a_gentle_boy | Ninth PSI

[He awoke in a bed. That was strange. He had gone to sleep on a chair, having successfully made it around the neighborhood to visit anyone who was ailing. The Netherlands hadn't yet returned when he'd snuck back into the house, pretending as if he had never left in the first place. What was even stranger was that he was apparently in his pajamas and . . . looking out the window . . . There was no haze. There was no rubble. There were no hazmat men. There were no corpses.

. . .

He slowly walks downstairs as if in a trance and sees the familiar sight of his kitchen. Tears immediately coming to his eyes, the boy rushes to the telephone.]

Hello?! Is this Mayfield? Am I . . . Am I back?! Did we win? Did . . . Did we all make it? Is everyone. Is everyone OK? Mr. Netherlands? Mr. Netherlands, did we beat them?

Is this real . . . ? If this is really Mayfield, someone please answer me. There were so many things we found in Westport. And last night -- Last night, that voice. Richard Grey's last message. You all heard it too, right?

EDIT:
Kay's right.
We all found clues over there that everyone should see. I have a copy of the note that Kay and I found in the library and the one that Miss Alice and I found in the car. If anyone wants to come see them, that's fine. We should all get together sometime soon.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's right. He is now that you've helped him. And of course.

[He responds without hesitation.]

I. I still have some of the minor injuries and stuff, but I'll be fine. There might be people who're still really hurt -- I should go visit them.

[There are no hazmat men here, no poisonous gas, but... He can't help but be worried, and then he feels an abrupt pang of something else. Lucas still wants to be out there helping selflessly.

...But, still. To leave him on his own...]

I know it's... safer here, but you should take care of yourself first. [ . . . and his real concern: ] But if you're going to do that, it doesn't have to be by yourself. I can make rounds with you, if you want.

. . . Aha! That's fine. I'd like to see you, very much. Just to make sure I'm not dreaming.

I'll be there right away.

[and he'll be pulling up to Goldberg Street in his car ten minutes later.]

[Lucas attempts to hug the man. It doesn't work too well until he actually enters the car. After he's finished.]

We made it to the end together. Thank you, Mr. Netherlands.

[Hugging Lucas back, closely.]

I'm glad. ...I'm so glad. No- thank you.

Me, too. Even the people who died are OK. I was afraid for a moment, but . . . It looks like everything's turned out just fine.

W-Why thank me?

You saved my life. I'd have died if you didn't. [ . . . ] And more than once, you gave me perspective when I needed it most.

Oh! . . .

[He doesn't like being thanked all that much for his healing work (wouldn't anyone do the same thing?) but that last part was new. He contemplates it for a few moments. He nods.]

You, too, Mr. Netherlands. Back during that second day or so . . . I was almost going to give up already.

[squeezes his shoulder.] It made all the difference to me. So... Dank u. Thank you.

[Lucas blushes deeply and shakes his head again.]

We . . . We all just did what we had to do. But thank you. That means a lot to me.

[ruffling his hair, hngh] And we learned a lot, so we're more than prepared for the future.

[He doesn't seem to mind.]

Hopefully. After we all rest for a few days, we really should get the clues together.

[starting the car up] Good idea. America and I are going to start having nation meetings, too.

So Mr. America is a country, too? Are Mr. Russia and your sister? It seems like there are a lot of them . . .

...Yeah. Belgium is my sister. There's hundreds of us.

H-Hundreds?! All from the same world? . . . Wow. There was only one where I came from.

I wonder if the Nowhere Islands might show up here as a person.

Nowhere Islands? Is that where you're from?

T-That's right.

[There is the tiniest trace of quiver in his voice. He'd forgotten that he'd never said anything about his past to the Netherlands. They'd gotten so close that it hadn't even crossed his minds.]

And my town was called Tazmily.

[He drives slowly.] I'd like to learn more about where you come from. [He's genuinely curious.]

Tazmily was a wonderful place. It was . . . It wasn't even much of a town. It was a really small village, where everyone knew everyone else. The type of place that I guess isn't very usual for other people. But I loved living there . . . I really did. But . . .

[Lucas's voice trails off. He doesn't really want to keep going. Not now, after what they've just gone through.]

[He detects the subtle change in mood, but smiles kindly.] Tell me more about it later, ja?

OK.

[And he smiles. The Netherlands understands.]

I promise I'll tell you all about it sometime later. Just some other day, maybe.

Whenever you're ready.

[and instead of hunting for injured people, he's ... pulling up to the malt shop]

[Lucas does not notice until they are about to leave the car.]

This is -- Ah, weren't we supposed to be . . .

((Gotta go to bed now, night!))

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