Red (sequel to TYG)

Chapter 19

Anna's pov:

"Red." Charlie calls me, dragging out the end of it and sounding hella creepy. I swear when I get scared, okay? Judge me. "I know you're in here."

I nearly whimper as his feet pass by my hiding place, one that as far as I know is still unknown. My heart is racing, it pounding against my chest so hard that I'm almost positive he can hear it.

It's hard to see anything at all in the dimly lit clothing store, the only light being from the moon and star light outside. That just makes the mannequins about ten billion times creepier.

Once Charlie's taunting and footsteps fade away I crawl out from my hiding place and cautiously creep through the store, trying to find the exit. I try to stick to the walls as much as I can because it has to be somewhere on the wall, right? Wasn't exactly a smart idea for me to come into a store in the first place, but I'm doing the best that I can.

I cringe when I don't see one of the mannequins and walk smack into it, it's body falling to the floor loudly.

I shrink back into the shadows, my final attempt at hiding as I hear Charlie headed in this direction.

"If you want to do this the easy way, we can go home right now." Charlie offers, getting closer to me.

"I figured. You don't seem like the kind of girl to take the easy way out." He says after I don't answer him.

I don't think it would be possible for my heart to beat any louder or faster than it is right now.

He's very close to finding me now. He stands in a stream of moonlight, a crooked smile on his face. I think he's enjoying this. I think he likes trying to capture me, which is sick and creepy and makes my stomach turn. This is a game to him. It's exciting.

He shines a flash light along the walls, the bright lift exposing everything units path. When the flashlight is almost to me I take my last chance and run.

"Why do you have to run?" Charlie says exasperatedly. "I'm tired."

I sprint through the store, searching desperately for the exit. A Walker slams into me from the side, making me stumble back a few feet. I grab the Walker's shoulders and spin it around, sending it straight at Charlie with it's jaw snapping. I don't bother watching if it works because I start running again. Finally I find something, a small door to a set of stairs. They have to lead to the fire escape.

I race up a whole flight of stairs, knocking the door open at the top only to fall onto the floor of the roof. I pick myself up, not bothering to look at the scrapes on my hands, and search for a way down.

"It's over, sweetheart." Charlie says, joining me on the roof. He's slightly out of breath but he still has that crooked smile on his face.

I back up a few steps, getting dangerously close to the edge.

"There no where for you to go. You're trapped." He says.

"Thanks, Agent Obvious." I snap.

Regardless, I take another tiny step back.

"Look, I get that you want to go home. I'll escort you there. All you have to do is show me the way and I'll help you get back and leave you alone."

"What kind of idiot do you take me for?" I snort.

Charlie smiles at me lightly.

"You remind me of my baby sister. She got the worse end of it, Dad was a sick man. She was always trying to run away from home too. Never actually made it, He always caught her before she could get to far." He laughs bitterly.

My heart aches for this girl. My Father was one of the most respectful, kind, and wise men I knew. He always made an effort to have a good relationship with all three of his kids no matter how busy he was. He protected us and he provided for us. I can't imagine having a father like Charlie's.

"What happened to her?" I ask suddenly, surprising myself.

"I went up to her room to check on her one day. The old man had been drinking more than usual that day and had finally passed out on the couch. Clara was my baby. She was only two years younger than me, the same age as you, but I protected her the best that I could. I was only fourteen and there wasn't much I could do about it. Hell, I couldn't even protect myself." He says.

By this point I've completely forgotten about running away or escaping and all I want to do is give him a hug. His eyes are watery, a stone like look set on his face as if he's willing himself not to get upset. Willing himself to not show any emotion.

"So that day, I opened Clara's door and she was," He swallows hard. "She was hanging from her ceiling. In that moment I had never hated anyone in my life like I hated my father. My baby sister, my Clara was dead, and because of him. No, he didn't kill her himself but the reason she committed suicide was because of him and the horrible things he had done to her."

"I was in a trance, and I couldn't control myself. I went to the kitchen and grabbed our biggest kitchen knife. I barely knew what I was doing until I was washing the blood off my hands in the kitchen sink. I killed my Father, and to this day I don't feel an ounce of regret."

I wrap my arms around myself as I shiver a little bit, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the cold.

"Charlie, I'm sorry." I say quietly.

His head is down and he's studying the ground. I've never seen him like this. So... vulnerable and normal. He's usually so cool and smart with everything he does, so in control, but this is different.

"She was so pretty. She had the same dark curly hair as our Mom. I think that's why he hated her so much. She didn't remember our Mom. She was to little when she died. Whenever Clara had bad dreams she would come in my room and I would let her sleep in my bed with me. I would tell her everything I could remember about Mom."

When I wrap my arms around his torso I'm not hugging him. I'm hugging the fourteen year old boy him. The boy who never had the love or care he deserved. Maybe Charlie wouldn't be like he is if it weren't for all of that.

He in turn wraps his arm around me, resting his head on my neck, his lips and nose touching my bare skin. I'm not sure how long the hug lasts for. For a while at least. I let him take as long as he wants while I breath in his now familiar scent.

After a while he releases me and pull his leather jacket off and tosses it to me.

"You must be cold. Let's go home."

And so I slip the jacket on and take his extended hand, allowing him to lead me through the store and back to the camp.

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