Unstoppable

The Thirty-Second

"I was around the age of five when my parents passed." She began to explain to both of us. "And it wasn't the prettiest sight. Lovely people. I'd never seen them do anything wrong to anyone. Gave notes to beggars, played in bands, sang at choirs, gave out food, you name it, they did it."
"They sound like good people." I said, trying to apply some sympathy to the situation.
"Sounded" Callum reminded me, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Yeah, they were. Days were great: we went sightseeing, we played together, we built bonds, we had deep friendships. I loved it. All of it. Every day, waking up, and going into the next room to wake both of them up, jumping around them both before having yet another fantastic day..." she stops, remembering the good times and memories.
I do it too. Sometimes, I just sit back and think. I shouldn't do it too much though, might become too depressing or edgy.
"It all came to a sudden stop though, a few months after all the fun, I was walking with my mother and father down the front walkways, when we saw a band of gang members running up someone's house. All of them held large guns that were about half their size, and they were spraying them all over the place. A few looked our way, and I guess we must've looked something like the people they were trying to kill, because three gave chase. My dad gave me to my mum and told us to run, and she did, screaming for him to follow. I looked back, and..." She steeled herself for a moment before breathing heavily.
"He was shot. Straight in the head. Quick and clean. My dad, gone. Just like that." She let it hang in the air whilst we stared blankly at her, letting all of this seep in.
"My mother was next. They chased us into a corner and... They, they.." She couldn't get the words out, but I knew what she was going to say, even before she said it.
"I'm... so sorry." I stumbled out with before reaching over and holding her shoulder.
"Do you wish to continue with this?" Callum piped up from next to me, eyes raised and eyebrows curved.
"Yeah, just... Just one moment..." Charlotte took one more long, heated breath, and begun again.
"They looked me over: five, helpless, crying, clutching my mother, crying for her to wake up. Both of the members looked around thirty, tattoos and all of that stuff, tank tops, cargo trousers, skulls on their face in black ink, you know?" She asked, and we both nodded slightly, intrigued.
"Why am I even telling you this..?" I heard her mutter before continuing.
"Well, they must've been a bit interested in what I'd seen, because I heard them say something. Along the lines of 'grab her'" She imitated a rather low and unmoving voice, clearly taking the piss.
"Stay on track..." Callum seemed more interested than I was.
You too. You need to keep yourself in the game. Charlotte seems okay, her walls are just high. They need breaking down.
"So, I'm being escorted, screaming and kicking at the men who have me by the neck, and all of a sudden I see a bullet hit one in the face. He goes down, and the other one puts my body in front of his chest, protecting himself. Well, what a surprise he gets when a knife goes into his neck, and is pushed through twice. It wasn't elegant: it was bloody and sloppy. The job was done, nevertheless,  and he fell to the floor. Dead." She stopped a moment, mulling something over.
"You holding something back from us?" I said, hoping she'd give it up easily.
"Maybe. Maybe I am." She said, meeting my gaze. I could feel the plastic from the mask she wore. The glassy eyes hiding the true fear. The smooth skin hiding the cracks that seemed to reside there.
Convincing. But not enough.
"Ah. Well. If you will..?" Charlotte asked, and I leaned back and gestured.
"Do go on." I said, applying a posh accent to further take the piss.
"Cunt." I heard her mutter.
"Anyway, this guy, I can't remember his features for the life of me, comes over. He scoops me up, says something along the lines of 'its okay, I'll look after you. Don't worry about it.' And then I pass out from all the blood and killing and shit, the weak fuck I was back then." She also leaned back, allowing all of this to sink through our brains.
"That's... something." Callum said after a few seconds of patient waiting.
"Isn't it just." She replied bluntly. She then turned towards me, eyes slightly curious.
"Where are your parents?" She asked me, digging through my eyes for a short answer before I could even provide one. I simply applied a blank expression, moved forward slightly, and said:
"Dead."
"Oh."
Her reply was honest at least.
An awkward silence filled the room before Callum stepped up, took out mugs, and threw them into the sink, creating a rather loud noise.
"How do you know Charlotte?" I asked Callum, clearly curious.
You don't bring a girl you don't know into your house, unless you've known them for some time. What's going on here?
I physically felt both of them freeze in place, time clearly moving on without them, before one of them moved and said something.
"That... That is a story for another morning" Callum closed that route off instantly from me.
Fuck then. Guess that's not happening is it?

The rest of the day was myself trying to get around both of these people staying in my house. Callum clearly wasn't moving any time soon, and Charlotte had nowhere to go. After some time, I pulled them both into the living room, and spoke to Charlotte first.
"Do you wanna stay here?" I asked her, and her eyes widened before dissipating slightly.
"What-what do you want me to do for you in return?" She stammered slightly, clearly afraid.
Oh, Christ. I know where this is going... and I don't like it.
"Nothing! God, no! It's not like that." I started to stammer as well, afraid of what she was putting on the table.
"So what is it then?" She retorted.
"You don't have to do or pay me anything in any way!" I shot back "It's a kind offer. You have nothing to give to me, and I wouldn't want it anyway." I managed to catch myself before I went too deep.
"So, I don't have to perform... services to stay here?" She seemed confused.
"Oh, Jesus Christ no." I shook my head a little too quickly to show my disgust at the idea.
"Then why have me around?" She seemed to confuse herself more and more, and I didn't even have to say a single word.
"Because, for one, Callum enjoys having you around. There's clearly some sort of friendship here, so I wouldn't throw you out. Not after everything he's done." I could feel Callum smile before I carried on. "Plus, my parents never left anyone out they didn't need to. I have the spare room. Use it. I couldn't throw you out anyway, I'd feel so guilty and horrid with myself." I said to her, before pushing through a mental barrier I'd had a problem with.
Say the words. You have to move on. This is how they'd want it remembered.
"You can... you... you can sleep..." I stammered like fuck, very afraid.
"Youcansleepinmyparentsroom" My mouth strung it all out in one go, and it sounded like a dog shitting on a floor. She seemed to stop and look me down for a few seconds.
"You sure you want me to sleep... there?" She asked me again, clearly confused and checking.
"Yeah... Afraid so." I replied with.
Neutrality. Cry later.
"I can't refuse." Was her simply reply, and myself and Callum watched as a smile appeared, wide and broad, on her face as she jumped up to embrace me. It caught me by surprise, but I eventually rested my hands around her waist as I hugged her back.
"Thank you...!" She whispered into my ear.
"Thank you..."