Prolouge.

12.4K 220 7
                                    

It had all happened within a few moments. The small girl was now sat in the back of a cop car with two large white towels, that were anything but soft, wrapped around her small, rain drenched frame.

Her Uncle was thrashing around on the pavement outside, having what she could only describe as a 'hissy fit' about how he was in mourning, and couldn't be held accountable for his actions towards the young girl.

"Charlotte?" The woman next to her asked, noticing how the girls eyes were fixed on her Uncle. "Charlotte?" The woman asked a little louder now, managing to pull the girls attention from her Uncle.

She didn't speak, every time she'd spoken when she lived with her Uncle she'd get told off, so she remained in silence. Though she still got told off.

"Your going to live with some other girls your age, in a large home until a family is ready to take care of you. Is that okay?" The lady asked. Charlotte merely looked back out the rain covered window to see her Uncle being forcefully thrown into another cop car with his hands stuck behind his back.

She let out a sigh. The towel was rubbing her exposed skin sore as she shivered slightly. It was the anniversary of their death, of her parents death. It was even the same weather conditions it had been then. They were driving back from work when a drunken fool had crashed into their car, killing them instantly. That had been a two years ago when she had just turned 4. She then lived with her Grandmother, but her heart gave out under a year after, ending Charlotte at her abusive Uncle's house.

She was 8 now, and she was about to be shipped off once again.

She wasn't a stupid child. She understood the word 'dead'. She knew that when someone died they wouldn't come back. She knew what her Uncle had been doing was wrong, and she knew her parents loved her at some point. She understood anger, sadness and loss. What she didn't understand was why the older people didn't expect her to know those things, or at least understand some of the aspects of the situation. They all told her that her parents were still here and that they never really left her forever, that they were simply on a holiday and that they love her still. But they were lying. If you don't have a pulse you can't love. They weren't next to her right now, therefore they weren't with her and no holiday involves people dressing in black and crying before you go.

Adults were stupid. Stupid for undermining a child's knowledge, especially a child like Charlotte.

The car began to pull away from the house she never once called home, and the lady next to her was blabbing on about how she was going to love her new home, and how it would bring her out of her shell and such.

Charlotte was effectively blocking out the woman's rambling as she rest her head on the cool glass of the window. She wondered how her parents would feel if they knew about everything that had happened to her since their death. How they would react to hear that their once loud, happy daughter was now wasting away in a dark silence. Would they still care? Or are they to happy in death to realise the damage it has done and care about their mortal daughter.

The sky was darker now, and the lady had finally given up on trying to get Charlotte to exchange a few words with her, and was now instead buried into her phone, until the car turned a corner. "Aha! Charlotte this is your new home!" She said, her voice filled with obvious fake enthusiasm. Charlotte looked out to see a large house that had flowers painted on the bricks, and toys across the front yard. There were girls watching out the dozen of windows and two women were stood out the front with an umbrella each, looking rather miserable in the downpour.

The car stopped and Charlotte climbed out. "Charlotte this is Mrs Smithers, she's the lady who owns the house." The talkative lady informed her. Charlotte nodded and looked at the elderly lady. She had grey hair that was short and resembled a ball or wire. She was short, chubby and her skin was slightly wrinkled, her lips were thin and her eyes were a grey colour. She didn't look happy.

"And this is Miss Greene, she's also in charge." Miss Greene smiled, which Charlotte slightly returned. Miss Greene was a lot younger. She had long, light brown hair that looked smooth, her eyes were a honey colour and her skin was bright and youthful, her skin was slightly flushed from the cold. "Let's get you inside, you need to meet the other girls." Miss Greene said. Without a word Charlotte followed behind.

•••••

There were 19 other girls, all around the ages of 1-14. Charlotte didn't speak to anyone, only nodded or shook her head if asked something. She was sharing a room with 3 other girls, since it was 4 per room. They were Bree 11, Emily 10 and Rachel 8. They were nice enough, she was sharing a bunk with Bree.

The room was rather bland. The walls were a pale pink colour and the floor was a dark wood with a large, shaggy white rug on top. They didn't have much either,just a few toys and clothes, nothing more or less. But they didn't seem bothered by that, they were rather content with their situation.

"If you don't talk, you won't get adopted." Bree said as she rolled up her Yo-Yo. Charlotte didn't reply. She was watching the three girls play wordlessly. "You won't even reply? God your boring." Bree moaned just as Miss Greene walked in. "Are you settled Charlotte?" She asked kindly, walking over to the bunk.

"She won't reply y'know." Bree stated. Charlotte was laying on the top bunk on her side when Miss Greene stopped next to her. "That's okay, she came from a not very nice place. She needs a little time Breann, give her it." Miss Greene scolded lightly as she brushed some of Charlottes hair from her eyes.

She flinched when her fingers met her skin, to which Miss Greene frowned slightly as she said softly "I'm not going to hurt you."

It was the first time in a long time someone had touched her and hadn't hurt her or do something vile. I was nice, but foreign.

"Girls, lights out now, get into bed." Miss Greene turned around. The three girls moaned before putting away the toys and getting into bed. "Night girls." Miss Greene smiled, getting a good night in return from all except Charlotte, who just smiled at Miss Greene before she left the room, turning off the lights and shutting the door behind her.

Charlotte rolled onto her back and stared at the plain ceiling until sleep took over her small body.

Invisible.A Fifth Harmony fanfiction.Where stories live. Discover now