Chapter 7

The Hill

No one was home, Luna quickly determined. Holding that precious note close, she ran about the house in a frenzy, confirming everything she could possible reach. No closet in the dining room, but everything else seemed normal. Her trophies were their, along with a few photos detailing she indeed existed at some point.

A nice little relief, but that didn't change the biggest question; where the heck did everyone go? Judging by the sun's position, it was sometime afternoon. Did she sleep that long? She didn't rule it out, but that would mean nobody bothered to wake her up, and she knew her family. Anybody hogging the TV wouldn't be alive if they refused to move. Even with how hectic things get, they would've noticed her fast.

She at first feared she missed school, but as she stepped into the lonely shower, she realized another lingering question. "Crap, what day is it, anyways?" She mumbled, running her hands through soapy hair. She had school yesterday, and if it was club, then it should've been Thursday, correct? Thus, it was Friday, and she clearly missed out. But if her mom left the note on her, then wouldn't she have just woken her up? Luna slowed her movements, staring off at the tiled wall before her.

It was the next day... right? The image of that memory book minus her flew by.

She slammed her temple hard. "No, no, stop. There's an explanation for all this. Y-You probably just forgot a holiday! Yeah! A-And Luan's playing another classic prank!" She chuckled, hoping that would calm her nerves. It barely registered. The warm water offered no comfort, and though she still felt she needed more time, she quickly rinsed off and stepped out, finding herself once more staring at the mirror. She looked back at herself; at least that's a plus. Still, she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. Even just standing there made her feel frightened. Nothing was different, and yet the world felt as if it stopped rotating for a spell.

"Nah, brah, you did," she yelled at herself, brushing her teeth with a little too much force. She spat it all away, refusing to lose her determined face. "You're letting everything get to you. You'll step out there, and everyone will be barging in. Mom probably just wants some quality time. There, see? Makes sense."

No comfort. Even with any sort of confidence, she looked at the door with eyes full of paranoia. She swung it open, lamenting the quiet atmosphere surrounding her. No lights were on, and every doorway closed off. Even her room felt ominous, and though she delighted in seeing Mick staring down, noticing how clean and proper both her bed and Luan's was eerie. Try as she liked, it was never properly set, and the less said about her comedy-inclined sister, the better.

On her keyboard, her cellphone rested against the keys. Luna sighed; she knew she left the poor thing. She hoped to figure out the time and date, but much to her chagrin, even this was a dead-end, for no power remained. She really had to keep that charger close by. Holding it tight, she once more stepped out into the hall, hoping to hear somebody shout, even if it was against her.

Nothing. The silence was deafening. She drew a deep breath in, climbing down the stairs as she stared at the note. Her mom wanted to meet in the park. When? Didn't specify, but at this rate, she might as well go now. In the end, seeing anybody in the family would make her feel good.

And if it had to be her mom, then she could at least get some answers. She hoped to, at least.

But even Royal Woods made itself oppressive as she walked down the street. Every house gave off its usual vibe, but as the sun rose higher, the world itself remained sleeping. No life, not even from the normally-annoying birds, presented themselves to her. If it wasn't for the wind slowly crawling its way through the barren roads, she'd assumed time truly froze, leaving her behind with fear and confusion.

She hoped to see at least one car, or maybe a dog barking, or heck, a guy wanting to rob her. Anything at all, but much like her house, there was nothing. Nothing; she really began hating that word. Luna hugged herself tight, feeling as if winter returned against the spring season. "There's a logical explanation. There's a logical explanation," she repeated ad nauseum, hoping the tenth iteration would finally convince her. By the twentieth, she realized what a fools errand this was becoming.

Head to the park: just focus on the park. Her mom had to be there. There was still life on this planet. She wasn't the only left, and she refused to believe otherwise.

Her purple boots crashed down on dry dirt, the road breaking away into a forested path that offered only shade and nothing else. Royal Woods's famed park, where even as technology took over people's daily lives, they still found beauty within the mighty trees. Kids would play with their friends, adults would find love on its numerous benches, and come the sun settling down, the perfect sight for any aspiring artist to witness. The town was well-known for being somewhat grimy, but having a place like this was the perfect retreat. Luna couldn't hide how many songs she penned in this wondrous place.

Rita could be anywhere, but staring down that path made Luna know where she intended to meet. Against the backdrop of barbeque spots and hidden flower alcoves, there was one quaint landmark almost everyone chose when needing a perfect meeting. Heck, the young rocker remembered the perfect moment when Sam invited her one Saturday night, responding to that silly love letter with a heartfelt smile. No moment was better than that, and even just thinking on it made the young Loud smile bright against the silent world.

It was the direct center. A random giant hill towering over even the tallest of trees. At its top was an old lamppost that probably never had a bulb, with a lone bench resting underneath, allowing vines and overgrowth to take over its legs. To an outsider, it was just that: a strange place to put a seat, since the view was the dirty town below. However, many in Royal Woods viewed it as the perfect place to begin things, end things, rekindle relationships, end relationships, and, if one was really lucky, receive answers they didn't think possible.

Luna smile as she walked against the gravel path. "Guess that's the place, then. Heh, and you thought you weren't a writer, Mom. Well, guess if anything's gonna make sense, might as well make it poetic!"

Another cool wind blew against her as the path stretched into an outgrowth of giant grass and flowers. It rested close to where everyone walked, yet it never seemed to be disturbed, with each petal seemingly telling its own tale as she observed them all. A hellish day like the one she had made this site far grander than ever before. She sighed as they fluttered. Will this nightmare end soon? Will her mom save her?

"She doesn't have to. She... I'm just letting it get to my head. That's all."

She frolicked her way through, until finally arriving at the base of the impressive hill. The legends didn't lie; it really was abnormally big for the park. Even the tallest of trees had no chance of ever eclipsing it. The sun poured its light directly down, illuminating her destination like the heavens giving her the sign. The bench rested calmly in the silent world, a few leaves taking over the back. It remained vacant, but just staring at it made it feel so welcoming, as if her whole family took refuge there.

She scratched her cheek, looking about the area. No sign of her. This was the perfect place to meet, right? Luna sighed, hands gripping the letter tight. "Guess I wait for ya. Man, this better not be a prank in the end. Luan's been getting way too psychological these days."

It was a steep climb, but Luna never felt tired. Almost impossible to explain, the hill always felt like it invited anybody who dared to ascend its powerful appearance. Surely it knew of the young rocker's dilemma; she was the perfect fit for the bench above. She crossed over fallen frisbees and tennis balls on her way up, each staring in envy as she took her first step on the concrete slab holding the seat. The lamppost appeared to flicker, lacking any method in doing so.

From up here, all of Royal Woods could be seen. Even the far-factories of Michigan could be singled out on the clearest of days, and past them, one could perhaps note the glistening sight of one of the great lakes. Probably all conjecture, but it always fascinated Luna. Why did this bizarre hill exist in their small little town? Either way, she couldn't deny the beauty of it all, and even as she grew impatient, sitting up there felt more of a reward over anything else.

Luna folded her hands over her lap, still feeling uneasy hearing nothing but her own breaths. The park was known for its tranquility, but this was getting ridiculous. No distant car honks, nor the sound of industry permeated the quiet air. It was times like this that she regretted leaving her guitar in club. What she'd give to hear its wonderful beat again. Another sigh. Thinking on that brought Sam back in her head, that worried expression burning itself deep into her heart.

"Oh Sam... you'll forgive me, right? Dammit, I hope you do..."

Sam, her mom; her whole family, really. This quiet world made her feel so lonely. It felt so silly, but she wanted to see them all again, even if they were at each other's throats. At least she'd know they were all right. She'd be all right.

Five minutes turned to ten. Her mom was still missing. Fingers began trembling against wobbly knees.

Down below, a finger emerged from the brush. Underneath the harsh sun, only their silhouette could be deciphered, though it was obviously not Rita. Luna watched as they hesitantly took their first step up, much like her feeling strange how energetic they suddenly became. Growing closer, it was obviously a man dressed professionally, much like a doctor fresh from a meeting. Blond hair sat on top of a tired, weary face, though he still had the look of a younger adult. His feet marched heavily, as if he had something fierce against his shoulders.

Luna gulped. "Um... hello?" She asked, realizing fast she was still on her own.

The man reached the summit, though he didn't acknowledge the young lady. He instead looked downtrodden at the space beside her, hands running deep into his coat pockets. He wiped his muzzle, as if unsure of what to say. Made sense: no one was there to hear it.

And yet, he still spoke calmly, much to Luna's shock. "Hello, Mr. Loud. How is your health? This hill made me feel rather good, I must say."

The young rocker felt her blood freeze over. Mr. Loud? Was... was her dad here? She gulped, and followed the man's vision over to the other side of the bench. If the world made logical sense, like she'd been repeating over-and-over, then she should see the town and trees below, with the beautiful sky above waving back. The last thing she needed to see was her father sitting there, a determined face unlike any he ever held. When she saw that familiar, balding look, she honestly almost screamed.

Her own father, and yet he appeared like a total stranger. Lynn Loud Sr. had his arms folded neatly against his trademark turquoise sweater. One leg was folded over the other, with the floating one bobbing in the air. Whatever was happening, he wasn't in a good mood. "Hey, Doc. I'm good, but... let's cut to the chase, okay? This is seriously serious!"

The doctor scratched his temple. He clearly didn't want to be there. "I take it Rita's still-?"

"Of course she is!" Luna's dad shouted. His daughter never heard him raise his voice like that. He'd often have to shout to calm all his kids, but this sounded strange. In some ways, it sounded barbaric. "She's been having nightmares every night. Man, I haven't even seen her smile since last Saturday. Her kids are worried, I'm worried... man, I don't know what to do!"

Luna's body began to crawl. She stabilized her breathing, and tried reaching out to her father. What should she do? Try talking? They should've noticed her by now. She wasn't Lucy, after all. Her hand nearly touched his shoulder, but it stopped just shy of reaching the sweater. Something in her mind told her to stop. If they didn't react to her presence, then maybe it wasn't a good idea to interfere.

Besides, she needed to hear this. What's wrong with Mom? The hallway spoke of the same incident. Now that the rocker thought on this, wasn't this man that same guy? Did she ever meet him before? His voice sounded familiar, but it was too hard to tell.

"Guess I should wait," she spoke defeated, "... I think. Am I losing it again? The hell?"

The doctor sighed, folding his arms. "My word. Rita was so close, too. Lily really didn't end them, huh?"

Lily? Her father sighed along with him. "Honestly, I think it did the opposite! Lisa put an end to it, but as soon as Lily came home, I saw that same look in her eyes. She... she's seeing her again..."

Luna felt a tear run down her face. Seeing her? Who's her? Was that what happened in her dream? Her mom looked so happy with her new child, but a melancholic expression took over by the end. In many ways, it was horrifying.

"Wait," Luna realized, "that was a dream, right? I seriously don't remember that! Wait..."

The doctor looked out towards the sky. "I can't say I'm surprised. Rita's a strong woman, Mr. Loud, but even she has her weaknesses. A newborn like Lily would sadly reawaken some of those issues, I'm sure." He looked back at her father, and for a brief moment, it looked like he was staring straight at Luna. to say it made the young girl tremble would be an understatement. "How bad are they? She isn't self-harming, I hope."

"No, nothing like that. If anything, she's definitely hurting inside, you know? I can't even speak to her without risking her crying!" He closed his own eyes. It stung Luna hard seeing him suffer like this. "She stares off into space, and if she isn't hiding off in the kitchen, she's busy writing things she refuses to share! I can't lie, I'm terrified!" His face became buried in his hands. "I just want to help her doc. I hate that I'm so useless!"

The doctor shook his head. "Don't say that! No matter her condition, you are the perfect person to help! You need to be strong for her!"

That was when her dad got mad. "Easy for you to say! You're wife's gone!" His words were poisonous, but they quickly brought forth regret. He watched as the doc looked to the grass, no doubt feeling the pain from that. Luna felt uneasy as her dad stood up, raising his hands up. "Look, I'm so sorry. That... that was uncalled for. I'm just stressed, you know? It's not your fault, really."

But even that seemed to not sit well with the doctor. "No, you're wrong. It is my fault. I failed Rita. She's suffering because of me."

"It's not your fault, doc! You did everything you could! If anything, you showed her there's hope in humanity! Even I was questioning that until you showed up!"

Both of them sighed, while Luna closed her eyes. At this point, she wasn't even questioning why she was witnessing this. Maybe she fell asleep on the bench, or maybe she was still in the house, or maybe she was just that crazy. None of that mattered. All this amounted to was one fact: her mom was hurt, and her dad was losing it. Her finger clenched into fists, with her eyes failing to stop any further tears.

"You're not coming, are you Mom?" she spoke breathlessly.

The doctor looked back at the trees below. "Lynn... you want to stop by my place? Maybe it'll be better if we talk there." He rubbed the back of his head. "No matter what happens, I refuse to ever give up on her. I know I'll think of something."

Her father finally managed to smile again. "Maybe that's for the best. I ain't giving up either. Not on Rita, and hey, not on you, either!"

Luna watched as the two vanished down the path. They escaped through the bushes below, falling away into the darkened shade. Luna was alone again, and in that loneliness, she realized her hands were empty. The letter her mom left her was gone. Did it fly away in the wind, or, and perhaps most striking, it was never there. It almost felt like she was directed to come here; by what, who knows, but something was making her see this stuff.

The mirror, the hospital hallway, and now even this. It couldn't be stress. Something was going on, and the longer it took, the more messed up she became.

Closing her eyes, all Luna thought about was that memory book. Ten Loud children, with her missing; her mother arriving home, so happy before breaking down, thinking on a thought that no doubt scarred her; her father speaking strange at the breakfast table; Rita seeing "her" again."

She fought so hard, but in the end, Luna couldn't help but cry. No one was around, anyways, so she might as well let it all out. She slammed a fist against the bench, stomping one boot against the ground. "What's wrong with me!" She yelled to the heavens above. "Did I do something wrong? Am I hurting my mom?" She glared up at a lone cloud passing above her. "Or are you hurting her? Leave me alone, and her out of it! She doesn't deserve this!" From that shout, she looked back down at the grass, feeling her heart break. "Maybe... I do..."

"Lunes?"

An angelic voice broke through her depression. Luna looked through her veil of tears at a blonde rocker standing beside her. Sam Sharp had her hands against her hips, along with a face showing pure concern. They both stared at each other, both hoping for the other to speak, before the Loud sister looked back down the grass. Every other moment, she'd love to see her girlfriend, but right now, she wished to just melt away.

"Hey, Sam," was all she could come up with. She didn't try looking at her. Making her girlfriend see her watershed face would be horrendous. She instead buried her head away, hoping the world would hide her.

Sam, on her part, made her sure her smile was sincere, and she took the seat beside Luna. The sun glimmered a ray of hope upon the couple. "I take it things haven't gotten better?" she asked, wrapping an arm around the young rocker.

She wanted to protest, but Luna couldn't deny the warmth her girlfriend brought. It didn't melt all the trauma away, but just knowing Sam was with her did alleviate things somewhat. Still, she couldn't disguise feeling disgusting. She shook her head, feeling pathetic in the process. "I'm losing it, girl. Completely losing it. I'm... I'm seeing things, and I'm starting to think I don't even exist! For crying out loud, I saw my dad and a doctor talking, and they didn't even know I was here!" She looked to the ground, still refusing to look at her partner. "Sam... I do exist, right?"

She expected a cold slap to the face, but instead she heard a chuckle. "Well, if you don't exist...," Sam started to joke, "... then I guess I don't either. After all, I am talking to you, right?"

Can't fight that logic. Maybe that word still applies? Good, she's just insane then. That's... refreshing. "Yeah, heh... sorry, Sam. Really, I am!" She finally looked at her girlfriend's face. To say she felt relaxed was an understatement. "I didn't mean to run out on you! That was uncool of me!"

Sam shook her head. "Don't apologize. I should be the one doing that! I should've gone after you!" She saw Luna about to protest, and immediately chimed in. "I'm always here for you, Lunes. Don't ever forget that."

She never would. "I know that. Same for you." Luna looked up to the sky, a sigh trying to break through. "I just want to be normal again. I think my parents are hurting, and I don't know what to do! My mind's clearly trying to tell me something. Dammit, I wish I knew!"

She was already slipping again. Sam never lost that smile. "Well, I don't know for sure, but maybe my dad could help? He's a doctor, you know?"

Luna froze. Blond hair appeared in her head. "A doctor? Wait... are you inviting me-"

"To my house? Of course! Besides, I have your guitar! I think you might want that back, right?"

She was being invited to Sam's house. How long have they been dating, and why hasn't this happened yet? Was that Luna's fault? She gulped. "Wait, is that okay? Will, uh, your folks be all right with that?"

Sam chuckled as she stood up, offering her girlfriend a hand. "Dude, my dad's a friend of yours! Of course you're allowed. Besides, I always go over your place. It makes sense, doesn't it?" She dusted off Luna's skirt for her, making the young rocker blush. "Come on. Maybe that'll help your head out."

That was Sam for her. Maybe it was the hill that helped her, but really, it was the angel that she brought into her life. She really didn't deserve her, did she? "Maybe you're right. Thanks, Sam... really."

"Hey, you don't have to thank me. Now come on! Dad's making his trademark salad dinner! He'd love to have someone else try it out!"

"Tch, you got it!"

Maybe this would be the key to helping her. Maybe everything else was just a distraction. Whatever that note even meant was lost as she ran down the hill with Sam. She ignored her nerves screaming at her to stop. She ignored the wind picking up around them. She ignored the fears that refused to leave her mind.

"I hope you found peace."

She had Sam. That's all she ever needed.