brandi. (zombiephile) wrote in daiquiri, @ 2008-01-22 01:14:00 |
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Entry tags: | 100 prompts, char: sally-anne perks, game: euphoria lane |
100 Prompts: #58, Tragic (Sally-Anne Perks)
Title: Tragedy
Characters: Sally-Anne and Michael Perks
Setting: Euphoria Lane, 2004 sometime.
Word Count: 747
Summary: Michael brings Sally-Anne bad news.
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: For the 100 Prompts #58: Tragic, as requested by sira_ne_biber. Also, I may or may not request to make this game-canon at some point. I've been toying with the idea of asking the mods if I can have this happen. For now, though, it's AU.
It was a normal day. Or as normal as things ever got on Euphoria Lane. Sally was busy with a short blurb that she was working on for one of the sports publications she occasionally wrote for in the muggle world, and she was also busy with wedding plans. The date had been set, and Sally had a calendar next to her desk where she had the date circled. Even though it was still months away, there was so much to be done. She was at the flat that she now shared with Nate. They were living together now, and soon they would be married. Just that thought made her so incredibly happy. And her father would be there to walk her down the aisle, and her brothers (except for Jon, who was still in Azkaban) and sister and mum would all be there. It seemed like it had been forever since they'd all been gathered together. Arthur and Michael hadn't managed to make it home for Christmas the previous year, and while Sally had managed to see Michael more often, ever since he ended up on a desk job for a few months after busting his knee, she hadn't seen Arthur since February. Nate was out, so Sally was alone in the flat when there was a knock on the door. Setting down her quill, Sally stood up and headed over to the door, pulling it open a crack to see who it was, before pulling it open wider, beaming brightly. "Mike! What are you doing here? Come in, come in," she gestured for him to step into the flat, then closed the door behind him. "You should have owled to let me know you were stopping by, I'd have made tea or something." "Sal ..." Michael started, but he trailed off. Sally finally noticed the look on his face. He was upset, and he looked like he was about to cry ... like he had already been crying. This shook Sally more than anything else. Mike was confident, strong, she'd never seen him cry. He and Arthur ... they were the brothers who could scale mountains and defeat the evil villains and come out of it all unscathed. "What happened?" she asked, dreading the answer. Please, she thought, practically begging, don't let it be mum or dad. Michael looked away, clearing his throat. "Here, Sal, why don't you sit?" He gestured to the couch, and Sally warily walked over and sat down. Michael sat down next to her, turned to face her, though he was looking down at his hands, clenched together in his lap. "Please, ... Mike. Just tell me. Whatever it is, the suspense is making me imagine horrible things." Sally was trying to be brave, but the tremble in her voice gave away just how upset she was getting over this ... and she didn't even know what it was yet. "It's Ar-" Michael stopped, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat again, looking finally at his sister and meeting her eyes. Nearly identical green eyes met, both pairs starting to brim with tears. Sally knew what Michael was trying to say, even as he finished his sentence -- "It's Arthur," he said, reaching over to squeeze Sally's hand. "He -- there was a tip. A trap. A bunch of our guys went .. most are in Mungo's right now. But Arthur ..." he trailed off again, breaking eye contact with Sally to look away. No ... it couldn't be true. That was Sally's first thought, followed almost immediately by a deep sense of despair. Michael had never lied to her in her entire life, and she knew that he wouldn't joke about something like this. Sally nearly choked on the sob that got caught in her throat. She clutched to his hand like a lifeline, bringing her free hand up to bury her face in it. Tears flowed freely as she struggled to breathe. This couldn't be happening. Arthur was the oldest, the protector of the rest of the family. He'd protected all of them in all the buzz after Jon's capture and ousting as a Death Eater. Even though he was so much older than her, she'd always looked up to him because of that strength. And now he was gone. As Michael enveloped his sister in his arms, holding her as they cried together, Sally couldn't help but wonder how much more tragedy their family would have to suffer. |