The morning sun shined through Lincoln's window. The bright beam hit the young boy's face. Lincoln stirred in his bed.

He whined as the drowsy sleep left his body. He kicked the sheets off his body, pilling up on the bottom of his bed. The bed squeaked as he lifted his weight and stood. He stretched his arms to the ceiling until he heard a couple pops from his spine.

He scratched his back and salivated his dry mouth. Lincoln looked at the wall where his clock used to be, but there was only an empty space.

The clock was sold along with a lot of his toys and belongings.

He sighed and wobbled over to his desk. He picked up his wristwatch and brought it up to his face. Ten o'clock, it read. A perfect hour before he needed to meet Francis.

Lincoln placed the watch back on the desk. The desk violently shook. Lincoln noticed that one of the legs was severely bent. He forgot how it happened, but he didn't care.

'I've gotta get rid of this desk,' His stomach growled painfully. 'and get some breakfast.'

Lincoln pushed through the second floor and down the stairs. He walked into the kitchen with messy hair and dark bags under his eyes.

The dinner table was half full. Only four of his oldest sisters were seated.

Lori had her face down, looking as if she was asleep, while everyone else was barely managing to keep their heads up and eyes open.

Everyone except Leni.

"Hi, Lincoln!" The ditzy sister joyfully shouted. "Have a seat."

Leni's high-pitched voiced ached Lincoln's head and so did his sisters, but he appreciated Leni's optimism.

"You're lucky," Leni added. "Mom's still making breakfast."

Breakfast was simple for most of his older sisters. It was always a dish of whatever with a side of warm, amazing coffee. That caffeine drink gave most of the sister the energy to start the day, but it had to be cut short. Now, everyone dragged their limp bodies around the house for an hour until their energy came in.

Everyone except Leni.

Lincoln walked over to a vacant seat next to Luan. As he sat down, a long and obnoxious fart noise filled the silent room. The farting noise stretched and went on in all of its entirety. After the noise died down with an uncomfortable silence, Lincoln reached for the bottom of his chair and pulled out a rubber whoopee cushion.

Lincoln looked at the toy with an intense gaze. The boy then turned his focus to his comedic sister. She only gave him a bored side glance with half lidded eyes.

Lincoln sighed and tossed the toy over his shoulder. He joined in his sister's brooding. Lincoln buried his face in his hands and waited for breakfast.

After a short while, their mother came in from the kitchen with a bowl of beans mixed with onions, slices of bread and water. She slides a paper plate in front of each child.

"Eat up, guys." She commented before returning back into the kitchen.

The Loud children all groaned in response.

"Thanks, mom," Leni cheerfully added with the bowl in hand. She silently scooped a pile of mush onto her plate with a spoon. She picked up a slice of bread from the center of the table and placed it on her plate. "So, have you guys heard about what's been going on in the city?" She asked no one in particular.

"What do you mean?" Lori lifted her head, her chin pressing on the table. The dark rings around her eyes countered her interested tone.

Leni shoved a spoon of beans into her mouth. "Mmm, there's been, like, bad stuff happening lately."

"Oh yeah," Luna suddenly livened up. "I heard the cops found two dead guys in an abandoned warehouse. Both were shot dead." Luna shivered.

"Really?" Lori asked with a raised brow. Luna nodded.

"Oh," Leni piped up. "There was, like, a guy who was shot outside the theatre last night. He was a farmer or something, but super rich."

"You gotta be kidding me?" Lori roared. "Why am I hearing about this just now?"

"What do you mean?" Luna asked. "It's the talk of the town, dude. We haven't had anything crazy like this happen around here in a hundred years."

While they continued their talk, Lincoln tried to make himself as unnoticeable as possible. He quietly eats his beans and onions while disguising his inner screaming and crying with a blank look.

He heard light snoring. He looked to his side and noticed Luan was sleeping. She held up her head with a swaying hand.

Lincoln wondered if he should wake her, but decided against it. She looked peaceful.

And because he didn't want to catch his other sister's attention.

"That's brutal, dude," Luna said. "Where are the cops when you need them?"

"Come on, Luna," Lori scoffed. "Those bozos are probably working with the mafia or something."

The rocker solemnly nodded. "True that."

Lincoln scarfed down the rest of his food. He folded his paper plate and swallowed his food. He got up and awkwardly shuffled to the kitchen.

He heard his older siblings still talking. He tossed the paper plate in the trash bin and swiftly made his way back up stairs.

He entered his room and closed the door behind him.

'Not the best way to start the morning.' Lincoln told himself. He looked at his watch. Thirty minutes until Eleven o'clock. He picked out an outfit, walked out of his room and down the stairs.

But just as he bid his farewells, Lincoln didn't know that Lynn was ready to follow him again.

With a bicycle.