In Charlotte's Eyes

ONE: I'm Right Here, Parker

“Murderer.” Suzuki’s voice angrily accused.

Parker’s vision suddenly returned. Suzuki was standing in front of him. The outline of his frame was there, but his color was absent. The same was true for his eyes.

“You killed her.” Suzuki pointed at him. “You're the reason she's gone from my life.”

No. He wasn't. Parker knew he wasn't. He didn't touch her. He didn't harm her.

“I don't feel bad for her.” Carlos’ voice. Parker turned backwards to face him. Similarly, his color and eyes were absent from his frame. Carlos’ silhouette crossed its arms. “But I don't feel bad for you, either.”

He was trustworthy. He was telling the truth. He knew he was. She disappeared. She was gone, but he would never lie about her.

“I can't trust you anymore.” Parker turned to his left, facing Aaron’s voice. “You.. you don't make sense to me..” He turned away from him. “I'm not gonna.. talk to you anymore..” His friends..

Parker felt sadness. A deep sadness. Charlotte was gone.

“Parker, I'm here.”

“Let's put a stop to our spelunking trips, yeah?” Parker turned to the right, facing Leon’s voice. “Until she comes back.” His smile was fake.

Leon’s friendliness was foreign. Everything about him was artificial. That hurt Parker.

“I'm here, Parker.”

Charlotte was gone.

“What kind of idiot would believe that?” Parker turned around to face Kylee. She was looking to her side, as if she was talking to somebody else. Nobody was there, though. “Only another insane person.” He could feel her judging gaze.

“I don't actually believe you.” Rebecca’s voice, smugly cheerful.

“I'm here, Parker.”

“I told you I believed you so you wouldn't feel sad.”

No.. Not even she believed him..?

“You need to stay away from her, Parker.” Peni’s voice. “She's a bad influence.”

But.. how could Charlotte be a bad influence on him..? Why would he be led to her if she was bad? Why would he be so attached to her if she was so bad?

“Parker, I'm here.”

Sure, she made a lot of mistakes in her time. She wronged him once. A few times. A lot. She wronged his sister once..

“I'm right here.”

A few times. A lot. But she was still a good person. If she was a bad person, then why did he feel so distraught..?

“Parker.”

Why would he feel so guilty? Why did he feel so panicked? Why did he feel so desperate? Why did her absence make him so sad? Why did she never leave his mind? Why did she-

“Parker!”

Charlotte's voice.

Parker's eyes snapped up. There she was. A smile on her face. She looked exactly as he had met her. Unblemished and perfect. A friend he wanted to keep around. Someone worth a lifetime.

“I'm right here, Parker.” She assured, a hand reaching weakly to him.

Parker's eyes stayed glued to her hand. She was a thousand yards away, yet he could see her so vividly.

“Murderer.. guilty.. untrustworthy.. scary.. insane.. pitiful.. lost..” Their voices echoed their criticisms. They were behind him, reaching out to him, to take him away from her.

From Charlotte.

A thousand yards away, he reached his hand out for hers. Now his hand was mere inches away.

But his hand fell short. Then he began free falling into an abyss. Charlotte’s frame shrunk away. Parker’s arms fell limp, hopeless. The wind greeted his ears as he fell backwards, staring up at where Charlotte had previously been.

Charlotte.. was gone.

“...”

Parker’s eyes snapped open. He felt exhausted. He removed the eye mask from his face. His room was dark. “Fuck..” He muttered, distraught. He turned over to his bed stand. He picked up his phone.

It was only 2 A.M.

“God damnit..” He put a hand on his forehead. Charlotte wouldn't leave his head.

As tired as he felt, he knew he wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep. He closed his eyes in misery. How was he going to keep going? Everything felt hopeless..

He turned to his phone and opened his sister’s contact. He began typing endlessly, venting all of his desperations. All of his problems. Repeating them over and over.

Even though she was asleep, the illusion of an audience was what Parker needed.