Autophobia

Chapter 15: Alone

Charlie let out a whimper. The tattered bear looming over her was over 7 feet tall- its head almost touched the ceiling. As horrified as she was, she couldn't look away. A high-pitched noise assaulted her ears but she didn't dare cover them for fear of dropping the flashlight.

"Mmmf.... Charlotte?" Michael stirred beside her.

The bear turned its head in his direction and the rumbling noise sounded again. Charlie realized that it wasn't a rumble at all- it was deep laughter. Michael sat up and instantly recoiled, his breath hitching in his throat. He too was seeing the monstrosity before her eyes- it was written on his face. The flashlight flickered and he yanked it away from her, striking it repeatedly. It died a second later, shrouding the two in darkness.

The high-pitched noise stopped and there was nothing but the sound of subdued breathing. There was another laugh and then the flashlight flickered back to life. Charlie jumped as a warm hand covered hers.

"You... you saw it too?" Michael whispered. Charlie was shaking again, staring into the void the monster bear had previously occupied. "Charlotte, did you see it?"

"Y-yeah."

The two sat motionless for several minutes, listening intently for the deep laughter.

"It's gone." Michael said finally. Charlie glanced down at their hands and then at him, catching his gaze. "Oh.. I'm sorry." He withdrew his hand.

"It's... it's okay."

They both stared at the closet in the center of the room.

"Michael?"

"Mmm?"

"How long... how long have you been seeing it?"

"15 years- starting on the night of the... accident."

The accident. It irked her that he called it an accident. His intentions were malicious, the act was malicious. She swallowed her agitation.

"One night, in the hospital... I had to hold the door shut because it was in the hallway and wouldn't leave."

"Why didn't you just lock it?"

"The doors in those places don't lock- the doctors need to be able to get in at anytime in order to jam pills down your throat."

"I've only seen it once. I was in the hospital after... he attacked me."

"What... what exactly did... he do to you?" Michael turned to her at last.

Charlie's breath caught in her throat and she tensed. She saw William's face clearly in her mind- smug, elated to inflict pain... and death. A single tear rolled down her cheek.

"You don't have to tell me if-"

"No. It's okay." She met his gaze and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, exposing the scar on her forehead. "He hit me with something. I think it was a tire iron. A big one." 

Michael squinted.

"Yeah, I see it."

Charlie sighed and averted her gaze to the floor.

"I woke up in the alley behind Junior's. He left me there to die."

"But he failed, and he's furious." Michael said gravely. Charlie nodded.

"I know."

"No, Charlotte, he's furious. Furious as in, he'll kill you in the most brutal way possible. He won't let you slip away again."