2. Left in the Dark

Left in the Dark

Disclaimer: The only thing I own out of this is my darling OC Laney Loud. The rest belongs to the show's creator Chris Savino.

Our story begins with a tv promo of Lincoln's favorite show.

HUNTER SPECTOR: Do you believe in ghosts? Join me, Hunter Spector, spectre hunter, leader of the Academy of Really Good Ghost Hunters, or ARGGH! As I descend into the scariest place in any home, the basement! Sunday night at 8 PM! Don't miss it, or you'll be left in the dark! ARGGH!

LINCOLN: [marks calendar] It's finally here! The live season finale of the greatest show ever! (Lincoln looks at camera.) All right, I know you're probably saying to yourself 'Lincoln, with eleven sisters, there's no way you're going to get to watch your favorite show.' And, you'd be right. Every Sunday at 8, it's the same thing

And he wasn't kidding. Every sunday night a 8 he finds himself fighting over the remote with his many siblings. Making it hard for the boy to watch his show.

LINCOLN: But tonight, I have a plan. Cadet Lincoln calling Cadet Clyde, do you read me?

At the other end of the walkie talkie is Lincoln's best friend Clyde McBride.

CLYDE: This is Cadet Clyde, I read you loud and clear! I'm so excited! We finally get to watch ARGGH together. And by together, I mean you at your house, and me at mine, right?

LINCOLN: For such a landmark event, we decided that it'd be best for us if we watched it separately. Clyde's got a huge crush on my sister Lori. It gets awkward.

He wasn't kidding about that either.

CLYDE: [Looking dreamily at drawing of Lori] "Hubba hubba.

LINCOLN: Clyde? Clyde? Do you read me?

CLYDE: Uh, you better hurry, Lincoln. It's almost 8:00!

LINCOLN: It's time to put Operation Distract My Sisters So That I Can Get to the TV First and Watch the Special Live Season Finale of ARGGH and Think of Shorter Name For This Operation into action.

The first thing he had to deal with was the twins Lola and Lana who couldn't wait to march down to the living room to watch cartoons.

LINCOLN: Did someone say tea party? [reveals a tea pot and a box of cookies]

LOLA: Eeeee! Thank you, Lincoln! [takes items and goes back to her room]

Lana, being the opposite of her sister was not interested in tea parties.

LANA: Hey, I don't want to be part of some dumb old tea party, I want to watch TV!

LINCOLN: Not even if (pulls frogs from behind him) these guys are invited? [holds out frogs; Frog croaks]

LANA: Eeeee! Thanks, Lincoln! [takes frogs and goes back to her room]

Next there was Luan, who was well known for practical jokes and her lame jokes and puns. But she was a comedy enthusiast nonetheless.

LINCOLN: Hey, Luan!

LUAN: I was just heading downstairs to watch TV.

LINCOLN: You might want to grab your video camera instead. The twins are at it again.

Inside, Lola and Lana were once again fighting. This lightened Luan with opportunity.

LUAN: This is totally going to go viral! [gives in to record the brawl] Thanks, Linc!

Coming out of Lynn and Lucy's room was shy little Laney Loud making her way downstairs with book in her hands.

LINCOLN: Oh! Hey Laney!

LANEY: Oh, I was just going to the living room to read my book in peace. I can't focus with Lola and Lana fighting next door.

LINCOLN: No Problem!

Lincoln then pulls out some earmuffs and attached them onto Laney's head.

LANEY: Gee, thanks Lincoln!

As she went back to her room, Lincoln went to take care Lisa and little baby Lily.

LINCOLN: Hey, Lisa. I saved you a trip downstairs and got that stuff you needed.

LISA: The lactose, triticum protein, sodium chloride crystals, sucrose, and galus galus ovum?

LINCOLN: Uh, you mean milk, flour, salt, sugar and eggs? [holds out ingredients]

LISA: You say tomato, I say solanum lycopersicum. Thank you. [takes ingredients]

Next there was the athletic preteen Lynn Loud.

LYNN: Yeah! Two minutes to game time! Whoo!

LINCOLN: Hey, Lynn, check it out. [holds out a football that starts floating] I filled it with helium for the extreme player who demands more.

LYNN: I demand more!

Approaching another room was 16 year old Leni Loud.

LINCOLN: Uh, go long!

(Whistle blows, Lynn struggles to get the ball.)

LYNN: Get over here, you!

With that out of the way. She went to Leni. Lincoln shouldn't have any trouble diverting her away from getting downstairs for she is what you folks may call a "dumb blonde".

LINCOLN: Oh my gosh, Leni!

LENI: What, is there a spider on me? [frantically rubs her head] Get it off! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!

LINCOLN: Worse. There's a zit on the end of your nose.

LENI: I'm a hideous monster! [runs away]

Then there was Lincoln's rockstar sister Luna Loud.

LUNA: Hey, bro! TV tonight is gonna be rockin'!" (Strums guitar.) Yeah!

LINCOLN: Or, you can have your very own flashlight rock show in your bedroom. [holds out a colorful flashlight and Luna takes it]

LUNA: That is sweet! Thanks, Linc!

Then last but not least, there was the oldest sibling in the family. Bossy 17 year old teenager Lori Loud.

LORI: Has anyone seen my phone? I need to live-tweet my show!

LINCOLN: (Presses dials) Hey, Lori! Hey, Lori, I found your phone!

LORI: Give me that! [snatches phone] How many times do I have to tell you to keep your hands of my stuff! (Phone rings, Lincoln counts down.) Hello? Oh, hi Bobby. (Laughs.) No, I didn't text you to call me, but I'm glad you did! [to Lincoln] Thanks for nothing, twerp!

After that it was smooth sailing for Lincoln Loud. He had taken care of all of his sisters. Including little Lily Loud who Lincoln left her sleeping soundly on the laundry basket then kissed her. (Aww!)

LINCOLN: And that makes 11.

Lincoln the slides down the stairs and lands on his feet and walks toward the couch, thinking he finally had the TV all to himself. Until there was one small thing he forgot to count on.

LUCY: You forgot me.

LINCOLN: Ahh! (Falls to the ground.) Lucy! I always forget about Lucy!

LUCY: Story of my life.

LINCOLN: What are you doing here?

LUCY: It's the season premiere of my favorite show,"Vampires of Melancholia".

LINCOLN: This is the episode of ARGGH that everyone is going to be talking about at school tomorrow! Please let me watch it? Pretty please with a black cherry on top?

LUCY: I'm sorry, Lincoln, but you know the rule. I was here (in slow motion) first.

LINCOLN: NOOOOOO!" (Looks at remote and licks it.) Ha!

LUCY: [holds up another remote] That's the old remote that Lily threw into the toilet.

[Lincoln gags, rubs tongue, and spits out germs. He then weeps.]

LUCY: Sorry, Lincoln, I can't miss my vampires. Edwin is so cold and tormented and mysterious. Sigh. If only he wasn't from another century.

LINCOLN: Another century! That's okay, Lucy. You watch your show on the big color TV. I'll just go watch my show on Dad's crummy, old, black-and-white TV.

LUCY: Black and white are my favorite colors.

LINCOLN: Yeah, it'll make watching my show a little more spooky!

LUCY: Spooky is also my favorite color.

LINCOLN: Well, enjoy your vampires.

LUCY: Wait! I'll take the old TV!

Moments later in Lucy's room, Lincoln was setting up his fathers old tv.

LINCOLN: How can only two colors be so heavy? (Puts it on the bed.) Now to plug it in. So, you can be happy or sad or whatever that emotion is. And I won't be left in the dark.

But as soon as Lincoln plugs in the TV, the entire power goes out. Leaving everybody in the dark!

LINCOLN: Dang it.

Later, everyone was murmuring in confusion about why the power was out. Laney was the most worried.

LANEY: Help! I don't like the dark!

LORI: All right! All right! Everybody just calm down!

LENI: Guys! I can't see anything! I think I've gone blind!

LORI: No, you didn't go blind. What the heck happened?

LINCOLN: I was just plugging in the old TV for Lucy and it must've made the lights go out.

LORI: Of course it was your fault, Lincoln.

All the other sisters complained while Laney tried to defend Lincoln.

LANEY: Girls please! I'm sure Lincoln didn't mean cause a blackout.

LINCOLN: Yeah! All I did was plug in some dumb old TV!

LUAN: Hey! I know why the lights went out! Cause they liked each other! (laughs as siblings grunt.) Get it? Get it?

Told you her jokes were lame.

LISA: That one was so good, it deserved a cookie. [hands her one]

LUAN: Oh, thanks. [eats it] So anyway, what did one light bulb say to the other?

(The rest of the siblings gasp.)

LINCOLN: You're glowing.

LUAN: Oh. I already told you that one?

LUNA: No, dude. You are glowing.

LUAN: Hey, wow!

Once again one Lisa's siblings were part of her science experiment. And it wasn't the first time. Last time she tried experimenting on Leni and left her face bloated and covered in blemishes.

LISA: Classic. All I did was infuse the bioluminescent DNA of the Aequorea victoria jellyfish into a cookie. I call them Gloweos. Besides, now we can see.

LORI: Okay. Everyone huddle around Luan.

LUAN: I always knew I was the light of your life. (giggles; the rest of her siblings sigh.)

First things first. The kids had to find a way to get the power back on. But not after a head count to see if everyone's safe.

LINCOLN: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11, and me, that's 12. Yep, that's all of us. We are all here and accounted for.

LUCY: You forgot me.

(Lincoln screams and falls to the ground.)

LINCOLN: Can I go flip the circuit breaker and get the lights back on before Lucy gives me a heart attack?

(Lincoln screams and falls to the ground.)

LINCOLN: Can I go flip the circuit breaker and get the lights back on before Lucy gives me a heart attack?

LORI: Again, in charge. I'll do it. Where's this circuit breaker thingy?

The kids make there way to the circut breaker which was in the scariest place in the household: the basement!

LORI: Why am I the one who has to do this?

SIBLINGS: [at the same time angrily] Because you're in charge!

LORI: All right, all right! Come on, Luan. Light the way.

LUAN: That's the brightest idea you've had all day! (giggles. Lori pulls her from the crowd. After Luan gets pulled away from the crowd, her glow goes away. The rest of the siblings gasp.) Oooh. I thought I was staying in tonight, but I guess I'm going out! (Luan giggles. The rest of her siblings sigh.)

LANEY: No! Please don't go out! I don't wanna go down there! [shakes Luan]

LORI: Well I'm not going down there!

LYNN: Ooh! You're scared of the dark!

LORI: I am not! You're the one who's scared.

LYNN: I'm not afraid of anything.

LUCY: Boo.

LYNN: AAH!

[While most of the girls start arguing, the twins start to tremble with fright]

TWINS: THERE'S A GHOST IN THE BASEMENT! [sobbing]

LINCOLN: Guys! I'm running out of time! It's really important that I...I...I... [sighs in realization] ...fix this. OKAY, QUIET! [the girls stop] Come here, you two. It's okay. There's nothing to be afraid of. [hugs the twins] Your big brother will protect you.

Laney also came in and hugged Lincoln rather tightly for she was still scared of the dark.

LINCOLN: Uh.. Laney?

LANEY: Oh, right. Sorry. [lets go of him]

LINCOLN: In fact...I will protect all of you! For I am Cadet Lincoln! Highly trained student of the Academy of Really Good Ghost Hunters! Or...ARRGH! [puts on night vision goggles and busts out radio] Cadet Clyde, this is Cadet Lincoln. Forget the plan. I'm going to need backup.

Then without hesitation Lincoln's right hand man Clyde came in on the situation. But as soon as he caught sight Lori he...malfunctioned.

CLYDE: RED ALERT. RED ALERT. DOES NOT COMPUTE. CIRCUIT OVERLOAD. MUST ABORT MISSION. [leaves]

LINCOLN: I told you it gets awkward. [prepares to enter the basement] I will now descend into the scariest place in the house: the basement.

LANEY: Mind if I come with you? You know, so I can help light the way to the circut breaker? [holds a flashlight]

LORI: And you didn't tell us about that earlier?!

LANEY: I was saving it for a last resort.

LINCOLN: No need, with my official ARRGH! branded night vision goggles, I can see in the dark. [begins to head down but slips down the stairs and loses his radio]

LORI: Lincoln! Are you okay?

LANEY: What happend?

LINCOLN: The bad news is, my goggles are just a toy, and do not really see in the dark! The good news is, they cushioned my face! From the hard basement floor!

LUAN: Hey! I think my video camera has a night vision setting.

LINCOLN: [rushes back up] Sweet! [takes it] It's just like the cameras they use on ARRGH! I'm going in...

LORI: Wait! You're not leaving us up here all alone, are you? I mean, we couldn't possibly let you go down there all alone. We should all go down together. As a group. [grins pleadingly]

LINCOLN: Very well. I'll lead the way.

And so they all went down the basement, with Luan's camera as there guide. First they heard an eerie sound, but it was just the pipes settling. They heard another spooky sound, but it was just Cliff the Cat scratching on his scratching post. Then they smelled a weird stench, but it was just baby Lily who once again had a full diaper.

LILY: Poo-poo!

LINCOLN: See, guys? I told you. There's nothing to worry about.

But then they heard another strange sound, but this time it wasn't normal. It was big and dark, with glowing green eyes. And it was calling out to Lincoln!

LINCOLN: [terrified] IT'S A GHOST AND IT KNOWS MY NAME!

Soon they all panicked! Except for Lucy, who had a thing for ghosts.

LINCOLN: [bravely] I'LL SAVE YOU, SISTERS!

Lincoln bravely atttacked the ghost, which was actually his walkie talkie in a laundry when Lori turned the power back on. He sheepishly grins at the mistake. Then calling at the other end was Clyde.

CLYDE: I was just calling to say sorry for not being such a good ARRGH! cadet. And...is your sister ready to date younger men?

LORI: Never gonna happen!

CLYDE: Was that your sister?! [robot act] RED ALERT. RED ALERT. OVERLOAD. OVERLOAD.

Lincoln just has one of those "The things I have to put up with" looks on his face

LENI: [with her eyes closed] Guys! I still can't see!

LISA: Open your eyes.

LENI: [opens her eyes] IT'S A MIRACLE!

LORI: First one to the TV is couch commando.

LINCOLN: I can still get there first!

And so everyone was racing to the living room in glorious slow motion. Lincoln was the one reach the TV first. But by the time he turned it on his favorite show was over.

HUNTER SPECTOR: WOW! That was by far the best episode of ARRGH! ever! I'd hate to be you if you missed it!

LINCOLN: NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! [lamenting] I can't believe I missed my show...

Lincoln starts to break into tears and his sisters couldn't bare to see there brother sad.

LORI: [hands him some popcorn] Sorry you missed your show, Lincoln.

LUAN: But you just lived it. Check it out.

She then plugs her camera into the TV and shows him what he filmed. They watch and enjoy their little adventure on film and Lincoln is happy to have actually lived the show instead of just watching it. And with that, he turns to the viewers with one last narration.

LINCOLN: You know, I may have missed my show. But sometimes, it's not about being there first. It's about being there together. All of us.

LUCY: You forgot me.

SIBLINGS: AAAHH!

The End

I apologize if you think I didn't add much of my OC into the first episode. But no worries! It oughta get better by the next chapter.

Until then. Stay Tooned!