Lisa hated Halloween.
Why would anyone enjoy stuff like haunted houses and horror movies? What was the fun in trick or treating?
Why did everyone treat this like a fun day?
It was frustrating. It had been for a long time now... She really wanted to skip school today, but her mom was having none of it.
So, to school she went... And even without Chako's ears, she could still very easily overhear other people happily talking about all the creepy things they were planning on watching, or telling horror stories to one another. Stories about serial killers, stabbings, bloodied floors...
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Lisa didn't notice when Evelyn had arrived, but she was now next to her, already caressing her head.
"Horrible..." The obvious reply came out.
"Figured as much..." Evelyn said nothing else, and simply continued to stroke Lisa's head.
Lisa appreciated it. She was glad to have Evelyn here with her... It really was nice to have at least one person on her side in this garbage day.
Classes passed by in a flash. Lisa hardly paid any attention to them... She just wasn't in the right mood for it.
At one point during break, one classmate approached Lisa, "Hey, uhn... You okay? You seem to be kinda down..."
Lisa wasn't friends with this person, but... Well, she could appreciate the concern, at least.
Though it was not like she wanted to talk about it in the first place.
"She's just not fond of Halloween." Evelyn chimed in.
Lisa gave out a saddened smile, "Yeah... I just don't like the date much."
"Uhn... Alright? I can uhn... Hear you out if you're in trouble, I guess?" The girl offered.
"Thanks." Lisa was still smiling, but it was obvious to anyone she was not taking up the offer.
... She really just wanted this day to end already.
Evelyn helped push her wheelchair back home once classes had ended.
Lisa's mom wasn't home yet, so it was just the two of them... They'd meet up with her mom later.
For now, she just allowed Evelyn to help her change out of her school uniform and into a more suitable dress... It was so strange, It wasn't that long ago when she, as Chako, was going mad with Evelyn helping her change... But today, she did not feel the strength to fuss over it. And she definitely had no strength to try confessing or anything... It just wasn't the right date for it.
So... Well, Evelyn pushed Lisa in her wheelchair out. They went to the usual place... With the jet black dress Lisa used at almost no other occasion.
It didn't take that long to arrive at their destination... "Hey dad..." Lisa spoke to the tombstone, "Been another year, huh?
"Yanno... I started playing a new game recently... Don't tell mom about it though, because it's illegal... But uhn... Well, I can walk there, yanno? It feels great. Remember that stuff you told me about how I shouldn't lose hope in the doctors? Where you promised me you'd help me climb a tree as soon as my legs got better?
"Well, it wasn't quite the same way we wanted it, but I can climb trees now... At least in-game..." Lisa rambled on... Talking about whatever thing came to mind.
Evelyn stayed quiet right by her side... Just gently stroking her hair... Probably the only thing stopping Lisa from breaking down into tears.
"Ah, and... Well, the police seems to still have found nothing, but there were no more victims either at least..." Not like there have been any news on that front over the past 8 years, "They said the same thing as last year... Trail gone cold. Can't do anything at this point. The killer could be anywhere."
Lisa felt herself being hugged... Evelyn was holding her... She leaned into her embrace, "I really wish... We could at least bring you some closure... I hope... Hope you've been well over there...
"Everyone seems to have just forgotten about it, yanno? Like it hadn't been shown all over the news... It's so frustrating... I'm not forgetting it. I'm not forgetting you!" Lisa could no longer hold back the tears... Why was everyone so happy today? Today was not a day to be happy!
"... I'll take care of her, okay? Your Lisa, Sophia's Lisa, my Lisa... I'll be sure to make her happy, alright?" Evelyn suddenly blurted out... Lisa knew she was just talking to the tombstone, but still... For a moment, she could forget her grief and be happy hearing that. It was as if Evelyn had just asked her dad's permission to marry her... For a moment at least, she could be happy.
She really was lucky to have Evelyn with her... To have someone who really knew how to comfort her like that.
Lisa wiped away her tears, "I hope I can bring some better news next year... Maybe that stabber will finally be caught by then..." She could dream of it at least, as unlikely as it was.
For now though... She just... Kept talking to her dad. She obviously was not going to get an answer, but... Well, what else was she going to do while she waited for her mom to get off work anyways? She could at least try putting her dad at ease. Telling him things were going fine.
Although Lisa couldn't help wondering at this point... Just how real Arcia really was? With how the Landers felt just like people... With how real her legs felt... With how real her fear felt...
Could she... Could she maybe talk to her dad there? Maybe after asking a shaman or something?
It felt like such a ridiculous idea... But it was hard to not dream of it at least at this time of the year.
She shelved the thought though... At least until she could log-in... Maybe she could try going on a crazy search for a shaman later... What's the worst that could happen anyways? Lose some time?
And so, the one-sided conversation continued while Lisa and Evelyn waited for Sophia to arrive.
Why would anyone enjoy stuff like haunted houses and horror movies? What was the fun in trick or treating?
Why did everyone treat this like a fun day?
It was frustrating. It had been for a long time now... She really wanted to skip school today, but her mom was having none of it.
So, to school she went... And even without Chako's ears, she could still very easily overhear other people happily talking about all the creepy things they were planning on watching, or telling horror stories to one another. Stories about serial killers, stabbings, bloodied floors...
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Lisa didn't notice when Evelyn had arrived, but she was now next to her, already caressing her head.
"Horrible..." The obvious reply came out.
"Figured as much..." Evelyn said nothing else, and simply continued to stroke Lisa's head.
Lisa appreciated it. She was glad to have Evelyn here with her... It really was nice to have at least one person on her side in this garbage day.
Classes passed by in a flash. Lisa hardly paid any attention to them... She just wasn't in the right mood for it.
At one point during break, one classmate approached Lisa, "Hey, uhn... You okay? You seem to be kinda down..."
Lisa wasn't friends with this person, but... Well, she could appreciate the concern, at least.
Though it was not like she wanted to talk about it in the first place.
"She's just not fond of Halloween." Evelyn chimed in.
Lisa gave out a saddened smile, "Yeah... I just don't like the date much."
"Uhn... Alright? I can uhn... Hear you out if you're in trouble, I guess?" The girl offered.
"Thanks." Lisa was still smiling, but it was obvious to anyone she was not taking up the offer.
... She really just wanted this day to end already.
Evelyn helped push her wheelchair back home once classes had ended.
Lisa's mom wasn't home yet, so it was just the two of them... They'd meet up with her mom later.
For now, she just allowed Evelyn to help her change out of her school uniform and into a more suitable dress... It was so strange, It wasn't that long ago when she, as Chako, was going mad with Evelyn helping her change... But today, she did not feel the strength to fuss over it. And she definitely had no strength to try confessing or anything... It just wasn't the right date for it.
So... Well, Evelyn pushed Lisa in her wheelchair out. They went to the usual place... With the jet black dress Lisa used at almost no other occasion.
It didn't take that long to arrive at their destination... "Hey dad..." Lisa spoke to the tombstone, "Been another year, huh?
"Yanno... I started playing a new game recently... Don't tell mom about it though, because it's illegal... But uhn... Well, I can walk there, yanno? It feels great. Remember that stuff you told me about how I shouldn't lose hope in the doctors? Where you promised me you'd help me climb a tree as soon as my legs got better?
"Well, it wasn't quite the same way we wanted it, but I can climb trees now... At least in-game..." Lisa rambled on... Talking about whatever thing came to mind.
Evelyn stayed quiet right by her side... Just gently stroking her hair... Probably the only thing stopping Lisa from breaking down into tears.
"Ah, and... Well, the police seems to still have found nothing, but there were no more victims either at least..." Not like there have been any news on that front over the past 8 years, "They said the same thing as last year... Trail gone cold. Can't do anything at this point. The killer could be anywhere."
Lisa felt herself being hugged... Evelyn was holding her... She leaned into her embrace, "I really wish... We could at least bring you some closure... I hope... Hope you've been well over there...
"Everyone seems to have just forgotten about it, yanno? Like it hadn't been shown all over the news... It's so frustrating... I'm not forgetting it. I'm not forgetting you!" Lisa could no longer hold back the tears... Why was everyone so happy today? Today was not a day to be happy!
"... I'll take care of her, okay? Your Lisa, Sophia's Lisa, my Lisa... I'll be sure to make her happy, alright?" Evelyn suddenly blurted out... Lisa knew she was just talking to the tombstone, but still... For a moment, she could forget her grief and be happy hearing that. It was as if Evelyn had just asked her dad's permission to marry her... For a moment at least, she could be happy.
She really was lucky to have Evelyn with her... To have someone who really knew how to comfort her like that.
Lisa wiped away her tears, "I hope I can bring some better news next year... Maybe that stabber will finally be caught by then..." She could dream of it at least, as unlikely as it was.
For now though... She just... Kept talking to her dad. She obviously was not going to get an answer, but... Well, what else was she going to do while she waited for her mom to get off work anyways? She could at least try putting her dad at ease. Telling him things were going fine.
Although Lisa couldn't help wondering at this point... Just how real Arcia really was? With how the Landers felt just like people... With how real her legs felt... With how real her fear felt...
Could she... Could she maybe talk to her dad there? Maybe after asking a shaman or something?
It felt like such a ridiculous idea... But it was hard to not dream of it at least at this time of the year.
She shelved the thought though... At least until she could log-in... Maybe she could try going on a crazy search for a shaman later... What's the worst that could happen anyways? Lose some time?
And so, the one-sided conversation continued while Lisa and Evelyn waited for Sophia to arrive.