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PRESENT DAY
Charlotte remembered when the ambulance came.
Reggie had stumbled first, making it off of the couch before crumbling to his knees. Charlotte could barely reach out to him before Alex fell too, his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Luke tried to help but faced his own agonizing aches as he clutched his stomach. There were screams, from herself or the other people in the alley she couldn't recall.
Then came the flashing lights, Charlotte gripping the sides of her head when her brother and best friends were wheeled away on gurneys. EMTs surrounded and questioned her but that only made her feel worse. She remembered reaching out to one of them, the ground swaying underneath her feet. Voices shouted when she collapsed, but she couldn't hear them.
A sharp ringing filled her ears, her brown eyes squeezing shut from how her stomach twisted. Everything had been just so loud.
When all fell silent, her pain somehow vanishing, Charlotte didn't recognize her surroundings. Darkness greeted her at every turn and she felt a cold floor under her palms and through her jeans. The memories of the night made her wince, but she still couldn't comprehend what had occurred.
"Guys?" she shakily called out. "Reg? Luke...Alex? Anyone?"
"Char?" she recognized her brother's voice and heard someone else crying, but couldn't visibly see them. "Charlotte, where are you?"
Charlotte took a few steps forward, reaching her arm to where she heard him. He didn't sound that far away. "I'm right here," she replied.
She grunted when she bumped into someone, two arms shooting out to catch her before she fell. "Reggie, that better be you."
"Sorry to disappoint, Lottie," Luke said but didn't let go when she found and clutched onto his hand. "We were hoping you would make it."
"Make it?" Charlotte echoed, only growing confused. "What're you talking about?"
When she squinted, she made out the outlines of the three boys with Reggie beside Luke. Alex stood on his other side, slumped over as he sniffled and constantly brushed at his eyes. At the lack of response, Charlotte sharpened her tone and moved towards her brother. "Reggie, what is Luke talking about?"
"Well, try to not get upset," Reggie started, moving a comforting hand to her shoulder, "but I'm pretty sure those street dogs actually did kill us this time."
"Oh my god," Charlotte closed her eyes, lifting her fingers to her temple. "Oh my god."
"Okay, Lottie, I know it's a lot to take in," Luke started but got cut off.
