WARNING! This could be triggering as it does deal with depression and suicide. If you need help, please tell someone. You have been warned.
Charlie
I woke up around noon, the next day, on the couch. I hissed in pain, and called Miss Lancy.
“What’s wrong dear?” She asked worriedly.
“Could you bring me some painkillers? It really hurts,” I asked.
“Sure, do you want to sit up?”
“Yes, please.”
Miss Lancy helped me sit up, and then went into the kitchen to grab some Panadol. She came back soon after, with a glass of water and two Panadol tablets.
I swallowed them with the water, feeling a bit better.
“Now Charlie, today Chase might be a bit … off. I would stay away from him if I were you,” she spoke with concern.
My eyebrows furrowed with confusion, “what’s today?”
She didn’t say anything and then I realised something. I tried to get up quickly, but I forgot about my leg and fell back down on the couch with a yelp.
“Careful,” Miss Lancy said. “Here, use the crutches to help you.” She handed me a pair and I used them to get into the wheelchair.
I carefully but quickly pushed myself to the fridge, where the calendar was. It was harder than what Chase made it out to be. I checked the date and I realised what was wrong.
It was the 8th of June, the day Chase was in a car accident.
I pushed myself to his room and tried to open the door, only to find it locked.
“Chase!” I banged on the door.
“Go away!” He yelled.
“I can help you. You don’t have to be alone today.”
“I don’t need help! I’ve always been alone, I’m perfectly fine. So leave me the fuck alone!”
“Chase open the damn door!”
“I’m not opening it so go away! Go away! Go away! Go away …” He started to sob.
“Chase …”
“I’ll kill myself if you don’t go away,” he threatened.
My eyes widened and I barely whispered an “okay.”
I pushed myself away to the kitchen and in the corner of my eye I saw the sad smile on Miss Lancy’s lips.
____
The Simpsons started to play on the TV when I noticed Miss Lancy run into the room.
“Charlie I need to talk to you,” she was breathing heavily as if she had run a marathon.
“Okay,” I said, and followed her into the kitchen.
She was silent for a moment, probably trying to get her breathing back to normal before she began to speak.
“You know how today’s the day,” she whispered. “Ever since he was a teen, every year around 6pm, he attempts,” she swallows, “suicide.”
I didn’t wait until she said anything else, I just quickly raced off towards his room. I barged into the room, finding the door open and saw Chase sitting in the furthest corner of the room, legs propped up, arms wrapped around them and chin on his knees. Tears ran down his face as he held a bottle of pills in his hand. He twisted the top off and started putting pills into the palm of his hand.
YOU ARE READING
Chasing Charlie
Teen Fiction"I'll chase after you Charlie, no matter where you go, I'll come after you." "Do you promise?" "I promise." __________ Charlie Parker, a bubbly and cheerful sixteen year old has her world flipped upside down when she comes home from the park one day...
