HUNTED
Charlie Brown sat, wiping the slowly cooling forehead of his best friend as it was on his lap. A slight coughing from him was heard, as Linus' eyes faintly opened.
"Is…I…did…Charlie…Brown" he murmured, "Is…Janice, What's…L…"
He coughed again and looked pained, until he was closing his eyes and going back to how he'd been a moment ago.
Sally walked back in, followed by Rerun, who had been staying put at the Browns house beforehand.
"Is…"
"He's very sickly" Charlie Brown noticed Rerun's worry, "but I expect he'll recover soon".
Rerun looked back at his unmoving brother. Charlie Brown had the paper sheet on his table. His signature had been put on there.
The other two watched as he walked out of the room, and Sally followed him.
"We're really going to go through with this" Rerun heard her say. Her brother gave no response.
"I gotta ask, is this what you believe in, Big Brother" Sally asked.
"Cutting off him from her, Charlie Brown confided, "I'll ask if this is what you believe in Sally"
"I believe…believe that Linus won't forgive you"
He seemed uneasy, "…I've gambled our friendship on this, haven't I".
Sally almost stuttered, but asked, "Then why?"
"Because it's more than about that" Charlie Brown stood as confidently as he could, "I've felt differently once, but this…I know that…look, if you care about someone, Sally, you need to be ready to…"
A familiar bark was suddenly heard. Rerun heard Charlie Brown walk over to the front of the yard before stopping.
There, at that moment, a tug on the young boy's leg was felt. Rerun lifted his head up in recognition.
"Hello Snoopy"
The beagle stood beside him, checking Linus's unconscious body for a fever.
"Thanks…come over here", Rerun had a slight smile despite himself, and gave Snoopy a quick pat on his ear, "I see you had a good time interstate…".
The beagle nodded, patting his leg before stepping away. As Rerun gained a sudden understanding. An understanding about what Snoopy being back meant.
Rerun found Sally around the doorway, and the latter received his attention as he came over.
"What is Charlie Brown…what is he doing", Rerun quirked as he got up beside her.
"You remember when he was in trouble…"
Rerun looked to her brother, while nodding his head
"…how Linus made a "deal with a demon" to get him out" she muttered, staring to the outside, "looks like he's returning the favour".
Charlie Brown stared across at a second figure. A boy who had paced across the street, until he was a yard in front of him. A boy older than he was with a tough looking expression of discontent. This was a bully hunter.
"…my allies have told me of a problem" he muttered, "Where is Linus and Janice now?"
"Janice is at your place" Charlie Brown responded, "Linus is staying here"
The boy nodded, but then tilted his head towards him, "The brats would not have acted alone"
Charlie Brown turned his head to sneak a glance at Sally and Rerun, then back again.
"No" he informed him, "Their accomplice, was Lucy"
And a surge of anger radiated off the bully hunter, an anger which was being recognised even as in the moment, he was poised a question by Charlie Brown.
"…What will you do to stop this?"
"Charles" the boy responded, "don't you have it?"
It was at that remark that Charlie Brown moved his hand into a satchel, almost robotically moving it inside until he found what he was looking for.
"Here…here it is".
Rerun saw him take out the restraining order and offer it to the boy. Then he understood, Charlie Brown wasn't going to enact the order himself, but now was handing it to someone who was.
"I suppose you're allowing me to take it. I'll sign it, same as you, so I will do what has to be done "
The boy took it, and observed it. Charlie Brown waited patiently until he signed the document and put it in his jacket, folded.
"And as I go and do so" he persisted, "now you won't do anything but let me have my way with Lucy…"
Charlie Brown snuck another look at Sally and Rerun, and the open door behind them.
"…nor will Linus".
The boy looked at them himself. And the two younger kids were left to look at Charlie Brown, who couldn't force himself to meet their eyes.
Sally sensed he was considering whether anything he said would seem reassuring. But he walked back across the yard and past her and Rerun.
His sister joined him, and now Rerun was the last of them to remain, stepping forward towards the front of the yard.
There, the boy fumbled again with the paper, as he slowly looked over.
"The last Van Pelt standing" he spoke.
Rerun only made a tiny, confused sound in response, "You're counting wrong, my big sister is…"
But Rerun already knew what the boy meant. He was glaring as he answere, "If it means anything to you, I'm sorry"
Rerun sharply turned his head, seeing through what he was saying, "No you're not"
But there was little the younger kid could do to stop him. And Edward Black departed, as he added one final reply.
"No, I'm not"
"The Restraining Order" Lucy hissed, "give it to me now, Janice"
Lucy was in the last room of the manor. It was very nearly empty, but just beyond the centre, she saw Janice. The girl was standing at a half deconstructed wooden structure.
And she then realised that the half deconstructed structure was in fact, her psychiatry booth. Taken ages ago from under her nose, and to be recycled, apparently.
Janice had just asked her sisters if they'd excuse her for a moment. One sister had opened her mouth, but stopped and nodded. The two of them were out of the room, and could be heard treading on the stairs.
Once close enough, Lucy leaned her hands against the wooden structure. The other girl looked up to see her, expressing concern as she exhibited a bit of expectation.
And now Lucy remembered her anger, "give it over now"
"I…" Janice sat back down, and she saw suddenly that she was unnerved. Maybe that was going to be a good omen.
"Oh, we'll see if you will or won't. You were Charlie Brown's accomplice in this. HA. And you thought you could do that, Charlie Brown thought he could do that. Well perhaps it'll be left just like I had been before…"
"Lucy" Janice shook here head and sighed, "I'm afraid there were multiple people who were Charlie Brown's accomplice in this.
"They're all blockheads" she reassured herself, "Dividing me and Linus, that's a…mistake…on your part I expect. Did you think for a second that I didn't care.
"If you'd cared, why did the order even exist?"
"You dare…"
"I think I do yes" Janice said, "Linus told me you made some claims. Tried to play him off of Charlie Brown"
"Well when you put it that way…"
"So if it's alright to ask, if it was him in danger, would it surprise me if you kept clear of the cliff-face to look after yourself?". Janice muttered.
Lucy opened her mouth, but hearing that passive tone brought her to go to second-guessing herself, settling for breathing out her nose.
"Guess not" Janice frowned, "You looked after him little better than you did with Charlie Brown. Linus is…"
"Hey. If he'd had it in him to lose the blanket…"
"ITS A PIECE OF LINEN"
Janice had found it in her to yell that part, before lowering to her normal voice, "What is with you people and that blanket?"
"Me. My brot…" Lucy tried to find her words, "Linus just makes such a big deal over the blanket"
"No" Janice only stared at her as she moved around, "You'll find that you do"
Lucy mumbled to herself, contemplating what she was saying, trying to get back on topic as she did,
"That's likely one of the only things related to my…"
"I don't have it" Janice confessed about the restraining order, "You can search around, but I don't have what you want"
An ominous door was already opened wide. And Janice, facing Lucy from across the room, left.
Lucy's hand went pushing up the psychiatrist booth, checking under, "No"
She continued looking at the surroundings, "Where is it". Letting go of the booth, she took a small step away, still looking.
"Can this get any worse?"
That was at once answered. Lucy felt a chill down her spine.
The boy, the one that had been at the Brown household, now was there behind her.
"Lucy Van Pelt" he gibed, "Welcome back to the lions den".