Chapter fifteen: Love and Betrayal
Bit rates were stable. The chat was decent. The round more or less went well. It was 12:30 a.m. Amira was broadcast in front of her computer on the stream.
"That was actually a good round, even if our Ashashio made a Kamikaze Mission. I mean, we had Impressive Teamwork. So, my dear viewers, thats it for today. Its already 0:30 am."
In the chat a message appeared.
"Please. One more."
"No, no more. I have to sleep. And with that, have a good night, and a good day tomorrow. Bye."
Then Amira ended the stream. She turned on a music playlist, went to her bed, took off her socks and lay down.
"Damned. Stuff gets harder and harder. Why was that so easy back then?"
Amira started thinking about Lincoln.
"Hmm. What a sweet boy. So friendly. So decent. And that white hair. White beautiful hair. I would like to see him again. He really makes me feel good."
Lincoln was also in bed at that moment. He thought about what happened at dinner. He was angry at how his sisters had treated Alison. He got up and went to the kitchen, drinking a glass of milk. As he got back into his bed, he hoped it would get better. How wrong he would be. Alison went to the Louds' house in the morning. She rang the bell and Lola answered it. She gave Alison a disdainful look.
"Oh, you do again. Girl! It's time! And do it like we planned!" Lori, Leni, Luna, Luan, Lynn, Lucy, Lana, and Lisa came out and stood like a wall in front of Alison.
"Are you fucking kidding me!?" Alison yelled.
"No." Lisa said. Rita came out and got mad.
"Hey hey hey! What are you thinking your doing here? Let her in!" Rita said.
"That's obvious. We stop Alison Jugde from spending time with you. We are like the wall of Berlin." Lisa said.
"You let her in! Now!" The girls stepped aside.
"Come in Alison."
Alison stepped inside the house, and the sisters looked despising at her.
"Hi." Rita said.
"Yeah yeah. If that keeps like this I'll just stay at Home!"
"Get your kids under control."
"I can handle them."
Then they heard the Loud sisters grumbling.
"Okay Mom, you have to decide. You can choose Alison, or us. If you choose us, she leaves. If you choose her, we leave." Lori said.
The other Sisters nodded. Rita thought really hard.
"Uhm... Alison..."
The sisters looked shocked. Then they looked sad. And Lori was really angry.
"Wow Mom. You are the worst mother of all. You decided over your own children for a stranger girl. I hope Alison is a good daughter. I hope she makes you happy."
Lori started crying.
"I hope that she is the better daughter for you. Because now you only have Lincoln, Lily, and Alison."
Lori turned to her sisters.
"Get your bags. We leave."
"No... No... What are you doing? No..." Rita asked shocked.
"We are leaving. Like you wanted Mrs Loud."
"No... You can't... Wait..."
The Sisters left the house. Lori turned around.
"Goodbye Mom. Maybe we see aus again. Farewell."
Lori left, and closed the door.
"Where have their hearts gone?" Alison said.
Rita was really depressed now.
"No. I have chosen wrong."
"So. Come along. The next job is waiting."
"Go alone."
"Come on! I can't do this alone!" Alison said.
"Yes you can. You are already a better mother then i ever was."
Then Rita went into her room, and closed the door.
"Are you fucking serious!?"
Alison left the house and walked away angry. Ten minutes later, Rita left the house to find comfort with Lynn Senior. Now Lincoln and Lily were all alone in the house. The two were on the bed in Lincoln's room, and Lincoln was playing on his cell phone while Lily watched.
"At least its quiet again downstairs. Right. We both don't like loud situations." Lincoln said.
Lily nodded. Lincoln heard a small bang at his window. He opened the window and saw Amira holding a small rock and waving at him and smiling.
"Amira? What are you doing here?"
"I don't know. Wanna spend time with me?"
"Yes of course. But I don't know if anyone is still home. There was a heated argument earlier. Take the ladder on the wall and climb up."
Amira looked around and saw the ladder. She put the ladder against the facade and climbed up. And when she saw for a moment how high she was, she clung to the ladder. Her fear of heights kicked in.
"Shit... so high."
"Look to me and Focus on me. Come." Lincoln said.
Amira continued to climb, focusing on Lincoln. When she climbed through the window and was in his room, Amira sat on the floor, leaned against the wall and took a deep breath.
"Sorry for this wird moment."
"No problem. Everyone is afraid of something."
"Why are you here?"
"Lincoln, I missed you. I just wanted to see you."
"I missed you too."
The two hugged each other around the waist and Lincoln rested his head on her shoulder. Suddenly, Lily crawled between the two and joined in the hug. Amira widened her eyes in shock. She was extremely uncomfortable.
"What is she doing there?"
Lincoln chuckled.
"Lily likes you."
"I'm not comfortable with that."
"Just do it."
"I don't know if I can."
"Please just do it."
"Yes, okay."
They broke the hug.
"Wanna watch a movie?" Lincoln asked.
"Hmm. Why Not?"
At the same time, Alison was sitting on the couch at her new job. next to her sat a seven-year-old girl, Marina. Long blonde wavy hair. She wore a blue jacket and blue jeans. The parents sat opposite. The mother wore a pink jacket, beige jeans and frameless glasses. A red sweater was visible under the jacket. Next to her sat Marina's father. He had short blond hair and wore a red t-shirt and blue jeans. The conversation started out special. But Marina is also a special girl.
"Are you good at writing?" asked Marina's mother.
"Yes. I would say im good at writing." replied Alison.
"If you want to say hi to Marina, you can just wave at her." The father said.
Alison waved at Marina. She waved back.
"And for more communication we use paper sheets?" Alison asked.
"Yes. Thats why we asked how good you can write." The mother said.
"Is that good for you?" Said the father, and made sing language to Marina.
Marina answered with singn language.
"Its okay for her. What about ms Jugde?" The mother asked.
"Yes. Everything okay."
"Okay. We'll be back in six hours. Bye."
They said goodbye in sign language to Marina, and left. Alison and Marina looked at each other. Alison took the piece of paper and wrote on it.
"What you wanna do?" Marina shrugged. Marina took the pen and wrote.
"Listen to music." Alison got confused.
"You are deaf. How can you hear music?"
Marina read and smiled. Then she wrote.
"I feel the music."
"How?" Alison wrote.
"I'll show you."
Marina stood Up and grabbed Alison's hand. She led her into her room. Her room had red walls and a lot of colorful furniture. Marina led Alison to her bed. Then she held her finger in the air, which Alison understood as "Please wait." Marina took a little speaker and put it next to Alison. The membrane was visible. Marina took Alison's hands, and put them on the speaker. Then she turned a hifi system on. Alison felt the Vibration and now she understood. Marina was listening with her hands. Alison looked at Marina's hands, on the opposite of Alison's hands. Alison knew at this moment how Marina heard the world. Alison took Marina's hand and brought one to her throat. Marina was confused. Until Alison started buzzing. Then Alison Marina began to lead. The two danced.
Rita sat sadly at Lynn's table. In front of her was a plate of spaghetti. But she didn't eat. When Lynn Senior came to see her, her spirits improved.
"Hi honey. What's wrong?"
"Lynn, the kids are gone. They didn't like it that I spend that much time with Alison."
"Wait!? Everyone?" Lynn Senior asked shocked.
"Only Lincoln and Lily are at Home."
"The girls told me they would do this! Rita, don't you get it? Your own daughters need you! And you ignored them! Do you see this now?"
"You knew it?"
"Yes. And I know where they are."
"Tell me where they are!"
"No! You have feel how they felt! They are your own daughters!"
"I know how they feel. Im such a bad mother."
For Lincoln, Lily and Amira, a naval battle of World War II was playing out on the TV. The Movie Greyhound. With Tom Hanks. Amira kept mentioning the details.
"Remember, that's Fletcher. Beautiful Destroyer."
"I see." said Lincoln.
"How is it going in your life, Lincoln?" Amira asked.
"Well, I can't complain."
"Did your sisters ever get you in trouble?"
"You know how this is between siblings. But in the end, everything is fine."
The movie went on. And when the convoy reached the Allied port, the film came to an end.
"Wow this movie was... Wow. Those ships, those Submarines. Wow." Lincoln said.
"You know, that this movie was made at some parts in a real Destroyer. The Kidd." Amira said.
"So, but now I want to get out. Lily, do you want to get to the Park?"
"Park." Lily said Happy.
"Want to come with us?"
"Well yes." Amira said.
"Okay. I'll be right back."
Lincoln took Lily upstairs and dressed her in the purple sweater and white pants and shoes. Then they went to the park. They reached the park and sat down on the lawn.
"So Lincoln, let's continue our Talk from Yesterday." Amira said.
"Okay. That means we ask about each other again?"
"Yes. So, do you have a girlfriend?"
"Yes, actually. Her name is Ronnie Anne."
"Oh. Congratulations Lincoln."
"Yes. She is great. But sadly she moved to Great Lake City."
"I'm sure you miss her."
"Yes. She is special."
Lily showed her thumbs up.
"Yeah, even Lily agrees."
Lincoln and Lily started playing with a ball again. Amira pulled out a cigarette and started smoking, tapping away on her phone. Lincoln took the cigarette from her. Amira got mad.
"Why!?"
"Smoking is bad for you."
"Well, I don't care."
Amira reached for the cigarette. Lincoln was holding her shoulder and before they knew it the two were wrestling on the floor. Lily watched them both worried. Lincoln lay on the grass and held Amira's wrists so she couldn't reach for the cigarette. She was lying on top of Lincoln who was holding both her arms. Then Lincoln's hands slipped, and Amira fell on top of Lincoln, in such an awkward way that the two fall lips on lips. The two lay for a few seconds before realizing they were basically kissing. Amira darted away from Lincoln. Both sit up. Both blushed and looked at each other.
"Lincoln? Did that really happen?"
"Yes."
Lincoln looked at the lawn.
"Smoking is bad for you."
He looked at Amira.
"Your lungs get black. Smoking is really dirty."
"Lincoln, we... We kissed. Man you have a Girlfriend. I think we should Stop Meeting each other."
"No. No thats Not possible. We are Friends. We can't stop Meeting each other. Thats wrong."
"Yes. Yes. Im sorry."
"Oh my... Lily! We forgot Lily."
Lincoln and Amira ran to the square. And saw Lily waiting in the same place as before. Lincoln picked her up.
"Good girl. You stayed here where we can find you. You are very good girl."
Lily giggled and hugged Lincoln's face.
Alison's job with Marina was going well. The two stopped dancing and sat down in front of the TV. And when the mythbusters was on TV with subtitles, Marina hugged Alison, and then wrote on the paper.
"You are my new friend."
And Alison knew she was well prepared for now.
And at the same time Lincoln, Lily and Amira were in the ice cream shop. Before Lily had a vanilla and chocolate sundae, Lincoln had chocolate ice cream, and Amira ate stracciatella.
"I didn't know you were capable of something like that, and not just at home." said Lincoln.
"Well, I can do whatever I want. I'm not sitting all day in the computer. I mean, I have a life."
"Well, that's a good attitude I think."
"Do you have a favorite sister?"
"I don't have a Favorite sister. I Love all the Same. I Love Lori, I Love Leni, I love every of my sisters."
"Really?"
"Well, Lily here might be my favorite. Because she's never done anything to me. But I don't have a favorite. I love every of my sisters equally." Lincoln continued eating.
"You already told me, but how is it going with your brother?"
"Horrible as always. If his Girlfriend wouldn't be pregnant, I would already killed him. This damn parasite disturbed my Stream Yesterday."
"Wait, what?"
"What, Lincoln, ask properly."
"Why do you want to kill your own brother?"
"He Burned my legs, He ruined my childhood. I'll promise you, If I have enough Money, i'll disapear forever and start a new life."
Lily huddled at Lincoln. Now she felt scared.
"I mean, I'll never kill him, but I hate him."
"You can't hate him only because of this little mistake." Amira leaned forward to Lincoln. Then she whispered.
"Lincoln, this wasn't a little mistake. I got bullied because of my burned legs. I can Show you how this Looks like."
"Wait, you want to show me your legs? "Here?"
"Of course Not here. When we are at Home."
"Okay, i mean, we finished out ice and you already paid. So, shall we go home?"
"If you want yes."
Lincoln took Lily, and they headed home. Lori didn't respond to Rita's calls. She parked Vanzilla in the hotel lot, six miles from Creek Hill. Here stood the cabin hotel with the white dirty facade, which also had rust spots all over it. Directly behind the hotel were the tracks of the overland line of the Royal Woods Railway. And in front of it the main street. In the middle of the deepest forest, forty kilometers from Royal Woods. The sisters got out and looked at the hotel.
"It's ugly." said Lola.
"I know Lola. But this is all we can afford." Lori said.
The sisters went into the hotel to the reception. There sat a seventy-year-old man smoking, balding, and watching an ancient CRT TV. Lori approached him.
"Excuse me, a room for nine please."
He grabbed a key and gave it to Lori.
"Room 17. Second Floor."
He made a gesture with his fingers that meant, "Pay!" Lori gave him the money. The sisters went to room seventeen. Room seventeen had beige walls, a CRT TV, and metal bars on the windows. And on each window was a yellow sticker with a red lightning bolt and black writing. "CAUTION!!! HIGH VOLTAGE!!! SHOCK KILLS!!! DO NOT TOUCH WIRING!!!" The high-voltage power lines of the RWR hung directly in front of the window. The trains were right next to the hotel room.
"I don't like it here." Leni said.
"I want my bed." Lana said.
"Deal with it. We want to show Mom how we felt." said Lori.
There were several beds in the room. Lori, Leni Luna, Lola and Lucy each lay down on a bed. The beds were soft. And then there was a bang. The wood of Lori's bed was rotten. Lori's mattress lay on the floor and all the sisters stared at Lori.
"Of course. And don't think my weight is too high girls!"
But everyone was thinking of something else. This place was horrible.
Lincoln, Lily and Amira arrived at the Louds' house. They went into Lincoln's room and Lincoln closed the door. Then Amira took off her jeans, under which was white, soft cotton trousers. Then she took off the cotton trousers and Lincoln saw Amira's legs. Amira's legs were full of burn scars. But at the same time Lincoln saw how beautiful Amira was. Lincoln covers Lily's eyes.
"That looks painful."
"Do you understand now why I hate my brother?"
"Yes. I understand. But even with burn scars, you're a beautiful woman."
Amira blushed and started to wrap her hair around her index finger. Amira got on her knees and hugged Lincoln. Both hugged each other at the waist. And in that moment they both realized that they loved each other. Lincoln, and Amira, both felt comfortable, both felt whole. They both realized they loved each other. Amira was overwhelmed. She got up and put her pants back on.
"Lincoln, this is wrong."
"What's wrong?"
"Lincoln. I'm way too old for you."
"But is that really a problem?"
"Not entirely. But..."
"But what?"
"What about your Girlfriend Ronnie Anne?"
"Shell be fine."
"You brake up with her?"
"No I don't."
"But that means... you cheat on her."
"Ronnie Anne and I are still a couple. But we are Close Friends."
"I don't think that we could be only close Friends. Did you ever have such strong feelings for Ronnie Anne like to me?"
"Well, I have really strong feelings for you."
"Lincoln, I don't know what you think are strong feelings, but nothing makes fun anymore without you. Lincoln, everything in my body says to me, that I love you."
"That is also what I feel."
Amira sat down on the floor.
"Lincoln, I Love you. It's so weird because I never loved a boy, but... I Love you."
Lincoln looked at her and blushed.
"I love you too Amira."
Lincoln sat down on the floor next to Amira and gave her a side hug. Both hugged each other so that their cheeks touched. And after several minutes they stopped hugging.
"Lincy, I have to go."
"I understand. When can I see you again?"
Amira took a note from her pocket, and gave it to Lincoln. Lincoln saw that on the note was Amira's phone number.
"Is my voice okay?"
Lincoln nodded, and smiled at her. Amira stood up and went to Lily.
"You know Lily, there's a reason I didn't have much contact with you."
Lily looked at Amira.
"You know, you are so small, and so cute, that I'm worried that something could happen to you because of me. So, take this as an apology."
Amira gave Lily a very gentle hug. Amira went to Lincoln, hugged him again, and held his hand. Then she went down the stairs. When Lincoln heard the front door close, he looked out his window and saw Amira walking down the sidewalk, and she disappeared. Alison was done with her job. She chatted with Marina's parents and with Marina on the veranda.
"I see, it went pretty well with you two." Marina's mother said.
"Yes. It was great with her." Alison said.
Marina hugged Alison, and showed her mother something in sign language. Marina's mother laughed.
"What did she say?" Alison asked.
"She said she wants to keep you as a sister."
Marina's father Made sings to Marina, and spoke so Alison could understand.
"You can't keep her as sister she has a own family."
"Well, I have to go. Bye Marina. I hope to see you again." Alison said, waving at her.
Then she went home at dusk.
The Loud sisters had less fun. Lori, Leni, Lucy, Lola and Lana were about to fall asleep when a freight train passed next to the hotel. The wagons had flat spots and therefore there was a loud knocking as the train passed. The sisters' efforts to sleep had now been frustrated.
"Is someone knocking on the door?" Leni asked.
"No Leni. It's a train." Lori said.
"Trains can knock on the door?"
"No, it's Outside." Lana said.
"I hate this room." Lola said.
"Oh. Come with girls." said Lori.
"To where?" asked Lola.
"Outwards."
Lori, Leni, Lola and Lucy went outside, to the right of the hotel, where only moss-covered stone slabs covered the ground, and directly there was the fence that secured the tracks. Otherwise there was only forest.
"Lori I want to go Home." Leni said.
"Me too. This place is creepy. And not how I like it." Lucy said.
"Do you remember what Mom did to us? She replaced us." Lori said.
"I hate this place Lori, do you really think I want to be here?" Lola said.
"No. And I don't want to be here either! But Mom hurt us all. How did it feel when she chose Alison?"
The tracks began to hum and a red Be 6/8 Tramlink with a gray stripe drove by. When the tram left, Leni looked particularly tired.
"Lori, I don't know if I can take it anymore."
"Literally because of a tram?" Lori asked.
"Yes."
"It's loud." Lola said.
"Why are we even here outside? Its cold." Lucy said.
"We just needed some fresh air!"
"Of course." Lola said.
Rita and Lynn Senior arrived at the Louds' house. Rita was sad.
"I hope they come back. My life isn't worth it without my girls."
"I'm sure they'll come back."
They went to the door and opened it. When they entered, they saw Lincoln and Lily playing on the couch. Lily crawled to Lincoln, Lincoln took her and laid her on the other end of the couch. Rita and Lynn were happy. Lincoln looked at his parents.
"Hi Mom, you seem to feel better."
"When I see you two playing like this, my heart feels warm again."
Rita ran to Lincoln and Lily and hugged them both.
"Mom, where are Lori, Leni, Luna and the other ones?"
"Sweety, they left because I made a wrong decision."
"Wait? They left? Forever?" Lincoln asked, shocked.
"No, they will come back." Lynn Senior said.
"I hope so. I miss them already." Lincoln said.
Amira entered her room. She sat down on her bed and took off her socks. She took the photo booth pictures and looked at them. she blushed.
"Oh Lincoln. If you would know that this accidental kiss in the park was my first kiss ever."
Amira was startled when Patrick entered.
"Where have you been? Mom thought you were hanging around again with some friends." said Patrick.
"Yes, I was with Friends. And why are you even in my room?"
"I heard you talking. I wondered what you were doing."
"Goddamn this is my room!"
"Yes. I know, but I just wanted to ask."
"Okay, then I have to force you."
Patrick jumped on the bed and began to tickle Amira's waist. Amira started laughing. It was pure torture.
"Tell me what you are hiding."
"No, never!"
"Okay. I take my Secret Weapon."
Patrick turned and grabbed Amira's ankle, tickling her right foot.
This was too much for her.
"Okay, okay, I fell in love with Lincoln."
Patrick stopped tickling Amira.
"What?" Patrick asked, shocked.
"Patrick... Lincoln gives me a good feeling. He is so Kind. He is so polite. Patrick, everything in my body tells me that I Love him. And I really Love him."
"But you are way too old for him! You could get arrested for this."
"I wont do something disgusting for that I could get arrested. What do you think of me?"
"I wont do something disgusting for which I could get arrested. What do you think of me?"
At that moment, Klara Schröder-Smith entered Amira's room.
"What the hell is going on here?"
"Yes! Mom, he broke into my room again!" said Amira.
"Patrick, you know your Sister is a grown up woman. This is her own room." said Klara.
"I just came for a good reason."
"That doesn't matter! Leave your sister alone!"
Patrick stepped out of the room and left. Klara closed the door and, and sat next to Amira.
"But your brother had a reason. I feel that."
"What do you mean?" Amira asked.
"You are Happy. Your deepest areas of your mind are Happy. Otherwise you are just angry. But now you are balanced. Is there someone Special?"
Amira looked down to her feet, and then to her mother.
"Mom, I feel something very strong for someone. Very, very strong."
"Aww my little girl. Who?"
"It's Lincoln."
"Okay, who?"
"He is a boy I took care of. He became my friend. And we fell in love with each other."
"You took care of him? How old is he?"
"Ten years younger."
Klara closed her eyes.
"Are you serious?"
"Mom, I love him."
"Do you know how that Sounds? You are twenty one. He is eleven. I don't think you are someone like this, but do you know what the people will think of you?"
"Mom, I'm not like this. I love him. I want to hold hands with him, I want to lay next to him, I want to look in his eyes, I want to be with him. Everything I want is the best for him."
"I understand. I felt the same for your father. And I still do. But we have to talk with Lincoln and his parents about this."
"No! No! I can't do that! What will his parents think about this?"
"If we don't talk with them, you can't meet him anymore. This is something we need to talk about."
"Okay. I will Talk with them. But I'm really afraid of that."
"That's the right way. But before we all Talk Together, I have to Talk with Lincoln alone."
"Okay. When do you wanna do that?"
"We will do that tomorrow. And Amira, you have to promise me something."
"What mom?"
"You treat your Brother not well. Please treat Lincoln like the Most importand thing in your life. His well being is very important."
"I promise that mom."
Klara hugged Amira.
"We will find a solution."
The two looked at each other and then Klara left.
End of Chapter fifteen