Autophobia

Chapter 13: The Cold Truth

Author's Note: The song above came to my mind while writing this chapter- you don't have to check it out but I recommend it if you want to really get a feeling for this chapter.

Charlie didn't recognize anything- they were on the outskirts of town, surrounded by empty fields.

    "Where are we going?" She asked Fritz yet again. No response. Okay. I'm on a bus with a guy I barely know, at 1 am, on the outskirts of town. He won't tell me where we're going. Did I transfer Chief Clay's number to my new phone? She analyzed the situation repeatedly in her head. To make matters worse, she was boxed in- Fritz was sitting on the aisle seat. They were the only remaining passengers, which made her even more wary of her safety. The bus came to an abrupt stop and she jolted forward, causing her head and neck to smart.

"End of the line." The gray-haired bus driver declared. Fritz stood up, but Charlie didn't move.

"Charlotte? Come on."

She stared out the window. There weren't any lights anywhere, although she could faintly see the outlines of houses in the distance. Nope. She turned to Fritz and just stared at him. You can't be serious.

"End of the line." The bus driver raised his voice.

"Come on, then. End of the line." Fritz extended his hand. 

"Where are we?" She demanded.

"Somewhere safe. Come on."

She stood up slowly and reached into her pocket, feeling for her keys. If she held them in the right way she could use them as a makeshift weapon. The bus sped away the second the duo stepped off of it, and she gripped the keys tightly.

    "This way. Stay close, it's easy to get lost." Fritz gestured for her to follow him onto a small footpath. They walked for what seemed like an eternity, in complete silence. The sound of a babbling stream nearby served as a slight comfort to Charlie, but she was perpetually on edge. She wasn't sure if she was relieved when a house came into view- it was definitely abandoned, with an overgrown lawn, loose shingles, and chipping red siding. As she and Fritz stepped onto the wooden porch, the whole foundation seemed to shake. He dug a keyring out of his pocket, fumbled with several keys, and then applied one to the front door.

    Charlie lingered in the doorway after he stepped inside. Okay, I can still run.

    "Hold on a minute..." There were several shuffling sounds and then a loud click. She shielded her eyes as a bright light filled the room.

    "Hold this." Fritz extended a large, heavy flashlight to her. It was similar to the police flashlight Charlie had had in her car, at Aunt Jen's insistence. She watched as Fritz picked up a matchbook, struck one of the matches, and then lit several candles. The flickering lights revealed a cozy living room- at least, it was once cozy. The overstuffed couch and armchair had stuffing coming out of them in several places, the weathered oak coffee table was cluttered with old newspapers, and an ancient TV sat next to a tall bookshelf overflowing with books.

    "Who... who's house is this?"

    "Mine." Fritz said breathily.

    "You... live here?"

    "Yeah. I mean, I did. A long time ago." 

    "Why are we here?"

    "I told you, it's safe here. They've forgotten about this place."

    "Who's they? That girl and that man?"

    Fritz nodded.

    "You should sit down." He gestured to the overstuffed couch. Charlie sunk into the cushions immediately after sitting down, and she had to shift vigorously to get comfortable. Fritz sat in the armchair and pulled out his pack of cigarettes, using the flame of a nearby candle to light one. Charlie watched as he inhaled deeply and then expelled the smoke from his lungs. He relaxed with a sigh, sinking back into the chair. She let go of her keys at last. If his intention was to attack her, he would have already done so. At least, that was what she told herself.