Reaper's Lullaby

Lucas: Alone

"Being alone with fear can rapidly turn into panic. Being alone with frustration can rapidly turn into anger. Being alone with disappointment can rapidly turn into discouragement and, even worse, despair."
- Mark Goulston

Lucas and Nora held tightly to each other's hands as they searched for their driver, who was supposed to be holding an orange Oasis Ranch sign. They'd just pulled their heavy suitcases off the conveyor belt at LAX and were ready to go, but none of the signs were orange or had anything to do with a ranch.

Nora hadn't had a fix since morning, a good seven hours ago. She'd started feeling it on the plane. Now the dopesickness was setting in. She was grouchy and agitated. Lucas felt sorry for her but didn't know what to do. Neither of them had any dope.

"You want some water?" Lucas asked her.

She rolled her eyes. "No. I don't want fucking water. I want this motherfucker to show up already," she snapped.

"Food?"

She shook her head.

"Can I do anything?"

Nora glared at him. "Yeah. Shut up."

"I'm just trying to-"

"I want dope, Lucas! I want a FIX! Do you not understand that?" she said loudly.

Several people stopped to stare at them.

"Whatever. You're acting like a bitch, and I don't have to listen to this bullshit," Lucas said under his breath. "I'm getting coffee. Text me if the guy shows or if you start acting like Nora again."

With that, he turned and went in search of the nearest Starbucks. As he dodged rolling suitcases and people staring at the flight screens, he tried to remember whether or not he'd acted like that when he was dopesick, but all he could remember was trying to shield Nora from the worst of it so she wouldn't worry. He had hoped she would do the same for him.

Despite Nora's bad attitude, Lucas still bought her a chocolate chip cookie along with his coffee. It was her favorite. He knew she wouldn't want it now or even during detox, but it would last for a few days.

When he walked back to baggage claim and gave it to her, Nora turned pink.

"Thank you," she said softly. "I'm sorry for acting like such a raging bitch."

Lucas shrugged. "I've been there and I get it."

Nora put the cookie in her purse.

"Why're you so sweet to me?" she asked.

"Because you're my girl. I love you," Lucas said simply, and Nora stood on her tip-toes to kiss his cheek.

Just then Lucas saw the flash of an orange sign moving through the crowd.

"There it is!" he exclaimed, catching the words Oasis Ranch as it settled in place.

He took Nora's hand and led her over to meet their driver.

"Lucas? Nora?" asked a tall, beefy man. He was all muscle, like a wrestler.

"Uh... yep, that's us," Lucas said, feeling intimidated.

"I'm Jeff," he said gruffly. "Follow me and don't try any bullshit like running off. I'll get the cops on your ass faster than you can piss yourself. And they're not the ones you should be scared of. I could break you two scrawny kids like celery sticks. Don't try me."

Lucas and Nora glanced at each other nervously.

"Um... we don't want to run off," Nora said quietly.

"Yeah, it was our choice to do this," Lucas added.