Twenty-Second PSI

[a_gentle_boy]

[The events of the previous few weeks have left their mark upon Lucas.  Following mere hours after Netherlands's droning, mere weeks after his extremely painful and scarring encounter with Billy Smith, the boy hadn't been in any state to be of help during the hazmat attack.  Normally, he would have jumped at the chance to assist the injured; he would even have sacrificed his own life to do so.  But this time . . . he wasn't sure if he could have done so.  Death after death after death, and all he could do was pray that the nightmare would end quickly.  Privately, he recognized the part of him that had wished for the Russian man to be found.

He remembered his encounter with Sergei as clearly as if it had just happened.  The fear upon the man's face, the desperation in his words.  Lucas had promised that he would do everything he could to help -- Yet in the end, he had done nothing, had even hoped that the man would be discovered by his hunters.  For the boy who made emotional bonds so easily and valued human life so greatly . . . the feeling of guilt was immense.]

[He stands in front of City Hall, now, fists clenched and body trembling slightly with emotion as he stares at the corpse.   He had passed by it earlier.  Recognized it immediately.  Recoiled in horror from the sight.

At his side is a bucket of fresh water and a small pile of rags.  He will decide whether or not he dares to release the body from its noose later.  For now, he simply applies his healing PSI to close the open wounds, gently wipes away the blood with his cloth, does for Sergei what he had not been able to do while the man was still alive.

Be at peace.]

Comments

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

They wouldn't like it at all. . . . I was going to, though. You . . . You shouldn't help.

[not-oflegend.livejournal.com]

I can't let you do it alone. I'll help.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

I-It's fine. Really. If you get hurt because of me . . .

[not-oflegend.livejournal.com]

If I do get hurt, it won't be because of you. It will be because I chose to do this.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

A-Ah . . .

. . . OK. If that's what you're willing to do.

[not-oflegend.livejournal.com]

I am.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[There is another few moments of silence before Lucas nods.]

Do you have a knife or shears?

[not-oflegend.livejournal.com]

Not on me. I could run to the school and get something there.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Could you? I'm sorry to ask, but . . . I feel like I don't want to leave him alone.

[not-oflegend.livejournal.com]

Sure. I'll be back in a few minutes.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[When Alice has gone, Lucas returns his attention to the corpse. He will likely finish by the time she returns, leaving a body that looks . . . well, bloated and unnatural, but at least marginally better.]

[not-oflegend.livejournal.com]

[Alice hurries over to the school and found a blade in the janitor's closet. She returns as soon as she can, just at Lucas is finishing up.]

Here. This should work.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Um. Could you . . . hold his bottom?

[Lucas is surprisingly good with a knife; he's chopped through in a few moments.]

[not-oflegend.livejournal.com]

Sure.

[She moves closer and carefully holds the body around the legs.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[He helps to lay the body on the ground.]

. . . Do you think they would have taken him down after Halloween?

[not-oflegend.livejournal.com]

[She sighs as they rest him down.]

I have no idea. It's always so hard to predict what they'll do.

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . Yeah. What do you think we should do?

[not-oflegend.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure. We could try to find some place to bury him, but I have a feeling they'd just come to take the body away...

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . Uh-huh. I feel like whatever we'd do, we'd just see him hanging here again tomorrow exactly the same way when we wake up.