Charlotte's Scars

Chapter 27 - Charlotte

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Charlotte

Waking up in a cold sweat, I sat up straight only to find Lizz standing over my bed. The bright morning sun shone through the bedroom window highlighting the red streaks in her short spiked hair.

"Having a nightmare, little Charlie?" she asked mockingly. "You were crying out for your mommy again."

I blinked the sleep out of my eyes, trying to focus on her but I was still disoriented from my dream. Of course, it was about my parents, and waking up to find Lizz only made me realize that my reality was as bad as my dreams.

"What do you want, Lizz?" I asked groggily.

"Was just sitting here wondering what a seventeen year old is doing with a kid's fairy tale book," she said, waving the Golden Book of Fairy Tales in my face.

I stiffened, my eyes widening and my heart slammed against my chest. "G-give that back to me!" I said, panicking.

"Oh, is this important to you?" Smirking sardonically, she took a few steps back and admired the book with a new found interest. "Well, you're almost an adult now, so it's time to say goodbye to your childish mementos," she finished before turning around and strutting out of the room with my book in hand.

Stumbling out of bed, I chased after her despite my disarrayed state. Clad in pajamas and bare feet, I ran down the stairs and out the front door where I found Lizz standing at the bottom of the porch.

"Do you want this?" She taunted, holding the book up for me to see. She pulled something out of her pocket, and my heart stilled.

"Please, don't..." I whispered out, staring wide-eyed at the lighter she hovered underneath my book.

Her eyes lowered challengingly, and she said, "Try and stop me."

A knot formed in my stomach and it felt like I was about to be sick. I couldn't let her destroy that book, it was all I had left of my parents, the only thing in the world that I could cling to and be reminded of a time when I was happy.

Lizz was trying push me to fight her, but I couldn't.

My heart seemed to split in two separate pieces, each piece wanting something different. My strong morals forbade me from fighting, from partaking in the one act the destroyed my family and caused me so much pain and heartache. I couldn't betray myself that way, but I also couldn't live knowing I sat back and watched this girl destroyed the only thing I seemed to find comfort in. The Golden Book of Fairy Tales wasn't just a book, but a symbol of my old life and a reminder that we all go through some hardships before we can find our happily ever after.

Something inside of me knew that if I let her flick that lighter, than any ounce of hope I still held onto would go up in flames with that book.

I didn't noticed the tears rolling down my face until Summer said from the door, "Lizz, stop it – this isn't right."

How could I let myself cry in front of them?

The only person I've ever cried in front of was Christian, and he was the only person I trusted to see me so feeble. Frustrated at myself and at the situation, I wiped away the tears angrily.

Lizz looked a bit taken aback, sympathy flashed across her face but she quickly recovered, and her expression hardened. "No," she countered. "If she doesn't do something, then I'm going to set this book a blazing!"

Anger crashed over me in strong waves, my entire body grew tense as my face burnt red with fury. "I won't fight you!" I bellowed.

She scoffed, lifting the light up closer to the corner of the book. "Of course you won't! Because you're just a weak, little girl who'll never survive this world."