Chapter Text
The first time Laf bandaged Perry up they were both seven, playing on the swings at Laf’s house. Betsy had been in the hospital for her third round of chemo and Perry’s mother was at the hospital with her, leaving Perry with Laf’s mum. Perry had tried to hop off the swing before it was low enough and had skinned her knees. Easily fixable with bandaids…
“There was just blood…everywhere.” Perry’s hands are shaking, tears streaked across her face. Blood is splattered across her arms, her shirt, everywhere. Band aids aren’t going to fix this.
Perry hadn’t cried when she’d fallen the first time. Just blinked back tears while Laf inspected the damage.
She’s shaking now, trembling like a leaf. Not crying, but something past crying. She’s in shock, pale, body temperature is probably dropping.
When Laf had brought Perry into the house to get cleaned up Laf’s mum had been sprawled on the couch, recovering from a hangover, or already passed out drunk. Laf knew better than to bother her, even with a fairly shaky understanding of their mother’s alcoholism, they knew not to bother her.
There’s no adults now, just Laf supporting Perry and leading her to the bathroom to get cleaned up. Perry sits on the toilet lid, skin translucent under the fluorescent lights.
“I’m going to wipe the blood off you. Is that okay?” Laf waits for Perry to nod slowly before taking damp washcloth and washing her hands, then her forearms. Perry’s hair is okay, but her shirt is soaked through to the skin where she had fallen.
“I’m going to get you another shirt. I’ll be right back.”
Laf unbuttons Perry’s shirt, tossing the bloody fabric in the bathtub. Perry doesn’t even mutter anything about running cold water so it can soak, she just stands there, shivering. Laf wipes the blood off her stomach, and helps her out of her blood soaked pants.
“They weren’t breathing. I could hear the blood dripping, but they were all lying there and there was no breathing. That was the only sound.” Perry starts to cry, and Laf hugs her, feeling her heart hammering in her chest.
“Shhhhh it’s okay. You’re safe.”
“I’m not safe. None of us are safe. If they killed those kids they can kill us to!” Perry begins to panic again, and Laf tries to calm her down, rubbing small circles across her back.
“I’m not going to let them hurt you.”