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]

((Not any more derpy than Lucas's mun, who has no idea and has been stalling somewhat obviously. >_>;; I . . . guess you can go ahead with it and if the mods have a problem, we can retcon later, sorry.))

[The boy's eyes close as he feels the dead weight. Only a week or two ago . . . he had been supporting Sergei, running as quickly as they could towards the Netherlands's home before the man had vanished in his arms.]

[1stonthreatdown.livejournal.com]

((Okay, then... Excelsior! I just assume that the corpse will be back hanging up again tomorrow or something like that. But I'm fine with whatever droning or retconning has to occur.))

[After working at it for a few minutes, he finally gets the knot undone. And then quckly shifts his position to help Lucas support the man's weight as they set him down. Senri is beginning to wonder who this man was....]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Senri hasn't spoken a word yet. That would have intrigued Lucas, normally, but in this somber setting, it is not especially unusual. Lucas helps the man to lay the body gently on the ground as he begins to check for any wounds he had missed.

They had been brutal with him. It was fairly obvious . . . ]

[1stonthreatdown.livejournal.com]

[Senri doesn't really talk much... But he frowns at the condition of the body. Whoever killed him was brutal, cruel. He wonders if the boy was very close to the murdered man... He certainly seems upset. After a moment, Senri reaches out and pats Lucas on the shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Senri receives a wan smile for his efforts as the boy finishes up with his PSI. The body looked significantly less appalling, healed of wounds and cleaned of blood, although it was still far from resembling a person in slumber.

What could he do now? He wanted to bury him, to lay the man to rest. But it wasn't something he could do alone. Perhaps . . . when Halloween was over, the man's body would vanish as suddenly as it had appeared.]

[1stonthreatdown.livejournal.com]

[There really wasn't much else they could do, unless the boy wanted to bury the body. Or light a pyre. For now, he wants to remember this later, so Senri takes a rag out of the pile and tears off a strip. This goes into a book he has with him. There is also a folded soup can wrapper in there.

Then he looks back at Lucas questioningly. Awaiting further instructions.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

. . . Thanks.

[This is all he says for a few moments as Lucas leans back and thinks.]

You . . . You don't have to stay. I'll think of something.

[1stonthreatdown.livejournal.com]

[That sounded like a dismissal, so he nods at Lucas and stands up. He gives one last look at Sergei's body and then turns and walks away.]

[a-gentle-boy.livejournal.com]

[Lucas gives his faint smile again as Senri goes. It is best that whatever work he does next, he does alone . . .

If Senri comes by shortly after, he may find the body scattered with flowers, a sunflower laid across its chest. A temporary measure . . . ]