lincoln's therapy session. It was around 2:30 P.M. It was a week before October and the sky was painted a bright-orange. There had been a passing of a dust storm, a rare commodity, at least in Michigan. Lincoln enjoyed the windy day, sitting next to a window, reading a comic book. He had specifically chosen an apocalypse themed book, as the dusty sky heightened his immersion. Lori was in her room, either sleeping or doing paperwork. Lucy sat in the living room couch, silently reading a novel of some sort, as Luna dazedly watched T.V. Lincoln's fantasy world had been popped as he heard the front door slam and a crying Lily sprint in. He was on his feet and before he knew it, Lily was clutching his jacket, violently crying into it.
"Lily, what's wrong?" Lincoln worriedly asked, stroking her silky hair slowly. After he had finally calmed her nerves, she spoke up.
"Some kids-some kids took my sketchbook," Lily sniffled, her voice muffled and barely audible through Lincoln's jacket. "They-They ripped out my drawings-called it dumb-stepped on it-Lincoln, I don't wanna go back to school…"
By now, Lincoln was internally fuming. Practically torturing a teen who has done nothing but make beautiful art in her own way, demeaning her into a whining child, destroying her demeanor.
"Who did it?" Lincoln asked, his voice slightly unsteady.
"L-Liza Kuve, Daina Diloy, and-Burtis Busely…"
"Of course it was one of the Busely Boys," A line Lincoln tried to say without venom, but failed.
"Lincoln-I-it's not a big-I know you want to do something, just…-You-"
"Lilian. I...Stay here."
Lincoln wasn't going to just let Lily be pushed aside and bullied. And he'd be damned if he sat around and let the people who made her cry enjoy their lives.
He angrily slammed the van door, and violently exerted the van to Royal High. He basically hopped out of the van before it even stopped as he reached the entrance. He tried the doors. Locked. Damnit. It was Wednesday, so clubs were canceled, meaning the main entrance was locked early. He walked over to the main office, a small separate building to the right of the school. He entered and went up to the receptionist.
"Yea, hey," Lincoln said, as she greeted him. "Are any of the students Liza Kuve, Daina Diloy, or Burtis Busely here?
"Ummm, one second," The lady said, as she typed away at the keyboard. "No, they all checked out. Would you like me-"
Lincoln left and entered the van. He knew where Busely lived. That was about it, he'd try the others tomorrow, at school. He drove to the Dump, stopping by a pile of trash. He spotted Burtis sitting on a couch near a mound of old tires; the 15-year-old was chewing tobacco, ogling at an old, ripped up, porno magazine. Burtis was held back twice, dirt-covered and teeth-blackened, The 5th oldest Busely Boy perfectly represented his family.
"Burtis!" Lincoln shouted, hastily approaching the sheepish skinny kid.
"Oh, Shi-!" Burtis practically fell off the couch. He didn't know who Lincoln was, but assumed the tall, angry man quickly approaching him wasn't a good sign. His first thought was CPS, but he dropped the assumption after seeing Lincoln's wrinkled, snot-ridden jacket.
Burtis tried crawling away from Lincoln backwards, but was met with a violent lift from the collar of his grease-stained Hawaiian shirt.
"Burtis, kid, I'm going to make this real simple," Lincoln said. "Did you rip my sister's sketchbook up?!"
"'s that?" Burtis crowed.
"...What?"
"Um, who's ya' sista'?"
"Lilian Loud. What, have bad memory or something?"
"Sorry suh, just scared, 's all." But Burtis's tone indicated the opposite. He spoke in a mockingly tone, a "you can't touch me" voice. Which obviously ticked Lincoln off more.
"Where's her damn sketchbook?!"
"Don't know what to tellja' mista Loud, 'dat Liza girl ran off wid'it."
Lincoln sighed, and tossed Burtis to the ground. Lincoln looked around. A lot of his family was present, whether they were sleeping in their run-down trailer, looking through the trash for food, or straight up watching the event take place, none of them were taking any action. Only one alarmed him, only because he was holding a rusted pump shotgun. Lincoln felt uneasy, then redirected his attention back to Burtis.
"Stay away from my sister, Burtis. If I find you near her again, I'll break every bone in your body. Understood?"
"Yessum."
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7:49 P.M. Lori's Residence.
Lincoln grumpily stormed into Lori's house. After dealing with Burtis, he went and hung out at TaBee's, playing some video games with Bill and such. He entered his room and turned on his light, awaking a previously sleeping Lily.
"Hey, Lincoln…" Lily said tiredly, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "Did you…?"
"Yea, I, uh, took care of it, for the most part," Lincoln said, plopping in his chair.
"You probably shouldn't have done whatever it is you had done."
"I know," Lincoln said, with a sigh. "Only time will tell."
"That's just a smart way of saying you'll deal with it in the morning, isn't it?"
"...Yea."
Lincoln then took a long shower and readied up for the next day. After he was dried in clothed in pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt, he passed by Lily's room and opened the door to Lola and Lana's room. Both were awake, Lola assorting her outfit for the day, and Lana simply scrolling on her phone.
"Lana?" Lincoln said.
"Yea, Lincoln?" Lana said, looking up from her phone.
"Stay away from the Busely Boys from now on."
"...What?"
"You heard me, Lana. Stay away from those kids. They're nothing but trouble.
"Lincoln you-"
"I wasn't asking, Lana."
Lincoln closed the door and made his way back to his room, strolling along dreamily.