Chapter 1
Lynn Sr.'s Nightmare
Lynn Sr. found himself in a dark place. It was a cave with large crystals.
"Hello!" Lynn Sr. spoke with his voice echoing.
He called repeatedly but received no response. As he wandered through the cave, he bumped into a large crystal and saw his mirrored reflection.
Then his reflection spoke, "Hey there."
Lynn Sr. gasped, and another crystal lit up. It showed a younger version of himself when he was in college dancing.
"What's the matter? Scared?" the reflection asked.
"What the ding-dang heck is happening?" Lynn Sr. asked.
Another crystal lit up of Lynn dressed like a chef, "Want some shrimp gumbo?"
Then another lit up with Lynn Sr. in a fancy suit with playing cards, "Long time no see, eh?"
A crystal lit up with Lynn Sr. playing the saxophone, "You guys ready for a party?"
A crystal lit up with Lynn Sr. when he was in London with a tall beer stein mug, "You know what? I love you guys!"
Lynn Sr. looked at all the crystals and asked, "Wait, you guys are all me?"
Another lit up, "We're reflections of your former lives. The good old days when you used to be awesome."
Lynn Sr. raised an eyebrow, "Uh, used to be?"
"Yeah, you changed, man!"
"You used to be fun and cool. Now you're lame!"
"He's not even taking care of his family. His son is!"
"I heard his own wife thinks he's more of a man than you are!"
"Maybe she should trade him for the younger model."
"Eww, dude, don't do incest jokes."
"You're right, my bad. But trust me, I think Rita is STARVING for a real man. I think the last time they did it was when she got pregnant with Lily. Which, by the way, man, have you ever even heard of condoms? What are you? Stupid?"
The other Lynn Sr. reflections burst out laughing. Lynn Sr. growled as he glared at them. He stormed off, "You know what? You guys are assholes! Which is very confusing and conflicting for me. I'm outta here!"
The Lynn Sr. reflections laughed.
"Oh, you think you're better than us? Without us, you will always live a life of—"
Then, a big, tall man emerged from the darkness. His eyes were glowing blood red. He was big and strong. He wore a dark black poncho with a built-in hood, army boots, and black cargo pants. He held two big sickles in each hand.
"Fear," Shadow Lincoln said in a deep and scary tone.
"You! You're-you're not my son! You're not Lincoln!" Lynn Sr. yelped.
"Am I, Dad? Are you sure? It would make sense for you to say that. Afterall—"
He vanished in the shadows and appeared behind Lynn Sr., making him jump in terror.
"—I barely know you. So, why would you know me?" Lincoln asked.
"I know my son!" Lynn Sr. objected.
Shadow Lincoln inhaled a sniff, "Do you? I know when you're lying. I can smell it. (deep inhale) I can smell your fear. I love the smell of fear. It's intoxicating."
"It is?" one of the mirror Lynns asked.
Shadow Lincoln shattered it with a sickle.
"There was never a true moment of connection between us, but there were plenty of moments where you showed cruelty," Shadow Lincoln said before destroying another mirror Lynn, "Abuse," shattered another, "Heartlessness," shattered another, "Cowardice and neglect and the fucked up thing is, you had multiple chances to be a father and connect with your son but missed each one."
Lynn Sr. shivered in fear while sweating pinballs.
"I was there to experience and witness all of them in my life. My whole fucking childhood," Shadow Lincoln stated with his voice echoing while pointing to his sickle with scratch marks in the shape of Lynn Sr.'s head with 'X's on them,
"Each. Unforgettable. Moment.
Each. Missed. Opportunity.
Each. Thrown. Away. Chance.
Each. Broken. Promise.
Each. Letdown.
Each. Disappointment."
Lynn Sr. felt a cold chill up his spine, and his heart sank. Every word he said brought back memories of him and his son—all the times he let him down or chose to spend time with his daughters. It was as if it were so clear to him now, as he remembered seeing Lincoln look at him with disdain.
"And I've reached out to you more than once, but you never reached back. You never met me in the middle. The only reason you're doing it now is because you were in trouble with the law and the public. So now, you're trying to prove to your son and everyone that you're not a coward – that you 'laugh' in the face of death, right?" Shadow Lincoln asked.
He shattered two more mirror Lynns, making Lynn Sr. flinch and pant.
"But you're not laughing in my face, are you, Dad? Why aren't you laughing? Hmm? What's the matter? Cat got your tongue, old man?" Shadow Lincoln asked as he pushed another mirror Lynn down, making it shatter.
Lynn Sr. uttered, "You're not Lincoln. You're—"
Shadow Lincoln's eyes widened and grew brighter with a devilish grin, "Death."
Another mirror rock shattered and fell into pieces. Every hair on Lynn Sr.'s body stood straight up.
"And I don't mean it metaphorically or rhetorically or poetically or theoretically or in any other fancy FUCKING way. I'm Death straight-up, and I've come for you, old man."
Lynn Sr. backed away, falling on his butt, and then scrambled to get back up.
"I don't understand! If you're Death, why do you look like my son Lincoln?!" Lynn Sr. demanded.
"That's what I find fascinating. I take on the form of what people fear the most. Something that truly frightens them, like a great wolf or a skeleton. You're afraid of your own son. Why is that? Then I realized he's . . . everything you're not. Honest, righteous, kind-hearted, strong, mature, true, and of course, brave," Shadow Lincoln said with the last word echoing, "You're jealous of your own son, and you know it, which is why you push him away. That's why you favor your daughters more than him. Even your own wife admitted that he's more of a man than you are."
"Why are you doing this? I'm not dead! I'm still alive!" Lynn Sr. exclaimed.
Shadow Lincoln chuckled, "You know, I'm not a fan of people like you. I find the idea of you and your wife wanting a son after having a boatload of daughters absurd when you didn't value him at all when you finally got a son! It's one thing to be directly abusive, but to pretend that you care about him is like lying and dressing it up as the truth. That's double the lie. It seems to me that poor Lincoln is better off without a lousy, neglectful, and cowardly father like you in his life. Especially with how well he's doing without you holding him back and forcing him to attend all your daughters' activities. And seeing what could have happened with the Bad Luck Incident and the Sister Fight Protocol just proves my point that you are unworthy of being a parent. So, why don't I do him and everyone else a favor and just, you know, end your life now?"
A mirror Lynn objected, "That's cheating!"
Shadow Lincoln threw a sickle at the mirror, shattering it, "Shh, don't tell."
In the last mirror, Lynn yelled, "Run, Lynn! Run for your life!" then he got shattered.
Lynn Sr. screamed and ran for his life.
"Go ahead. Run for it. Makes it more fun for me," Shadow Lincoln said before snarling a wolf growl and chasing after him.
Lynn Sr. ran and ran and ran for his life. All the while, he heard wolf growls and chuckling in the background. The crystals around him showed Lincoln and whispers of what he said,
" . . . always there for them and not me . . . "
" . . . you never supported me in any of my hobbies or interests . . . "
" . . . why was it so hard for you to let me have good things in life . . . ?"
" . . . sometimes I feel like I barely know you . . . "
" . . . how much would it cost for you to be my father . . . ?"
" . . . I'm your son. I shouldn't have to prove anything to you . . . "
" . . . we've got nothing to show any connection between us . . . "
" . . . I'm not sure I want a connection with you . . . "
The crystals showed Lincoln looking at his father with disappointment and disdain before turning away. When he turned away and vanished, Shadow Lincoln appeared laughing with his glowing blood-red eyes and devilish grin. Then, as darkness was closing in around him, he heard a loud and clear "Goodbye" before he turned around to see the sickle slice down on him, and everything went black.
End of Lynn Sr.'s Nightmare
Lynn Sr. gasped as he was jarred awake, lifting his head. He looked around while panting to catch his breath, and it took him a while to remember where he was. He saw Rita awake and looking at him. Lincoln and the rest of his daughters were in the doorway.
Rita gently held his arm, "We know, honey. We know. I had a horrible nightmare, too, when I learned the truth."
Lincoln went over and hugged his father, as did Rita and the girls. Lynn Sr. broke down in tears and sobbed as he hugged them back. Lincoln used his powers to teleport all the beds into the master bedroom. Without saying a word, the girls got comfortable with Lincoln and Lynn Jr. in between their parents. They drifted into sleep without a single nightmare.
The next morning, everyone woke up drowsy, and it took some effort to get up and move. Lincoln, Luan, and Rita made everyone breakfast: bacon and eggs, sausages, and waffles. Lynn Sr. stared at his breakfast for a while before eating. It was awkwardly quiet until Lincoln broke the silence.
"You have questions, Dad. It's okay to ask and speak your mind," Lincoln said.
Lynn Sr. hesitantly spoke, "You guys all knew . . . how long did you know?"
"We knew the night Lincoln ran away from home. We didn't tell Mom until the trial was over after you were in the hospital," Lori answered.
"And you had these powers since the Spring Break trip with Clyde? That's how long you've known? And you didn't tell us all this because you were afraid?"
Lincoln nodded, "I didn't know who you guys were. I felt like the only option was to wait for it to happen, call the police, and get adopted by another family. I was dealing with depression during that time. However, after I ran away and told my sisters my powers, they changed the future by changing themselves."
Lynn Sr. sat in his chair thinking. Then he squinted his eyes while slowly shaking his head.
"Wait a minute. Did . . . did you know that I would get hurt when I rode that motorcycle?" Lynn Sr. asked.
There was a long pause, and Lynn Sr.'s eyes widened.
"You knew . . . and you let me get hurt? Why?!"
Lincoln pulled out a light orb showing Lori getting into a car accident. The father gasped at the sight.
Lincoln started, "Here's the thing, Dad . . . you have a strong attachment—"
"An irrational attachment towards Vanzilla," Rita stated, "You would never have let her go . . . unless it was my say. Lincoln let the events happen so you would be out of the way, and I could scrap it and buy new and reliable vehicles to own and drive so Lori and the rest of us don't get into a car accident."
Lynn Sr. objected, "Do you know how much that van meant to me? That van was my father's! And his father's—"
"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT!" Rita roared.
Lynn Sr. flinched and looked at her wide-eyed.
"I don't care how much that van meant to you. You know what I do care about? Our kids. I care about them, their future, and their safety. That doesn't work with them driving in a car like Vanzilla. It's unreliable, it stinks, it's uncomfortable to sit in, it sucks to drive, and Lana has to do a ton of work to make it drive properly," Rita explained.
"That van has been passed down through three generations! I was going to give it to Lincoln when he was old enough," Lynn Sr. said.
Lincoln scoffed, "You say that with pride when there is only shame in those words."
His father turned to him with a look of disbelief.
"Lincoln, how can you say that?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"How could I not? You would have given Lori and the rest of the girls new cars while I be stuck with that old hunk 'a junk? That car-accident-on-wheels-waiting-to-happen? You think that's the legacy that I'm worthy of inheriting? You don't think I deserve something better? That's not fair," Lincoln said.
"He's right. It's bullshit," Lori agreed while crossing her arms.
"Lori!" Lynn Sr. gasped.
"My brother, your son, deserves better. He has enough dignity and self-respect to say no to Vanzilla. He deserves as much as the rest of us. Hell, maybe even more after all the crap he's had to deal with, all the problems he's had to fix, and all the neglect he's had. We're not perfect, Dad, but we sure as shit are better than we were months ago," Lori stated clearly.
"Better? You cheated to win a lottery ticket. You blew up a bridge. You turned the vehicle that has so many cherished memories that I have of my father and grandfather into a cube. You lied to me for months . . . and you say you're better?" Lynn Sr. questioned.
"We won that lottery ticket to build a bigger and better house – one with more than one bathroom. My old bedroom was a closet. A closet. We blew up that bridge because it was doomed to collapse anyway. The question was whether it would collapse with or without people on it. A storm or a volcanic eruption can't kill you if it's already happened and you're not there when it happened. Just like a collapsing bridge can't kill Mom and all those people, if there's no bridge, that'll fall if you drive on it. And we got rid of Vanzilla to avoid Lori or any of us going to the hospital because the engine died on us in the middle of an intersection. Is what we did illegal? Yes, it was. Was it bad and wrong? I think that's debatable, and most people would say no. We didn't do all those things because we liked it. We did it because we had to," Lincoln explained.
"Sometimes doing what's right means breaking a few rules. Lincoln and I murdered men to prevent a group of thugs from attacking Lynn during Packing Day or anyone else, for that matter. We couldn't go to the police, and they were dangerous thugs that wouldn't stop until they've been stopped," Lori said.
Lynn Sr. stared at her and Lincoln before glancing at everyone.
"Is that true? You kill people?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"To protect Lynn, yes. What they would have done to LJ, you don't want to know. It ain't pretty or nice, and it'll make even a Quaker so mad, he'll turn homicidal," Lincoln answered.
That made everyone's hair stand up with goosebumps. Lynn Jr. shivered as her pupils shrank but instantly felt better as Lincoln put his arm around her shoulder and held her close.
"But we'd do it again if it would protect her and the rest of this family," Lincoln said.
"Amen," Lori agreed before sipping her coffee.
Lynn Sr. was quiet for a while, letting that sink in. Then he shook his head.
"So . . . there was no way to save the van? No outcome at all?" Lynn Sr. asked.
Rita and the sisters groaned a sigh while Lincoln rubbed his eyes.
"Dad, what is with you and that stupid van?" Luna questioned.
Lynn Sr. gasped and looked at his rockstar daughter in shock.
"Luna! That stupid van was a vessel that paved the way for the pursuit of happiness in my childhood and young adult life. It's not about the leather seats, the AC, the surround sound stereo, or all that fancy stuff," Lynn Sr. said.
The Loud family stared at him, waiting for what he'd say.
"It's about the memories. I have so many memories of me and my father. That's what makes it so special . . . and I wanted to pass that vessel of happy memories to Lincoln," Lynn Sr. explained.
Everyone looked at him confusedly, raising their eyebrows or squinting their eyes. Then they turned to Lincoln.
"It's about the memories . . . it's about the memories . . . it's about the memories. Hmm? Okay, let's put a pin in that," Lincoln said and turned to Lori, "Lori, do you have memories? About Vanzilla? You know, you remember things? Do you remember how Vanzilla's engine died on us on our way to your golf tournament two years ago? Do you remember how you had to hitch a ride on a box truck? Do you remember missing the first two holes, arriving there all sweaty, your hair all frizzy, and how your game was so thrown off that you didn't make it past the fourth hole?"
Lori glanced at everyone before clearing her throat, "Yes, I do. I remember. It was . . . perhaps the most humiliating day of my life."
"Do you think any of that would have happened if we were in a reliable vehicle and made it there in time?" Lincoln asked.
"I'm literally certain that it would been a different outcome," Lori answered.
"You do, there's a surprise. Luna, what about you? Do you have memories? About Vanzilla? Do you remember your first big concert a year and a half ago? Do you remember missing out on that concert (bangs hand on table) Because. The. Power. Steering. Broke and we crashed into a goddamn tree, and your axe broke? Do you remember?"
"Of course I do . . . I cried myself to sleep that night. It was one of the worst nights of my life," Luna answered with a hoarse voice.
Luan hugged her from behind, with her cheek brushing against Luna's.
"You see, Dad? Those good memories you have are your memories. Not ours. What we remember is entirely different from good. Even if we had good memories, the van was still not safe to drive. I'm sorry, Dad. I know that van meant a lot to you, but we're not driving something unsafe. We're not living in a house with one bathroom . . . and I'm not living in a closet," Lincoln stated.
Rita approached her husband, "What's happened in the past is done and over with. What matters now is the present and future – what you do now. So, I suggest you take your son and LJ on a fishing trip to bond with them. I've been bonding with Lincoln, and I've learned so much about him. So, it goes without saying that I'm proud of him . . . and I am worried for my daughter, LJ."
Lynn Sr. sighed, "Okay, I'll get ready."
Lincoln, Lynn, and their father showered and got dressed. They collected fishing gear and drove to Lake Michigan. It was a quiet ride until their father spoke.
"This is a great new van," Lynn Sr. said.
"Yeah?" LJ asked.
"It feels good driving it. The leather seats feel nice, it drives smooth . . . and I'm loving the cool AC. Was it you or your mother who picked this?"
"I made some suggestions, she picked this . . . but I chose the color," Lincoln said.
"How's Lori's SUV?"
"It's a good car. Lori loves it," LJ answered.
"And we don't have to worry about those cars causing us problems?" Lynn Sr. asked.
"Not for a long time," Lincoln replied as he looked out the window.
Later, they got to the lake and set up their boat. It was beautiful. The lake, the woods, the shores, the blue sky, and the sunshine. The summer sun was warm, but the steady wind was nice and cool. Even though the nightmares died down, they weren't gone, and Lynn Jr. was still seeing her homeless self in reflections, including the van windows and in the lake water. She shook her head to clear her mind as she got in the boat. Their father caught her look and glanced at Lincoln as they rowed into the water.
"So . . . LJ, you're feeling depressed over the guilt of what could have happened with Lincoln? The Bad Luck Incident and the Sister Fight Protocol? Even though they never happened?" Lynn Sr. asked.
Lynn Jr. nodded, "Yeah, I just (sniffs) I just never thought I'd be capable of doing something like that. Nor the rest of my sisters. That's why we all had such horrible nightmares and why I feel so bad lately."
"But, why are your nightmares of you homeless?"
"I suppose that's my fault," Lincoln said.
His sister turned to him quickly, "No! No, it's not, Lincoln."
With a raised eyebrow, Lynn Sr.'s eyes shifted, "Wait, what? Can someone explain, please?"
"I've accomplished a lot lately . . . a lot more than most. Being a hero for saving people, getting a medal, getting trophies, getting famous, etc. Lynn threw away all her trophies because she wasn't proud of them. She wanted to win through good sportsmanship and without the luck rituals," Lincoln explained.
"I thought I wouldn't amount to anything in life, which is why I have nightmares of myself being homeless . . . and heard voices saying horrible things to me. Lincoln and the others have been helping me get through this," LJ said.
"Oh honey," Lynn Sr. said sincerely as he put his arm around her shoulder, "We all think it's the end of the world when we hit rock bottom or what feels like rock bottom. Trust me, honey, I know what it feels like when you feel like you're not good at anything. I went through that same thing when I was a kid."
"Really?" LJ asked.
"Yeah," Lynn Sr. said as they slowed the boat down to prepare some bait on their lines, "Growing up, I always felt like the lesser son. My brother Lance was great at everything. He was great at sports, a straight-A student, and loved by everyone, including the ladies and my dad (scoffs) he was so proud. He bragged about him to everyone."
Lincoln and Lynn cast their lines in the water.
"How did he feel about you?" Lincoln asked.
Lynn Sr. scoffed again as he cast his line, "For a while, it felt like he barely noticed me. So, I tried so many things to find the thing I'm good at but failed at so many things. Baseball, basketball, tennis, and you wouldn't believe how much I sucked at football," Lynn Sr. explained.
LJ raised an eyebrow, "I didn't know you tried football."
"Yep, and I got my butt kicked with a broken leg, and that wasn't as bad as when I tried taekwondo. I got beat up worse, and I broke my arm in three places!"
Lincoln and Lynn Jr. couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"That bad, huh?" Lincoln asked.
"Oh, yeah, and you know how that hunting trip went. Then, one day, I met someone at school who taught me how to cook, and I fell in love with it," Lynn Sr. answered.
LJ raised her eyebrow, "And you got good at it?"
Their father chuckled, "No! Of course not. I was terrible, but I kept at it. I learned from my mistakes until I finally got good. That's the key about failure. Don't fear failure – learn from it. Honey, everyone is good at more than one thing. Just because one thing didn't work out doesn't mean you're bad at everything else."
"I don't want to be good at everything. I want to be good at things that matter, like being a good sister and the things I like . . . like sports," LJ replied.
Lincoln turned to her and said, "Lynn, you are a good sister. You changed the future on the spot at the hospital after I revealed my powers. You changed yourself for me because you love me. A bad sister wouldn't do that."
"And honey, you are good at sports. If it weren't for Scoots, you'd be doing just fine at it. Plus, you're doing great with soccer. LJ, you don't have anything to worry about. You have a family that loves and cares about you. We'll always be there for you – both of you," Lynn Sr. said as he reached over and held both his children, "I will always be there for you. I'm not the best father . . . but I'm going to be better."
That was enough to make both of them smile as they hugged their father. Then Lynn's line tugged.
"Oh, looks like you got a bite," Lynn Sr. said.
Lynn reeled in her line, and a little fish emerged from the water, dangling on the end of her fishing pole. Lynn Sr. got it in a net before unhooking it. From there, they had one conversation after another. Lincoln talked about the movie he and Ernest were making, the comics and art, making music with Luna, exercising with Lori, making clothes with Leni, helping Lucy write her dark fantasy, helping Lola with her photography comic, welding, and video games with Lana. Lynn talked about her soccer, the dreams she's been having, sparring with Lincoln, and playing video games.
Lynn Sr. told story after story of him and Kevin, his childhood, and his father, whom he was close with. After the hunting incident, his father realized his son felt overshadowed and spent more time with him. As they talked, LJ caught three more fish while Lynn Sr. only caught one.
After a long while, Lincoln's line was tugging. He reeled the fish in, but it was putting up a fight. Lincoln had to be careful not to snap the pole. Then, as he pulled up, the fish jumped out of the water – and it was huge! Everyone gasped with wide-eyed looks when they saw it.
"That's the biggest trout I've ever seen!" Lynn Sr. said excitedly.
"Pull it in, Lincoln!" Lynn called.
Lincoln reeled it in, and with a good pull, he got it in. The big trout flopped and tried to escape back into the lake, but LJ punched it repeatedly.
"Oh no, you don't! You're not getting away!" Lynn Jr. hollered.
Lincoln joined in punching the fish until it was down for the count. Lincoln and LJ sat in the boat panting, labored breaths to slow their heart rate. Then they looked at each other and started laughing. Lynn Sr. picked up the fish, held it up high, and cheered.
They went home bringing all the fish they caught, including the big one Lincoln caught. Of course, the family was utterly impressed by the fish's size and couldn't wait to eat it. Lynn Sr. and Luan chopped it up, cooked it, and prepared it with all the seasoning. It was delicious.