Name: Lucien "Luc" Melaina Age: Forty-six Gender & Pronouns: Cis-male, he/him Sexuality: Gay Time in Redwood: Two years Resides in: Second floor of the library building Previous occupation: Author Community occupation: Librarian
musings // answered // mirror // wanted connections
An old soul, that’s what they called Lucien ever since he was a kid. And as if in a hurry to catch up with that old soul, the oldest Melaina son walked and talked and read earlier than all other kids his age, impressing parents and teachers and everyone who came to know the little guy who spent his days with his nose stuck in a book. They talked about how he would become a scientist, a politician, a lawyer, half-joking and half-hoping and doted on his every need.
But Luc didn’t share any of those aspirations. Luc only needed his books and his few good friends and his peace and quiet in order to be happy. He never excelled at school the way everyone expected, his mind wandering to far away worlds, or trying to keep his eyes open after having pulled an all-nighter to read just one more chapter. He didn’t get invited to many parties and he never found the appeal in sports, but even though he lived in a different bubble than the popular kids, no one dared to bully or make fun of him.
Even his college years were quiet, his degree in English Literature coming almost easily to him. He spent his hours in the library and next to the sea and in cute little coffee shops with his laptop and his books, reading and writing and daydreaming until he found himself scrolling through pages and pages of his own creation.
His first novel did well enough, especially for a debut. His second one, even better. His third one changed his world forever. Luc doesn’t know how and he doesn’t know why, but it apparently hit the right chord– there was success and money and awards and a movie deal. And there was a thrust into the spotlight that nobody could have prepared him for.
Because Hollywood was very different from the peace and quiet he had always tried to maintain. He tried to be grateful for the kind words and the selfies and the interviews, but he found himself returning home exhausted and empty and with zero energy or interest to turn or write a single page.
When the virus hit, Luc was on a promotion tour for the movie that was set to premier at the end of the year. Every day he put on a mask of excitement and answered the same questions and said the same catchphrases and ignored his true feelings. He did everything the publicists and managers told him– so when they said that this virus was nothing to worry about, he believed them.
They were in Washington, DC when the outbreak became impossible to ignore. The tour and the premiere and everything was ‘postponed until further notice’, flights were canceled, panic spread. Luc stayed in town for as long as he deemed safe, and when everything became too suffocating, he joined a group that fled to the countryside.
He felt terrified and exhausted and completely useless– he couldn’t run very fast, he couldn’t cook very well, and he definitely couldn’t fight. People came and people left and people died and somehow, probably through pure luck, he survived day after day. Months later, he found himself at Redwood, dehydrated and starving and with a broken and infected leg.
And the people of Redwood took care of him. They let him rest and gave him food and water and clean clothes and a place to stay. So he gave back what he could, even if it was just a few kind words, a good conversation and a renovated library– after all, he knew from a very young age that sometimes a few good friends and a few good books are enough to make you happy.
With the understandable shortage of new items coming into the library, he is very strict with return deadlines and demands all the books remain in the best possible condition.
His leg has good and bad days, sometimes he can barely get out of bed, others he can almost forget the pain is there. Still, he always carries his cane with him and leans into it whether by need or habit.
There’s always that one orange cat in the library- Luc calls him Gatsby, feeds him, lets him sit on his lap while he is reading, has him sleep on the foot of his bed, but is not willing to admit that the cat is his at this point.
Before the outbreak, he used to be a vegetarian, but since then he has had meat on various occasions for the sake of survival. When there are other options, he always goes for the vegetables.
He knows that it’s a weird thing to say, but he is happier during the apocalypse than he was before it, getting to enjoy the slow life of Redwood after so long in the spotlight. However, the thought of what is going on outside the walls never really leaves his head, as he knows that if the city falls, his chances of survival are next to none.
