Ghost of a Smile

A Strange Stranger

After their parents arrived the doctor finally came out to talk to the family, not expecting twelve.

"Lucy Loud?" The doctor read off her chart, when she looked up half of the waiting room was standing. "Are you all here for Lucy Loud?"

"Yes. I am her father and this is her mother." He pointed at his wife who was trying her best to hold herself together until she knew exactly what was going on. "And her siblings are here too."

The doctor look around at all the people standing. "Alright, well your daughter suffered from deep lacerations to both wrists which we believe were self inflicted and several cicatrice upon her left arm leads us to believe that this is a reoccurring problem that we would recommend psychological treatment for, possibly treatment in a facility if you wanted to go that route. Your daughter had several stitches placed and a blood transfusion for the amount of blood she lost, but physically she should be able to go home with you in a few more hours."

Lynn Loud Sr. sighed in relief. "Thank you, Doctor."

The female doctor nodded. "If you wanted to have your daughter committed to a facility for her mental health I can have the paperwork brought over to you."

Rita Loud shared a look with her husband, then she looked behind her and saw the wide eyes of her children begging her to let Lucy come home. "No. That won't be necessary. Now that we're aware of the problem we'll deal with it at home, but thank you Dr. Magnus." She said, reading the name tag.

The doctor nodded. "Very well. I'll have a nurse fetch you when Miss Loud is ready to be discharged."

Everyone sighed in relief. It wasn't over yet, they knew this would be more challenging than anything they faced before, but at least she was still alive and able to go home with them after a few more hours.

A nurse walked over to them. "I was told to take the parents of Lucy Loud back to the recovery room. I'm sorry kids, but we have to limit the amount of people going back there." The nice old woman stated in a sweet voice.

The parents left their children to go see their daughter and didn't notice the young boy walking into the hospital. He walked up to the nurses desk and blew his long black bangs out of his face.

"Hey. I'm here for Lucy Loud." He stated in a deep monotone voice.

When they heard their sister's name they all turned to look.

"Who the heck is he?" Luan asked.

Lincoln shrugged. "No clue."

Lola scrunched her nose. "I don't know, but I don't like him."

"I would have to agree. He seems rather strange to me, and I'm not saying that because we never met him therefore he is a stranger by definition." Lisa stated.

"I don't like him either. I get some bad vibes off that little dude."

"Her family is right over there you're welcome to wait with them." The nurse stated nicely.

The boy walked over and plopped down in a chair ignoring her siblings. He blew his bangs out of his face again and started playing with the chain on his pants.

"Uh, Hey man, I'm Lincoln."

The boy sniffed, but didn't say anything. He looked away from Lincoln, but got caught by Lynn.

"And I'm Lynn. How do you know Lucy?" She asked getting closer.

He rolled his icy blue eyes and sniffed again, then he sighed. He pulled his black wristband further down until it was practically in the palm of his hand. "Cemetery."

"Well that was vague." Lola said with a huff. "She meant how do you know her as in who is our sister to you?!" She snapped.

He blinked and they could see black eye liner on his lower eyelids. He sighed. "Lenore."

"Wow. Do you say anything with more than one word?" Luan chuckled, slightly uncomfortable.

He scratched at his black shirt and sniffed again. "No." He droned out making Lola move to attack him, but she was quickly pulled back by her twin. He wiped his hands on his black pants and sniffed.

"You poor thing, do you need a tissue?" Leni asked nicely pulling a package of tissues with a floral print out of her sea foam purse.

He sniffed and took the tissue from her. "Thanks." He blew his nose and looked up at the eyes glued to him. "Allergies."

"I understand. Pollen? Or perhaps pet dander? We have many pets you could be smelling it on us." Lisa surmised. "Of course Lucy is usually around our pets too and you apparently hang out with her, though we have yet to determine what your status is with her."

He shrugged. "I told you already, she's my Lenore." He stated.

"Oh soo you can speak in actual sentences?" Luan asked.

"Yeah, but I'm shy." He stated.

"Okay so what does "She's your Lenore" mean exactly?" Lori asked trying not to be creeped out by the strange kid who looked too old to be hanging out with her little sister.

"The rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."

"Yeeeah, her name is Lucy." Lynn corrected him feeling uneasy.

"I know her name, but she is my Lenore, my obsession, and when she dies I will go mad for her as Poe did for Lenore." He explained making the Loud kids back up.

"Uhh what? Yo, hate to break it to you spooky dude, but Lucy isn't dying." Luna gave him a weird look. "She's gonna be okay."

He shook his head. "I am sorry for your loss in advance, but you are wrong. My Lenore is going to die. So she has decreed it and so it will be." He stated indisputably.

"What the heck does that mean?" Lana growled at him.

"Are you threatening our sister?" Lynn cracked her knuckles.

"No. I do not threaten, only speak truth. My Lenore, my love, my obsession, will die soon and when she does I will go mad from loss and desire until The Raven comes tapping at my chamber door."

"I'm a little creeped out." Leni said quickly hiding behind Luna.

"You and me both sister." Luna said backing up again. "Okay, hit the road Jack and don't come back." Luna snapped at him.

"It's only a matter of time." He stated then he got up. They thought he was going to leave, but they were surprised when they saw a blur of black breeze past them into his awaiting arms.

"Edgar!"

"My Lenore!"

Then they were even more surprised when their thirteen year old sister kissed the older boy who had to be at least as old as Lincoln, but hopefully not older than Lynn Loud Jr.

"Mother, Father, this is Edgar." Lucy stated turning to face her parents. "He is my boyfriend."

It was then that her father fainted.