Craving Charlotte

Chapter 1

What happened to me?

A pain in my chest flares as I try to breath, each breath becoming more painful than the first. My senses are distorted and a high pitch ringing is present in my ears.

Clawing at the ground all that is felt is cold wet dirt, I can only assume it's dirt. My eyes are clamped shut, either in fear or maybe I am blind. I just know that something really bad has happened to me but what?

Suddenly a sound near by catches my attention. Was it a shuffle? An animal maybe? Panic rises within.

"He... he... hello?" I try to croak. A thud on the ground swings my head to the left. One more as loud as the first, then another and another. Footsteps... someone's here.

"Who are you?" I wheeze trying to open my eyes. Light seeps in through small slits behind my lashes. Nothing is clear but the footsteps continue to circle me.

"Something has happened to me, please! I need help!" Pleading now as my heart races harder in my chest.

Suddenly a burning sensation flares up my neck and flushes my cheeks. The heat stings my skin.

Thud... thud ... thud.

The hollowness of the ground makes my body shudder as the person stomps with heavy sounding boots. I think he's taunting me. A gruff sounding air intake makes my hair stand on end, a guess is that the person is a male. He grunts as though he isn't impressed. Sharp pains shoot across my skull as I attempt to shift my body, I feel myself tremble as my muscles weaken. It isn't the cold wind stroking my skin, it is the fear crawling over me as I lay at his feet. What has happened to me?

My neck throbs with pain as I lay huddled in an uncomfortable ball on the cold ground. I reach for my neck where the pain radiates from only to discover an alarming, wet, sticky substance and two puncture wounds, is that blood? Have I been stabbed?

"Stand," he speaks softly, his velvet voice creeps through my ears like a snake luring its prey. Attempting to open my eyes further I continue to see nothing but a blur.

What does he want from me? Do I know him? My memory ceases to fail me as I groan due to an unusual type of hunger perhaps driven by fear? What has happened to me? The questions slosh around my aching head. The coldness crawls over my skin like tiny ants skittering over the forest floor, the darkness seems everlasting willing me to open my eyes. Panic begins to rise from my chest causing my breathing to shift as my consciousness slithers back, I want to claw at my throat as it begins to feel tight. I CAN'T OPEN MY EYES!

No! I can't panic right now, taking in deep breaths I will myself to calm.

"What do you want with me?" my voice shudders showing that I am evidently terrified.
"STAND!" He bellows into my ear causing my ear drums shudder, without thinking my hand shoots to my ear to somehow diminish the cramping ache. Stupidly I shake my head in defiance, I shan't give in to this sick man.

I just want to go home; where ever that is?

An image of a warm room with a comfy bed piled with girly cushions flash through my mind. It's safe and warm. It's home.

"Sweetie, I don't want to hurt you and I am sure you wouldn't like that either! I advise that you do as you're told otherwise you will be punished."
I blank out his voice- I need to find the courage to stand, I have to open my eyes!

Open! Open! Stand!

Using every bit of strength in me I manage to flutter my eyes slightly open however I discover that the world is a blur; weakly I prop myself up with my hands. My arms shake threatening to give way under the pressure of my weight.