In my Nature, in my Blood || Carrett
Charcoal dug into the wall roughly as shaking hands led them over in the same design that had been repeated across the room. Figures that would have once danced across the room seemed to almost be angry as they were nearly carved into the the sheet rock hidden under the once beautiful mural of a large landscape. Now in its place stood smears of black and the figures with wings and wicked grins upon their faces. Every single light that could be turned on was to keep the creeping shadows of the night away but it wasn’t enough. It was never enough. The whispers swarmed her mind violently telling her things she didn’t want to hear. No, they weren’t true. They couldn’t be true. Teeth gnawed into her bottom lip as she pushed her unkempt blonde hair out of her face, smearing the black into more of the hair as if she was trying to dye it. Closing her eyes for a moment she tried to think. Tried to think straight but all she could think of was Garrett coming. Garrett was coming and she had to finish the drawings or maybe the whispers wouldn’t leave. All she wanted them to do was leave and she couldn’t make them stop. Sharp pain shot up through her hand and her once closed golden hazel eyes snapped opened to see that her fingers were pushing the stub across the wall and instead was using her fingers. The skin beneath her nails pulled away and bleed slightly but that didn’t matter, no that wasn’t what mattered. As quick as her deprived body could carry her she moved back to where her supplies were and saw that all the black and red was gone. All Charlie saw were the bright color she used to love but, oh no now she couldn’t use those. They liked those. In a flash she crushed them under her supply box and left them hidden under but on top of her dresser. Whimpering lightly she slid to the floor and just gripped her head. Tears clung to her face as they slid through tightly clenched eyes. She wanted them to stop. She wanted them to go away. She wanted them to be wrong but they didn’t seem wrong. No one had spoken to her in days other than Quinn. They said it was because no one else loved her and Quinn was just lonely herself. No, no that wasn’t true. Opening her eyes she heard another sharp whisper to her left and flung her attention in their direction. “No, you’re wrong,” she hissed back gently as she took a basic pen from her box and moved to the empty wall. If it was all covered it would be okay. It had to be okay. Furiously she drew the figures and moved onto the dark colored paint before the walls looked nothing like themselves. Instead they had twisting and misshapen swirls in between dark figures. Some had both wings and others had one missing or they were torn and ripped. Taking it all in slowly she backed away from the wall and felt the paint holder fall to the floor. The deep red splashed over her bare feet and moved to stain the carpet with the sicking crimson. Leaning down she ran her fingers through the once sparkling carpet that looked as if someone had tried to slay it. “I’m sorry,” she replied with a whispered apology as it left her lips ever so gently.. Charlie couldn’t help but hope the house would forgive her for hurting it. It never felt good to feel hurt. With her hands covered in the sticky paint she brought them upward with her as she stood and held them in front of her face. So pretty was the red but she wanted it to go away, she wanted it to stop. Sinking to the floor slowly, whispers slid into her mind just as violently as always. Another whimper past her lips as she brought her legs to her chest and just stared at the wall. When Garrett comes it will be okay. He would be able to make them go away. “Please stop,” she sobbed out lightly as her fingers threaded through her hair and she just sat there praying.
There was something wrong with Charlie, and Garrett was worried. Really worried. He hadn't said anything to anyone before now, because... well, it was Charlie. His Charlie. They would work through it and he knew she felt lonely as of late. A pang of guilt rang deep through him. He was supposed to be there for her, and he wasn't, and now something was wrong, and he didn't know what to do. The only thing he knew how to do was hold her. He just hoped that would be enough. Some deep dark part of his mind whispered that it wouldn't be, and he tried to ignore it, but instead pressed his foot down harder on the pedal. Something was off, and he just didn't know what it was. He needed Charlie to talk to him, so he could figure it out, and get her whatever she needed. He had to, who else did she have? Quinn tried her best... but sometimes Garrett wasn't quite sure what that was. He'd remind her tonight just how good his best was. She at least had him behind her, he'd show her that tonight. They'd work this all out and everything would be back to normal. She'd smile again.
He pulled into the driveway, and noticed all the lights on in her room, but the curtain was drawn. Odd, she normally liked looking out at the stars. He made his way up to the door, and knocked lightly before pushing it open, and letting himself in. He was here enough as it was. He took the stairs two at a time, for some reason, his heartbeat picking up. Her door was shut, something wasn't right. He heard the frantic muttering a split second before he opened the door, and for a second he just stood in shock. All over the walls, black and red covered everything. Terrible beasts with blood dripping from their eyes and ragged wings leered at him, their eyes drilling holes in his heart.
He finally saw Charlie curled in a ball against the wall and sprinted forward, a sob getting strangled in his throat. Dropping to his knees beside her, he pulled her into his arms, pressing hasty kisses against her forehead and hair and cheeks. "Baby, shhh, I'm here. I'm here," he repeated over and over like a mantra, rocking back and forth and stroking her hair. A tear slipped out of his eyes as he saw the jagged tips of her nails, the skin scraped clean off. Oh god, what was happening to her?
"Charlie, is this what is keeping you awake? Please you have to tell me," he begged, tears slipping out of his eyes as he took in the nightmares surrounding them. "Why did you do this? Why..." He broke of on another sob and pulled her against him again, holding her tighter than he had ever held her before. "Why didn't you tell me," he whispered. He should've known. Whatever this was, whatever made her get to this state. It was haunting her, awake and asleep. It was eating at her from the inside out. "I love you," he whispered brokenly, staring over her head at the evil... things. These had been in her mind, he realized with muted horror. These things came from inside her, a poison overtaking something beautiful. She needed help. She needed more than he'd be able to give her. He choked on a sob and buried his face in her hair clutching her tighter to him. He couldn't lose her, he couldn't give up on her. She was his life, his everything. He had promised he wouldn't give up on her.
