The Golden Creek

The Decision

"Autumn, what are you doing here??" Charlie says, his chains rattling. "Um- Better question, what are you doing here? Play time is over, let's go home," and she walks up to Serenity and scans her from head to toe. "Who are you supposed to be? The grim reaper?" Serenity chuckles, "Sure, if that's what you want to call me in your last seconds of life." Suddenly, Autumn gets a worried look, "What is she talking about, Charlie??" Charlie lowers his head as Serenity whips her head to the left to give him a deadly glare. "Charlie! Answer me!! What did she mean?" Autumn started to slowly step backwards, "I'm scared, Charlie.."

* * * * * *

"CHARRRRLIE!" Thunder cried out as he trudged wearily through the woods. "Ugh, come on.. CHARLIE ANSWER ME," his voice broke. Looking around, he noticed something moving in a bush nearby. Using his stealthy cat-iness, Thunder tiptoed towards the bush. As he got closer, he recognized crying from a little girl. "He-hello..?" he said in the most non-threatening tone he could. A small girl in a blue dress slowly crawled out. "Thunder..? Is that you?" she asked with a hint of hope in her voice. His ears flattened and he lowered his tail, "Yes, but..How do you know my name?"

* * * * * *

Abaddon looked at Autumn with a devilish looked in his eye. "It's going to be ok Ch--" Tabitha is thrown against the wall before she can finish. Charlie gasps worriedly, "Tabitha!" "We don't want to give false hope, now.. do we, Tabitha?" Serenity rests her scepter on a small wooden table next to her. Gasping for air, Tabitha shoots a mean glare at her, "At least I'm trying!"

* * * * * *

"I know all the animals' names, silly!" She smiled lovingly at Thunder, and he returned the smile. "Who are you? If- uh..You don't mind me asking," Thunder asked, his ears perking up again. "My name is Haiti," she smiled before looking down and fiddling with her thumbs. "Haiti...," Thunder muttered to himself. "It's so familiar.." "Why-um.. Why were you crying, Haiti?" he asked. She wiped her face dry, "There's this..boy. He's not from here. He's in trouble...and I'm scared what will happen if I don't save him!!" Thunder's eyes widened, "Charlie!"

* * * * * *

"Don't hurt her!!" Charlie yelled while struggling with his bonds. "Or what?" Abaddon laughed. "I-" Charlie began.."I can think of anything I want to, t- to hurt you back!" Normally, Abaddon would be threatened by this, but not this time. "Go ahead, little boy. Hurt me. Kill me," he dared. He stood perfectly still for him. Charlie thought of everything he could. He thought of a magical sword that would knock you out with just one strike, and he thought of a cannon right behind Abaddon, but...to no avail. "Why isn't it working..?" Charlie whimpered quietly. Abaddon walked towards Charlie and got on one knee,"Because, child. You see, the dark side is taking over. When there is more bad than good, your powers don't work too well, do they?" "But-" "You are stuck here. You can and will never leave. You either join Serenity and I, or you and all of your loved ones will perish," he finished.

* * * * * *

"Where is he???" Thunder panted as he and Haiti weaved their way through trees and brush. "I--I don't completely remember!" She responded, stopping for breath. "We..we're going to have to find him," she ended. "You're too slow for this..just..I don't know.. I'll grab your dress, just don't scream..?" Thunder said, biting the back of her dress' collar. "Time for takeoff! Ready?" she asked, preparing herself. Thunder sighed, "Ready as I'll ever be.." and with that, he went airborne and flew above the trees, scanning the canopies for anything useful. "Wher tuh firsht?" he asked, with the cloth in his mouth. The wind was blowing wildly and blinding Haiti, "Try over there!"

* * * * * *

"Will you let my friends go if I do?" Charlie's voice saddened as he asked this. This is where Abaddon's evil expression morphed into a childish grin. "Oh yes, all of them! I promise you that and this entire kingdom!" Tabitha's mouth was agape in shock. "Charlie...Don't do this..Please," she begged weakly. Charlie gave her a look of sympathy and Autumn was being held tightly by Serenity. As Charlie came closer to decision, Abaddon's grin grew wider. "So..what's your choice, boy?" "I-" Charlie began.

* * * * * *

"What's this??" Thunder asks as he lands, sniffing the once-fertile ground that is now becoming dead. The water was running low and lifeless, and trees nearby were decaying. "Oh no!" Haiti cries. "It's already happening!" "WHAT IS? What's happening?! I mean, like cniejfhiehewsw wuhb-uh-hello??" Thunder starts running in circles in panic, not even knowing what was wrong. "It's Abaddon! He's getting what he wants! It's too late! We have to turn back!" she says, tugging on Thunder's tail. "No! We can't just leave Charlie! I have known him ever since he got here basically, and he is a good kid! We aren't leaving him!" Thunder hisses, yanking his tail away from her grasp. "Thunder, please! You have to trust me! All of the good, innocent creatures will die if we don't go back and warn them! I need your help!" she began to tear up. "It's too late..." she muttered, wiping her a bead of tear from her cheek. "Please..we need to go," she asked once more. "No. I'm finding Charlie, no matter what it takes. He's my..family," and with that, Thunder takes to the sky, leaving Haiti in the Starry Woods next to what was once...the golden creek.

* * * * * *

"I'll stay.." Charlie says with a final sigh. "Ahh, yes," Abaddon concludes with a maniacal laugh, "I must say, I agree ever-so strongly with your choice--" He looks over at Serenity and smirks, "Serenity...Won't you do the honors?" The queen nodded, and suddenly Autumn was swallowed by a dark void. "AUTUMN!!" Charlie screamed in anguish. Abaddon smiled in satisfaction and cut off his chains. "Why did you kill her?! You promised!!" he cried. "Well- technically, Serenity killed her, hence the reason I told her to do it and not me. I'm a man of my word, Charlie believe it or not."