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There was very little Charlie remembered that day back in 1992. There'd been excruciating pain and a deafening silence — that was all she could remember. Of course, as young as she'd been, there had been no thought of death then. She never entertained the thought of a light calling to her, just the life-shattering fear of being completely and utterly alone.
Maybe that was why it wasn't so scary this time.
Her arms were numb. She stared at the little plastic piece that held her hands together, somehow careless of the fact that she was figuratively staring down a loaded gun.
She leaned back into the disgusting couch she'd been shoved onto, almost snickering as the springs groaned under her weight. These guys got paid a ridiculous amount of money and still couldn't somehow pay for new furniture.
"What the fuck am I supposed to do with her?"
She leaned her head back and released a breath, exhaustion setting in. Only, unlike before, it wasn't her body that was tired. Her mind was tired — tired of having to deal with the shit her life kept sending her way.
The guy who'd grabbed her stood a few feet away, a cell phone pressed tight against his ear and an aggravated expression clearly etched onto his face. It was clear that he was just the delivery boy, he wasn't anyone important. He was just a pawn to the higher-ups. In other words, he wouldn't be the one sending her to her grave.
"Are you fucking serious? I thought we were keepin' her until her brother gave the money."
She couldn't help but snort at that.
The guy spun around faster than she could take another breath. "What're you laughin' at, bitch?" She shrugged, reaching up to scratch the tip of her nose. It was difficult enough with the lack of blood flowing through her fingers. Apparently, that answer wasn't enough for him. He got so close she could smell the nicotine on his breath. "I said, what are you laughin' at?"
She sighed. "He isn't gonna show up." When he motioned for her to continue, she repressed the urge to roll her eyes. "Xavier? The brother you're talking about? He isn't gonna show up. You guys might as well kill me. I don't mean shit to him. I'm just another speck of dirt on the bottom of his boot."
The guy had the audacity to act surprised. As if hundreds of his bosses clients didn't think the same way.
He stood back up and pressed the phone back against his ear. He stomped out of the run-down room, now furiously muttering to whoever was on the other line. Clearly she'd tugged at a nerve.
Charlie took the time to think back. Think back on all the good that came out of her life. Though it'd been a pretty shitty upbringing, she'd managed to make a few good memories.
Mona — the person who never let her down once. Since the moment they met, Mona had always been there for Charlie whether she was on the other side of the country or drunk off her ass. She'd always remember the many nights they'd spent drinking wine and talking about celebrity crushes and the many times Charlie had carried a stumbling Mona from various parties and clubs.
Davo — the person she had never expected to show up. They hadn't known each other long, but she was glad he'd be there for Mona after all this shit was over with. He'd somehow wormed his way into Mona's chained heart and then into Charlie's. He was a trooper from the inside-out. Considering he was dating Mona, that was pretty much a given.
Tyler — the very person who could simultaneously drop her onto her knees and send her into a fit of giggles. Now, in the middle of who-knows-where, she regretted how stupid she'd been. She only wished for more time to tell him how much he meant to her.
As another man approached her, mumbling something about stupid newbies, she lost herself in her memories with the people she loved.
—
She yearned to move her legs, her arms, anything. She'd long lost her feeling in them hours ago, especially after one of the fuckers decided to dig his fist into her face. Of course, it hadn't been the smartest idea to mouth off. She had to get a few punches in, didn't she?
She'd lost count how long it'd been since the football game. She estimated at least a day or so.
"He's got twenty-four hours. Otherwise, we take matters in our own hands."
Funny, hadn't they already done that?
At some point, she'd begun losing herself in hallucinations. With the lack of water, food and a bathroom, her mind had finally snapped. Perhaps it was for the better.
The worst had been Dakota. He had burst through the door, tears streaming down his little cheeks and fighting with every inch of his life to untie her from her bounds. Her pain increased tenfold when one of her captors leaped into the room and tore him away from her. She'd been sure she screamed for hours, only quieting when her voice finally gave out.
Only to come to realize it was just her mind playing tricks on her.
No, they couldn't break her — but she could break herself.
Hours later, when the light beneath the door dimmed to a shadow, another hallucination had taken over her.
Heartbreakingly enough, it'd been Tyler. His eyes, always so expressive, gleamed with unshed tears and his face was sporting facial hair that hadn't been shaved in weeks. He'd taken careful steps towards her, shaky hands reaching for her face.
"Char?" His voice was just a whisper and it was enough to shatter her heart into pieces. His fingers wiped her tears away before kneeling and undoing her bounds. He'd continued to murmur promises to her, sending fresh jabs of pain into her heart with each whispered word.
She'd come to with a gasp. The room around her hadn't changed and there wasn't a trace of Tyler, not even a breath of his cologne.
Little did she know, her hallucinations could never come close to what reality would soon become.
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ok so i didnt want to be too graphic but i also didnt want it to seem like this was a walk in the park - obviously, charlie is in a lot of shit but shes been through a lot of shit as it is. thats why shes so chill and unaffected (though on the inside she obviously isnt)
- also wasnt gonna post this until next week but im weak
