do you hear that?

#escapril2023 - @letsescapril

#quinnsescapril2023

we did it!

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trigger warnings :

mention of injury, car crash, cliffhanger ending :)

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    “Yes, okay, Lumes, give me one minute and I’ll come play with you.” Chloe smiles slightly, before manoeuvring herself off her bed and onto the floor. It’s a bit easier now that she’s got more mobility in her leg, but she still can’t put any weight on it, so it is most definitely not a graceful transfer. Lumi bounds towards her immediately, and Chloe ruffles the dog’s fur as best she can.

    “Stupid car crash,” she mumbles bitterly, “can’t even stroke my dog anymore.”

    Lumi barks.

    “I know. I’m sorry, Lumi. Chloe can’t use her hands right at the moment. It’s not fair.” It’s been a month. She still can’t do anything. Her mum’s gone. Her dad still has to go to work. It’s just her and Lumi at home, and Chloe spends most of her time in her room, other than when Hank carries her downstairs. At least she has Lumi for company, even if she can’t do much.

    “What do you wanna play, Lumes? Go get something. We’ll see what I can do.” Lumi stays with Chloe for a moment, before she trots away, leaving the blonde on her own. Which isn’t the best idea. Not that Lumi would probably realise that, she is, after all, a dog.

     Chloe stares at the door, her hands limp in her lap. There’s a weird feeling in her stomach. Something feels wrong. She feels weirdly uncomfortable, in her own home, in her own bedroom, and she doesn’t like it. Before she can think about it more, though, Lumi comes back with her favourite tug-of-war toy in her mouth, and Chloe sighs softly.

    “Trust you to bring the toy I can’t quite play with. And no, I won’t play with my mouth like you. Sensitive teeth. Also, unhygienic.” But Chloe’s a pushover for her dog, and she takes the end of the toy that’s being nudged towards her, holding on with both hands in an attempt to make it a little easier for her.

    “Okay, pull.” Lumi pulls. The toy yanks out of Chloe’s hands immediately.

    “Ugh. Not fair. Why can’t I play?” She’s already set to give up, frustrated by her inability to do almost anything lately, but Lumi huffs, and Chloe falls for the puppy dog eyes.

    “Alright. We’ll try again.”

    They try several more times. Chloe is fully invested in the little tug-of-war game for the next hour, and although she never quite does ‘well’, by the end of it her grip is getting better. She doesn’t lose immediately. It’s even lifted her spirits a little. The ability to do something with the body that hadn’t felt like hers for a month. She hadn’t really wanted to stop, but it seems Lumi herself had decided that was enough, and she’d dropped the toy on the floor and rested her head on Chloe’s legs.

    “What’s the time, Lumes? I wonder if it’s nearly time for dinner, or if it’s nearly time for Dad to come home?” She reaches for her phone, and it falls onto Lumi’s back immediately.

    “Oh, gosh, I’m sorry, Lumi. I didn’t mean to. I love you.” Chloe manages to pick it up, and she rests it against her arm as she unlocks it.

    “Dad should be home— oh.” Speaking of Hank, her phone lights up with a call from him, and the vibration through her body feels terrible. She’ll have to turn that off. After the phone call, though, which she puts on loud speaker.

    “Hey, kid. You alright?”

    “Yeah! Lumi and I were playing tug-of-war. I could nearly hold it properly.”

    “Oh, really? That’s amazing, Chlo-Bear, that’s so good, I’m so proud of you.” She can feel the pride in his tone, and Chloe beams. It’s one of the brightest smiles she’s pulled out in a long while, and he can’t even see it.

    “Thanks, Dad. When are you gonna be home?” There’s a long pause, and that smile fades. She can hear the sirens now, and she’s working out what it means.

    “I’m sorry, baby, I got a lead on one of my cases. We’re currently on the way to look at it. I’m hoping it’s going to be a really fast one, and I’ll be home in the next couple of hours, but not for a little bit. Have you eaten yet?”

    “Not since lunch. I was waiting for you.”

    “Oh, honey,” he says, and the one positive from this is that she can hear the disappointment in his tone, and she knows it’s not meant for her, “go get something to eat please. For me. Tell you what, make yourself a sandwich or something. Use magic, the house is warded, it’s fine. On my way home, I’ll swing by a take-away and grab something for us.”

    “Pizza! Can I have the cookie dough?” Hank laughs, the sound fond and comforting.

    “Yes, you get the cookie dough. Now, we’re coming up on the location, so I’m gonna have to go, sweetheart.”

    “Okay, Dad. I love you.”

    “I love you too. Go make your sandwich. Call me if you need. You know I’ll pick up.” Chloe hums in agreement, and Hank hangs up. The blonde is quiet for a moment, before she looks down at Lumi.

    “I guess we go make food now. I’ll feed you too, don’t worry, I just need to try and find my crutch.” She hasn’t used it in a fair while. Couldn’t properly, with her hands unwilling to grip, but after that little game, she’s got some more hope. Lumi stands up and disappears around the other side of Chloe’s bed, whilst the other manages to get herself back up onto it (it’s easier to stand from there), and when Lumi reappears, she’s dragging the crutch in her mouth.

    “Oh, Lumes, thank you, you cute little bugger.” Chloe leans down to take it, Lumi hitting her in the legs with her tail, and, after a short while, she manages to stand herself up.

    The bad feeling settled deep in Chloe’s stomach only gets worse once she’s got her sandwich. Lumi doesn’t seem especially relaxed either. She keeps growling at the door, and Chloe’s not brave enough to go and check it.

    “Lumi,” she whispers, “please, you’re scaring me.” The dog looks at her for a moment, before she goes back to staring at the door, though she doesn’t growl again.

    “Lumi. I don’t, I don’t understand what’s going on. What are you looking at?” There’s no reaction from Lumi, and Chloe stares at her sandwich. She doesn’t want it anymore, her anxiety rising with every ing moment.

    She wants to go back upstairs. She doesn’t want to be down here anymore. The sofa faces away from the door, and though she half wants to check it, she’s also way too nervous about doing so.

    There’s a sound outside. Right by the front door. Chloe tenses, her breathing quickening and her heart rate picking up.

    “Do you hear that?” Chloe whispers. Lumi has her hackles raised, and she’s growling again. A moment goes by, and there’s another noise.

    Chloe reaches for her phone, her hands shaking. Her father’s is easy enough to find, and she’s just pressed the call button when there’s a sharp pain in the back of her head.

    “Chlo? What’s wrong?”

    “Chlo?”

    “Chloe?”