Promise from the heart

Chapter 46

He crouched down and wept into his hands. He hadn't been alone that day, in the apartment, after Jordan left. He hadn't even been alone when Jordan was there. They had been there all along. Waiting patiently for the moment they sensed was coming. And the minute it did, they had struck.

His grandfather had tried to warn him, but he had thought nothing of it.

So desperate for a way out, Charlie had astral-projected out of his body. He had been in so much pain that his soul simply couldn't bear a minute more of it. That's when they had taken over. And that was why they were all in danger now.

But how had he gotten his body back now? How had he been able to fight them off this time? He had no idea, but whatever had happened, he saw it as a sign from the universe. A sign that it was time to do what he vowed once and for all, and protect his family against the danger he himself invited in.

This wasn't Jordan's fault, or even their fault. It was all Charlie. He hadn't been strong enough. He was ashamed of himself, but while it would be impossible for him to change the past, he could do better this time. This time he could be stronger and protect them all. This time, he would make them leave.

He ran toward where the screams had come from, and as he did, he realised that it was not only the clothes on his back and the room he slept in that he did not recognize. Nothing in that house was even vaguely familiar. His heart raced as he realised that he was seeing it for the first time. The panic threatened to break him as he realised that with control of his body, they would've been able to do and say anything they wanted... and god only knew for how long he'd been gone.

He found himself standing in front of an old heavy-looking door in dark wood. Instead of a handle, there was a rusty metal ring that had to be twisted to the side for the door to open. Inside, he knew his siblings were, because he could hear their shaky breaths from inside the room. Cautiously he reached out and touched the ring and twisted it to the side. Inside, the breathing stopped momentarily, and he was sure they'd heard him. Charlie himself was terrified of what he'd find on the other side of the door, but with a long dragged out creak, he pushed it open anyway.

It was a old and dark room, and as he pushed the door open, a gush of cold wind came toward him. It was as cold as in a root cellar in there, but he was sure they weren't underground. It was dark, and had it not been for the candles in the corner, he wouldn't have been able to see anything at all.

The floor was dirty, and as he moved inside the room, he stepped in something. He looked down and squinted. Salt. Half a meter of floorboards in front of the door were covered in salt. Charlie let out a shuddery breath as he knew all to well what the salt was for. He couldn't stall any longer. He swallowed noisily and let his gaze wander toward the candles.

He whimpered as his eyes adjusted and he saw his siblings clearly. They looked beat, and terrified. Brooklyn was lying in Ezra's arms, and Charlie prayed he was only sleeping. Ezra seemed to be trying to glare at him, but he wasn't fully able to. He simply looked sad and frightened. Charlie realised Ezra was trying to protect Julian and Brooklyn. That would've made him smile, if he wasn't already about to cry as he knew that he himself was the danger here. That the reason why Ezra felt he had to protect his brothers, was because Charlie was now a danger to them all.

Charlie's gaze moved from Ezra to Julian, and if there was anything left in his heart to break, it broke when their eyes met. Julian, who had only ever looked at him with love, admiration and relief, was trying to, just like Ezra, to glare at Charlie. Only unlike Ezra, Julian succeeded. Not even losing Jordan was more painful than that very moment. Seeing the anger in his siblings eyes, seeing the hatred in them, made his heart shatter into a million pieces, and Charlie didn't know if he'd ever recover. The siblings whom he loved so dearly, who had looked up to him always, now hated him. He was the reason they were hurt, and he felt he deserved every last bit of their hatred.

He had failed them all, and he would never forgive himself for that.

He took a deep breath and allowed himself to look at them a little longer. Clearly time had passed, because their faces had all changed. The childish roundness had been replaced by a stronger, bonier structure. They had grown so much, and he had missed it all.

Charlie cleared his throat a little, and achingly watched as the three flinched in fear. Julian tried to pretend they didn't, but Charlie saw. He saw, and he'd never forget it.

"It's me." He said softly, hoping not to scare them further.

"W-we won't fall for that again." Ezra said.

Charlie's eyes held a world of sadness as he looked at his frightened siblings, and it took him a moment to regain his voice.

"I promise. It really is me... this time."