Ghost of a Smile

SOS

SOS COME HOME NOW!!!!!!!!!!

Usually an SOS text from Lincoln meant that they were in trouble with their parents, but this time when each of the Loud sisters looked at their phones they stopped what they were doing. Fear gripped at their hearts as the thought that something may have happened to Lucy went through each of their heads. She told them all she was going to spend the day alone with Alexandria and they could all go do whatever they wanted to do today.

But now they were regretting it.

Lori left the showing of a house without even telling Bobby. He turned around and she was gone.

"Babe?"

Leni dropped all the new clothes she was about to purchase and shouted an apology as she left the mall.

"Sorry about the mess!"

Luna nearly broke her electric guitar when she looked at her phone, but Sam quickly caught it as Luna rushed out yelling about an emergency.

"SOS at home! I gotta go dudes!"

Luan dropped everything she was juggling and took off on her unicycle.

"Sorry! I can't finish the show!"

Lynn dropped her bat before the pitcher even threw the ball.

"Emergency! Sorry! Gotta run!"

Lana rolled out from under a car she was fixing and took off.

"Finish this then close up shop!" She yelled to her reptile loving assistant.

Lola rushed off stage before they even announced the winner.

"And the winner is... Lola Loud! Lola? Lola Loud?! Where did she go?"

Lisa left the seminar she was supposed to speak at before it was even her turn to present her findings.

"Up next you'll hear from Lisa Loud.. Lisa? Where did Lisa disappear to?"

They all burst through the door at the same time and saw Lincoln hugging a crying Lily. He looked up at his sisters with a sad look.

"Lucy?" Lynn gulped.

"Where is Lucy?"

"Is she okay?"

"What happened dude?"

"Where's Lucy?"

His sisters all started asking questions at the same time.

"Mom and Dad are at the hospital with Lucy." Lincoln said sadly.

"What?!"

"Again?!"

"What happened?!"

"I thought she was with her friend?!"

"Guys! Calm down!" Lincoln yelled over the commotion. "I can't talk to you like this." He stood up but Lily attached herself to his leg. "It's okay Lily." He put a hand down to her.

"We have been quiet for exactly 2.5 seconds. I think it's time to explain."

"Lucy and her friend were at the park when that Edgar guy showed up. After she told him it was over and she had a restraining order out against him, he attacked them. I'm not sure what happened because I wasn't there, but Mom said Lucy and her friend were attacked at the park by Lucy's ex-boyfriend. That's all I know. I was waiting for you guys so we could all go to the hospital together and I was watching Lily."

"Attacked them?!"

"Dude that's way harsh!"

"Wait.. how could he find them with a restraining order out?" Leni asked.

"It doesn't make Lucy invisible to him. It just means he'll get arrested for coming too close." Luan explained without any silly puns.

"I'm gonna get that guy!" Lynn cracked her knuckles.

"Right behind you!" Lola yelled.

"I got the tools!" Lana yelled.

"Please, your tools are nothing compared to my experiments! I have a serum so vile I haven't even tested it out on any of you." Lisa chuckled.

"Let's get him!"

"Guys! You're missing what's important! Let the police get him! We need to go check on Lucy!" Lincoln yelled after his sisters.

They all froze on their way to the door and mumbled their agreement.

They piled into Vanzilla and begged her to start up like their father has to do every day. It felt like a miracle when they van came to life as soon as Lori turned the key. But soon they were outside the hospital dreading what they would find out when they walked inside. Lori walked into the hospital first, taking the responsibility as the eldest, her siblings crowded in behind her.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

Before they could ask anyone for information Lily saw their parents and rush over to them. Her father bent down to scoop her up.

They quickly followed the youngest.

"Lucy?!" They all gasped when they saw the young goth girl sitting on a chair beside her mother.

"We thought you got hurt dude?!"

"Lincoln said you were attacked!"

"I just repeated what Mom said!"

"Are you alright? You seem to have an abrasion near your left temple. Any closer and you could have suffered a severe concussion."

"Kids, remember what we say about keeping calm and being respectful in a hospital." Their mother corrected. "Lucy has a minor concussion, but she should be just fine by tomorrow. As long as she doesn't sleep for 24 hours tonight." Rita explained.

"No problem! I can keep her awake with some sick jams!"

"Loud noises like your insidious caterwauling would only cause distress. Migraines would form. A possibly of tinnitus. Not to mention-"

"Hang on.. we gotta keep her awake all night and be quiet?"

"But we're the Loud family."

"Yah it's like literally our name."

"Well, we'll just have to do the best we can. And start now because you're still in the hospital."

"Wait if Lucy is okay why didn't you guys come home?" Leni gasped. "Where is your new friend?!"

Lucy turned away. She buried her head in her mother's chest.

Lynn Loud Sr. shifted Lily in his arms as he faced his kids. "About Lucy's friend. We are still waiting. Lucy suffered a few scrapes and a minor concussion but, um, her friend.."

"It's all my fault." Lucy cried.

Her siblings watched her. All their faces fell into frowns. Once again they didn't know what to do or say.

"No sweetie. She'll be alright." Rita tried to comfort her daughter.

"Dad? What happened?" Lincoln spoke up being the first one able to talk. "Will Lucy's friend be okay?"

"We hope so, son. We're waiting to find out. Lucy's injuries aren't from that deranged boy. Her friend pushed her out of the way and she hit a nearby tombstone. I guess they were hanging out in the cemetery."

"So.. what happened to Lucy's friend?" Lincoln asked carefully.

His father frowned. "She was- She was stabbed with his pocket knife."

The Loud children gasped. All except Lucy who was still crying in her mother's arms.