The Lost

6- Lyn Alone

Lyn

An oversized monster.

Two days had passed since then. Since that horrible evening.

The journey back to my hideaway took longer than I had expected it to. Those words ran in my head the entire time.

By the time I had dragged my feet back to the bookshelf, my legs were buckling with each tiresome step. I could feel the fatigue slowly taking over my body, weighing heavy on my drooping eyelids, tempting me toward the dangerous idea to stop and rest. I wasn't quite tired enough to risk staying in the open like that.

Venturing around the house on my own had always been difficult work, and I didn't expect it to get any easier... the physical demand of maundering about the oversized landscape was enough to tire anyone out, but the ever-present sense of danger took its toll too. I had expected to return home very tired. Only, as I lugged myself into the small gap between the books and bookshelf, I realised that I really had overdone it today. This feeling wasn't just being tired; I was exhausted.

Just an hour, I had told myself earlier, just a quick look around the building. Because he was somewhere in this school. Somewhere I hadn't thought to look yet... he had to be. But my 'quick' search had turned out to be anything but that. It was now mid-afternoon, and I already felt as if I could sleep through the rest of the day.

I stared up at the first staple ladder and realised a long sigh. It looked longer today. Higher too. Come on, you're almost there. That thought was enough to inspire me to brave the last of the journey. I gripped the first rung of cool metal in my hands and began the long climb. Almost there...
My back was aching, the strap of my bag biting hard into my shoulder. I could hardly wait to abandon it onto the floor of my hideaway, sink down into my bed, sleep...

After a few more moments of pulling myself up the staples, I at last came to the top of my 'ladder', as Lucius called it. We had... well, he had made it so that I could climb down to the floor without having to wait for him all the time. The top of the first ladder opened onto the top ledge of the bookshelf, behind some books. The second ladder, which was across on the other side of the shelf, went a little higher to reach the crack in the wall that led to my hideaway.
I was now slumped at the top of the first ladder. There was no need to be worried about being seen by a human; the deliberately placed books made sure of that. Not that there actually were any humans in the room. Even in my half-asleep state, I had made sure to listen out for the sound of footsteps and stomping when I entered. Even if I was too tired to properly inspect the room, humans were stupidly loud, even when doing the quietest of tasks. Like walking. And breathing. In fact, just their existing was loud.

I threw myself onto the wood, the polish feeling smooth on my bare legs. At last, I sighed. I was almost home. I gave myself a moment to catch my breath before groggily sitting up.

There was a dim shadow on me, cast by the books that blocked the light of the window. I smiled to myself, looking around at the small gap between the back of the shelf and the books. It worked as a safe space for me. Lucius had made sure to choose just the right books- not too big nor small, so that no one would notice how they weren't pushed all the way back.

Lu, I mused. I hadn't seen the boy for two days. He hadn't appeared again on the night of our argument, nor the next day. There hadn't been a whisper of him among the boys since then. Today could be another no-show.
Of course, he was probably very upset with me. Very upset... if I had parents somewhere out there and they were looking down on me, they would be shaking their heads and sighing at the way I had treated my friend. But imagining that made me cringe, so I tried not to.
In a few more hours, Lucius would come and talk to me. Yes. A few more hours and he would show up. He was probably just sulking right now. Which was fair, I supposed. But I... I had expected to at least see the boy somewhere in the school. Studying or reading, doing other humanly things.... Yet I hadn't seen him all day. Not all day today or yesterday. My only reason for leaving my den had been to look for him... with no success.