Meet Charlie

(8) Painful Experiences

:)

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I walked down the streets of the lit up city. Today, mum was working the late shift at the cafe. Derek, however had his day off. Days like this, I refused to come home before mum was back from work after the incident. I of course, didn't know about Derek's day off. Only that mum was working a night shift. That meant that I came home to Derek and only Derek. I couldn't leave, otherwise it would make things even more suspicious with my mum. I know that he tells Lorraine everything. Which left me no choice, but to face long, dreadful silences every time I went downstairs to get something to eat.

"Hey buddy!"

Silence

"How was school bud?"

Nothing.

"You alright kid?"

Absolutely nothing, but silence.

After that painful experience, I Charlie Foster have never come home when knowing that mum had a night shift and Derek had a day off. Never. Not until I knew mum was back from work which was at 10 pm at the latest.

Because of this, I was left wandering the streets until that time had come. I know what you're thinking. Walking alone in the streets at night? What if he got mugged or beat up? And I did once. A black eye and a nose dribbling with blood left my mum frantic once I finally came home. She insisted on getting the police involved, but I lied and said I tripped over. As for being late back home? I said I met some old friends and went out and my phone died so I couldn't contact her. If my mum wasn't so easy to lie to, then I would have probably been sent down a spiralling hole of doom. Thankfully, all I was sent to was my room for a week.

All there was to hear throughout the city was my trudging footsteps on the concrete. Street lamps were my only source of light right now, along with the headlights of zooming cars down the road. I checked my watch. 9.30 pm. Mum should be back by now, I thought. I crossed the road and continued down a path in the direction of my house. The part where I was getting back home was the part I most dreaded. Pubs, gangs and alleyways do not mix. That was what I found out that night I came back home with a black eye and a bloody nose.

Ever since then, I did my best to sneak past as discreetly as a tiny ant. Unfortunately, I wasn't a tiny ant. I was a human being. But even as a human being, I can still get stomped on like an ant. I definitely know that from past experiences.

I could already hear the loud, drunk voices ahead of me. Wait, they're there. They're coming out of the pub later than usual. Usually they're in the alley which would give me a better chance of darting past without being seen. But this time, they were there in front of me. I desperately looked for a place to hide. Anywhere. All I could see were shadows and dark objects. This city needs better fricking street lamps. Oh god, they're coming closer. I suddenly landed on a pair of deadly eyes that instantly met mine. The owner of these daggers was grinning wickedly, as if he found his prey. Shi-

"Ayy, hey buddy!" the drunk man said in the most displeasuring way. He had sandy hair that sort of swooped to side. It suited him. He was wearing his shirt scruffily with a couple buttons undone. He held his suit over his shoulder, casually. To girls, he might seem like quite the looker. The way he was acting however, didn't reach the same standards.

All eyes then turned to me. An innocent, scared looking teenage boy standing by himself looking helpless. Must have been an entertaining sight for them. There were 4, as far as I could tell. Icould see that all of them were wearing shirts the same as the man that talked first. Except, two of them had ties pulled down as well as the scruffy shirt. They looked like they were celebrating something to do with business. Obviously got the drinking a bit out of hand. If they weren't being so damn freaky and down right scary as hell right now, I would have thought they were nice guys. And they probably were. Right now though, they were drunk as hell and and unaware of what kind of actions they might end up doing. People that I knew he had to get away from.

I span in the opposite direction and started speed walking the other way. Hoping to get away from these poisoned beasts a couple metres in front of me. Shit Shit Shit.

"Hey, where do you think you're goin'?" a slightly deeper voice said.

As I thought, I heard pacing footsteps coming towards me. Each one getting louder and louder. Closer and closer. I broke out into a frantic sprint down the road. Where I was going? I didn't know. I didn't care as long as I got away from the chasing, drunks just behind me.

"You can run, but you can't hide!" one of them said. The others joined in with the wicked laughter. It was so fucking true as well. I didn't have anywhere to hide. The darkness didn't allow me to see anything. Therefore, I couldn't see anywhere to hide.

Sprinting round random corners and dashing down unknown paths lead him to a dead end. There was a fence blocking me and the predators were already behind me. I wasn't going to give up. I tried climbing the fence by heaving myself with all my strength. No such luck of course. One of the guys dragged me down by my dangling leg and onto the concrete ground. I bashed his head in the progress with a loud thump. All this did was trigger more laughter from the intimidating bullies hovering above me. This is ridiculous. I thought. Why did this have to happen tonight? Why couldn't I have just waited a bit longer before making my way back? God dammit, why?

Piercing eyes looked at me intently like a hunting dog on it's helpless prey. The first punch came right into my jaw. Followed by another on my chin, sending my head flying back. Along with my whole body. More wicked laughs echoed in the alleyway and in my head. I suddenly had the breath taken out of me when one of them dug his foot vigorously into my lungs. It felt as if some of my life was sucked out of me by that one swift kick into my side. I looked up with pain in my eyes only to be met with playful, vicious ones. My attention was drawn away from the eyes when they then landed on a fist about to swing into my already bruised and bloody face. How am I supposed to explain this to mum?

Everything was suddenly in slow motion. I saw a new figure in front of him with his arms stretched out. Was he defending me? Who the hell is he? Just let me die, its better than being in pain.

Thankfully, the figure managed to get rid of the violent men who were just a minute ago, beating me up. The mysterious silhouette then turned to face me and even with hazy eyes, I could clearly see who this was. The scruffy hair, clothes and dagger like eyes gave it away instantly. Why.

Derek.

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