In Charlotte's Eyes

ONE: [C] Directly Abstract

It was dark. Charlotte was conscious. All around her, it was dark. She looked to the floor. She could see the soft, curved outlines of her feet reflecting off the floor. Small ripples outlined the perimeter of her toes. She could hear the noise. It was an amalgamation of noises, all soft and unpleasant. It was glass scraping—cracking. All around her there was nothing. She took a step.

The sounds of scraping glass were behind her. The noises were much clearer, much louder now. She turned around.

Her clone stared her in the face. The familiar face of something that resembled—but wasn't—her.

“Who are you..?” She asked, terror lacing her hushed question.

The black chasm of a grin seemed to enlarge a pinch. “I’m Moldy.”

The voice was familiar. Not only because it sounded like her, but because she felt like she had heard those words before. She closed her eyes, trying to remember where the hell it was she heard it.

“A total jerkwad,” Her clone’s voice sounded different. It sounded like Parker’s voice. Charlotte’s eyes snapped open. She gasped silently. Instead of her clone, it was Parker there. In the same style of semi-transparent shapes.

Then, Parker’s form suddenly mangled and recolored. And now it looked like Suzuki. “Who insults people,”

Suzuki transformed into her sister; Audrey. “to improve,”

And then she transformed into Aaron. “My own self image.” The grin of the entity was large—taunting.

Charlotte felt paralyzed, and she didn't know why. It was a mix of fear and anxiety, confusion and hate. She figured out who it was. It was.. that thing. One of the contestants that Airy had introduced. The enigma, Abstracty.

As if it had read the realization in her mind, the frame of Aaron dissipated, and then the semi-transparent triangles writhed into a tall standing figure. It had five limbs; all lanky. Two limbs that acted like legs. Two limbs that acted like wavy, ominous arms. One limb that spun roughly and slowly behind it, acting like a tail. Each limb had claw-like blades—like daggers. At the top—conjoining the quintet of limbs—was a spiky, glowing, spherical head.

The creature bent forward, its face coming a foot away from Charlotte. It had an eerie smile. There were no signs of life behind its eyes, yet the sinister intent behind it felt so real.

Charlotte shut one eye, squinting the other, and leaned away. “..Abstracty..?”

The abyssal grin somehow widened, the sounds of scraping glass quietly playing into her ear.

“H..How..?” She questioned in a scared mutter. How was it here? Why was it in her mind?

“...”

How was she aware that she was dreaming?

There was a hint of a cackle behind Abstracty’s face. Its mouth remained open as it spoke, "You have.. so much potential.."

She felt unnerved. What did that mean..? She was dreaming. She knew she was dreaming, somehow. And if she was dreaming, she could control what happens. She needed Abstracty to go away. It wasn't real. She knows it’s not real. It was a figment of her imagination. A nightmare.

She stepped back and closed her eyes. “You're not real..” She murmured. “I know you aren't.”

She opened her eyes. Abstracty's lanky shapes still stood over her, the same sinister smile on its face.

Charlotte’s breath hitched. Abstracty hadn't gone away.

“So much guilt.. so much pain.. so much regret..”

Charlotte felt paralyzed, she couldn't muster words to speak. Even so, there was something crawling up her throat. “..I-Inside of me..?” The words escaped her so fluidly, like the words weren't her own.

Abstracty bent towards her. “So much sin..”

No.. this thing was toying with her. Whatever Abstracty was, she wouldn't believe those lies.

She closed her eyes again, brows furrowing. With conviction, she ordered, “Go away.”

The sounds of scraping glass faded away. She didn't open her eyes. Darkness felt like it was encroaching. Very faintly, she could hear her voice whisper faintly in her ear.

“-rot in a dumpster, you filthy-”

Charlotte's eyes snapped open. Her leg violently twitched, and her hyper-aware gaze stared at it as it rested in its position. She shook her head and put a hand on her forehead; where the mold was. “What the fuck..?” She whispered.

She groaned lowly, pushing herself up off the floor. She needed to distract herself. The dream remained vivid yet distant in her mind as she walked away from the stump. She had no idea what she was going to do. There was nothing to do in this godforsaken place. Nobody to talk to, either.

Not anyone worth her time, anyhow.

Airy was going to come back and put an end to this psychologically damaging experiment. Charlotte wandered The Plane, unsure of what to do. How much time had passed since she fell asleep, anyways?

Her body felt lethargic. She studied the ongoings of the others.

Whippy Creamy, Subway Seat, Airline Food, and Circle were all around each other, talking away. Looking at them, Charlotte was reminded of her friends.

Something jolted inside of her, and she didn't want to acknowledge it. She turned her eyes away.

Bassy was sitting with Tray and Contact Lens, eyes closed. She played a tune with her strings while the other two talked with smiles on their faces. Folder was Folder: alone and unmoving. Scenty and Backpack were nowhere to be found.

Everyone seemed to be forming groups. Charlotte didn't belong to any of them. Her teammates were the only people she would consider. Even then, she didn't truly care for them.

Charlotte huffed to herself. What a waste of time. She got up to do something, but there was nothing to do. Absolutely nothing. So much for distracting herself from..

“Abstracty..”