Silent Night

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter thirteen

We all crowded around him like kids waiting for the teacher to read them a story. Charlie watched us as we watched him intently. "No one was following me, no one was near me at all. I found myself at a dead end, I was at the edge of the mountain. In my head it felt like a million wars were going on in there. All I did was sit there and cry. Yeah, cried.." He stopped, giving us a half smirk. "I cried because I felt like there was no hope for me."

"You were going to jump." Ginger spoke in a whisper. Her bottom lip shook, a tear falling from her eye.

Charlie shook his head, confirming her statement. "I'm sorry." His words made me feel like needles were being jammed into my heart, releasing something that stunned me, paralyzing me in place."I wanted to go out in my own way, not by these people."

"What happened next?" Mouse asked.

"Right when I was about to jump someone pulled me back. Leo, I think his name was. He pulled me back and I can remember him saying something like I was a coward and that he should let me jump. He let me go, pushing me towards the edge. When I was at the edge I realized I didn't want to die, but he kept pushing me." Charlie bent his head back, holding back the tears. It was weird seeing Charlie nearly ball his eyes out, it wasn't in his nature to do so, at least that's what I thought before. "Then he pushed me off. I grabbed at edge trying to lift myself up, but he wouldn't let me do that. He took a knife out, stabbing at my fingers until I let go. I almost did then Daniel showed up and lifted me by my shirt. He exchanged some words with Leo and then took me back here."

Ginger jumped at him, wrapping her arms around him. She didn't speak a word, just held onto him. It shocked Charlie at first, leaving him with a clueless face until he decided to hug her back. Sniffles emitted from their direction, whether it was Ginger or Charlie, or both of them, we weren't sure.

As his hand was placed firmly around her, I looked at them. Dry blood covered his knuckles and fingers, small but deep wounds scattered on his hand.

"I'm so sorry." Charlie's tender voice whispered into Ginger's ear. Ginger didn't respond. Her arms tightened around him, crying some more into his neck.

Eventually she pulled away and when she did, she sat herself next to him as close as she could. He threw his arm around her, pushing her closer to him if that was even possible.

We left them to be in there silence as Lainey, Mouse and I sat in a triangle far away from them. As far as we could get in this damn cage.

"We need to get out of here." Lainey was the first to speak. "And find Jackson."

Before any of us could speak, the awful creaking noise came again. Nothing ever good came when that door opened. When we all looked at the top of the stairs, my mouth gaped in horror. At the top was Daniel with a plus one.

"Found Jackson." I muttered under my breath to Lainey.

Blood gushed from his wounds. Lacerations covered his entire body from his head to his feet. Jackson could barely manage to stand up, Daniel held him still by his shoulder. He looked like he'd been through hell. Jackson's eyes were dazed, staring off into our direction, his arms reaching out for us.

Cries came from behind me, I turned to see Lainey opening her mouth to say something. "Jackson.. What'd they do to you?" A painful groan came from him in response.

"Look at what you did to him." Daniel smiled at me. Guilt overwhelmed me. "And we're not even done yet."

"Why are you doing this?" The helplessness showed in my tone.

"Just thought I'd give you a preview of your wrong doing." Daniel turned Jackson around, revealing the deep cuts in his back.

"I won!" Lainey screamed. "I won and your people brought me back." Her hands banged against the cage.