Wild (Cherik Book One)

You're Driving Me Wild: Part Three

"Leave this blue neighborhood

never knew lovin' could hurt this good, oh

...

'Cause when you look like that

I've never ever wanted to be so bad, oh"

__________ERIK__________

Erik's feet echoed in the cabin as dark shadows surrounded him. A panic and concern sitting on his chest like an anchor, sinking him lower and lower. Erik wracked his brain for anything in the past ten minutes that might have proved to be overwhelming for Charlie. Something, anything to give him an explanation of what happened. Since he seemed to be the only one in the dark. The faces of his friends stuck in his mind, each such a regretful shameful look. What had they done? What changed? Everything had been going well and now...all Erik could do was hope.

"Charlie? It's just me," Erik called into the dark. He never realized how big the cabin was until he had to find someone in it. Someone who was great at staying invisible if he so wished.

Erik went to the hallway where the bedrooms resided. He had to be somewhere, all three cars still sat in the driveway so he hadn't run away just yet. Keeping his steps quiet and breathing steady Erik attempted to shut off the alarms going off in his head for a moment. He couldn't face Charlie looking panicked, that would only exacerbate things.

Opening the door to the first two rooms proved fruitless. They remained devoid of life, only cluttered with bags and belongings. Erik tucked his arms nervously around himself as he kept looking. The situation was familiar in a horribly traumatic way. Shadows grew on the walls and memories, flashes of imagery he'd rather forget followed. Not being able to find Charlie in a dark home, the silence building as panic arose. Then, a door cracked open. Movement almost indistinguishable on the other side. This too was familiar. Erik approached the door slowly and swallowed thickly. He pushed it open as a creeping nervousness rose. The last time he'd opened the door he'd found...the last time he couldn't find Charlie was That Night.

"Charlie?" Erik took a breath and stepped in the room to find...Charlie curled in bed.

Charlie's body was wrapped in the blankets facing away from Erik. His head of hair poking out at the top reflecting the little moonlight that shone through the blinds. Relief washed over Erik, a peace that hit him like the smell of lavender. He could cry, he realized. Just the sheer amount of calm made his hands stop shaking and his heart rate settle. He is safe, you weren't too late this time. Erik reminded himself. He looked at Charlie and noticed quickly something was wrong despite him being safe. Small shakes hit Charlie's shoulders before the nearly silent sound of a sniffle. He was crying. Pain hit Erik, a sympathetic heartbreak to Charlie's tears.

"Hey, it's just me. Are...what happened?" Erik asked Charlie. There was a silence that stuck to the walls as Erik approached the end of the bed. He sat down by Charlie's feet and faced the window that was opened just enough to see the moon.

"Erik...I can't do this tonight," Charlie's voice sounded broken. It sounded like he was in physical pain. There was an uncharacteristic rasp in the tone that made Erik frown.

"Charlie, you can't shut me out. Whatever it is that triggered you or...or caused you pain you have to voice that. You aren't in this alone, not anymore. I want to help you Charlie, if you'll let me. I can't...I can't stand to see you in pain." Erik swallowed down his own desperate tears.

"Please...Erik just...just stop," Charlie whispered.

"I'm sorry but I can't. You'll just close up again and I'll be damned if I let you fall back into that. You were so happy, so full of life. And even if you don't want me to be, I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere." Erik spoke firmly.