Chasing Love

Chapter 28

I want to put the last 5 years behind me, but the horrors will always linger in my dreams.

-Charlie

Chapter 28

Charlotte woke up gasping for air. Her hands went quickly around her throat as she drew in a sharp breath as droplets of sweat covered her forehead. Her chest rose and fell quickly as her nightmare lingered on her skin like an oil clinging to water. Movement next beside Charlotte alerted her someone else was in the bed and for a second, blinding panic took over her body until the soft ginger hair of Chase slowly filled her vision. Sighing, Charlotte ran her hands over her damp face, knowing this was the fourth night in a row she had awakened to the same nightmare.

Glancing at the clock, Charlotte knew she wasn't getting back to sleep, so she silently slid out of bed, grabbed her silk robe and wrapped it around herself. She tiptoed across the room and glanced one last time at Chase before making her way downstairs. 

Once she reached the kitchen, she poured herself a large glass of whiskey and snatched the pack of cigarettes off the counter and opened the back door. The cool October air cooled the sweat on her skin causing Charlotte to pull her robe closer to herself. Sitting in the dark she lit up her smoke and took a long drag until her lungs could no longer inhale. Letting go of the smoke and watched the grey cloud disappear into the light breeze that was sweeping through the yard. She flicked her cigarette and took a long sip relishing in the whiskey's burn.

"Will, you ever leave me alone?" She whispered into the dark at no one and took another drag. She knew she would never escape him. He would always be there haunting her dreams, staking waiting to strike fear into her heart and soul. Her hand trembled as she reflected on her time with Landon, she tried to remember if she had any good memories, but whenever she would think of one, beatings and declarations of love followed by hateful words and fists overshadowed it.

She finished her smoke as the cool breeze picked up again, so she collected her glass and bud and headed back inside. She threw the dead smoke into the bin and wandered back upstairs. Charlotte planned to head back to bed instead opened the door to her art temporary art studio Chase had created for her.

Taking a long sip as she entered the room she flicked on the light and dimmed the lights to a soft glow. The room had yet to have curtains installed so Charlotte walked over to the large window and overlooked the backyard. She rested her forehead on the cool glass and closed her eyes. The moment her eyes closed images of Landon danced across her vision causing her eyes to snap open immediately. Her hands were shaking as Charlotte lifted her head off the wall. Looking around the room she saw a giant canvas, and an image flared to life inside of the mind.

The image pounded into her brain and she knew it would haunt her until it had been created. Placing the glass down Charlotte grabbed the large landscape canvas and put it on the easel. She opened different draws until she found led pencils, rubbers and a sharpener. She pulled up a chair and put her supplies on the table which held her drink. Taking a sip, her hand shook as she reached for the pencil and held it up to the canvas.

Charlotte felt an overwhelming sense of fear coursing through her body as her hand shook in front of the canvas as hateful words filled her head about what a terrible artist she was and how she would never succeed in her dream. Charlotte tried to push those thoughts and memories out of her head and took a leap of faith and drew one solid line on the canvas. The moment her pencil touched canvas it felt like her world exploded as image after image filtered through her mind.

Charlotte focused on the image she wanted to create and soon her hand was flying across the canvas. Her shook slightly from having been dormant for weeks as it flexed and moved across the boards. Lines blended together as a rough outline took place.