Break Free

The Last Day

Nick woke up the next morning with Charlie wrapped in his arms. He had finally gotten a full nights sleep and figured that Charlie had too. He kissed the top of her head.

It had been a week since the incident and things seemed better. Her bruises and scratches were almost healed. Abby had dropped off
some more clothes for Charlie to wear so that she wasn't stuck in the same two shirts.

Nick carefully got out of his bed without waking Charlie up. He was finally going to go for that run he'd been anxiously waiting for. After a full nights sleep, this would be the finishing touch to getting back on track. It was early enough that he figured he had some time before Charlie would be awake anyways.

On the kitchen counter he left a note for her telling him where he was going and that he would be back soon.

He slipped on his running shoes and left the house, locking the door behind him.

•••

Abby was on her laptop in her room when Maya walked in without knocking. Something she never did.

"Come with me." Maya gestured her arm stiffly before walking away.

Abby jumped up and walked out of her room in time to see Maya go into Sarah's room.

"What's going on?" Sarah groaned as Maya turned on the bedroom lights even though Sarah was clearly sleeping.

"We need to go to Nick's house right now." Maya spoke urgently. Something was obviously wrong.

"What's going on?" Sarah, who was wide awake now, asked again.

"Nick texted and said we needed to come over right away. Something must be wrong with Charlie." Maya didn't wait for Sarah or Abby to say anything else before briskly leaving the room and going downstairs.

Abby ran back to her room and put on some sandals while Sarah scrambled out of bed and put a jacket on over her pajamas.

Five minutes later Sarah and Abby were sitting in the back seat of Maya's car as she drove to Nick's house.

Maya had been trying to call Nick but he wouldn't pick up. Her nerves were going crazy. She could only think the worst was happening.

Abby wrung her hands together. What had she missed when Charlie had come over earlier? Why couldn't anyone ever notice the things that mattered?

Sarah closed her eyes and started praying. She had wished for bad things to come to Charlie a few months ago, but now she only wanted everything to be okay. For Charlie, and for Nick.

The drive seemed to take forever, but soon Maya was pulling into Nick's driveway.

"This isn't right." Maya broke the silence that had blanketed the entire car ride.

Abby and Sarah peered through the front window to see Nick standing in front of his door. He was sweating and wearing his running clothes.

Sarah jumped out of the car first. "What was the big emergency?"

Abby followed Maya as they came up behind Sarah.

"What?" Nick looked confused. He'd just been running. There was no emergency.

"You texted me and told me to come over as soon as possible." Maya's voice was tight. She'd spent most of the car ride trying not to break down.

Nick patted his pockets and looked around confused. "I don't even have my phone."

Realization hit them all at once. Charlie had sent the text.

Nick cursed and pushed his front door open. The girls followed him through his house until he was at his bedroom.

He flung open the door and Charlie wasn't in bed.

Abby gasped. This wasn't happening.

Nick ran to his guest room but Charlie and her bag of clothes weren't in there.

"No. No no no no." Nick was panicking.

Sarah and Maya stood and watched as Nick searched the entire room for any trace of her. Then they followed him around the house while he searched.

Abby had gone to the kitchen to get herself something to drink. She needed to calm down.

As she gulped down her glass of water and put it down on the counter, she noticed a note.

"You guys!" Abby shouted.

Nick was the first one in the kitchen. Sarah and Maya were close behind.

"There's a note for us." Abby picked up the folded piece of paper. It had all of their names written across the front.

Nick took it from her before anyone else could grab it.

"What does it say?" Maya asked quietly.

"Nick?" Sarah asked after a few seconds of silence.

Abby hiccuped and a tear fell down her cheek.

Nick lifted his head from reading the note. His eyes were red and his hands were turning to fists, crinkling the paper.

"It just says goodbye."