"Lincy! Lincy! It's time to wake up!"
Lincoln's eyes slowly opened and allowed the harsh bright light of the day to soak in and nest within his eye sockets, giving an airy inhale of pain and annoyance. He looks straight ahead with his eyes still taking a moment to adjust to see he fell asleep on his side and had a slanted view of the far wall where his desk resigned. As she tugged on the cover a bit, trying to escape the light, he realized there was something heavy rested on top of him. Lost in the glow, he realized it's best to investigate the hindrance. He slowly turns his head to the top the bed to see Lily was sitting on top of him, giving him a gentle smile. Lincoln was stuck with happiness for a moment to see her with a sign of glee on his sister's face, he couldn't help but smile himself.
"Hey, kid…" Lincoln said dryly with a smile.
"Hi, Lincy" Lily said with a positive smile. "How are you?"
Lincoln took his hand and balled it to a loose fist and popped his neck and stretched his arms.
"Better" he said straining.
Lily gave a slight yawn which caused Lincoln to take notice.
"Oh, Lily" Lincoln started. "You didn't get that much sleep?"
Lily looked to her right for a moment.
"I'm okay…" she said as she keeps that smile on her face.
Lincoln wasn't sure he believed her.
"Are you sure? If you're still sleepy, you can take a little nap and-" he started.
She quickly leans in and kisses her brother on the forehead. Lincoln is taken aback but noticed Lily was just being sweet and playful. Lincoln lifts his body forward and hugs her close and sighs.
"I love you" Lincoln said.
"I love you too, Lincoln" Lily said honestly.
As the embrace ended, Lincoln yawns and scratched his messy long hair as Lily hops off the bed to walk toward the desk. As Lincoln's eyes begin to properly adjust, he noticed Lily was already all dressed up and was getting something from the the desk. Lincoln wasn't sure what, but knowing her, he had a guess. Lily was returning to the side of the bed with two pills in one hand and a small plastic cup of water in the other. Lincoln shoots a rather shameful look, which causes Lily to keep her gentle smile. She stands right next to him with his medicine while Lincoln tries to look away from her hands.
"Lincy, you know you have to take them" she said as nicely as she could.
Lincoln chuckles.
"You know...for a little sister, you act more like an older sister or a mom more than anything" he joked.
Lily took that as a compliment.
"I guess" she said. "But who's going to take care of you if I wasn't here?"
"Isn't taking care of you my job anyway?" joked Lincoln. "Are you trying to take my job?"
"Just take your medicine, you dummy!" Lily said with a giggle.
Despite hating the fact he had to take his meds, he took the pills from Lily's hand and pops both of them. Lily hands him the water and he drinks them entire thing and sighs. He hands the cup back to her and slowly gets out the bed, only to get hugged by Lily again.
"You know I still love you even though you're sick, right..?" Lily asked, showing a hint of worry.
Lincoln rested his hand on top of her head and light ruffles and pets her hair.
"I know, Lily-bug-I know…" he said sweetly.
Lily lets go and gets on the ground. She slowly rolls under the bed, much to Lincoln's confusion.
"What are you doing?" asked Lincoln.
"Waiting on you to change!" Lily said. "I picked out some clothes for you! Lynn comes home today, remember?"
Lincoln remembered and quickly made a dash for his clothes. He took off the clothes he wore the day before and look at what Lily picked for him. Lincoln put on a white wife-beater and a pair of dark blue jeans with some off brand white low-top skate sneakers. He also throws on a white hoodie with golden scorpion logo on the back and brown finish. He whips his hair a bit until her thought it looked fair enough.
"Okay, you can come out now" Lincoln said as he sprayed a bit of cologne on himself.
Lily rolled from under the bed and looked at Lincoln, smiling happily that he wore everything she picked out.
"Okay" Lincoln started. "Let's brush our teeth and head downstairs together."
Lily waited by the door. Before Lincoln could join her, he felted on his black hoodie that rested on the ground. He realized he didn't want to leave his gun out in the open. However, as he pressed on hoodie, he realized he couldn't feel it. He got lower to check the other pieces of clothes on the ground before a light shine from the window into the room illuminated an object that rest on the floor just sticking out from under his bed. He crawls toward it to find out it was the barrel of the gun. He picked it up slowly and with a very unsure expression. He could have swore he had the gun with him before he slept. He began to wonder if he may have accidently dropped it on the ground at some point in time last night. The thought of one of the girls being able to get in here and finding this made him worry. The idea of Lily possibly getting her hands on it filled him with thoughts of the grimmest kind.
"Lincy?" Lily asked.
Lincoln came back to reality and sighs. He tucks the gun in his hoodie pocket and walks to Lily, only to stop to pick up the pack of smokes he had resting on the floor. He stood by Lily by the door. Lily extends her hand and Lincoln holds it, knowing that Lily was still scared about being here and didn't feel right about venturing around alone. Lincoln slowly opened the door, let's Lily get a feel of safety with him. However as soon as the door is all the way open, Lincoln noticed that the twin's bedroom door is slightly cracked. All the other doors in the hall were closed, but their's were the only one's that were ajar. Lincoln shrugged it off, not wanting it to ruin his day to see Lynn, and started for the bathroom. However as soon as he took a step into the hall, Lola and Lana's bedroom door slams shut. This caused Lincoln to freeze and Lily to hold on to his leg. They stopped moving, feeling the area to see if any more moving a coming their way.
Nothing.
Lincoln and Lily began to walk again for the bathroom, this time, moving faster in their pace to a point where they were right outside the door of the bathroom. However, as Lincoln was about to turn the knob and open the door, the bathroom door slowly opened. Lincoln and Lily back away as someone lowly walked into the hallway from the bathroom.
It was Lucy, who stopped in her tracks as she held the rim of her glove, insinuating she was just putting them back on.
Lincoln studied the jarring appearance of Lucy for what seemed to be ages. The girl was wearing something similar to what she had on the other day, only this time without the collar of her sweater covering her mouth. That along with the part in the middle of her bangs that was fair enough to reveal her eyes. Lincoln was stuck by the mystically alluring eyes of his younger sister. He can't recall the last time he seen her eyes or know if there was even a last time, but the fact he can see them in such a chilling environment filled him uneasy feeling of something sinister was afoot.
Lucy stared at the two for a while for slowly smiling. Each second of the smile forming caused the house to fill colder and the oxygen within it to get thinner. So much so, Lincoln almost felt like he couldn't breathe.
"G-Good morning, Lucy" Lincoln manage to spit out as he felt like he was being choked.
Lily, frightened, merely waved at her.
"Greetings, dear brother…" Lucy said sweetly in her softened grim delivery. "Comment allez vous ce matin?"
Both Lincoln and Lily stopped moving as Lucy tilt her head at them, not sure why they were so quiet.
Lincoln remembered how Lucy was grabbed and dragged away the night before along with the notes she gave him hours before the event took place. Clearly, something happened to her since then. Even though he didn't know what happened, he felt it had something to do with the places he was warned to never enter.
As he stood there in deep thought, Lucy walked closer, causing him to flinch. She kneels down and looks at Lily eye to eye and smiles sweetly at her.
"Bonjour, Lily" Lucy said. "Est ce que tu vas bien?"
"Bonj-" started Lily before freezing. She turns to Lincoln, who looked at her strangely.
Lily refused to speak at that point.
"Lily?" called Lucy. "Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas? Avez-vous oublié ce que je vous ai appris?"
Lincoln wasn't sure where this was going but he backs away and tugs Lily's arm to move back with him. This was a blunt hint to Lucy and caused her to get off the ground and look to Lincoln.
"Lynn returns today, dear brother?" Lucy asked.
Lincoln couldn't think of anything else to do but nod.
"Glad to hear" she responded. "I await her arrival. See you soon, dear Lincoln."
Lucy walks past them to make her way to her room before stopping.
"Adieu, Lily…" Lucy said before the sound of the door shutting softly sounds off with a click.
Lily walks into the bathroom without a word, making Lincoln worry. Though the exchange was brief, it didn't stop the scene from being concerning. However, Lincoln came to the conclusion he'll have to speak to Lily about this later in private. He walks into the bathroom with Lily and shuts the door, locking it behind him. The sounds of rushing water from the sink is heard.
Downstairs in the living room, on the couch whee Luna, Luan, and Leni. Luna was setting on the right end of the couch toward the door, fiddling with the keys to her car as Luan sat in the middle, studying what looked to be a very old and cobbled together bible. Leni was on the other end of the couch, looking very tired and drained. Luna seemed to be dressed like she was yesterday, only with a different rock shirt. Luan was in a black and gray color swap of her old outfit with a black rose necklace around her neck and minus the gag pink flower she had. She even had her ponytail fashioned into a bun. Leni donned the night gown from the night before, not yet ready to start the day.
Leni looked to her sisters with pity. Seeing their warped minds work only under the twisted spell of what seemed like pure evil crafted unethically by the hands of her siblings and feeling the weighing guilt of what unholy atrocities she herself have committed since this all took place slowly was pushing her sanity. The idea of having to fake treatment longer and longer each time was starting to cause her fear of speaking at times, but thinks her acting is so fair, chances of being detected seems lesser and lesser with each passing day. Leni rubs her temples and sighs.
"Mother?"
Leni freezes and darts her eyes to her left. It was Luan. Leni thinks fast.
"Yes..my child?" she said in her best motherly voice.
"May I resume my telling of the word?" Luan asked with a smile.
The smile made Leni's body turn to ice but made her face feel like it was on fire. The feeling of bursting into tears fill her mind. However, she was on center stage.
"Yes, my child. Please resume…" Leni said airly.
Luan clears her throat.
"...Consider the lily, how it grows: she will neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even the highest follower in all their false glory are clothed like one of these. "But if He so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into a space of ivory, how much more will He clothe you? You tarts of little faith..." Luan says.
"Abe 12:27-28..." Leni finishes.
Leni looks over to Luan who smile brightly at her. Leni faked a smile for the sake of her but then turns her attentions to Luna, who stared off to the distance as she aggressively fiddles with her keys, showing she had a sense of edge to her. Leni looks to Luan.
"Luan, maybe you should resume your studies upstairs" Leni asked.
"But, mother!" Luan started.
The word mother made Leni shudder.
"Are you speaking against my wishes?" Leni asked.
Luna stopped messing with her keys and darted her eyes to Luan, who began to sweat with the feeling that she has upset her. Luan hopped off the couch and walked upstairs quickly. Leni turns her attentions back to Luna.
"I...know you're upset. But you must remember: she is our family…" Leni said tiredly but honestly.
"She doesn't deserve his love...she doesn't deserve his forgiveness…" Luna said harshly.
"My child-" Leni started.
"She doesn't deserve OUR forgiveness! She's a figure of all that is wrong in the house! She'd never be accepted by the church. She doesn't' deserve his word…" Luna said.
Leni sighs.
"I know you feel that way, but you and I both know that he has a very close relationship with her and you must respect it. She will learn the rules and she will behave...or be punished…" Lei said.
Luna stands up.
"When you saw that heathen….what did you say to her?" Luna asked in an insecure tone.
"Just that we await her arrival…" Leni lied.
"You...didn't tell her about….you know…'her'? Like, at all?" Luna asked.
Leni gives Luna a horrified face.
"I-I'm sorry…" Luna said.
"Don't…" Leni started with tears foaming. "Don't speak about her...I'm not ready yet…"
"Mother, I didn't mean to harm-" Luna started.
"Just go wait for them in the car. I will send them to you once they are down here…" Leni said.
Luna said nothing more and walked out of the living room and out the front door, head hanging low with shame. Leni sniffles and wipes her face, feeling her insides swell up like a time before it all. She tries to regain her composure as the sounds of a door opening and closing are heard. Leni stands and walks to the bottom of the stairs. Lincoln and Lily were walking down the stairs and Lincoln looked to Leni. He was going to give a nervous look before studying her. The young lady was obviously in some type of deep pain. The look of her face was of a woman who truly lost something dear to them. The look was so tragic, Lincoln couldn't help but feel bad as well, even though he didn't know what was wrong. Lincoln and Lily stood at the bottom step.
"Greetings, my beautiful...c-children.." Leni forced out.
The way she said that seemed odd to the two.
"Hello, Leni…" Lincoln said.
Before Lincoln can double down on the fact he called her by her name instead of her new title, Lily says her piece.
"Hi…" she said coldly.
"Greetings, Lily…" Leni said shamefully.
Lincoln noticed the dense air between the two. Before he can ask anything about it, he's derailed once more.
"Luna is in the car...waiting for you two. You may leave when you are ready…" Leni said, trying to keep a fair smile.
Lily walked pass Leni without much of a passing glance out the front door. Lincoln was about to tail her, but stops. He turns to Leni, who kept that pain plastered smile on her face. Lincoln couldn't stand it. He knew there was something more going on with her. He walked to Leni slowly.
"My...my child?" asked Leni. "What's wrong?"
Lincoln said nothing and hugged her. Leni lightly gasped. Lincoln holds onto her tightly. At that moment, there was a sense of pleasant warmth flowing through her; a second wind of life. The young lady wrapped her arms around him and strokes his hair, sniffling as tears fell off her face onto his white mane. The embrace ended and Lincoln dashed out the door for the car. Leni walked onto the porch as the car door of the passenger side shuts. She stands still and watches the car drive down the street. Leni just stood there with tears running down her face, barely able to hold it together as she holds her stomach.
It was a lush and warm day as the crisp yet harsh sunbeams stuck the earth like daggers. The birds chirp their sweetest chirp from the dense wooded sectors scattered about the stomping grounds of man, echoing against the well-known dominant wails of man made industry. The sky smiles warmly and stably from above.
It was a Wednesday. The month was March. Spring was in its swing upon the newly relaxed masses of the state, under the nectar soaked seduction of the season about warmth, bloom, and fresh beginnings. The time was almost high noon. Though this was lunchtime for some in the formal population, in a neighboring town over on the west, was a young girl in a casual street outfit, pacing up and down the sidewalk in the heat without as much as a bottle of water to go along with her limited belongings in a cheap looking tote bag. The road docking the sidewalk was lightly damp yet freshly paved; no cars from either side of the road sounded off. Only the humid, heavy air lingered and the chit chat of other students being heard from behind the metal piked fence that basically walled out the outside world to the 'teaching facility'.
This girl was Lynn Loud Jr. However, to the institution she was now about to be ejected from, Student 1020-2003.
Lynn was pacing outside the gate that led to the minimum security academy of Manducare Canis Academy for Michigan Juveniles.
As she tracked back and forth, the bleached white light from the sun baked the earth as she stops to survey the dead road. As this happens, she hears the drone hissing of the brakes from the buses as the side gates of the wall, leading into the parking area open, allowing the buses with the many of rag suited juveniles seated, head in various directions to allow society's scum buckets and crooks in training to their state issued community service for a limited amount of time to attempt to enjoy the time outside the brick walls of the school and stitch their tattered psyches with their now jaded 'classmates'. Lynn knew she was one of them.
However, unlike them, she wasn't returning.
However, as half an hour passes, the sounds of honking is heard down the street. Lynn looks down the road to see an black and gold 1977 Odawa Trans CR flying down the street. It makes a quick stop right in front of Lynn, sounding it's arrival with the tire screeching. Lincoln quickly opens the door and pulls his seat forward for Lily to slip out onto the sidewalk. Lily runs to Lynn.
"Lynn!" Lily shouted happily.
Lynn kneels down on the sidewalk with a bright grin on her face as Lily nearly tackles her into a hug. The two held each other tightly. Lynn picks her up and looks her in the eyes.
"With a tackle like that, you should be trying out to be a linebacker!" Lynn joked.
Lily giggled at her while Lynn locks eyes with Lincoln. Lincoln starts walking toward her while Lynn does the same to him. Once the two got close, they both smiled at one another. Lincoln was so happy to she his reform sister out into the world without strings again and Lynn was happy to be home with Lincoln and Lily. Before the two could hug, Luna slams her hand on the horn, prompting them to get to the car. Lily picks up Lynn's tote bag and heads back to the car. Side by side, Lynn and Lincoln walk to the car. Lynn hops in the back with Lily and Lincoln hops in his seat and shuts the door. Before Lynn could even get her seat belt on, Luna slams on the gas, sending Lynn's face into the back of Lincoln's seat. Lynn quickly shakes it off and buckles up.
As Luna drives, she just stares at the road with a stiff face as the other three laugh and talk to one another in the car. Lynn talked about her time inside while Lincoln talked about what it was like living with their father and stepmother. Lily talked to Lynn about a cute cartoon that came on television at the time. She wasn't totally sure what it was about, but she was so into it and was passionate with how she explained it, Lynn and Lincoln couldn't help but find it precious how excited the girl was about it. Luna couldn't help herself. Hearing how happy they were made her smile. Sure, there was still an unsaid bitterness towards Lynn, but seeing and hearing how happy she was making them just made her heart skip a beat. However, the more she thought about it, the idea of envy creeps in. The fact it wasn't her being the reason Lincoln was happy and why Lily was excited started to bother her. She's done some wrong in the past herself and doesn't claim to be a saint, however she was hoping by this time, Lincoln would have accepted and forgiven her for her misdeeds from before and welcome her back into his life with open arms. She even invited him to come with her to get Lynn as a sign of good faith. However, in her eyes, Lincoln was still shutting himself off and shelving himself from her. Not letting her in. Not letting her try. Not letting her love him the way he needed to be loved. The way she believed he needed to be loved.
At this point, the laughter and talking became white noise. Luna was just dumbfounded and felt cheated. She was told he'd love and respect her-forgive her. That everything was going to be okay as long as she kept to the faith. She was told it wouldn't happen overnight, however she was hoping to see some sign that everything was moving forward. Maybe it was the flub at dinner about the basement. She wanted to blame herself for the mix up, but she knew she was just doing as the word says: Obey the Mother, Trust the Son, and Serve the Chosen. Yet Lincoln isn't really speaking to her. The car ride over was so quiet, you can her a insect's microscopic death scream. Luna was hoping Lincoln would try to make contact, but won't even look her in the eye. Lily is no different, as if she sense the need to follow her brother's cautious mannerisms. Luna couldn't help but feel betrayed and lost. To feel powerless and broken. To feel unloved and labelled.
"Luna?"
Luna snaps out of it.
"Y-Yes, dear brother?" Luna said in an awestruck tone.
Lincoln just blinks.
"I...didn't call you" said Lincoln.
"O-oh…" Luna said. "What did you need, Lily?"
Lily grew quiet. Luna looked at her rear view to try to get her sights on Lily, but Lily caught on to what she was doing and moved out of view, hurting Luna's feelings in the process.
"Lynn called for you" Lincoln said.
"Oh" Luna said dully.
Lynn chuckles nervously while Luna sighs.
"What is it?" Luna replied coldly.
Lynn was kinda shook by her tone.
"What's with the gloves?" Lynn asked.
"Why does it matter?" Luna answered bluntly.
Lynn got quiet. Lincoln looks to Luna and sighs.
"Luna…" started Lincoln.
Luna smiles again.
"Yes, dear brother..?" Luna replied sweetly.
Lynn gave a very insulted face and looks to Lily for confirmation. Lily only shrugged.
"I know you're upset with her, but she's still our sister. If we're going to live in harmony back home, you guys are gonna have to try and get along…" Lincoln whispered.
Luna sighs.
"I know, Lincoln. But that's easier said than done…" Luna answered softly.
"Just try to give her a chance. Please? For me at least?" asked Lincoln.
Luna was torn by this.
"If it makes you feel better, I promise me and you can sit down and talk. One on one. Just me and you" Lincoln said.
Luna's eyes lit up, causing Lincoln move away a little.
"O-Okay...I'll try…" she answers back.
Lynn heard what was being said, which made her ease up a bit. Lincoln then pulls up his phone and types a few things before putting it up. About five minutes of silence, Lincoln's phone buzzed. He quickly checks it and puts the phone back in his pants pocket.
"Hey, Luna. You mind dropping us off at Canal Street?" Lincoln asked.
Lynn and Lily looked at one another. Luna was curious about the question.
"Why do you need to go there of all places?" asked Luna curiously.
"I just want to properly catch up with Lynn with Lily. They get along very well and I think Lily just want to enjoy her to herself and I know the area well" Lincoln whispered to Luna. "Don't worry; we'll be back in a few hours."
"I-I dunno if I should leave you.." said Luna. "With her…"
Lincoln pulls out his phone.
"Maybe I could call Leni and ask-" started Lincoln.
Luna panics.
"No! Don't call mom!" Luna yelled in fear.
The car got quiet.
"But...he said Leni…" Lynn said.
Luna shakes her head.
"R-Right. L-Leni. I-I suppose you know you're way. I'll drop you off" Luna said with a sheepish chuckle.
Ten minutes of driving later, Luna pulls up next to the canal and Lincoln, Lynn and Lily hop out of the car. Luna shoots nervous looks at Lincoln.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Luna asked.
"Yeah, I swear. We'll be back later" Lincoln assure her.
"Oh...okay…" said Luna somberly.
Lincoln couldn't help himself to leave her like that.
"Hey, Luna?" said Lincoln.
"Yes, dear brother?" she replied.
"Dear brother…?" muttered Lynn.
"I...love you" Lincoln said.
Luna's face lit up and her smile returned in full force.
"I love you too!" she said excitedly. "My the son be with you!"
Luna puts the car in drive and heads down the road, leaving a large cloud of smoke behind her as she speeds off.
"The son?..." Lynn asked.
"Don't ask…" groaned Lincoln. "I don't even know."
The three slipped past a hole that was cut within the chain link fence and onto the flat area where a dying patch of grass resigned. Lily stood and watched as the water traveled below and Lynn found one of the plastic milk crates to sit on. Lincoln lights a cigarette, much to Lynn surprise.
"What are you doing?!" Lynn shouted.
"This? This is what you want to question? Not the reason I brought you out here?" Lincoln asked with a chuckle.
"Yes! Uh...no! Wait-why are we here?" asked Lynn.
Lincoln takes a drag as Lily walks over to him. He blows the smoke in the air, away from the child.
"You'll find out soon enough…" Lincoln said.
"Oh, God…" said a voice.
"By soon, I mean now…" He said with a sigh.
Lynn turns her head to see speed walking from the long way around was Ronnie Anne. Lynn hops to her feet and walks up to her. The two meet up face to face, shooting murderous looks at one another. Lincoln just stares at them. The two girls look at Lincoln at the same time.
"Why the hell you invited her?!" the shouted at him in unison.
Lincoln takes another drag and exhales a light puff of smoke.
"We may have a problem on our hands…" Lincoln said.
"Wait-what?" Lynn said.
"What kind of problem..?" Ronnie Anne asked.
