☁️Little Charlie☁️

CH 23// Game Over

"R-Rachel?!" Charlie said in a shaky voice. He wanted to pry his eyes away from the needle and her almost dead looking face. He wanted to run away never to return. But he knew he had to help first. He slowly approached Rachels body and pulled out her phone from her pocket. He then backed out of the bathroom, his eyes never leaving the slightly gaped open mouth or half lided eyes and pale skin. Once out the door he pulled out his phone and dialed 911.

"911, what's your emergency?" The dispatcher spoke.

Charlie closed his eyes and tightend his shaky grip on the phone as he spoke. "M-my...my cousin needs h-help...please". He choked out.

"What's going on?" The voice on the phone spoke calmy.

"Sh-she...I think she..." He started to sob and couldn't control his breathing. By now he had caught the attention of some of the party guests.

"It's okay, just take a deep breath" The dispatcher spoke. Charlie shook his head, he couldn't breath.

"P-please send help!" Charlie cried out. Just then a guy walked up to him with a suspicious look.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"R-Rachel needs help!" Charlie said pointing towards the bathroom. The man just scoffed and snatched his phone out of his hand and looked at the screen. His eyes went wide and he covered up the mic.

"Did you seriously call the cops you little spaz?!" He shouted.

Charlie shook his head. "I was c-calling for..an ambulance" He said in between gasps.

The guy rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath before putting the phone up to his ear. "Hello? Yes, everything is fine. My...little brother was just prank calling-"

"No I wasn't!" Charlie snapped. "Rachel has a heroine needle in her arm!" He shouted towards the phone. He tried to take it back but the guy was much taller than him and raised it out of his reach.

"Dude, what the fuck?!" The guy shouted. He pushed Charlie away with his free hand, sending the boy a few feet back. Charlie blinked back tears. and sniffled. His face showed clear frustration.

"She needs help!" He said even louder.

Then, seconds later, the distant sound of police sirens were heard. The guy looked out the window and dropped the phone. "Fuck!" He whispered to himself before sprinting out the back door. Charlie wanted to do the same, but was hesitant about leaving his cousin behind. As the sirens grew closer, people started to scatter and race out of the house.

By the time the police got to the door there were still a few people running through the front yard. Some were stopped by the police to be searched and be questioned. Two came inside the house to investigate. Charlie was still standing by the bathroom. He pointed inside and they stepped inside the bathroom.

"She's alive" One of them said after checking her pulse. Charlie let out a sigh of releif. Paramedics came in and carefully removed the needle. Charlie felt squeemish and had to look away. He watched them take her away on a stretchor. One of the officers stopped in her tracks as she was walking out of the bathroom and looked at Charlie closely.

"What's your name kid?" She asked.

"Ch-Charlie" He said hesitantly.

"Last name?"

Crap. The police here knew he was missing. Before she could react, Charlie sprinted out the door.

"Hey!" She called out after him. "Stop him!" She said racing to the door. Another officer outside who was jotting down notes looked up and dropped his notebook. He grabbed Charlie by the arms and pushed him up against the police car and, holding his hands behind his back. "Hey, no It's okay" The lady officer said running up to them. "He's the missing kid down at Maplewood, Charles Foster". The male officer loosened his grip but still kept his hold on him.

"You can't be running off like that, son" He spoke sternly. Charlie just kept his gaze down as he caught his breath. He wished he ran when he had the chance.

They put him in the back of the police car, locking the door. Charlie sunk down in his seat wanting to just dissapear from this world forever.

*****

The police kept Charlie in the car until Social services arrived to take him. Mark himself showed up and greeted Charlie with a small smile.

"Hey kid, glad to see you're okay." He said opening the door to his car. Charlie kept his gaze down and sat in the back seat.

"Can you get my bag please?" Charlie almost whispered. His voice caught Mark off guard at first.

"Oh, yeah sure, is it inside?" He asked. Charlie nodded, keeping his head down.

"Okay, I'll be right back". He closed the door and asked one of the officers to go indside the house to rechieve his bag. He threw it over his shoulder when he got it and headed back to the car. He had a seat in the front and handed the bag to Charlie in the backseat.

As soon as the bag was in his lap he unzipped it and pulled out his good friend, Teddy. He held his friend close and nuzzled his fur as the car started and took him back to the edge of Maplewood.