(TW FOR ABUSIVE SUBJECTS)
"Mum! No! please I'm sorry!" Charlotte cried out as her mother dragged her by the hair outside. The shattered glass cup on the floor that was broken by Charlotte was enough to get her mother in a bad mood
Charlotte Cunningham was the oldest of 3 children. Not only that, but her mother was pregnant with her fourth kid. "Shut the fuck up! You ruined my life! Why!?" Martha shouted. She took Charlotte out and over to their pool, something they got approve by their land lord for. Martha climbed the ladder and pushed her daughter in the pool. She gasped for air as she couldn't swim, she felt the cold water go into her nose as she inhaled, her mother held her under water in a fit of rage as she thrashed around and tried to break free.
The water was so cold, and Charlotte couldn't take it. She cried and screamed under water as she tried to break free. Charlotte knew her mother was high on something, she could see it in her dilated pupils. The blood that trickled down Martha's nose was enough to send Charlotte into a panic.
But today was different, usually she just hit Charlotte or threw her around, but today Martha was on a mission... she wanted to kill her daughter in a fit of rage. Charlotte's vision began to do dark.
"Martha!" A man shouted, her boyfriend and the father of her baby ran over and tried to pull his girlfriend off of her daughter. It was only now that Martha pulled daughter out of the water and threw her onto the grass. Martha wiped the blood from her own nose and stumbled inside, along with the help of her boyfriend, leaving her daughter outside in the ice cold winter.
Charlotte began to cry and cough. She gasped for air at the relief of not being killed. She shook violently and pushed herself away from the pool water in fear of her falling in. She cried and sobbed, curling into a ball and feeling the frostbite attack her skin.
~~~~~
The sound of a beer bottle shattering caused Charlotte to flinch, she was trying to finish her homework until now. Her heart almost leaped out of her chest at the crying sounds of her infant brother, Jacob. "Shut that thing up!" Her stepfather shouted. "Don't tell me what to do with my kids!" Her mother, Martha, shouted.
Charlotte hid behind a wall and watched as her brother was just placed on a table while her mother fought with her stepfather. While they fought she ran into the kitchen and grabbed her youngest brother before running upstairs into her two younger brothers room.
"Boys...boys," she said quietly, trying to wake them up. Her brother Matthew slowly opened his eyes as he looked at her, "Charlotte?" He questioned. Charlotte went over and shook her brother Caleb awake.
"We're going to walk down the street, okay?" She asked, the sound of another beer bottle breaking and a thud caused Charlotte to gasp and quickly get her brothers out of bed. "Close your eyes and cover your ears okay?" Charlotte said while guiding her brothers quietly down the stairs and put the back door.
She held her youngest brother and slowly walked them all out of the back gate and onto the streets of Manchester, England. "Open your eyes," she said as Caleb and Matthew opened their eyes, all three of the boys were no younger then 7 while Charlotte was 15.
"Charlotte, where are we going?" Caleb asked her. "To a nice place until I bring us home," she smiled softly as Caleb nodded, she took the boys into the dead quiet area of their side of Manchester. No place was open this late at night, not even any shops. To make things even worse? Rain started to pour onto them.
The flashing lights to the sign of a pub caused Charlotte to rush the boys inside, not caring about what kind of place it was, as they all walked in she noticed how there was only about 10 people there, some were playing pool while others were drinking and listening to music. They all dressed in black leather jackets and were obviously looked like some kind biker gang.
Matthew sneezed, causing the people to freeze and stare at the children. Charlotte felt a pit form in her stomach as she held her brothers close. "What the fuck are you doing here?" A man asked, taking a cigar out of his mouth and puffing out smoke. Charlotte cleared her throat, "I'm sorry, I..I just need somewhere to stay for now," she shivered and held the three boys closer.
"How old are ya, hun?" A woman with black hair behind the counter asked. "15," she replied quietly, her voice beginning to tremble as she began to fear for all of heir safety. "And the boys?" The woman asked. "These two are 6 and 5....and he's 9 months..." Charlotte said, Jacob was asleep on her shoulder as the woman came out from behind the counter, her curly black hair smelled like cigarettes and coconuts.
"Come have a seat," she said in a heavy Manchester accent, she sat the kids at a table as the others couldn't help but stare at her. The woman who's name tag read "Norma" placed a bowl of popcorn down for the kids to eat as Charlotte rocker Jacob in her arms. "Are they yours?" The woman joked, Charlotte shook her head, "my brothers."
The woman nodded, "take care of yourselves, if ya need anything come get me," she said. Charlotte nodded and zipped up her sweatshirt with Jacob inside, he clung to her wet shirt as she tried to keep him warm and safe.
A man sitting across from them cleared his throat to get Charlotte's attention, her head whipped around and she looked at the old man, he had a beard and thick eyebrows that almost covered his eyes. He was balding and his leather jacket was old and torn, "you live around here, little girl?" He asked, his accent was American, she had never heard an American accent in person before today. "I live a few streets away," she said, she looked between the man and her two 6 year old brothers to make sure they they didn't choke on the popcorn.
"The names Daniel Mitchel, Sargent Daniel Mitchel." He said, she focused her attention on him as he revealed his dog tag, "your apart of the U.S military?" Charlotte asked. The man nodded, he paid his bill and walked over to the girl. He slid her a pamphlet for the British military, "I'm helping some pals here in England out, if you want an escape from this life...join."
Charlotte froze and looked at the pamphlet, her eyes didn't look up from the paper in front of her as the man left. "Sweetheart?" The woman from before asked, Charlotte's eyes met with the woman's. "How about you stay here tonight," she said, the sound of police sirens echoed outside as Charlotte looked out the window, out of the cop car stepped a child social care worker.
~~~~
Charlotte walked back onto the pub. She was an official reoccurring customer as she often came down at night while her mom and stepfather fought. "Cunningham! The myth and legend!" A young woman, about the age of 25 named Lana shouted as Charlotte smiled. She sat down at the bar and looked at Norma, she had a smile plastered on her face.
"You seem extra happy," Norma smiled, Charlotte nodded, "got myself some good news." Norma raised an eyebrow while she cleaned a cup once full of beer. "Do tell," she smiled.
Charlotte took out a paper, it was an enlistment paper. Norma read it with a confused look, "what is it?" She asked. "I signed up for the military," Charlotte said with a smile. "Oh my god," Norma gasped, reaching across the table and hugging Charlotte. "Congratulations, kid!" She laughed.
Charlotte had grown to be a well known person in the pub and people loved her. She usually ordered some food like a cheese burger or water, she didn't drink, she didn't want to after some things she's witnessed in her house.
Norma smiled and continued to wash some cups, "how are your brothers?" She asked. Charlotte paused and nodded, "they're with my Nana, my mom isn't allowed any visitation but I am." She sighed. "Poor kids, can't even have their damn mum come see them." Norma said, shaking her head.
"Miss Norma, I'm leaving soon, for.....this," Charlotte said, she knew Norma was once in the military so she wanted some advice. Norma went quiet for a moment, "don't use you're real name... 'Charlotte' is too much," she smiled. "What do you suppose I call myself then?" Charlotte asked.
"Charlie" Norma smiled, "it has a nice ring to it, no? Plus it's a good nickname for Charlotte." Charlotte froze for a moment, she smiled and nodded, "Charlie...I like it."
~~~~
"Charlie!" Graves shouted. Charlie woke up and looked around. Graves sighed, "we're here kid, get your ass on the boat with Soap and I," Graves said, Charlie sat up and looked at the deep blue ocean, the sound of the pouring rain caused her to shakily exhale. "Here we go," she whispered to herself....
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𝕆𝕟𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 || A Call of Duty OC Story ||
FanfictionCharlie Cunningham is the product of a sad marriage, her father was a Hunter but was rarely in her life and her mother was a store clerk living in Manchester, England. She suffered years of neglect from her parents and raised three of her younger si...
