Chameleon

Chapter12

'Just let me get this straight.'

Charlie groaned. Molly had been quizzing him for what seemed like hours. They were sitting, facing each other cross-legged on Molly's bed. She began ticking off each point on her fingers as she spoke.

'You have no name except Charlie, right?'

Charlie nodded wearily.

'You have no idea who your parents are, or where you came from?'

'No.'

'You can't remember anything before yesterday when you found yourself sleeping in a doorway and eating out of dustbins, right?'

'Right.'

'Jesus! It's like you just fell out of the sky or something.'

'Maybe I did.'

'You don't remember having an accident or anything like that? No knock on the head that could have caused amnesia?'

'I don't remember anything. Except the nightmare.'

'Oh, yeah, this bogie man...'

'Bad Man.'

'That's him. And some kind of hospital or something, that you had to get away from.'

'Yes.'

'See, maybe you did have an accident after all. Wouldn't it be great if you found out you were really a millionaire or something?'

'If I was, I think someone would have tried to find me by now, don't you?'

'You're probably right. And you're sure you never met Rick Jarvis before last night?'

Charlie shuddered. 'That much I'm sure of,' he said. 'I'm sorry I hurt him, but he's not a nice person.'

'You can say that again!'

'Will you get into trouble for helping me?'

Molly shrugged. 'Nothing I can't handle.' She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt. The conversation lapsed for a while. Molly found herself staring into his eyes. Such sad eyes. The room was almost dark now; they hadn't bothered to turn on the lights. Charlie's pale skin seemed almost luminous in the shadows. He was really an amazing person. His talent for voices was phenomenal. That's how they had spent most of the day, playing games, testing, seeing how far his talent stretched. As far as Molly could make out, there was no limit! They'd worked their way through her CD collection and Charlie was able to mimic every single voice, both male and female! So they switched on the TV and Charlie had copied all the cartoon voices on the afternoon children's programmes. The clincher for Molly was when he had a conversation with her in a voice that sounded so much like her own she could have sworn she was listening to a tape! Molly had a fit of the giggles at that, which quickly turned to hysterics. The laughter was contagious and they had both ended up rolling on the floor like a couple of kids until their sides ached.

Molly had never met anyone quite like Charlie before. She felt as if she knew him so well, as though they were old friends, but she really knew absolutely nothing about him. What's more, Charlie seemed unable to fill in the gaps.

Unable or unwilling?

Molly dismissed that thought at once. He has nothing to gain by deceiving me, she told herself. Except a roof over his head. Free food. A bed to sleep in. Someone to share it with. No, that was unworthy. Molly couldn't explain how or why, but she trusted Charlie implicitly, believed every word he said. Someone must know you, she thought. And one day they'll come to claim you. But until then you're mine and I'm going to keep you safe.