Tenth PSI

[a_gentle_boy]

[open call]
 . . . Hello?  Um.  Is this . . . Is this the right number?  This is Mayfield Elementary . . . ?

I'd, um.  I'd like to call in sick.  Lucas . . . Last name?  Ushiromiya.  . . . . . . . .  There isn't any -- A-Ah.  Lucas . . . Lucas Fawlin . . . Grade 7.  No, I just haven't been feeling well . . . Ah.  Mostly fever . . . . . . . . A hundred and um.  Three or four.  U-Up my . . . No.  No.  My mouth . . . A few days.  No.  I haven't seen the nurse . . . Um.  Not yet . . .  My parents . . . ?  They're not home.  And I . . . I don't want to bother them . . . I don't know.  I . . . I really don't think I can.  I don't . . . But I -- I know, but.  It's just . . .  I'm really not . . .

. . .

O-OK.  OK.  I'll try . . . I'm sorry for the trouble . . .

[Ten minutes after this call is made, an unsteady figure walks out the steps of 846 Goldberg, his face flushed and his eyes glossy.  Twenty minutes after that, the boy slowly begins to kneel to the sidewalk somewhere on the route to school, but fails to make it all the way before collapsing forward.  He does not get back up.]

((Feel free to make responses to the phone call or anytime that Lucas is spotted on the street, either after he faints or before.
EDIT: For continuity's sake, I'm going to refer to Margot as finding Lucas first if I make any reference to this simply because she had the first thread.  I wasn't expecting so many replies; thanks everyone!  He'll still remember everyone's kindness to him, though.))

Comments

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Ange has her request granted, but Lucas does not seem to be responding to her.]

. . . . . . . no. no. definitely . . . . . take the knife . . . . . . . . . you did . . . to her. not coming . . . . . . . . . everyone . . . for me everyone waiting for . . . . . . .

mom

[crawlininmytome.livejournal.com]

[will be carrying him to inside the house]

... Aaah. He's really burning up. I don't know if he's dreaming or having a flashback, but I have to take care of him somehow.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[A little of both, really. As he is being carried inside, Lucas suddenly speaks up clearly to the woman who is carrying him.]

When will you come back?

[crawlininmytome.livejournal.com]

... [silence for a moment because she knows who he is talking to]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Ah . . . But you won't, will you? It's just a dream.

[crawlininmytome.livejournal.com]

... It's useless. It's all useless. I'm sorry, but... I can't replace your mother.

... I can't make omelets well. I can't give you pig back rides like Battler used to give me. I can't even smile good either.

[once Ange arrives into his bedroom, she'll tuck him in bed] ... But...

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

You'll be here for me anyway . . . ? That's not important . . . as long as you're here.

[crawlininmytome.livejournal.com]

... Mm. That's right. I'm glad you understand and thank you for putting up with my gloomy self up to this point.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas does not respond to this -- Did he really understand what she was saying at all? But he reaches out a hand towards Ange, closing his eyes as he does so.]

[crawlininmytome.livejournal.com]

[taking his hand and starts to hum a lullaby that she might have heard her own mother sing to her]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[It isn't long before Lucas has fallen asleep, looking as peaceful as can be expected under the circumstances.]