Chapter one: Initial fractures
"Uhm, I'm sorry it's just, well, what am I supposed to say? I mean, I know enough to tell you something about them. Like how dad was a cook, or mom was supportive, I guess. But, Lucy? it just wouldn't, hold up?
Sure she liked dabbling in strange things, But that's the thing, she liked doing all that. And as the days passed Lucy as I knew her began slipping away. And in her place? Well, I'm not gonna pretend like I knew who that was.
With that said, however, I don't think I'll ever be sure if Lisa did the right thing. But she could have at least said something! Then again, would it have mattered anyway?"
Lori finished, standing alone amidst three gravestones: Rita, Lynn Senior, and Lucy, respectively. She half expected someone to answer her, but of course, no one was there. Just the fake grass beneath Lori's feet, and what little of her family remained, waiting for her so they could leave the cemetery already. After all, the funeral has long since passed.
With a heavy sigh, Lori dragged herself away from the graves. And tossed herself into the front seat of the van. Making sure everyone was there and accounted for: Leni, Luan and Luna, Lynn and Lincoln, Lana and Lola, Lily and…
Oh, right, she's busy. But aside from her, everyone was there. Though they didn't look very happy about that, Lori couldn't blame them of course. Life's out to get them, in particular, these days.
Perhaps a few parting words might help, Lori thought, taking a deep breath as she began. "Is everyone-"
"Just drive," Lynn cut off sharply, disheartening Lori.
"But I just wondered if-"
"No, we're not, you get to live with Bobby, and we get to live in some dump out of town!" Lana cried.
"Yeah, it's not fair!" Lola added angrily.
"Well I dunno about you, but I'd take the dump over the streets any day," Luna interjected.
"I mean yeah, me too! But it's still not fair! Like seriously, Lori gets to live like nothing's changed! And we get everything ripped away right in front of us! She even gets to keep the stupid van!" Lola roared, tears streaming down her face.
"Well who else was gonna drive it, Leni?" Luan reasoned.
"Hey! I've seen it happen!" Lana reasoned.
"Oh shut up! You all know what I'm talking about!"
"Quiet! All of you!" Lori yelled, turning her attention to Leni sitting beside Lori, huddled up in a ball of petrified sorrow. Her bloodshot eyes were glued to her feet. The sight made everyone glower in pity, but none more so than Lori.
"Did she say anything yet?" Lori questioned, to which everyone looked at each other, shaking their heads in dismay, even Lily joined the sorrow.
"Still nothing since Lisa's trial," Lincoln informed glumly.
To which Lori sighed heavily. "Speaking of trials, did you remember to bring the folder?" Lori interrogated.
"Folder? Oh, that! Yeah, I've got it! Right," Lincoln paused, reaching underneath him, only for his eyes to shrink into peas upon feeling, nothing there. "Uh-oh…"
"Lincoln, do not tell me you lost the evidence folder,"
"I didn't! It must've just slipped under somebody's seat!"
"Oh, that's just great! Fucking fantastic! As if there weren't enough reasons to wanna die!" Lynn clamoured.
"Look! I swear it's here! I didn't go anywhere with it! Honest!" Lincoln reasoned. as he along with everyone else began frantically searching every conceivable crevice. All the while Lily began poking Lincoln, much to his immense chagrin, snapping his frantic gaze towards her fretful face.
"What! What Lily!? I cannot play right now, I'm sorry! I gotta find-" Lincoln stopped mid-sentence, his eyes fixed behind Lily's booster seat. Where the folder was.
Without a word, he discreetly pulled the folder out, presenting it to the others with a sheepish grin. Leaving everyone beyond words, their dumbfounded faces said more than enough. Lori just hung herself over the steering wheel, not saying anything. Just shaking her head, tiresomely.
At the courthouse, every seat behind the prosecutor and assigned defendant of the Louds had been seized by a flurry of journalists from all around. Their snapping cameras and vigilant chatter filled every corner of the room. All while the Loud's defendant cowered to himself, obsessively checking both his watch and back. A display of weakness that the prosecutor couldn't help but burrow into.
"The judge is about to arrive, and yet your party remains absent, again…" The prosecutor sneered, but the defendant didn't respond, just wearily and methodically organizing his rugged blue suit and tie. Contrasting the prosecutor's freshly dry-cleaned red bow and suit.
"I wish I could've brought my little princess here Mr Faulty, would've been nice for her to witness daddy take his hundredth slam dunk. But thanks to your deceased client, she's going to have to sit this one out at the hospital. Now isn't that just gut-wrenching?"
The prosecutor sighed, all the while Mr Faulty continued to fidget madly with his things, attempting to pour himself a cup of tea. But as the prosecutor kept spouting on, his hand got shakier, and shakier, until suddenly it spilt everywhere.
"With all due respect, what is wrong with you sir?!" Mr Faulty burst out, stopping the prosecutor dead in his sleazy tracks.
"Wrong?" The prosecutor uttered as meek as a mouse, yet laced with wrath seeping from every syllable.
"Look, I'm very sorry about the situation regarding your daughter, believe me. No one should have had to go through what she did…"
"It's far too late for flattery, Mr Faulty, now what's your point?" The prosecutor snapped, making Faulty gulp.
"Well, doesn't it bother you that you're treating all of this like it's some game?" Faulty pointed out, making the prosecutor chuckle sadistically.
"Are you sure that you're a lawyer?" Just then, the sound of the Louds entering the room drew everyone's attention, both Faulty and the prosecutor's especially.
"I wish you good luck, it would make for a wonderful surprise," The prosecutor remarked, leaving Faulty to writhe upon his soaking wet desk as the family approached him, siblings trailing Lori. Scattering to the reserved seats just behind their lawyer's desk. But not Leni, standing alone. And afraid…
And for now, that was how it would have to be as Lori corralled Leni with the others. Leaving them to skulk at their imminent demise.
"*Ahem,* h-hello! I'm sorry for being late, Faulty,"
"Huh?! Oh, don't worry about it! Now, did you bring the evidence?"
Faulty interrogated, with Lori obliging as she handed the folder to Faulty's fidgety fingers. The smidgen of hope Faulty had was immediately snuffed out as he pulled out its contents.
"Two hand-written testimonies, and a couple of x-rays? Lori, I told you to get evidence! This is just-" Faulty stopped, sighing as he buried his face into his hand anxiously.
"I'm sorry, I tried…" Lori whimpered, as Faulty rubbed his temples in tired thought.
"I believe you it's why this is all so frustrating!"
"Please, at least try to do something, please," Lori pleaded in a fraying voice.
"Lori I'm already trying but. Well to tell you the truth, that guy over there's out for blood, and he might just get it," Faulty warned, keeping his eyes locked on the prosecutor sitting smugly on his chair. Waving at Faulty mockingly, only for he along with everyone else to shoot straight up from their seats, as a powerful voice boomed.
"All rise! For the honourable judge!"
Amidst it all, far, far away from the courthouse, sat the fool who may very well have started it all. Hiding away in her iron-clad coffin. Although not an actual coffin. Its purpose remained the same, both in function and spirit. Yes, a puny and dank closet, with no bed nor belongings. That was how she wanted it, that was how Lisa wished to die...
Unfortunately for her, the best Lisa could manage was ten years. But even then, amidst her now scornful family, and anyone else who cared even remotely. Lisa was still just as scared as any toddler would be, she just knew how to hide said fear, very, carefully.In her iron-clad, windowless cell, Lisa could freely quiver in perpetual fright. And all her demons dancing and jeering from above, tormenting her with each consequence she unleashed when trying to help. And Lucy…
Her name alone sent sickening tremors up and down Lisa's malnourished body. For every time her name appeared, the scene would thunder through Lisa's skull like a lightning bolt. From the very first, and last breath, that Lisa took away.
It was for the best though, it had to be, even if the others disagree quite vehemently. Even if it was the most humane course of action, or maybe they do understand that. Lisa didn't know, she just assumed everyone despised her after everyone found out she was responsible for euthanising Lucy.
Then suddenly, it hit her, the same feeling when witnessing the life drain from Lucy's eyes. It came back, stronger than any drug, heavier than any mountain. By signing her fate away, she has made yet another, big mistake. In other words, Lisa felt immensely…
"Guilty, your honour!"
"Then it's settled, the defendants are to pay the full fine to Mr Sinclair as compensation, thank you, Jury, for your service,"
And there it was, set in stone, just to spite what little hope there was, Lori, Faulty, and anyone else with common decency, they lost to the overwhelming odds. And there was nothing more to be said, with Faulty picking up his suitcase, and heaving his low-hanging head along the floor as the family watched him leave alongside everyone else in the courthouse.
But not before glancing back at his adversary one final time, who gave Faulty a friendly smile and wave. Faulty frowned as he tightened his grip furiously, but he just sighed, for it was all over now.
Lori turned to the others, not even bothering to hide her grim expression as she scanned their forlorn faces. Hoping to find that perhaps the little ones had a bit more hope left, but no, no…
When they all reached the van, the sweltering heat within didn't do anyone any favours. Lori tried to use the broken air conditioner, but, you can imagine how well that went. Lori just sighed, she would have been mad, but it wasn't worth the trouble. Instead, Lori just started up the engine.
"No stops? Anyone?"
"..."
"Okay," Lori responded.
Not another word as everyone took in Royal Woods' many sights one final time. The schools they would've been attending, the fast-food attractions, their neighbours, their friends, relatives, and of course their now defiled childhood home, all burning memories now. Not for Lori though, she could come and go as she pleased, a fact that brought no comfort, not while having to let go of her family. But Leni…
Why was she staring at her like that?
But before they knew it, they had arrived. And towering above them stood the monolithic horror that was the foster home. Its only saving grace being the sickeningly clinical lobby, its age just as obscene as the red bricks that made up the structure.
"Well, we're here, everyone out now…" Lori instructed, to which they all complied, gathering around Lori's door, gaping at her in melancholy. Counting their heads, she notice someone wasn't there amongst them. But she knew who it was sniffling profusely beside her, clutching Lori's hand so tight it turned purple.
"Leni, please-"
"No Lori, no…" Leni mumbled as she shook her head in protest, her voice so brimming with desperation it nearly brought Lori to tears.
But regardless, she had to make her let go. Even if it was proving to be unbearably difficult. "Stop it!" Lori grunted.
"No! I need you!" Leni wept, as Lori tore away from Leni's grip, running around the van and opening Leni's door attempting to unbuckle Leni's seatbelt, only for Leni to cover it with her hands.
"Leni, I can't take you with me, Bobby's family said-"
"I know what he fucking said, and it's not fair! He doesn't know us, he only knows you, his girlfriend!" Leni stormed, scowling at Lori.
Whom after the shock wore off, scowled back at Leni, as she bawled up her hands into fists. "Leni, get out right now or I'm tearing you out myself!"
"No!"
"Alright then, you asked for it!" Lori barked back, reaching out she dug underneath Leni's hands, successfully undoing the buckle before clutching Leni's sides. Lifting her out of the van, and onto her shoulders, all the while she kicked and screamed for Lori to let her go as she carried her around the van, and placed her onto the pavement carefully.
Right before darting back into the van, and locking its doors shut. Only for Leni to startle Lori by slamming into the door, banging on it repeatedly as she wept rivers of despair. Whereas all Lori could do was sit gawk at the miserable sight before her. For no matter how much Leni banged on the door or cried her big heart out, it was over. It was all, over.
Before Lori could let her tears show, she began to speed off, with Leni fruitless attempting to chase the van. But after only a few steps, she collapsed onto the asphalt, witnessing the van disappear around the corner, never to be seen again.
The family could only stare in awe of the aftermath, unsure of what to do after such a scene. They all began approaching the entrance of the foster home, except for Lincoln who instead approached Leni flat on the ground, about to reach his hand out to touch her. But Lynn pulled it away, giving Lincoln a stern look.
"Not yet," Lynn insisted, he wanted to protest, but looking back at Leni's distraught state.
"But we can't just leave her there," Lincoln argued.
"Did you not just see what Lori just went through?" Lynn argued back, to which he sighed in compliance. Satisfied, Lynn went to join with the others, but Lincoln lingered for a moment, contemplating.
"C'mon Linc!" Lynn hollered, startling Lincoln.
"Uhm, we'll be inside, Leni…" Lincoln uttered, leaving Leni to seethe on the asphalt in crippling fear, and loneliness.
No matter where we go from here, know that this very moment is when the family name, died. But also know, that it doesn't mean we're finished here. Not even close in fact, this is just the first fragment, of a grand mosaic ten years in the making…