Unstoppable: Revitalized

-23-

I couldn't talk: Not at first. My gut climbed up to my chest and my heart was in my throat as I simply stared at her, Callum standing beside me.

"I couldn't, Adam. I don't know why, I just couldn't do it. So, she's been here for the day. We've just got to keep her hidden. If The Boss finds out, we're all as good as dead. This was the only place I could bring her, he trusts me to keep this place monitored."

"I'm just glad to be alive. No thanks to you." Charlotte put her phone down, throwing a disgusted look at Callum, before turning to me, an inquisitive look on her face. "So, this place is yours?"

"Yep. It is." Was all I could muster, still trying to compute the situation

Callum, a man who sliced my throat, beat me to death with a bat, and carved more holes in me than swiss cheese, didn't kill Charlotte... Why?

"It's nice. Thank you, by the way, for letting me stay here, and saving me." Her eyes seemed to dart between us both, before leaning back.

"How long can she be here for though?" Callum asked. It took me a few seconds to realise he was actually asking me, as I turned to face him. I could see how terrified he was that he'd disobeyed a direct order from The Boss, now becoming so lost he clearly forgot the power he had. I felt a small pang of guilt as I looked back at Charlotte, a small slice of fear just visible on her own face as I flitted between the two, realising I had the chance to make or break two people.

Does she deserve it? She tried to cut me up, twice. One was nerves, and the other was fear, she was scared. She couldn't figure out how I survived. I brought her trouble trying to escape. But Callum caused it. No, I caused it, when I beat Liam. But I wouldn't have beaten Liam if- Ah, fuck it.

"As long as you need to." I said slowly, struggling to come to terms with the words. I watched as Callum's body relaxed, and Charlotte's eyes went wide, running from the table to hug me, burying her face in my shoulder. I froze, keeping my hands still, before patting her on the back. She finally let go, and I brushed past her, filling a cup with water and taking a few sips, noting how dehydrated I felt in the moment.

How long has it been? I have no idea how much time's passed. Everyday seems to be a fight, and I'm getting tired of it.

"You should call your parents, tell them you aren't coming home." I spoke aloud, finishing the glass before turning it upside down in the sink, washing my hands.

"She doesn't have parents, Adam." Callum called back, causing Charlotte to scowl.

"I can talk for myself, asshole. My parents died when I was young. Hit and run. No one came to pick me up. I got scared, and ran. Ended up in foster care for a while, before meeting Poppy at Moresbury, where she offered me work. Little did I know what the work was. Long hours, with little pay, and being locked either in that room or one near it. I hated it, but I don't hate Poppy. She was only doing what The Boss told her to do. They have her family, I'm pretty sure. It's the only reason she'd listen to him."

I took a seat at the table, my two guests following suit. I leaned back, cracking my spine crisply against the chair, before leaning on my arms, knuckles resting on the bottom of my chin as I mulled over what to do with these two.

"So, just to be clear, you are here because you have to keep tabs on me..." I flicked my eyes over to Callum, who nodded, before going to Charlotte. "And you are here because you have nowhere to go, correct?"

"Mhm." She mumbled, clearly put off by where I was going with this. Never less, I continued, determined to lay all the cards on the table.

"I know Callum isn't leaving anytime soon, it feels as if he's back every other day, and you can't really leave, because The Boss will kill you. You can stay here for a while, and you two can bicker about sleeping. One of you is sleeping on the sofa, I don't care who, just clean up after yourselves, and tell me if we run low on anything. I have money that comes in every month from my parent's fund, and it keeps me going. You cause trouble, leave the place messy, or do anything stupid, I will kick you out, and I will throw you into The Boss. Understood?"

Both of them nodded, paying scarily close attention to me as I tried to think of anything else I needed to say.

"Long story short, you stay here until The Boss is dead. Until I kill him." I let the words stumble at the end, showing my nerves were still frayed from earlier as I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to regain control.

"Adam, you can't kill him." Callum butted in. I went to argue, but he immediately cut me off, clearly not interested. "He has every advantage when he sees you, and I can't help you. If I stop working for him now, he'll send Oscar here, or worse. Trust me, you don't want to meet Oscar."

"Who's Oscar?" I asked, taking into account how scared they both suddenly looked.

"That... is a story for another night. I choose the couch, enjoy your comfy bed." Callum's words dripped with sarcasm as he stood, heading into the living room, leaving both of us alone. I didn't feel mentally prepared enough to continue in the difficult conversation known as 'talking,' so I stood up too, calling it a night.

Dragging myself upstairs, I stripped off, looking at the bedroom mirror I had, noting all the small scars that started to form around my chest and arms. All of them small, similar in size and layout.

Maybe my body doesn't fully heal, or maybe it only has so many chances to? I'm an 'experiment,' like Poppy. Well, Poppy was. She's definitely dead now. There's no way. I mean, that creatures weakness was it's face. She must be dead.

I didn't even bother to put anything on as I climbed under the covers, wrapping myself in my sheets, sleep taking only a short while to catch up to me, letting me slip away calmly into a well deserved rest.