We Live Forever

Chapter 11: The Truth Hurts

Crimson's POV:

I'm stuck in my body once again. Charles found us. He's here. He found the house.

Hank's still asleep. I try to move, to wake him up, to warn him. I can't. I can't do a damn thing.

Charles opens the door and creeps inside the room. A sickening grin is spread across his face. He tightens the grip on the golf club in his hand.

Charles moves forward and grabs Hank and pulls him roughly out of bed and onto the floor.

"Wha- Charles?"

"Sorry Hank."

Charles takes one big swing with his golf club and caves in my husband's face. The audible crack of his bones makes me sick to my stomach.

Charles swings again and turns one of Hank's eyes to blood. I hear him scream out and I feel like my soul is being ripped apart.

Hank managed to barely lift his head off the blood-soaked carpet and look at me with his one functioning eye.

"Crim."

I wake up and my face is wet with tears. Hank's right in front of me. He's okay.

"Crim? It's alright. Everything's fine. I'm here, okay? I'm not going anywhere."

I leaned forward and started to sob into Hank's chest.

"You're okay. You're okay. I thought- I thought he was going to kill you-"

"I'm okay. I'm okay."

Hank gently held my face in his hands and made me look at him.

"See? I'm fine, nobody is going to kill me."

"He-"

"Who?"

"Charles."

"What?"

"He was hurting you again."

"A-again?"

"The cut on your chest..."

"No, no that can't be right. There's no way- wait. How would you know?"

"I saw everything. I was conscious in the coma Hank."

"No, no it- it must've been a hallucination of some kind. Charles, Charles would never do that. He would never hurt me."

"It wasn't just you, every night he would take someone new. You, our friends, the students, everyone."

"That can't be. There's no way."

"I watched him. I saw him!"

"I've known Charles for decades! I know the man and I know he wouldn't do this. It had to have been a dream or something!"

"Hank I know what I saw!"

"And I know my best friend, he's a good man."

"The Dreamstride."

"I don't like what you're suggesting Crim."

"You said it would let people experience each other's memories, so you'll use it and see I'm right."

"It's an unfinished experimental theory!"

"Hank you're a genius, I have full faith in your theories!"

"I don't even have my research!"

"Then we'll go steal it! I need you to understand what's happening. Hank please..."

"Fine, but it's just a quick in and out."

"Deal."

Author's Note:

I am very sorry it's been SO long since the last chapter. I have been incredibly busy with school and work and exams and life in general. I was also sick for a bit there (not covid related!). However, I'm back and here you go.

This chapter was beautifully frustrating for all parties involved.

Whose side are you on? What do you think happened? Is Charles innocent?

Stay tuned because more pain is on the way.