Lucy Morgan Glimpses

[Dark Passenger]

On the Road, day 1: Time to Run

It was late in the evening, at Sunset Apartments in Miami, Florida. Lucy was tired after a long day of doing surprisingly little, she's usually tired. So when she comes home, she wants to lie down on her couch, or go straight to bed. She's all alone so who cares?

Tonight, that wouldn't happen.

She hasn't even switched on the lights or she can already see that something's terribly wrong. Papers are everywhere, her comfy couch is destroyed. Actually her whole place is ransacked.

'Motherfuckers!' Is her first reaction. It is obvious who did this. What did I do to deserve this? Reject their stupid job? I'm done playing their clean-up girl a.k.a. criminal housemaid. Were they looking for something? Like what, money?

She was never given all the money that she deserved, after finishing their last job, so she kinda messed up what she's working on now. Or should be working on.

'Pfff, this is insane.'

Lucy is angry, but also scared. Fuck. What if they would come back? Thank god she had already been packing some stuff over the last week. She had planned to leave, although not tonight. Because she has no idea where to go to . Perhaps the west coast? Damn, she has no idea.

Relax Lucy. She forces herself not to freak out, so she starts lighting the candles in her apartment. There must be at least twenty. It's a common thing. When she stands in the middle of her room surrounded by candles, she smiles, yes, California.

The Elemental immediately starts the final preparations. Adrenaline rushes through her body. Clothes, purses, cheap accessories, she would just throw it in her car. Then she started going through all the mess. She would save some pictures, the rest... Burn it all. She lit every gas burner in her kitchen, then she gathered everything remotely connected to her. Anything she wouldn't take with her should burn. In a pan, or he sink, it doesn't matter. A Fireheart can handle her fire.

And the quickest way to get rid of things is by burning them, isn't it?

Because one thing is certain. She has to leave, and quick.

She'll sleep in a motel tonight. Not in Florida. That'll be a long ride.

To be continued!

[Dark Passenger]

Sometimes, you need to run. From things, for things, or just run. At the moment, Lucy is doing the latter. She has to stay in shape. It's late in the afternoon, she's been running for...

'Phew, 13 minutes already? Man, I'm definitely a sprinter.'

She sighs, and pauses. Only once she really needed to run from something. Now you're thinking her Keeper, but no, it was the police. If she hadn't been able to flee into the Hedge, she might be in jail right now. Still, she would have preferred to be a better runner. The only way Lucy would be able to actually accomplish something running, like a competition for charity, is by glamouring-up her nature. And yes, she's done charity stuff.

We all have to do some good, sometime.

If only everyone would think like that! The girl talking - completely panicked, almost crying - on the phone not far from Lucy is definitely not up to much good. The Winter Elemental is about to start running when she overhears the girl's conversation.

'Really, I swear... I hate them!' She could hardly be 15 years old. 'First they want me to make friends... and then... then I meet a guy, now it's still not okay?!'

Lucy takes one step and approaches the girl. Maybe she can pause a little longer. Glamour is good for your health too, right?

'Ill never go back to them! Can I... can I stay with you?'

She let's the girl finish her conversation, it ends in disappointment, and it ends soon when the teenager notices Lucy listening to her. The Elemental gently lays a hand on her shoulder. Not something you would do with a stranger, but she needs to feel the girl's emotions.

'Are you alright?' She shakes her head, tears start to flow and she puts her pink iPhone away. Someone is actually ready to listen to her?!

'It's my parents...' she begins, and damn, it's a long story that follows. So long that Lucy actually starts to exercise from where she's standing. '... so, now, I've like... no idea what to do.'

'You know what I always say, don't run from your problem, but rush into them, face it all.' She has never said that before. 'Just talk to them, openly, surely it'll help.'

'But, but - '

'No,' she interrupts her, with a smile, 'if that doesn't work, you know, I'd say, just set your dad's precious car on fire!' Ha-ha. Lucy brings it as a joke, she doesn't have a great sense of humor. 'Then he can't go away, and he must give you some attention,' she shrugs. The girl looks confused, was this a joke? Is the woman crazy?

This is so not my problem.

'Anyway, I gotta run.'

And so she takes off... fleeing from this teenage drama.

[Dark Passenger]

A raging heat. Suffocating smoke. All consuming flames. Crumbling walls and floors with ashes everywhere. Fire.

That’s what killed all the brave people who are remembered at the California Firefighters Memorial. It’s a cold day near Christmas when Lucy finds herself there. She couldn’t find a reason not to go. These people died trying to save others. And the Elemental knows what an unstoppable force fire can be. It’s truly a fight.

And many lose.

She bought some flowers to bring to the memorial. Lucy’s not the only one. Especially during these days where everyone is warm in side with family, most of the time, we all have to think about those few who are missing.

You can read it on their faces. A young woman stands before her with a little boy holding her hand. The feeling of loss is fresh on their faces. And who is to blame? Probably no one. Fires just happen.

Lucy smiles sweetly to the boy as she kneels down to lay her flowers on the ground near the memorial.

'You lose your daddy too?' He mumbles.

It breaks her heart. Lucy doesn’t know how to react, she just shakes her head. She didn’t lose her father due to a fire. Yet, she did lose everyone she knows. Her shake becomes a nod. She extends her arm to pat the child on his shoulder – just before his mom picks him up. She’s too emotional too speak, and she starts walking away from Lucy after a quick nod.

But that one touch was enough for the Changeling. It is strange when it feels so good, while it also makes her so sad. It only reminds her of all the losses. Some losses she caused as well. However, that’s what keeps her going now. Because just like many other Lost, she realizes one thing:

In the end, it’s a cold world we live in.