In Our Blood

Charlie felt groggy as she opened her eyes; She didn’t know where she was or how she got here.

She carefully climbed out of the bed that she had been placed in; her legs felt shaky as she walked towards the door. Charlie stepped out of the room as she pulls the door open, the hallways were quiet; too quiet.

She began walking down the hall using the wall to help her keep balance with each step she took. She walked past an empty nurse station; Charlie made her way up a set of stairs, she tried to remember last night but she couldn’t. All she knew was she was still dressed in last night’s clothes, but she didn’t know where her shoes were.

Charlie saw a male and a female walking side by side, she could see they were talking to each other, but she was struggling to make out the words.

“You’re not supposed to be here” the woman called out as she noticed Charlie.

“Just going to the bathroom” Charlie pushed the button to the disabled toilet open before going in and locking herself in. She could see their shadows outside the glass door, Charlie kept her hand pressed on the lock button.

She tried not to scream as she began hearing banging on the door; Charlie squashed close to the wall while her hand stayed on the locked button as each bang happened. She looked at the door as she heard a crack on the glass door.

Charlie screamed; screamed as loud as she could, She didn’t want to, but she knew she had too. She quickly stopped screaming when the banging stopped, she heard the male and female begging for their life.

“What have I said!?” Charlie heard a male voice; she knew that voice. She needed to remember last night’s events.

Charlie tried to figure a way out but knew the only way in or out was the damaged door. She jumped when she heard the glass door shatter to the ground; her eyes widened.

“Oh, Charlie. Sweetie, what have I said about hiding?” He pushed his black wet hair out of his face; water was dripping down his body, Charlie noticed his blue speedos. Her eyes quickly looked up at his face “Come to daddy” He reached his arms out.

Charlie knew there was no way out; she watched her steps as she stepped towards him.

“That’a girl” He wrapped his arms around her waist before lifting her slightly up off the ground, carrying her away from the damaged bathroom. He placed her feet down on the carpet before letting go off her to admire her “I’m back sweetie and this time I promise to keep you safe.”

“I don’t need you to keep me safe” Charlie spat before turning and running. She ignored the two bloody bodies as she ran down the hall and down the stairs.

He kept his eyes on her; he had her like a cat chasing down a mouse. She got to the bottom of the stairs, rushed over to the elevator, and pressed the down button. Charlie only had mere seconds to think; she saw two vending machines close together, she rushed over before squeezing herself behind one of them. She was surprised to see the gap between the wall and the machine and how she managed to fit herself behind it.

Charlie heard the beep of the elevator; she heard the doors slide open. She carefully peeked from out behind the vending machine seeing him exit the elevator, she carefully watched him as he walked right past her. She felt something dig into the side of her, looking down seeing a door handle before pushing the door handle down, but it wouldn’t budge. She tried to think how she would open the door without her kit. Charlie patted her black hair hoping there may be a bobby pin still in there, she scrunched up her face when she couldn’t feel one. She looked down at the power socket before thinking again, she quickly shook her head realizing that idea would be a stupid one. Charlie patted the pockets of her shorts and smiled; she squeezed her hand into the back pocket before pulling out a bobby pin.

Charlie managed to open the door using the bobby pin before calmly closing the door behind her; She calmly walked down the hall, pretending she knew what she was doing.

“Excuse me?” Charlie asked the nurse at the nurse station “Where ’bout’s would I find the toilets?”

The nurse looked up in annoyance and pointed to the right of her. Charlie’s eyes followed the direction the nurse’s hand was pointed.

“Thank you” Charlie smiled before heading towards the toilets. She looked up at the sign before peering back behind her; Charlie took a sharp left towards the exit. She knew the elevator would give her away immediately; she carefully pushed open the emergency door before quietly closing it. Charlie raced down the stairs following the signs down.

Level 5 Carparking

Charlie pushed open the door; she took in the fresh air that her body was starting to crave, her eyes scanned around for a car; a car that looked like it wouldn’t be missed.

She found a beat-up car that looked like it deserved to be at the wreckers. Charlie kept alert as she pulled open the door. She wasn’t surprised that it wasn’t locked as she sat down in the driver’s seat, she noticed wires hanging down from the bottom of the steering wheel.

It’s been stolen already Charlie thought too herself as she leaned down trying to start up the car.

She didn’t hear the car door open, nor did she notice the person sitting down in the passenger’s seat; she didn’t even hear the car door close.

“Try the blue and red one.”

Charlie quickly dropped the wires as she looked up “Do you ever put clothes on?” she noticed her father still in his speedos.

“Only when I don’t have to chase after you. Very clever by the way. Using the stairs and finding this car” He smiled proudly “I wouldn’t have thought of that.”

Charlie leaned back in the driver’s seat “What gave me away?”

“Nothing” He said as he seemed confused “I knew you were trying to escape. We both knew the obvious would be stupid. I know your clever, Charlie”

Charlie looked out the front window “Why a hospital?”

“It’s not only a hospital. It’s my hospital.” He carefully watched Charlie; he could tell she was planning another escape.

“What about everyone else? Wouldn’t they try to come here?” Charlie looked at him.

He shook his head “It’s blocked off, it’s not registered, and, on the outside, it looks like it’s been untouched”

Charlie didn’t know what to say to that as she moved her gaze out the driver’s side window “I spent ten years hiding from you. No social media, nothing that would make it easy. How did you find me?” She looked back at him.

He smiled like a Cheshire cat “What have I taught you about trust?”

“Trust no one” She looked down at her lap.

“Good thing for your friends”

Charlie couldn’t believe she had been betrayed like that. She didn’t understand, she never explained who she was nor anything about her parents.

“I’m quite disappointed to hear that I burned in a house fire. Telling lies, Charlotte. What have I said about lies?” He shook his head in disappointment.

Charlie twisted her sweaty hands around each other as her breathing increased.

He could see the way she was reacting “How about I take you inside. We can talk” He tried to calm her nerves.

Charlie looked up at the male; She could see it in his face. Plans running though his mind, he was waiting for her next move.

He watched Charlie as she stepped out of the car before stepping out of the passenger side “Good girl” He waved his hand towards the elevator “we’ll take the easy way up.” He watched as she began to walk towards the elevator.