Lily Baby.

Frank’s POV

I slept on the couch that night. My mother wasn’t back, so I assumed she’d decided to stay at work. She often does that; she’s a nurse and she really is dedicated to the hospital.

When I woke up, I could hear the clatter of plates as people ate breakfast in the kitchen. I rolled off the couch onto my feet and stretched my entire body, my fingers almost brushing the ceiling.

Alicia and Mikey were sitting at the table, and I was surprised at first as I’d almost forgotten they’d stayed over. Hell, I’d forgotten everything that happened last night.

I shivered, barefoot on the kitchen tiles.

“Where’s Lily?” I asked, regretting it as soon as I said it. My life shouldn’t revolve around her.

“Sleeping like a rock,” Alicia replied, smiling quietly as she ate her cereal. I still don’t understand why she’s letting herself get mixed up in all this mess. She’s got a bright future ahead of her. She shouldn’t be here.

I nodded, pulling up a chair as Gerard entered the room. His eyes were dark around the edges and his hair was matted. He cleared his throat.

“We need to leave; I’ll go and wake Lily…”

“Why do we need to?” asked Mikey. It was obvious he was afraid of what might happen if they left the house.

“We just do, Mikey. You can walk Alicia home if you want,” he murmured before rushing up the stairs.

Moments later he returned in the doorway with Lily in tow, rubbing the sleep out from her eyes. Mikey and Alicia stood, although I could tell they didn’t want to go anywhere.

“Goodbye, Frank,” they both said in turn, Gerard merely patted my shoulder and Lily was too tired to know what was going on at all. I sighed as I watched them make their way up the garden path, convinced Gerard had a good reason for all this.

-

Open POV

Donna was tired as she drove around the town late that morning. She had woken to find all of her children missing so decided to find them. Her eyes found it difficult to stay trained to the road as tiredness overtook her. She found herself driving into a familiar street as blurs of red and blue flashed before her eyes.

She slammed her foot on the brakes.

An ambulance and a police car was parked outside the Howard household. She frowned, climbing out of her car and walking over to where Mrs Allman stood beside a woman who she assumed to be Mrs Howard. They were shivering.

“What happened?” she asked, quickly. Both women looked up suddenly, their claw-like hands scrabbling at their thin cardigans.

Mrs Allman turned slowly, her arm reached out to Mrs Howard as she spoke.

“There’s been an incident,” she whispered, her voice shaking, “Our boys were attacked last night… Jeph’s in quite bad shape especially.”

She seemed half relieved that she didn’t have to say ‘Quinn’s in quite bad shape especially’ yet didn’t make it obvious.

Donna only knew of Jeph through Quinn, who often mumbled about his friend ‘Jeph’ but said nothing more.

“Who did it?”

“There’s no evidence, and both boys are refusing to talk…”

Mrs Howard shuddered.

“That’s dreadful, I am so sorry… if there’s anything I can do…” she whispered, clutching her chest, suddenly feeling insecure about the safety of her neighbourhood. Should she install those special locks after all?

Mrs Allman gestured to the ambulance, “We better go, thanks, Donna.”

They shared a brief hug, before Mrs Allman pulled Mrs Howard towards the ambulance.

Donna shook her head as she looked on, turning to look at the quiet house before here. A trickle of blood could be seen decorating the front garden. She noticed something other than blood shining, and when she was sure no one was looking her way, she stooped forwards to reach it and snatched it from the ground.

Lying in her hand was a very familiar necklace…