Impromptu starter for @pseughost
She was home from school for the weekend, her room bathed in the lights of the Los Angeles night. Sprawled on her bed, Lillie gazed up at the ceiling as she watched the neon flash and fade on the white surface. She could feel it -- the crawling under her skin -- like something was just itching to be released. Tears pricked her eyes. No, you’ve been so good, Lillie, you can’t do this now. Her heart starts to race, her breath coming in short bursts, hands shaking violently at her sides. Why now? She has to do something about this.
Before she thinks about what she’s doing, she’s flinging herself out of bed and redressing in the clothes she wore that day, not bothering with tying her shoes but instead tucking the laces into them. Only when she was out in the living room, pulling Casey’s house key off of his key-ring did she stop and think about what she was doing. Only then did she start weighing her options -- stay at home and risk being stupid and waking up her family and worrying them, or go to him. She made sure to have her phone on her before she left the apartment.
Tallah had once shown her the forest -- Cato’s forest -- and told her about it and how it works, that she can use it if she ever needed. Just get hopelessly lost, and then think of where you wish to go, and you’ll be there! Her lungs burned as she sprinted past foliage and trees, keeping his name in the forefront of her mind. Was it because she was trying to make sure she completed the ritual of the forest right, or was it because his name brought her comfort?
Focused so intently on the person that resided within the place she sought, she didn’t realize the gradual transition to farmland until she was running past the animal enclosures and the barn. Forfeiting all of her normal manners, she lets herself into the main house, through the hallways until she finds his door. She froze. What if he didn’t want to see her? Centering herself, she cracked the door open, stepping in as quietly as she could despite labored breathing.
“Donnie?” she says breathlessly as she lets the door click closed behind her.