Grave Magic

Chapter Ten

Frankie Locklear: 

I sit outside our house, facing the setting sun. My eyes are closed, but I can see the red of the inside of my eyelids, the veins tracing little spiderweb patterns across my vision. In my hand is my mask, and my thumb brushes it, relishing in the rough feeling that makes me feel alive. 

I will have to go inside soon, as it grows closer and closer to the unsafe times. 

With a sigh, I open my eyes and stand. Color streaks across the sky like it is a canvas and the Gods had been painting with watercolor. I appreciate it for just another moment before heading back inside. 

It is calm in the house, and dim. All the lights are off, and I navigate using muscle memory. I stop in front of my door, looking at the other two rooms. Should I...? I turn back to my door, my hand about to push it open-- 

I have to check. I just have to check that they're alright. 

I place my hand on Len's doorknob, slowly easing the door open. The hinges do not squeak as it does, thankfully. Inside, lit by the setting sun's final rays, Len lays in her bed. She's curled up, nearly buried beneath piles and piles of stuffed animals and blankets. The window is securely locked when I check it, the iron locks cool to the touch. 

Len is safe. As I close the door again, I exhale the breath I had been holding. I just-- Len was all I had left of my family. I need her to be safe. I need her to continue the buisness-- when I'm gone. Because I can't last forever, as much as I wish I could. 

"What are you doing?" 

The voice nearly sends me crashing into Len's door. I turn around quickly, mask in hand, ready to--

Oh. 

It's just L. 

I fix my posture, pulling back my hand with the mask, my face burning in the dark. 

"Sorry, sorry." I apologize quickly, still staring at L. They've pressed themself up against the wall like I'm actually going to smack them. I can't help but notice that they still haven't changed out of the canvas overalls and white shirt. 

"It's-- uh. It's fine." They say. "M-my bad. I was the one that spooked you, anyway." 

Slowly, like they're trying not to spook me, they return to standing. 

"What are you doing out here anyway?" I whisper. Len is still asleep, after all. L glances over my shoulder, at her door. 

"I was going to go outside to look for Nickelson. He-- He's missing, maybe?" 

They wince a bit when they say that, looking guilty. 

"What do you mean, missing?" I whisper, getting a bit closer so I can be a bit quieter.  L cringes again. 

"That's the thing-- I haven't seen him since this morning. I didn't really think too much of it, I just thought it was because of the long travel? Like, that he'd just curl up on the windowsill and sleep all day. I don't know where he is though." L is starting to ramble, like Len does when she has to talk too much. 

"Hey." I reach out and pat them on the shoulder, ignoring the awkwardness inside me that screams that this is foolish. "Hey, it's alright. It'll be okay. Uh--" I pause for a second, thinking about this. 

"You still probably shouldn't go outside, though." 

"Why?" L says, quiet. 

Did the Committee really, really not tell them?