Craving Charlotte

Chapter 13

Ethan prov.

I focus on the road ahead, the street lights flick past and an eery fog begins to stretch across in front. The cold air nips at my skin like a blunt razor blade pulling at my hairs, I feel the tiredness increase though I force myself to stay awake. I cast my eyes over to Charlotte and my heart sinks to the pit of my stomach. Her beautiful hair is matted with blood, her skin stained and her hands flaking with blood, I selfishly took her innocence and beauty away from her, I hurt her. I forced her to do things she didn't want to do and treated her like an animal.

I betrayed her.

Yet she allowed me to help her, followed me and put her trust in me to get her out of the mess that I essentially caused. I still love her despite the fact I turned her into a monster, a killer, a servant of the devil like myself however I know she will never look at me the same way again. She will never trust me as she once did. I feel tears begin to well up in my eyes as I tuck her hair away from her beautifully carved face.

She will always be the essence of beauty to me.

Shoving the unwelcome thoughts aside I force myself to concentrate, I must find somewhere to get her cleaned up and get her new clothes. Somewhere hidden.... She has to be able to blend in with a crowed without people suspecting that she is different.

I wreck my brains tapping the steering wheel with my fingertips. I realise after a couple of hours of driving that we are approaching the end of the motor way, I must make a quick decision in which lane to take. Perhaps if I stop at her house I could sneak in and steal some of her own clothes. At least that way we can stay hidden, find a unpopular hotel to crash and go from there. It has to be far away though where no one will find us. After the massacre tonight I am sure that we are on the wanted list.

I indicate left to take the slip road towards the town, I follow the line if cars entering the town, taking a few lefts and rights away from the main roads, we enter the silent streets where we once grew up. Memories flood my head as I see familiar sites. The tree we used to climb as kids, the shop we would buy bubble from; the ones where under the wrapper you'd get the temporary tattoos.

"Charlotte," I whisper in hope not to startle her. I glance over to her; she doesn't wake. The isn't a peep out of her smooth calm face. The stress has faded away and her lips are parted in the most pure way, it awakens dirty thoughts from my mind. I frown casting them away, never again will I take advantage of her, she deserves so much better.

Gently I place my hand on her leg and shake it a little, her eyes flutter open and focus on me, then she groggily looks out the window to annotate our surroundings. For a few seconds she looks confused before looking back over at me, as she frowns a small 'v' forms in the middle of her brow.
"Are you taking me home? I can't go home," sudden panic strikes her voice.
"Why are we here?"

" I know," my heart sinks further, "but we need to get you some clean clothes, I am going to park a little way down the road. I need you to keep your head low and I will go get some clothes from your room."

"Where will we go though? What if my parents hear you?"

"A hotel, and they won't," I turn the steering wheel to turn down a road to the left. I see an old lady putting her rubbish in the bin outside her house as I drive by, she regards the car curiously before squinting to try catch my features. I turn my face away incase she recognises me, it is a small town and everyone knows everyone. We can't afford to be seen.

I take a right and another left before pulling over a few doors down from Charlottes house.

"Wait!"

Charlotte takes my arm before I step out the car, I turn and look at her studying her worried expression.

"You will come back won't you?"

I frown, does she really think I would just leave her?

"I will come back, now sink down in your seat and put up your hood, stay hidden. I won't be long." I pull away shutting the car door behind me and quickly jog lightly towards the house.

I look for open windows round the house only to see one back window is open, which I believe is Charlottes room. In a way this makes things easier however it's a hell of a climb and possibly noisy. I can not wake Charlotte's parents. I attempted to use my inhuman strength to jump up and clamp onto the window ledge to pull myself up. At first I miss however after several attempts I succeed,  managing to catch the ledge and haul myself silently through the open window.

My eyes hover over the room and I can't help but breathe a sigh of relief realising it is Charlottes room. A chain of fairy lights glow dimly casting very little light for me to see. Her bed is neatly made and the sweet smell of perfume still lingers as though she had just left moments before. Her bedroom door is open slightly meaning I have to be extra careful. I look for a bag of some sort however I only find a large suitcase.

It will just have to do, perhaps I should pack a few things rather than just the one set of clothes.

I make quick work of gathering her things. I gather the essentials such as warm clothes and wash items, deciding to leave sentimental items which can be collected at a later date if she wishes.

Just as I zip the holdall I hear a noise from what I assume is her parents bedroom. I pause and listen carefully. A floor board creeks, and then another.

Shit! Someones awake!

"Charlotte?" Her mothers soft voice rings through my ears alarming me.

I take the handle of her case and move carefully towards the window, quickly I throw out the suitcase in one swift move but just as I go to climb out the window the door flings fully open.

"Ethan? What are you doing here? Where's Charlotte?" Her mother shrieks at me.

"Im sorry!" I throw my self out the window landing with a thud on the not so soft lawn. As I look back up to the window, I discover Charlotte's mum has run to the window and she is leaning out gawping at me. I scarper back to my feet and grab the suitcase before running back to the car.

I reach the car flinging the case onto the back seat.
"What's wrong!" Charlotte shouts sitting up right as I start the car.
I don't reply as I turn round the car and put my foot down. However as we drive past Charlotte's house our eyes are met with her mother's as she stands heart broken in the door way.

"Charlotte!" She screams after us running down her drive. I look away from Charlotte as a thousand knives strike my chest.

"I feel horrible," Charlotte mumbles, "I am never going to see her again am I?"

Her eyes cast over to mine but I leave her question hanging as words fail me. I can't reply, I feel her pain as reality hits her. She should hate me! She shouldn't trust me after what I done to her, but now I am all she has.

Once again I focus on the road, I drive out of the town in silence and find a quiet service station with an outside toilet. I tell Charlotte to clean up as much as she can before we hit the road. After filling up the car with fuel I drive until the darkness disappears and the sun begins to shine bringing us a new day of uncertainties.

The horrors of last night soon become a distant memory however where shall we go? I decide to drive until we hit the next city where we can find a hotel to rest in.