AFFLICTION- LRH

The Plan.

Luke's POV:

She was in pain.

Fuck, it messed with my head.

I know it hasn't been easy, and I for one understand the pain of losing someone I loved.

But, this was the type of pain I couldn't help her with.

This was the type of pain you have to unfortunately experience on your own. You have to grieve, you have to be angry.

Maeve was locked in the library, the dim light shining below the door and pouring into the darkened hallway. She ran off after her outburst, and hasn't come out since.

We have all tried to get in, but she won't open up.

The tension in the air was thick as the rest of us stood outside the library door, each one dealing with the situation in our own way.

Cody's absence had left a gaping hole in the group, and Maeve's pain was a consistent stark reminder of the loss.

Leaning against the wall, my arms cross against my chest, my mind racing with ideas and reasonings, "She's not just locked in there with her grief," I sigh, "she's locked in there with all of our grief."

Ashton, who'd been quiet since we all stood in front of the door, finally spoke up, "We can't let her deal with this alone. It's not just her fight. She knows that, right?"

Calum nodded in agreement, his expression grim. "Maeve's strong, but this kind of pain can break the best of us."

Just then, Michael came racing up the stairs, his face etched with concern. "Has she said anything? Any sign she'll come out?"

We all shook our heads, "nothing," I say, "it's like she's shut out the world. I'm this close to kicking the door down."

That's when Ashton ran his hand through his hair, the frustration evident. "We can't just barge in there, Luke. We need a different approach."

"Then what do you suggest?" I ask, my patience beginning to run thin, "Time isn't exactly on our side. We need to get out of here, and we can't do that right now. We still don't have a plan, and we don't-"

"What if we call a meeting?" Calum cuts me off.

My brow raises, "what kind of meeting?"

"You're the leader, remember?" He scoffs, as if it was an obvious notion, "we can have someone take Burke from the grounds, get everyone together without Burke knowing. And we can tell them we need to stop fighting with redemption. We can tell them this was your decision, and they would probably go along with it."

He then adds, pointing to the door, "plus, it might lure her out."

We all sit in silence a moment, the idea hanging heavy above our heads. He had a point after all.

I was the leader of Malevolence.

The members would have to listen to me.

"Ash?" I ask, giving him my full attention as he rubs his face with his hand.

"It could work." He nods slowly, "We can use the old warehouse on the edge of town, back where we all used to meet. No one ever goes there."

"Plus," Michael chimes in, "I bet we could get that crazy girl you two always talk about who keeps heads in her backyard to get Burke out of here. All she would have to do is say some crazy shit."

Darien races through my mind, the young girl with no shoes.

She would be risking her life for us.

But, I had a slight feeling she would do it.

I would just have to give her the whole damn library here.

"Alright, let's do it." I finally say, "But we need to get Maeve out of that library first."

Everyone's eyes land on the wooden carved door, the dim light untouched as we all stare ahead, "Maeve," I knock gently, "we have a plan. We want you to listen to it, will you open the door?"

The silence that followed was deafening.

"Maeve," Ashton tries next, his body moving closer to the door as he jiggles the handle a bit, groaning to himself when it doesn't budge, "I think you'll like this plan, it's easily something you would have thought of."

Continued silence, and we all look to one another.

"Fuck this." I say,

Stepping back, I use whatever strength I could muster from the long awaiting time of concern and kicked the door open.

It swung wide, the door hitting the wall with enough force to leave a small hole.

And Maeve was no where in sight.

"Where is she?" I call out, walking further into the room, my eyes moving every which way, until they land on the open window.

"Shit." Calum growls, running to the open window, before sighing in relief, "she didn't jump. But she definitely isn't in the house anymore."

"Luke?" Ashton says.

"What."

The sound of a paper rustles behind me, before it's planted in front of my face.

'Fuck the plan.

                       -M'

"Everyone spread out," I say, my eyes still glued to the paper as I spoke, "find her before she kills herself. Burke has every intention of murdering her, and we can't let him get to her before she gets to him."

"On it!" The three say in unison, before the sound of footsteps follow down the hollow staircase, and the front door slams shut.

You damnable girl.

You are on a suicide mission,

And I fear you know it.