FrAcTuReD (Part One) (Completed continued in Part Two)

Chapter 30

Pushing the anger back the two made it to the connivant store as Nina then looked around, mainly in the ice cream in the frozen section, she looked to be having trouble in deciding between butterscotch ripple or mint chocolate.

Though when the little girl had decided the two were then greeted with a torrential downpour of rain, making it look more like a waterfall then actual rain. "Well that's something..." said with a whistle before grasping headphones and placing over ears. Then began to hum softly to the song that was being played.

As the two stood in the rain waiting for it to stop or slow Nina looked up at Charla, while still grasping her hand she had her headphones on listing to some kind of song on her Ipod.

"What are you listening too?" Nina asked.

"A song by Johnny Cash," then offered the headphones. "Want to listen?"

Nina smiled. "Sure, but... will they fit?" she asked looking at the red and black headphones that seemed to be handled with great care.

Squatting down and readjusting the size before placing the headphones on Nina's head. "They will, they're adjustable after all, had them close to your age so it's no need to worry." And before Nina could say anything else the play button was pressed.

The first thing she heard was the strings of a guitar, notes that she heard Charla play before earlier that day. This was one of the songs that she was playing. Then the lyrics came next.

I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything

What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt...

"I know this song," Nina said before looking up to Charla. "Dad sometimes play the guitar piece in the car. A lot of people like this song."

"Some would find it relatable, be it the lyrics or the representation of the song itself or both. I personally know someone who thinks on both."

Nina listened to the song, again before saying. "You were playing this too back at the house, you're really good at it."

"Thank you,"

Nina pulled the headphones to rest on her shoulders before looking up at her again, her gaze seemed to be far, far away. "What was the other song that you played?"

"It's from a video game called The Last of Us, but it's a bit too mature for someone of your age, wait a few years before you can check it out."

They fell back into silence again, Nina constantly looking at the person who stood beside her almost protectively. There really was something off, but each time she couldn't think as to what or why. When the rain let up slightly the two headed back to the house, the police officer was still there and Nina began to wonder when her father would come home. Though it wouldn't be late into the night.

That evening though, she could hear Charla moving around in her room, followed with the faint sound of the window being open, then closed. Nina got up and when to Charla's room, warily watching the stairs in case if her father came up, like he had before, but he seemed too preoccupied with the conversation he was having over then phone. Silently, Nina peaked into the room and saw that Charla was in bed asleep, before looking to the window which was only left faintly open.

Closing the door Nina moved to stand at the bed, then crawled underneath the covers. Her back was facing her, giving the little girl full view of the scare that peaked out from her hair. It looked like it hurt a lot. She then pressed herself close to Charla's back, feeling her warmth.

What's she doing? Came a thought as eyes opened to stare at the wall, then was given an answer when Nina spoke.

"It's not safe to go out tonight," the little girl whispered softly. Eyes widened faintly before rolling over to look Nina right in the eye, who looked back without a second thought. "My Dad might think something bad if you do."

"What makes you think I'd go out tonight."

"You said so yourself that you do, and you've done it before, the first night you stayed here, and a few other times at night when it's not raining." Then Nina suddenly asked. "Who are you?"

"You know who I am."

Nina shook her head. "You're not Charla, the way you act is slightly different then the way she does. She's more soft spoken, and the way you speak is different then the way she speaks to me and others."

There was silence for a long moment, then a sigh. "It's complicated."

"Then make it easy," Nina retorted. "Who are you, where did you come from?"

Easy, she says... "I'm someone that shouldn't be here, a personality developed after a great deal of stress and other things that came into play. Things I'd rather not mention to a little girl such as you. too dark, and too sad."

Nina's grey eyes moved looking at those hazel green eyes before thinking, the gears turning in this little girl's mind before asking. "Then who are you? do you... do have a name?"

A whisper. "I do,"

"What is it?"

Hazel green eyes looked to the girl, she was a perceptive and determined one. "You really want to know?"

A nod followed with more silence. Only the sound of rain hitting the window could be heard as the two continued to stare at one another in the darkness of the bedroom underneath the warmth of the bed covers.

"My name is..."