Date: 3/27 Time: Afternoon Location: The Jungle Closed Starter: @lucas-lowe
A vast aching emptiness sits at the pit of Lark’s stomach, too familiar to ignore. It is the hollowness felt by the absence of a loved one, but it doesn’t exist there for any of those hallucinated in the fog. Lark and Luke weren’t by any means inseparable before, but a whole month without seeing each other feels like a lifetime now. It isn’t for lack of trying. Lark has been looking for Luke practically every day since his recovery, but, from what he can gather, it seems like Luke is actively avoiding him. He understands why, he just wishes it weren’t the case, wishes Luke could see that what happened wasn’t his fault.
He’s gone over the things he might say to Luke when he sees him a million times. He’s run every imaginable scenario over in his head. After a few failed attempts at trying to find him, Lark had decided to scavenge for any paper he could find. On the inside of a paperback book cover, he’s written charcoal sentiments conveyed in the fog—all that was never heard through the hallucinations—just in case Luke isn’t receptive to talking. Lark keeps this note folded up in his pocket everywhere he goes these days.
He’s started differentiating the days between ‘idle days’ and ‘searching days’. On idle days he goes about normal life, while still keeping an eye out. Searching days are just that—dedicated to finding Luke. On searching days he scours the west cove, Luke’s usual haunts, even his cave, but of course he’s never around. There are less idle days than Lark cares to admit.
Surprisingly, today is an idle day. Lark has just finished up at the farm and has the rest of the day to himself. However, he’s found that even on idle days he drifts west along the tree line, hoping against hope to spot a familiar figure within. About half a mile west he hears movement in the jungle, quickly turns toward the sound, and—is it really? His heart stops. He doesn’t call out for fear of startling, he just pushes on through the foliage to follow the figure. As he draws nearer, his confidence grows that, despite the more disheveled appearance, he’s finally found him.
“Luke?” He says, perhaps too softly, “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Please. Don’t run away.”
