It was hard to tell what time of the year it was. There was still snow on the ground when Lucas concentrated on seeing and hearing again, and got himself back on the living world, appearing inside the Barlow brothers’ cottage. Sure, the fact that there was still snow on the ground didn’t mean anything. For all he knew it could’ve been one year since he last was present in the living world. But as he appeared inside the cottage, he soon deducted that it had only been a month, maximum. He didn’t want to see Ronald, or Farrah for that matter, so after wallowing in his memories for some time, he decided to pop up at the cottage and see if Ransley had made any progress (it had nothing to do with the fact that he had been thinking about Ransley and his first date, their first kiss. Not at all). He had faith in Ransley, he was sure the man could learn to control himself better, if he only decides to aim for that.
“You’ve got skinnier”, Ramsey stated as he threw a food bag at Ransley, who caught it and put it aside, with no intention of opening it. Lucas nodded in agreement to Ramsey’s words and stared at Ransley.
He looked grumpy, sad and skinny. He was sitting on the corner of his bed and had his eyebrows furrowed all the time. He wasn’t smirking nor smiling. His eyes were reddish and he looked pale.
“How are you feeling?” Ramsey asked. “And to make sure you understood, I meant your feelings, not how you physically feel.”
Ransley didn’t answer. He pressed his lips together on a thin line and looked away. Lucas rolled his eyes. Why did Ransley have to be so stubborn? But then again, wasn’t that one of the things that he liked about Ransley in the first place? His strong personality?
“Next full moon is coming soon”, Ramsey said, ignoring the silent treatment he was getting from his brother. “Think you can control yourself better this time than the last time?”
That made Ransley narrow his eyes and look at Ramsey straight through Lucas. He had to step aside, because he felt so uncomfortable being in the middle of Ransley’s furious stare.
“I don’t want to fucking control myself!” Ransley yelled. “I wanted to die, but you didn’t let me!”
“Exactly”, Ramsey said, pointing at Ransley. “You wanted to die. But you don’t want to die anymore. You have seen the progress you’ve made. The small control you’ve gained. You have realised you might have a future, a better future thus you don’t want to die anymore. End of the argument. Now please. Eat.”
To that Ransley said nothing, but his disgusted and furious facial expression made Lucas smile, if only to the fact that at least Ransley was feeling emotions.
That’s when Lucas felt that same feeling as he had felt before. The same feeling he got when Emily had called him via the Ouija board. Someone was calling him again, pulling his whole body towards them. Made him feel like his organs would crawl out of his body and fly away.
Lucas appeared into Ronald’s bedroom and saw Ronald and Farrah sitting in front of their brand new Ouija board, fingers pressed on the planchette.
“Lucas? Um… are you here?” Ronald asked, hesitating a bit.
For a moment Lucas thought about not participating, just out of pure pettiness, but then he realised that it would only harm him. He was the one who needed help and if he would refuse to communicate with Ronald then he would suffer from it.
“Eh, it is not working”, Ronald sighed. “I give up.”
No! Lucas thought, kneeled in front of the Ouija board and got ready to move the planchette. I’m here! Please, Ron.
“One more time, Ronald”, Farrah said. “For Emily’s sake, okay?”
“Fine, yeah. Okay.” Ronald twitched a little and then he cleared his throat and said: “Lucas, are you here?”
May the Force be with me, Lucas thought and started pushing the planchette to the ‘Yes’ section. It moved a little bit easier than it had with Emily. Why was that? Was it because of different players? Because there were more players? Whatever it was, Lucas decided to push that out of his mind for now, he had more important things to concentrate. He was just thankful that it was easier.
“Holy shit, it’s moving”, Ronald yelped when he saw the planchette moving. “You’re not doing this, right?”
“Of course I’m not!” Farrah said, sounding like he thought Ronald was an idiot for even asking that. Lucas smiled a little and then Ronald asked the next question.
“Are you stuck like Emily said?”
Lucas moved the planchette away from ‘Yes’ and then made it circle back to ‘Yes’. He had seen that happen in the movies, so he thought that was the right way to do it. Aaand then he thought that he was being stupid, it didn’t matter how he did it – movies were bullshit. Lucas eyed Ronald. He looked shocked.
“Farrah”, Ronald said, “I think I’m going to pass out.”
“You won’t.”
“How are you so calm? Lucas is stuck! My best friend is stuck and I’m talking with him via the fucking Ouija board!”
“I’m calm”, Farrah said, “because someone has to be. I knew you would panic, so I had no other choice, really.”
“Holy guacamole”, Ronald whispered as he stared at the board and Lucas felt himself slowly forgiving Ronald his first reaction to hearing Lucas needed help. “My best friend is here.”
Wait until you find out I also see everything even when you aren’t playing with me, Lucas thought and for the first time, he felt a stray of hope that everything would go well. He had managed to get in touch with Ronald and Ronald, despite of changing after Lucas’ death, would never leave Lucas alone in trouble. Ronald would help him and he wouldn’t give up. Lucas was sure of that.
Moving the planchette was hard, even though it was easier than it had been with Emily, it was still hard and Lucas could feel himself getting more tired every second. He knew he wouldn’t last much longer but he decided to try and move the planchette as long as he could.
“Do you know why you are stuck?” Ronald asked.
Lucas pushed the planchette to ‘No’.
“Do you know how we can help you to move on?” Farrah asked.
Lucas made a circle around ‘No’.
It was silent for a moment and then Ronald sighed.
“I’m sorry, Lucas, but I have to ask… Did it hurt? Dying, I mean. The fall and everything… I mean… I’m sorry.”
Lucas smiled sadly and took a deep breath before moving the planchette.
D-I-D-N-O-T-F-E-E-L-A-T-H-I-N-G.
“What did he spell? You’re better at this”, Ronald asked from Farrah.
“He said he didn’t feel a thing”, Farrah said, smiled and then Lucas saw how she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. Ronald smiled at her hand and he too sniffled a little.
“Good”, he said. “Lucas, I’m so sorry. I hope… I hope you don’t blame me for what happened. I wasn’t controlling myself, I was so new to this whole werewolf thing back then. I didn’t mean to come to that cliff and put you in danger.”
Lucas arms were hurting. Basically his whole body was aching, because he had to use every muscle in his body in order to participate in the game. But after hearing Ronald’s words, he took, once again, a deep breath and moved the planchette.
N-O-T-Y-O-U-R-F-A-U-L-T.
Lucas was breathing heavily when he was done and he had to pull his fingers away from the planchette so that he could stand up, press his hands to his knees and take deep breaths. He felt like he had ran a freaking marathon.
“He said it was not your fault”, Farrah said, because she knew Ronald wasn’t able to remember what letters the planchette had crossed.
“Thanks, Farrah”, Ronald said. “And thank you for… spelling that, Lucas. I’m… I’m glad that you don’t blame me.”
Lucas distantly heard Ronald’s words and he couldn’t help but briefly think about that what the heck was Ronald thinking? Why would Lucas ever blame his brother-from-another-mother?
“Lucas?” Ronald sounded worried.
Lucas couldn’t move, he had to keep on breathing evenly.
“Lucas? Are you still there?” Ronald asked.
“I think we lost connection”, Farrah said. “Let’s try again later.”
“But we have to help him!”
Farrah raised an eyebrow, being once again the voice of reason of their relationship which didn’t surprise Lucas. “And how did you think about doing that? Talking with him through this board all night?”
“If that’s what it takes!” Ronald whisper yelled so his parents wouldn’t hear. “Seriously, I don’t know what to do, but I know we have to help him, Farrah! He is my best friend.”
“The full moon is coming soon, you can’t lose your focus. You have to be able to control yourself–“
“Lucas needs me!”
Silence filled the room. Lucas was still concentrating on his breathing but he had heard the duo’s conversation. But the next thing they said made Lucas stop breathing all together.
“I have an idea”, Farrah said. “But you are not going to like it.”
Ronald hesitated before answering. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking...”
“Yes”, Farrah said. “It might be our only chance.” Farrah sighed loudly and Lucas heard her last words before he had to descent into the blurry, timeless space where, hopefully, his body wouldn’t ache so much: “I think we have to contact Ramsey Barlow.”
“You’ve got skinnier”, Ramsey stated as he threw a food bag at Ransley, who caught it and put it aside, with no intention of opening it. Lucas nodded in agreement to Ramsey’s words and stared at Ransley.
He looked grumpy, sad and skinny. He was sitting on the corner of his bed and had his eyebrows furrowed all the time. He wasn’t smirking nor smiling. His eyes were reddish and he looked pale.
“How are you feeling?” Ramsey asked. “And to make sure you understood, I meant your feelings, not how you physically feel.”
Ransley didn’t answer. He pressed his lips together on a thin line and looked away. Lucas rolled his eyes. Why did Ransley have to be so stubborn? But then again, wasn’t that one of the things that he liked about Ransley in the first place? His strong personality?
“Next full moon is coming soon”, Ramsey said, ignoring the silent treatment he was getting from his brother. “Think you can control yourself better this time than the last time?”
That made Ransley narrow his eyes and look at Ramsey straight through Lucas. He had to step aside, because he felt so uncomfortable being in the middle of Ransley’s furious stare.
“I don’t want to fucking control myself!” Ransley yelled. “I wanted to die, but you didn’t let me!”
“Exactly”, Ramsey said, pointing at Ransley. “You wanted to die. But you don’t want to die anymore. You have seen the progress you’ve made. The small control you’ve gained. You have realised you might have a future, a better future thus you don’t want to die anymore. End of the argument. Now please. Eat.”
To that Ransley said nothing, but his disgusted and furious facial expression made Lucas smile, if only to the fact that at least Ransley was feeling emotions.
That’s when Lucas felt that same feeling as he had felt before. The same feeling he got when Emily had called him via the Ouija board. Someone was calling him again, pulling his whole body towards them. Made him feel like his organs would crawl out of his body and fly away.
Lucas appeared into Ronald’s bedroom and saw Ronald and Farrah sitting in front of their brand new Ouija board, fingers pressed on the planchette.
“Lucas? Um… are you here?” Ronald asked, hesitating a bit.
For a moment Lucas thought about not participating, just out of pure pettiness, but then he realised that it would only harm him. He was the one who needed help and if he would refuse to communicate with Ronald then he would suffer from it.
“Eh, it is not working”, Ronald sighed. “I give up.”
No! Lucas thought, kneeled in front of the Ouija board and got ready to move the planchette. I’m here! Please, Ron.
“One more time, Ronald”, Farrah said. “For Emily’s sake, okay?”
“Fine, yeah. Okay.” Ronald twitched a little and then he cleared his throat and said: “Lucas, are you here?”
May the Force be with me, Lucas thought and started pushing the planchette to the ‘Yes’ section. It moved a little bit easier than it had with Emily. Why was that? Was it because of different players? Because there were more players? Whatever it was, Lucas decided to push that out of his mind for now, he had more important things to concentrate. He was just thankful that it was easier.
“Holy shit, it’s moving”, Ronald yelped when he saw the planchette moving. “You’re not doing this, right?”
“Of course I’m not!” Farrah said, sounding like he thought Ronald was an idiot for even asking that. Lucas smiled a little and then Ronald asked the next question.
“Are you stuck like Emily said?”
Lucas moved the planchette away from ‘Yes’ and then made it circle back to ‘Yes’. He had seen that happen in the movies, so he thought that was the right way to do it. Aaand then he thought that he was being stupid, it didn’t matter how he did it – movies were bullshit. Lucas eyed Ronald. He looked shocked.
“Farrah”, Ronald said, “I think I’m going to pass out.”
“You won’t.”
“How are you so calm? Lucas is stuck! My best friend is stuck and I’m talking with him via the fucking Ouija board!”
“I’m calm”, Farrah said, “because someone has to be. I knew you would panic, so I had no other choice, really.”
“Holy guacamole”, Ronald whispered as he stared at the board and Lucas felt himself slowly forgiving Ronald his first reaction to hearing Lucas needed help. “My best friend is here.”
Wait until you find out I also see everything even when you aren’t playing with me, Lucas thought and for the first time, he felt a stray of hope that everything would go well. He had managed to get in touch with Ronald and Ronald, despite of changing after Lucas’ death, would never leave Lucas alone in trouble. Ronald would help him and he wouldn’t give up. Lucas was sure of that.
Moving the planchette was hard, even though it was easier than it had been with Emily, it was still hard and Lucas could feel himself getting more tired every second. He knew he wouldn’t last much longer but he decided to try and move the planchette as long as he could.
“Do you know why you are stuck?” Ronald asked.
Lucas pushed the planchette to ‘No’.
“Do you know how we can help you to move on?” Farrah asked.
Lucas made a circle around ‘No’.
It was silent for a moment and then Ronald sighed.
“I’m sorry, Lucas, but I have to ask… Did it hurt? Dying, I mean. The fall and everything… I mean… I’m sorry.”
Lucas smiled sadly and took a deep breath before moving the planchette.
D-I-D-N-O-T-F-E-E-L-A-T-H-I-N-G.
“What did he spell? You’re better at this”, Ronald asked from Farrah.
“He said he didn’t feel a thing”, Farrah said, smiled and then Lucas saw how she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. Ronald smiled at her hand and he too sniffled a little.
“Good”, he said. “Lucas, I’m so sorry. I hope… I hope you don’t blame me for what happened. I wasn’t controlling myself, I was so new to this whole werewolf thing back then. I didn’t mean to come to that cliff and put you in danger.”
Lucas arms were hurting. Basically his whole body was aching, because he had to use every muscle in his body in order to participate in the game. But after hearing Ronald’s words, he took, once again, a deep breath and moved the planchette.
N-O-T-Y-O-U-R-F-A-U-L-T.
Lucas was breathing heavily when he was done and he had to pull his fingers away from the planchette so that he could stand up, press his hands to his knees and take deep breaths. He felt like he had ran a freaking marathon.
“He said it was not your fault”, Farrah said, because she knew Ronald wasn’t able to remember what letters the planchette had crossed.
“Thanks, Farrah”, Ronald said. “And thank you for… spelling that, Lucas. I’m… I’m glad that you don’t blame me.”
Lucas distantly heard Ronald’s words and he couldn’t help but briefly think about that what the heck was Ronald thinking? Why would Lucas ever blame his brother-from-another-mother?
“Lucas?” Ronald sounded worried.
Lucas couldn’t move, he had to keep on breathing evenly.
“Lucas? Are you still there?” Ronald asked.
“I think we lost connection”, Farrah said. “Let’s try again later.”
“But we have to help him!”
Farrah raised an eyebrow, being once again the voice of reason of their relationship which didn’t surprise Lucas. “And how did you think about doing that? Talking with him through this board all night?”
“If that’s what it takes!” Ronald whisper yelled so his parents wouldn’t hear. “Seriously, I don’t know what to do, but I know we have to help him, Farrah! He is my best friend.”
“The full moon is coming soon, you can’t lose your focus. You have to be able to control yourself–“
“Lucas needs me!”
Silence filled the room. Lucas was still concentrating on his breathing but he had heard the duo’s conversation. But the next thing they said made Lucas stop breathing all together.
“I have an idea”, Farrah said. “But you are not going to like it.”
Ronald hesitated before answering. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking...”
“Yes”, Farrah said. “It might be our only chance.” Farrah sighed loudly and Lucas heard her last words before he had to descent into the blurry, timeless space where, hopefully, his body wouldn’t ache so much: “I think we have to contact Ramsey Barlow.”
