Disclaimer: The Loud House and associated characters belong to Nickelodeon and Chris Savino.
Mysterious Mr M: Interesting deductions!
TxcPizza: Anything is possible. One has to love ambiguity.
Your Saving Grace Is Here: You make some interesting points. Leni, however, is now an adult. While she is slow, she's far from dumb. She put herself through community college, and I'm sure she picked up on some things along the way.
tylerdunkley82: Lily neither likes nor dislikes that apparition. She merely doesn't feel any malice coming from it.
Indoraptorman101: Continue reading to find out!
GHOST0938: I'm always working on something. However, now that I have a day job, time is more meaningful. I've decided to focus on one active story at a time, but all will get finished.
U. N. Owen: You'll find out soon enough.
Restless
By LolaPresents (Editing by Catspeaker)
Chapter 6
Having discussed events enough, the girls collected Abby and spread out the picnic Leni had prepared for them. Feeling the warmth of the sun filtering through the leaves overhead and the light breeze took them back to simpler times when fun was all they considered.
Afterward, they let the tot return to her sand kingdom while they propped themselves up against the giant oak tree under which they sat. It was a quiet, peaceful reminder that life would always continue, regardless of what happened.
Around four-thirty, Abby began to get fussy, alerting the women to the time. While Lori folded their blanket and returned their goods to their bag, Leni walked over and scooped up her baby girl. Leni worked hard, and seeing her child enjoy herself was a real treat.
But now, it was time to return home, where daddy would be waiting to see his girls and let Abby take a nap. Only Leni wouldn't be staying long, having to drive Lori to Luan's place.
Curious about what Leni and her sister were doing, he held his tongue and received his daughter with a smile. Leaving the toddler in good hands, the sisters returned to the car and made their way to Luan's flat.
The apartment was one of many in a modest building between the urban and suburban zones, close to work without the hassle of being downtown, and offered her a sense of peace.
"Good timing!" called Luan from several parking spaces over as Leni and Lori stepped from the car. "You can follow me up."
"Thank you for doing this, Luan," Lori offered as they entered the building and traversed the stairs together. "I know how strained things have been recently, but we're here for each other."
"Listen," sighed Luan, stopping at her door as she fumbled for her keys. "I don't know what state Luna will be in. Some days she seems almost normal. Others, well..." she muttered. "You'll be lucky if she recognizes you."
"Uh..." groaned Leni. "That bad?"
"See for yourself," Luan suggested as she unlocked the door and let it swing open before escorting her sisters inside.
Typical for an aging mid-range apartment in a small town, the walls had several layers of paint, and the landlord had replaced the carpet and counters many times over the years, leaving tell-tale signs on the walls. Still, Luan kept her place neat and rather spartan.
"Nice place, Luan," chirped Leni as she scanned the living room, her eyes resting on a bare leg hanging over the back of the couch. "Is that..."
"Yeah..." sighed Luan, walking around the sofa. "Hey, rockstar!" she called indignantly, bumping the couch with her foot. "Lori and Leni are here to see you."
Slowly, an arm reached toward the ceiling and gave them a lazy wave. Lori and Leni grimaced at each other, knowing how difficult it would be to get anything from their sister. Nevertheless, they had to try. Walking into the room, they chose their seats and studied Luna.
While Luna hadn't let herself go so badly that she couldn't clean herself up should she wish to, the lack of such a wish was evident. Laying awkwardly on the couch, in her underwear and a long black tee shirt sporting a faded Avenged Sevenfold logo, she squinted at them with a bottle in one hand.
"What are *hic* you doing here?" Luna grumbled. "Come to see the *hic* family failure?"
Lori was in no mood for such juvenile behavior. Furrowing her brows, she stood and began walking toward her sister. Luna tracked her sluggishly before Lori ripped the bottle from her grasp. The eldest prepared to give her sister a piece of her mind while handing the near-empty container to Luan.
"Luna," she scolded the prone girl. "You have some nerve. We've all been through the wringer, and you don't see us groveling, do you?" She reminded her sister before taking a seat, forcing Luna to sit up, drawing her legs to her chest.
"No," shot Luna. "You ran away! And you have no idea what I've been through!"
"Don't I?" glared Lori as Leni and Luan watched. "Guilt? Regret? Bad dreams? Shadowy figures?" she listed as Luna became increasingly terrified with every mention. "Sound familiar?"
"Please! Stop!" Luna cried out, holding her head aloft by her temples. "I can't take it anymore! But it won't stop!" she whined, tears cascading down her cheeks. "Please? Make it stop!"
The three sober sisters shared a knowing glance before Lori returned her attention to her drunken sibling. Lori could tell, without a doubt, that she'd hit a nerve. Luna was getting forced back into reality, remembering whatever she'd experienced.
Lori's words had awoken something in the dormant girl. And now that she was alert, the time for authority had passed. Luna was now in a delicate state, and if they were going to get anything from her, Lori needed to use a tender hand, something only a mother would know, her voice low and soft as she spoke.
"Luna..." she cooed, gently resting one hand on her sister's knee, provoking the closeness and familiarity needed. "We've all seen similar things recently. They're terrible, yes. But you aren't going to chase them away with a bottle."
Luna looked back, prominent pain and fear in her features, "What would you have me do, then?" she stammered through her tears.
"Talk," suggested Lori. "That's what we should've done from the beginning. Just talk and remember," she urged. "You aren't alone in all this, and..." she mentioned, "I think I have an idea what's happening, but I need to hear what you've experienced first."
Luna raised her head and considered her older sister, who'd always taken charge of situations and studied her intently. She had that rugged look about her, the one she got when things were about to fall apart, and only she had the strength to hold them together.
Like her siblings, Luna had seen it many times over her life. It was common in their youth and often garnered teases and insults of being the house warden. But unlike when they were children, trying to find their way, things were more complicated than before, and Luna had doubts.
"I..." she stammered, her lower lip quivering as she spoke. "I'll try..."
"Alright," interjected Luan, standing a few feet away. "Everyone take five. I'll put some coffee on to sober her up. Until then, can we talk about something else? Please?"
The sisters put the subject to rest while another pair prepared to meet at the airport...
Lana paced the terminal nervously. She hadn't seen her twin in almost two years. Ever since they graduated, things weren't the same. With all Lola's savings from her stint in the Ace Savvy movie and from fleecing her siblings, Lola moved to Los Angeles to start her career.
While they stayed in touch more than the others, their relationship declined. At first, Lana was too busy investing her savings into the zoo. Later, Lola's time was rare due to auditions, casting calls, and production. It seemed they were two ships passing in the night.
Lana worried that neither would recognize the other, as unlikely as that sounded. They were twins, and who wouldn't recognize their reflection? Nevertheless, Lana folded her arms defensively as she cut a path in the closely knit fabric of the terminal's floor.
Finally, an attendant spoke over the intercom, announcing the arrival of Lola's flight, and Lana's stomach filled with butterflies. She stood at the large window until the craft pulled to the gate. And after the staff docked the plane, Lana scanned the arrivals as they exited.
People of all sorts exited, either single or families. And, being the middle of summer, all were dressed appropriately. At least until a petite woman dressed in a long overcoat and wide-brimmed hat sashayed out alone. Lana didn't have to guess who it was and grinned like a wildcat.
"Hey, you," announced Lana, coming up behind her. "What's with the getup?"
"Ah!" barked Lola nervously, jumping at the sudden approach. "Oh, hey, Lana. How'd you know it was me?"
"Your bags?" Lana offered, chuckling as she looked down at Lola's bright pink carry-ons covered in glitter. "I still can't believe you got into horror movies. Isn't that kind of demeaning to women?"
"That's so two decades ago," replied Lola, handing one of her bags to her sister. "Besides, I don't play the ditzy dame who hides in the garage where all the tools are, you know. I'm the final girl, the one who always bests Clownface. Although..." she sighed, striking a pose, "...it is nice getting to show my body off every once in a while."
"Oh, right..." murmured Lana, as if there were no difference. "Anyway, let's get you home before anyone recognizes you."
In short order, Lana had Lola escorted to her car, loading her things into the back seat. And just as they were about to enter, two young boys approached, taking them both by surprise. Both girls' nerves had gotten shot over recent events, and they jumped when the boys spoke.
"Hi! Aren't you Lola Loud?" one of the teens belted unceremoniously, waving a photo and pen in front of her. "We loved your last movie!"
"Can we get your autograph?" questioned the other, rather meekly. "We're big fans."
Lola glanced around. The boys' enthusiasm hadn't attracted anyone, which was a relief. Still, she needed them to be quiet and resigned herself to compliance if only to shut them up. Smiling, she waved them over, reaching for their photos.
"Stay one step ahead!" read one, signed, "Aubrey/Lola."
"Cut to the chase!" read the other, similarly signed.
"Here you go, boys," Lola cooed as she handed the photos back and prepared to get in the car. "It was nice meeting you!"
"Thanks again, miss Loud!" the boys replied as they scampered off, proud of their collectibles. "We love you!"
Upon entering and closing the door, all pretense of glee left Lola's face. While she was always happy to appease a fan, the timing hadn't been the best, considering what was on her mind. Though, it did remind her that life was still marching forward and there were other things to consider.
"Wow..." sighed Lana, starting the engine and pulling out. "I didn't know horror fans got so... excited."
"Hah!" chuckled Lola. "I'm sure my bath scene had something to do with it."
"What?!" exclaimed Lana, nearly jerking the car in the adjacent lane, eliciting a few honks from fellow motorists. "Do mom and dad know about this?"
"Relax..." suggested Lola, going through her purse. "Of course, they know. And they've assured me that they'll never watch them. I am an adult, you know. I can do whatever scenes I wish."
"Yeah, I know. It's just..." Lana sighed. "Forget it. Let's just go home. We have a lot to talk about."
As Lana's car disappeared down the highway, a lone, shadowy figure stood by a road sign for a moment before fading away.
At the apartment, Luan sat opposite Luna, with Lori and Leni sitting between them on either side. Each had a cup of coffee and a glazed donut. Perhaps it was not the best thing to eat while sobering up, but it was what Luan had on hand.
"Okay, Luna?" Lori said, breaking the awkward silence as they all sat holding their coffee with both hands. "Please, tell me what's been going on with you."
Luna took several moments, gathering her thoughts as her mind worked on clearing through the alcoholic haze it had been in, "I don't know." She admitted, staring into the swirling beverage. "Things had never sat well with me. What happened, what we did, helping dispose of the evidence..." she muttered through silent tears. "It all started about a week ago."
"What started a week ago?" Leni prodded.
"The hallucinations, bruh..." Luna cried. "Those horrible visions and the nightmares. Oh, God..." she whined. "They're so horrible."
"Please, I know this is difficult," Lori reassured her sister. "But we need to know. Can you tell us about them?"
Pressing her lips together and trying her best to breathe regularly, Luna slowly began to regain her composure. But for how long was another matter. For now, she wiped her eyes with the back of one hand and raised her head, beginning her tale.
"The first time I saw it was at one of my weekend gigs," Luna announced. "Something drew my eyes to it in the crowd. Normally with the stage lights in your face, you can't always make out the best details of everyone sitting in front of you. But I couldn't look away from this one spot. It was just standing in the audience, looking at me," she informed them, scrunching her nose up. "It filled me with terror, and my skin grew cold. But I had a show to do and forced myself to ignore it."
"Go on..." requested Leni, listening to every word.
"That night, I dreamed I was a little girl again," Luna continued. "Luan and I hopped into bed together just as mom brought in Luan's dummy..."
"He has a name, you know..." chided the usually jovial girl.
Luna shook her head, "That's the thing, Luan. It wasn't Mr. Coconuts. It was something else. Horrible."
Luan's jovial expression quickly faded, "What do you mean?"
Luna took a sip of her coffee with both hands, her shoulders shivering, before she recounted the dream, "It was this ugly thing, shadowy and hazy, with tattered clothes and clumps of hair missing. But you and Mom just acted like it was normal. Like how happy and excited you were when you first got Mr. Coconuts. I could barely look at it. It scared me so much."
"Anyway..." muttered Luna. "Mom put him in the chair next to the bed. We tried to fall asleep, but Luan complained that her head hurt, so I offered to get a damp cloth and rub it," she recounted. "When I got back and started tending to her, something... I don't know... I felt something creepy, and it scared me shitless. Somehow, I sensed evil or malice, something in the air..."
"Then what happened?" Luan asked, her interest in the story piqued.
Luna pursed her lips and shook her head slightly, shaking the eerie feeling that crept back into her body away.
"I tried turning my head to see the doll, but I couldn't... I couldn't move it past a certain point," she whimpered. "When I tried turning it the other way, the same thing happened. No matter what I tried, I couldn't look at it. Instead, I looked at Luan and asked if it were still there. When she shook her head and said no, I panicked, falling back onto the bed. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst from my chest. That's when I heard it..."
"I'm sorry?" Lori asked, shaking her head. "Heard what? What did you hear?"
Sniffling, Luna explained, "I heard it whisper, 'I wasn't dead.' That's when I woke up in sweats."
"You heard it speak?" questioned Leni in amazement. "Who was it? Could you tell?" she asked, not wanting to reveal her and Lori's suspicions.
"I'm afraid not," Luna offered. "It was like a breathless whisper in my mind, toneless and lifeless. I'm sorry."
"Are you sure it said it wasn't dead?" Lori gasped, realizing what that meant for them all. "Are you certain you didn't misunderstand?"
"No, she's right," Luan interjected suddenly, gaining their attention. "I've heard it too. That's what it said, alright. I wasn't dead."
"Holy shit..." muttered Lori. "And we..."
"Yeah..." sighed Luna, weeping all over again.
A sudden wave of guilt and remorse washed over the girls, and a profound silence settled over all of them. They looked at each other remorsefully as the horrible reality of what those words meant settled in. Moments later, it sent them all crying and consoling each other.
The realization that not only had they tried to cover up the accident but might have inadvertently killed their sibling when there was still a chance they'd survived was too much for them. It was as if the thing they'd been running from all their lives had caught up to them, slapping them in the face before stomping on their hearts.
Everyone present knew who Luna and Luan had heard, but none were willing to speak their name. It was too painful, especially now.
Leni had only asked the question hoping it would be someone else, but there was no other explanation. Somehow, they'd breach the barrier between life and death, emotionally and physically tormenting them until they reached their breaking points.
"Why?" cried Leni pitifully. "It's over and has been for two decades!"
"Isn't it obvious?" Lori sputtered through her tears. "We need to face them. We need to confess to them and ask forgiveness."
"But..." argued Luan, her eyes red and puffy. "That would mean we'd have to go see..."
"Yes, it does," concluded Lori, standing up and wiping the tears from her eyes.
As everyone gathered their things and prepared to leave, Lori sent a mass text to the siblings they'd already talked with and arranged to meet at their wayward family member's house as soon as possible for an intervention.
It had been nearly sixteen years since they'd seen them. After graduating and leaving home, they shunned all calls and texts, refusing to come to family gatherings on holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions. And while none of them were keen on visiting them, it was inevitable.
They were the only person Lori hadn't seen left and the most likely able to put the nightmare to an end. How they'd manage it, Lori wasn't sure. However, they had been close as children. If anyone knew, it would be them. So, like it or not, they were going.
It took some persuasion and a few promises to get everyone to agree. But eventually, they conceded the need to put things right. Lana announced that she'd drive Lola and herself while Lynn would pick up Lily. Lisa would drive herself while Leni and Lori rode together.
They turned onto Franklin Avenue about forty-five minutes later and pulled up to their childhood home. The curtains shut where visible, and the shutters closed when present. The house looked deserted. An unkempt lawn and multiple newspapers piling up sent chills down their spines.
Their parents had sold the house once Lily was on her own, thinking it was too big for the two of them. However, their absent family member bought it from the bank almost immediately. While some of them had similar inclinations for sentimental reasons, they got beat to the punch.
"Well, this is it," Lori sighed as everyone gathered around. "Are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," muttered Luna. "I can hardly wait to end this."
"Affirmative on that," Lisa added. "If anything, to prove this is a waste of time. There's always a logical explanation for things."
"Oh yeah?" barked Lynn defensively. "You didn't pull a bloody rope from your throat! I did..."
"Okay, guys..." chirped Luan. "We all know why we're here. Let's not fight amongst ourselves and make things worse."
"She's right," Lori reaffirmed, studying Lily's reaction to everything. "We're here to figure out how to say goodbye and put this behind us."
"This is too creepy..." admitted Lola while holding Lana's hand. "It's like one of my movies. Only it's real."
Lori shored her resolve and marched up the stairs onto the porch with her sisters following her closely. Then, adamantly, she knocked on the door. It took several tries, but eventually, they heard footsteps approaching.
Suddenly, they stopped, and the door cracked slightly.
"What do you want?" a perturbed male voice asked.
"Lincoln," announced Lori firmly. "We need to talk to you about what happened."
Before them stood a ghost, Lincoln Loud had grown up, but he seemed a shell of the boy they had all once loved and doted on. He was painfully thin, as if he barely ate, his blue eyes sunken with bags under them as if he barely slept. His clothes fit loosely on his frame, and his skin was almost as pale as the white stubble on his chin. Yet he regarded them as the unhealthy ones darkening his doorstep.
Standing in the dark foyer, Lincoln perused his sisters for the first time in years. While they had undoubtedly grown, they didn't seem altogether changed. Their clothing might be different, but he could see hints of their youthful personalities in their style and palette.
It was their audacity that bothered him most. After all these years, turning up on his doorstep, making demands of his time, was an insult. He'd vehemently protested when tragedy struck, but they didn't listen, doing what they did best, making things worse for him, as they did now. The only one of them that didn't inspire him with anger was Lily. The only one of them he still even bothered to talk to.
Still, a part of him longed to see them. He'd spent so many years of his life catering to their every whim and desire, usually at his expense, that seeing them now would feel like vindication. Sighing, Lincoln slowly backed away from the door into the darkness beyond.
"Come in," he muttered with resignation, sitting in his favorite recliner. "What's so important that you came home to see me?"
"I think you know what's bothering us, Lincoln," Lori stated as she walked into the living room and switched on the overhead light.
"No! Please!" barked Lincoln, suddenly standing and turning the light off, batting Lori's hand away. "I mean... I've developed a sensitivity to light if you don't mind."
Lori gazed at him suspiciously but took a seat on the sofa as the others followed suit. It was such a strange reaction that it threw her off her game. But with her sisters present, she quickly recovered.
"Now, what have you figured out?" she asked, recognizing the titles of the books that lay on the coffee table. "How do we make this stop?"
"Make what stop?" Lincoln inquired, draping one leg over the other and clasping his hands in his lap.
"Oh, come on..." griped Leni. "We know you've had to have them too! Right? Maybe had some bad dreams? That's why you checked out those books. Right? To put a stop to it?"
"Humor me," prodded Lincoln. "Pretend I know nothing. Tell me what's going on."
"Seriously, dude?" Luna barked. "Of all the..."
"No, he's right," Lisa interjected. "If he's been scientifically studying this, he'll need all the facts before concluding.
"Fine..." complained Lana, flopping onto the sofa.
For the next hour and a half, the girls recounted their experiences and explained how they made them feel, often returning to the past in their descriptions. Not one detail got excluded. Though the girls became emotional, Lincoln remained stoic as he listened to their stories.
"So..." he finally said, standing after the last of their accounts got relayed. "You're asking me to help you put things right? Is that it?"
"Yes, please!" begged Lynn, wiping her tears from her face. "We didn't mean to hurt her, and we miss her deeply! But this has to stop! It's tearing us apart!"
"You always were the man with the plan, Lincoln," Luan reminded him. "And seeing all these books, I assume you have one. Please? Help us put them to rest."
Lincoln had heard enough. Glaring at his sisters, he could no longer contain his rage. It sickened him the way they danced around their guilt. They avoided talking about their dead little sister as if it was inconvenient. Everything that had transpired culminated at that moment.
"Her? Them?" he yelled, chastising as he stood. "She has a name! It's Lucy! Try saying it, God damn it!"
If there had been a dry eye in the room previously, there no longer was. Everyone except Lincoln broke down into sobs, long overdue. Barely audible, each other girl whispered Lucy's name to themselves, expressing the most profound sorrow imaginable.
"Alright," Lincoln sighed after hearing enough. "I'll help you, one last time, but only because I've been..." he said, pausing for no apparent reason, "...seeing things too," he said, retaking his chair. "I've found a ritual that might help, and if you're willing, we can perform it tonight. But, after that, I never want to see any of you again."
Lincoln paused before nodding at Lily with a slightly more welcoming demeanor, "Except you, of course."
Lily, for her part, gently nodded back.
He then turned to the other sisters, "Is that clear?"
"Yes..." they agreed, profusely sobbing as they nodded.
"Very well," sighed Lincoln, rising and opening the front door. "Come back at midnight. I should have everything ready by then. What I need each of you to do, is bring an offering, something that symbolizes your feelings for Lucy."
Chastised and humbled, Lincoln's sisters rose and headed out of the house. It was a solemn yet serene moment that signaled impending closure for them and Lucy. As always, their brother was their only hope. Everything they held dear was now in his hands.
With all the commotion, running around, and coordination in getting everyone to Lincoln's house, they had all missed dinner, and their stomachs were growling loudly. While some of them hadn't any appetite, they agreed to fetch their offerings, grab a meal, then reconvene there.
Once his sisters had left, Lincoln went upstairs and stood at Lola's and Lana's old window, staring at the partition in the fencing that led into the dense, overgrown forest beyond. His sister Lucy was lying out there, buried under the moist earth.
He longed to hold her again, to tell her how much he and her family loved her, and to explain how things happened. And, later that night, he'd finally get the chance. He'd prepared nearly twenty years for this moment and wouldn't let the opportunity pass, even if it meant facing his sisters.