"Are we safe here?" Charlotte whispered. Charlie wasn't there, it was just her and Leo and the setting sun as they stood in the eerie living room. "Your not safe anywhere." Leo admitted, he stood silhouetted at the door, watching her. "Why?" Charlotte asked. "Why what?" She started walking towards him. "It's been 2 years and I still can't stop asking myself why. Why did I do it, what could of possibly been so bad that I killed my mother." Leo tilted his head, studying her. "I don't know." She smirked. "Then why did it happen here?" She took a step backwards and opened her arms wide. "It happened here, in your dad's house. Why was she here?" She asked him, deep down knowing there was more to the story. Perhaps she would never know the full story. "I don't know." Leo said again. "No." Charlotte said, firmly. "You don't get to lie to me, not again!" The shout reverberated through the echoey walls of the house, so much so that she was frightened they'd wake Charlie. Leo smirked, closing the small space between them in one long stride. The floor boards creaked beneath their feet and the old net curtains swirled in the window in the wind. Leo took a deep breathe, his eyes fell to the floor, "she came to see my dad." He finally said. Charlotte stared at him. "It was business apparently, there was so much shouting." He spoke quietly, underneath his breathe. "What sort of business?" She had to ask. Leo looked at her, "what do you think." He moved away from her now, towards the sofa. He sank into the old leather and for a while, Charlotte thought he wouldn't continue. "My dad locked her in the spare bedroom, I thought he was going to kill her." Fear filled Leo's eyes. "He left." Leo shrugged, gave a small smile. "I haven't seen him since, he could be dead for all I know." He looked at Charlotte. "Is that a bad thing?" She asked. "I don't know." Leo said, before continuing. "My dad hadn't been gone long and I was looking for the key, to let your mum out. Then you came, shouting like a mad woman. You was so angry, I didn't know what was wrong with you." Charlotte sat down in the chair opposite Leo. "You was scary, Charlotte. I couldn't stop you, you wouldn't listen." Leo's eyes were wide. "You were here, when I killed her?" Charlotte's voice was no louder than a whisper. Leo nodded, unable to speak. "What did I use Leo?" She asked, after a long time. He stared at her, as if he didn't want to tell her but eventually he shrugged and looked away and whispered, "you took my dad's gun, you shot her and let her bleed out. Charlotte, there was so much blood. What happened?" Charlotte stood and started for the door. "That's what we're going to find out."
The night air was cool as Charlotte walked, there was fast footsteps behind her. "We can't just leave like this". Leo said, struggling to catch up with her. "Why not?" Charlotte asked, not even looking at him. "Charlie will worry." She stopped and glared at him. "Who cares." Her voice was icy cold, Leo laughed. "He was right, you know." He stepped towards her, the moon light casting shadows on his face. "He's not your enemy Charlotte, it's about time you understood that." She huffed, turning and continuing walking. The woodland that surrounded Leo's dads old home was dense, and in the dark it was easy for Charlotte to disappear into the shadows. "Charlotte, slow down." She heard Leo calling, but she didn't dare stop. Something was pulling her forwards, maybe a distant memory or just spy instincts but she couldn't stop herself even if she tried. "Where are you going?" Leo yelled, he sounded out of breathe. "I don't know." Charlotte whispered, knowing he wouldn't be able to hear her. She stopped, looked around, then the floor began to fall and slide from beneath her feet. She stepped backwards, loosing her footing and falling onto something hard. "Hey." Leo smiled at her, rolling over onto his side. Charlotte rolled her eyes, quickly getting to her feet and starring at the small shaft that had opened in the forest floor. "An old mine shaft?" Leo was up too and gingerly walking closer. "Secret passageway?" Charlotte suggested. Leo shrugged, they stared down into the dark steep tunnel. Charlotte watched Leo pull a piece of rappel-a-cord from his pocket and smile. "After you?" He said, sending the cord into the dark depths of the unknown. Charlotte took the cord in her hands and was just about to descend into the black when a deep male voice spoke from behind them. "I wouldn't, if I were you."
Before she knew what was happening the man had his arms around her neck, pulling her backwards, away from Leo. Charlotte felt her training kick in as her pulse stayed steady, despite the cold feel of the gun pressed against her temple. Leo looked on, he was moving towards them but the man who held Charlotte with a death grip fired a warning shot. The message was clear, he was willing to kill them, both of them if he had too. "What do you want with her?" Leo yelled, Charlotte stayed silent, planning. She wanted to tell Leo to calm down, to think. Look, listen. Notice things. But he was panicking, he wasn't being a spy then. He was being her boyfriend. But right then she needed him to be focused, she needed him not to care about her emotionally and focus on what he had to do. She hadn't seen the mans face but she heard him laugh now. It was cold and sinister, it sent chills down Charlotte's spin. "She knows what I want." The man whispered in her ear, his English was heavily accented. Russian maybe? Charlotte wasn't sure. She didn't care, she just used adrenaline to step back into her attacker. She didn't think about the gun in his hands or the fact he had 10 pounds on her. She sent him into the back of a tree, crushing his shoulder in the process. The man winced in pain, finally releasing Charlotte from his hands but he still held his gun. He smiled at her, it was wicked and cruel, as he raised the gun with his still good arm and pointed it at her chest. "You shouldn't have done that."
• • •
I hope you enjoyed!
I n s t a g r a m: pengmendes
- Naomi x
YOU ARE READING
Keep Your Enemies Closer | a Bars and Melody Story [COMPLETED]
Misteri / Thrilleroriginally for my instagram dayumdevries. Charlotte's life is turned upside down when her past comes back to haunt her. She finally has to face her demons and reopen the wounds she never quite let heal. What will digging up the pace reveal? And is s...