#lemonstreet

>You sit at your table, facing the door, like always. You’re tired as you haven’t gotten enough sleep these last few days, your locked-in caretaker has been causing more ruckus than usual. The door rattles once again.

||Pleaϟe go back to  ϟleep...||

>The door thumps twice more, and then goes silent. You look up hoping that it has tired itself enough to stop for the moment. You sigh as your home is plunged into silence.

>Actually, scratch that, you hear something. Coming from the other door, the one leading out into the corridor. You rise up and try to rub the exhaustion from your eyes as you approach.

> Is that...laughter? It feels like it’s been forever since you heard someone laugh. And you also hear voices...

>...

> ...RONALD? You stare at the door for a few seconds before you step up and look through the peephole. Nothing, after all he lives on the floor below, but that voice was definitely him. This might be it! If I can get down there and speak to him, if I can just explain, face-to-face, then maybe...maybe everything will...

>You grab the door handle and

>and nothing. Frozen, staring at your fist around the metal. If I touch him I know what will happen. You try to turn the handle but your arm is as if made of lead. The door to your left creaks as it is hit with another THUMP.

||c’mon juϟt turn, pleaϟe. I’ve gotten it under control, it wo-||

>Creak? You snap to attention as your eyes dart to the other door.

||H-hello?||

>No answer. You let go of the handle and reach over to feel the locks on the other door. Still holding. A shuffling is heard from withing the other room. Sounds like your lusus has tired itself enough.

>You sigh with relief before you look back towards the exit. Can’t even turn a handle. Worthless. You sink down with your back against the prison you’ve made for your only companion in this home. As you pull your knees up to your face you try to hold back the tears.