In Charlotte's Eyes

ONE: Charlotte's Coma

At some point, Airy came back. This would be cause for celebration, but Charlotte was too far gone for that. She was barely able to recognize his voice, let alone feel anything about it. Whenever Airy held a challenge, the climate around her would change suddenly and drastically enough for her to notice. Whenever this happened, she would go on autopilot and do whatever simple task Airy had laid out for her. Even without her mind consciously piloting herself, usually it'd be simple enough for her to complete. She didn't know if she even wanted to stay to compete anymore, but it didn't feel like it was her choice to make now.

Maybe she'd..

Finally get out of this prison..

“...”

How much time had passed? Were her memories scrambled? So many things felt like they didn't add up, and Charlotte didn't know why.

A black, inky floor. Her palms against the black, inky floor. Her knees on the black, inky floor. Her reflection on the black, inky floor.

She stood up slowly. The sound of crunching, groaning greenery approached her from behind. In front of her, Abstracty was in one of its many various, limitless forms. She stared up at it, unafraid and intimidated at the same time. It was only a few feet away.

She was dreaming again.

A weed’s hand grasped at her feet. Startled, she looked down as it grappled and pinned her legs down. It grew and wrapped up to her ankle before stagnating. She tried to break through the grasp of the weeds. She couldn't.

Unsettled, she turned her focus back to Abstracty. “What's going on this time?” She demanded an answer.

It shrunk down, coming to her eye level. Even though it didn't have any clear, visible set of eyes, she could imagine where it would theoretically be. “You are.. in a coma..” It cooed wistfully.

Coma..?! Charlotte’s mouth gaped, unbelieving. The vines around her legs began working up the rest of her legs. Up her knees, and then up to her thighs before stopping again. “I-I can't be in a coma..!” She denied. “This is another dream! I-I always see you when I dream!”

“It is true you are unconscious..” It whispered. “But your time is coming to an end..”

Charlotte’s heart sank. “..What..?” A vine grabbed her hand, and it made her jump. “Ah!” She tried to pull her hand away, but she was overpowered. Another vine grabbed her other hand. Against her will, the vines came together, pinning her hands behind her back. Her breathing hastened in a panic.

Abstracty formed a devilish grin. She focused on its face, horrified. It looked like a demon. “Unfortunately for you..” It hovered forward, inches from her face. “You won't wake up from this nightmare..”

She breathed raggedly, eyes quivering. “No..” From below her, a moldy green color spread forwards slowly.

It chuckled viscously. “Goodbye..”

“Wait, Wait!” Charlotte shouted suddenly. “Please, I-I need answers! Wh-” Before she could continue, a tree branch suddenly wrapped around her face and in between her sets of teeth. She let out a muffled shout, desperately trying to remove the branch from her mouth, to no avail.

Abstracty kept its villainous grin. She looked at it, expecting desperately. This thing seemed to know her thoughts. She needed to know why it bothered to torment her. What was the point in doing this to her? She didn't struggle against her new binds, waiting for it to say something. Anything that could quell her confusion.

Without another word, Abstracty disappeared; sudden and unceremonious. Charlotte’s heart sank again. It was all for nothing. She expected the foliage that bound her to remove themselves once Abstracty fled, but they didn't. So she stood still, staring at the floor. She didn't struggle. She felt hopeless.

She was in a coma.

She was going to die.

Worst of all, she didn't even know what it was all for.

All her suffering for what?

“...”

The branch that silenced her throbbed as it twisted gently up and around her face.

Maybe this was her divine punishment.

The mold that had replaced the black, inky floor was growing further and further away from her.

She deserved this for the way she treated her friends, family, everybody. At least Abstracty had taught her that much. Her vision blurred as the vines and fungi took over her body and mind.