Back to Human

Chapter Nineteen

Charlie burst into the lounge, tears running down her face. Her eyes were red and bloodshot, she had obviously been crying for a while.

"SHE'S GONE!" Charlie wailed. We all jumped before rushing over to her.

"What happened?!" Ben asked firmly, grabbing Charlie's hands away from her face.

"A-ash, she was ta- taken." Charlie sobbed, her voice breaking.

Oh crap. I looked at the clock but it was at least an hour before she was due home. She must have come back early and found me gone.

"Shhh, she's right here, see? We didn't mean to make you worry." Lauren said, picking me up holding me in-front of Charlie. Charlie opened her eyes and when she saw me she cried in relief.

She took me from Lauren and and hugged me tight while she sobbed into my fur. I felt awful. Poor Charlie. She was so worried. I moved my head into the crook of her neck, the closest I could get to hugging her.

"I thought you were gone, I thought she found you." Charlie whimpered, gripping me tighter.

"It's okay, I'm right here." I told her gently.

Charlie made her way to the couch and sat down, sitting me on her lap as she attempted to calm herself down.
"We didn't mean to scare you, we should have left a note." Lauren said patting Charlie on the shoulder.

"I just freaked out, you know?" Charlie said, her breath hitching. "I wanted to come home early and maybe do something together because it must get boring being home alone. And when I got home, I looked for you and I couldn't find you. I don't know what Eleanor would do if she found you." Charlie said while stroking my back with one hand and wiping her tears away with the other.

Suddenly Charlie snapped out of it and looked at Lauren with a look of concern.

"Lauren, are you okay? How did it go?"

Lauren and Ben told her about how their morning went. By the time they finished, Charlie had mostly calmed down. She sniffled occasionally but it looked like she had mostly gotten over her fright. She had broken into a fit of hiccups, and every couple of seconds she would give a loud hic.

"Are you serious?" Charlie laughed when Lauren told her about what Ben did. Charlie's face flushed with laughter before she was interrupted by another loud hic.

Charlie's phone rang, and she quickly cleared her throat before answering it.

"Hello?" Charlie answered. I was close enough that I could hear the people on the other end.

"Good afternoon, is this Charlotte Miller speaking?" A man's voice asked.

"Yes, what can I help you with?" Charlie sat up straighter.

"I'm calling in regards to the incident you reported, I have been put in charge of investigating. Can you please give me your address?" The man asked very politely.

"Of course." Charlie said excitedly, sitting up straight. She gave the man her address and told him she would be home soon before hanging up.

"The official from the council just contacted me. He said he will be at my place in a couple of minutes. Ben, could you give us a ride?" Charlie asked.

"Of course." Ben said, getting up to grab his keys.

"If all goes well you could have your human body back soon." Charlie told me.

It was finally happening. After this short time that felt like a life time, I could go back to my family.

"Really? Do you think it will go as planned?" I asked Charlie, suddenly nervous.