18

[perfectsymmetry]

[It's a beautiful Monday morning in spring! And aren't you thrilled that for the first time in several days that your newspapers are delivered on time? They're actually delivered early enough that they're there before you wake up. How wonderful!

After finishing his route, Crowe cheerfully skips off to school. I mean, he hasn't been there in several days, hopefully he can catch up, right? And all for that silly combat training he's been doing with Coach Jecht. But he's in such a great mood this morning he barely noticed his screaming muscles or bruised joints. Golly, sure hope the teachers aren't mad! Especially since it's getting so close to the end of the year! Maybe he'll ask coach if he can take a break so he's ready for finals.

... it's when he gets to the entrance of the school that the droning wears off, and Crowe suddenly stops as he realizes what's going on. He sort of stares in horror at nothing in particular. Good lord, that was scary. And it only lasted a few hours. Not wanting to tempt fate further, he goes off to class.

Something's different about Crowe lately though. He's quiet, and there's not as many smiles offered to one and all, as usual. He's still polite as ever, and pays attention in class, even trying to get notes for what he missed over the last few days from classmates and teachers. Most notably however, is that it looks like someone's been kicking the crap out of him lately. Mostly because someone HAS been - Crowe had been skipping school and his paper route to do some martial arts training with his blitzball coach. While athletic, Crowe couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag, and Jecht has been absolutely merciless on the boy. He's doing his best to not show how sore he is though. And as the school week progresses, he'll grow more quiet, more exhausted, but there will never be one word of complaint from him. Not one ill word.

Luckily for him, he's been too distracted and completely missed Mother's Day, and even the new face in his home.]

[A quick call, unfiltered.]

Please excuse my negligence the last few days regarding the paper delivery. It won't happen again.

Comments

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

But the paper's been delivered every day, Mr. Crowe . . . Before I wake up, even.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[He thinks on that a moment.] ...Ah. They probably just... well nevermind. It doesn't matter. Lucas, how have you been? I've been so distracted, it's rude of me not to... Um. I was wondering if you were alright, after Westport. I was worried.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Huh? You don't need to worry, Mr. Crowe. Everyone who's been to Westport came out fine, right?

[An evasive answer to avoid saying that he hasn't been feeling well at all in the last day or so.]

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Oh, right, I know that, but... that doesn't mean it wasn't difficult. I heard the radio call and... I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

That's right . . . It was the second day, wasn't it? It seems like everything was so long ago now. Flora, Kororo and I were rescued by Mr. England and Mr. Ryo.

I made it alright, but Flora . . .

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

Ah. Um. Well you're both alright now, yeah? I don't mean to make you dwell on it. But... I'd like to know a little bit about anything there that might have happened. In case anything might happen over here in Mayfield.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . .
. . .
. . .

The hazmat men began to appear the day after the road closed. There were more and more of them as the days passed, and they became faster, stronger, and smarter. They filled the air with toxic smog so that by the end, it was nearly impossible to breathe when you were outside. For some reason, the poison couldn't come into the houses . . . We slept in them at night. There were beds and clothes, but all the food and water was spoiled. If it weren't for Kororo, there wouldn't have been anything to drink at all. After a few days, I guess the milkman started to appear outside. I didn't see him, but that's how Flora died and Miss Margot died . . . I ate the poison, too, but I was able to heal myself.

By the end, we were all nearly about to die. We couldn't have made it another day.

. . .

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

...........

Oh god, Lucas. I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I didn't... A-are you sure you're alright then? _{Do you need anything?}

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . [He had almost sounded as if he were in a trance when he'd recounted his experience. Lucas shook himself out of it with a sigh.]

That's about it . . . No. I'm fine . . . People need to know what happened there. And about everything we found, too.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

[That was a bit unnerving.]

Alright. Good. We couldn't do anything on this side... I tried to see if I could get a radio to make contact, but... I'm just glad you're back in one piece. That everyone came... back here okay. [For a split second he almost say "came home". He had to stop himself.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . I am, too. Thanks for trying, Mr. Crowe . . . There really wasn't much anyone could do from here, but it helped just knowing there were people waiting for us.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

If... if any of that stuff makes it way over here, we need to be ready. I doubt that Mayfield would show us all that, and open it up without it being... a sign? A warning? I... I don't even know, but we need to be prepared. I hadn't heard as much so what you've told me has been a great help. Thank you.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I don't know . . . Even though it was a terrible thing to go through, at the end . . . it felt like it was something being shown to us to help us.

[perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com]

...Perhaps. I'm hoping it's not some kind of warning, honestly.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Me, too. I just don't think they would care enough to warn us of anything . . .