Fifteenth PSI

[a_gentle_boy]

Stop it!  Stop going!  Stop . . . !  

There's   . . . There's so much blood, I -- [Lucas breaks off and seems to gasp for breath for a few moments.  He is, in fact, covered with the stuff despite not having exchanged anything at all, having just finished helping NIc.]  The sidewalk . . . Everything . . . Even on the trees.  It's just like when . . .

[The boy suddenly seems to snap back to reality.]

Who's a doctor?  Who's a nurse?  Who's a healer through whatever means?  Please, get uptown and help the people leaving the post office!  Anyone who's already lost something -- Find a medic!  You'll bleed to death if you don't get it treated!  If you see anyone who's lost a leg, get them help first!  Getting the blood vessels in your thigh severed is really dangerous.  No one should try to wait it out!

I . . . I think . . . I-I don't know.  If they're doing this . . . will it come back if we die . . . ?

((OoC: Just for clarification, Lucas is overreacting.  There 's a lot of blood, but probably not as bad as he's making it out to be.  This is the first time he's seen it in such large quantities -- and gushing out from someone while he's trying to heal them.  He's still a kid, after all.))

EDIT:
((For any replies after this edit, Lucas will be over his initial shock and can be found near by the post office if anyone needs healing to prevent from bleeding to death.  You may still reply to the initial contents of this post if you'd like.))

Lucas's List --
Striped Shirt: 5
Magic Cake: 5
Mr. Saturn's Tea Table: 20
Shield Snatcher: 25
Mystical Stick: 40
(There follows a long list of PSI, each registered at 200, culminating with)
PK Love Omega: 200
HINAWA's smile: (The price is scratched out.)
CLAUS's scent: (The price is scratched out.)
FLINT's love: (The price is scratched out.)

Comments

[resurrectinto.livejournal.com]

LUCAS. Snap the fuck out of it!

[Reaching to take him by the shoulders and look him in the eyes. She's already kind of freaked out enough, post-Teatime adventure.]

You need to calm down and take a deep breath, okay?

[windmill.livejournal.com]

[running up to him, scarf flying oh so dramatically in the wind] Lucas-?! Shit! Did you exchange anything-!? [assumes he's the injured one oh god.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[He does so. It doesn't help. He tries it again. It still doesn't help. In about twenty seconds, he is hyperventilating.]

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

[Hey, look who's completely and utterly fine physically.]

Lucas! Christ... What'd they take?!

[resurrectinto.livejournal.com]

[Wrapping him tightly in a hug and ignoring the blood. Her own dress is spattered with it anyway, it doesn't matter. She gently pats his hair, trying to be comforting.]

Sh, it's okay. You're alright. It's gonna be fine, okay? I promise it's going to be okay.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas is a sight. His shoes are soaked, as is his left hand up to his elbow. Running away from the post office, he'd slipped and fallen so that it's all up his front and in his hair and unbeknownst to Lucas, his own blood is oozing out from a cut on his forehead.]

No. No no it wasn't me . . .

[ponypuncher.livejournal.com]

Obviously people are gonna die if ya lop their leg off, kiddo. Fingers ain't nothin' to worry 'bout.

_{[Says the tree of a man with his right hand wrapped up in pieces of a shirt.]}

[windmill.livejournal.com]

[taking a moment to process this, having already grabbed the kid by the shoulders and begun inspecting him possessively.] God...damnit. Who..? What happened?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[This is a little better. He presses his face against the dress and pretends that he does not see the bloodstains he is getting all over it. After a little while, his breathing slows down to a more normal pace.]

. . . It's not really. . . . Everyone's . . .

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Nothing. Nothing . . . I don't want anything back. Not like that.

[resurrectinto.livejournal.com]

There you go... [Keeps holding him, speaking gently.]

We can't do anything to help if we get worked up, okay? We can panic later, but right now we need to be strong and deal with this.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

It'll get infected and you'll get gangrene and you'll die!

[Lucas is, for some reason, angry. If you don't stop him, he's going to Lifeup-Punch your right arm.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas is a bit like a rag doll.]

. . . A boy I talked to on the phone once. His leg . . .

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

You're covered in blood... Here, use this.

[He takes off his shirt-- a normal Mayfield collared shirt-- and hands it to him. Normally, giving up an article of clothing would be akin to giving up a kidney, but not today.

Oh, and there's what looks like the most overstuffed suitcase it in the universe behind him. Don't mind it.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . . . . .

[Lucas takes a really deep breath at that. One that shakes his whole body. It's almost like a magic switch for him.]

. . . I have to go and help.

[defreezes.livejournal.com]

[sharply!] Pull yourself together or you'll be no better than they are. I just left the post office to get some supplies at home; unless someone went crazy with a gun up there in the time I was gone, I can safely say that you're overreacting.

Calm down.

[resurrectinto.livejournal.com]

We will go to help. [Yeah. She's not leaving room for ifs ands or buts on that.] But I need to know that you're going to be okay first.

[ponypuncher.livejournal.com]

The hell is gangrene? Yer speakin' some kind of gibberish with that.

_{[Crossing his arms, head cocked to the side.]}

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[He nods slowly at that.]

I'm fine. . . . I shouldn't . . . I shouldn't have done that. I'm not really sure what came over me.

[This is more or less true. There's something he's still never said to anyone -- Not to Margot, not to the Netherlands. Blood in the trees . . . Blood in the forest. Lot's wife turned to salt when she gazed back upon what she loved, fleeing from disaster. Lucas merely sealed his memories far, far away.]

[resurrectinto.livejournal.com]

I don't know what's going on, exactly, but it's fucked up. It's got me on edge, too.

[Margot releases him and reaches for his hand.]

You said the post office? Let's get down there and we can help out, okay?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas stares at the shirt blankly for a few moments. What was it for? Lucas idly begins to wipe the blood off his face with it. Probably not what Vince intended. He notices the suitcase soon after.]

. . . Where did you get . . . ?

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Infection! If you don't get a wound cleaned, it will get infected.

[Lucas points at the man's injury.]

Let me see that!

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

P-People are walking out without eyes and hands and fingers and limbs! They need help!

[numanstan.livejournal.com]

[He grins.]

I got my clothes back! All of 'em... Gonna need to open this up away from people, though. The avalanche might take somebody out.

[defreezes.livejournal.com]

And how do you think they'll react when help comes and starts hyperventilating? I sure know I wouldn't find any comfort from that.

I can understand not having any confidence in yourself, but at least be strong for them.