Part Two: Chapter Fourteen

Part Two: The Tiger

“How are you feeling, Ms. Lane?” Charlotte asked politely.

“Like I’m going to rip your f*****g throat out.” Eve stood. Her shadow loomed over Chuck. “I’m going to f*****g kill you. Forget selling you-”

As her hand reached toward Chuck’s throat, she quickly chanted, “Wrongs done onto others and to me, the wrongs psychopaths can’t see, your life your words your memory, are blank; a mind set free.”

Eve’s eyes turned hollow and clouded again. She stared around perplexedly before fainting.

Chuck laid her back into her bed and waited patiently for her to awaken. She sat in the plush chair Eve had while waiting for her when she…Charlotte drove the thought from her mind. Occasionally, Chuck nodded off a few times, only to have a terrible nightmare. She pushed her glasses up her nose feeling faint. “Not now,” she begged as a small ache traveled up her fingers. “I don’t need the flu right now.”

“Where am I?” The voice was soft and confused.

Chuck forced a warm smile toward Eve. “Ms. Lane, you’re okay. How are you?”

Her eyes were no longer metallically cold; they were a warm mellow brown. “I’m…not sure. Am I Ms. Lane?” She cocked her head.

Slowly, Charlotte nodded. “Eve Lane. You must’ve hit your head pretty hard.” Chuck struggled to look her in the eye, knowing she was once so ruthless. Charlotte thought of how she could kill her without Eve understanding why; she choked down the thoughts. “Does it hurt?” She wondered, pushing up her glasses.

“Only a bit. Who-who are you?” Eve took in here

“My name is Chuck. You’re my foster mom.”

“Foster mom? I’m a foster mom!” Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “I’m a foster mom… are there any more kids here?”

Chuck nodded. “Of course. There’s Danny, Lauren, Elise, Nat, Horton, and Greg, but some of us have to leave.”

“Why are you leaving?” Her voice was gentle and confused, almost sad.

“A bit of soul searching. Some of them want to find their families.”

Eve locked eyes with Chuck. “Is that what you’re looking for? Your family?”

Remorsefully, Chuck shook her head. “My family is dead.” Her voice was cold.

“You poor thing. I’m so sorry.” Eve stood up. “Er, would you like a hug?”

“No, I’m fine. Thanks.” Chuck rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “You’re a good foster mom. Very kindle, gentle, loving. Any kid would be lucky to be here.”

She smiled at her. “That’s...comforting. Do you have to leave? You seem like such a nice girl and I can’t remember a thing.”

A grim smile met Chuck’s lips at the irony. “Yeah, I have to go. I need a bit of freedom. I’m sorry, Ms. Lane.”

Eve beamed at her. It differed so much from her sadistic smile that she’d often throw toward Charlotte. “No, if you need to find you, well, I understand that at the moment. Ha,” she joked lightheartedly.

Chuck’s grin broadened. “Thanks for getting it.” A tingling cold sweat formed on her brow. Fatigue resounded through her entire body accompanying the pain.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for, Chuck.” Eve laid an encouraging hand on her shoulder.

Paranoid, Charlotte flicked it off. Her thoughts rested with Eve’s other grips on her. “I-I’m sorry. It’s just…”

Eve noticed the forming bruises on the girl’s neck. “My God, you don’t mean to say that you’ve been abused?”

“Yes,” Chuck confirmed solemnly without offering additional detail. Abruptly, she stood. “Thank you for everything,” She said, standing.

“You’re welcome. Good luck!” Eve called before Chuck closed the bedroom door behind her. Contemplating who she may have been before, Eve remarked to herself, “What a nice girl.”

Charlotte listened to her thumping footsteps as she retreated from Eve’s room. Indecision trickled in her thoughts. “Will I really get closure from wiping her memory? Will I ever be okay with what’s she’s done to me? Will she ever remember?” Lost in her musings, she stumbled into the kitchen; everyone sat around the table.

Danny sprang up and hugged her tightly. “Chuck…thank God, you’re okay.” He asked, “What happened with Eve?”

She gulped, still in disbelief. “I wiped her memory. I made sure she wouldn’t collect anymore without killing her. She seems so…kind now. So nice.”

“Wow, I…that was gutsy. I…I’m sorry I yelled at you.” Craning his neck toward her, he pressed his forehead into hers. “We don’t have to leave now if she won’t hurt you again.”

“No, I can’t stay here. I need to leave and clearly my social worker won’t get that done.” Charlotte closed her eyes, enjoying his body heat.

“Um, hey, Monty. We helped. So let’s all blow this place.” Lauren chimed in.

Greg latched onto Chuck’s leg. “You said Eve is nice now?”

In response, Chuck simply nodded. “Why do you ask?”

“I want to stay. If she’s not mean, then there’s no reason to leave. I’m going to stay.” Greg decided firmly. Unclenching Chuck’s leg, he whispered to her, “I will miss you though. Will you come visit?”

Bending down to his level, Chuck shook her head. “I don’t think so, pal, but you’ll be fine. Better than fine. Happy.”

“Happy?”

She confirmed, “Happier than you’ve ever been. Like Ms. Lane is the best mom ever. And then, there’ll be more kids and they’ll be great friends to you.” It might’ve been a lie or truth. Charlotte never returned to two sixteen Asher Drive to confirm or deny this. “Alright, if you still want to go, gather everything you need and tell me where you want to go.”

Lauren slung her already packed bag over her shoulder. “My people are calling me. Something is happening. Something big. I want to be there when it does.”

“Where are they?” Charlotte asked, her cheeks flushed with color.

Danny noticed her quavering voice. “Chuck, are you sick? If you’re sick, this can wait. Right, guys?”

Impatiently, Lauren explained, “Well, I kind of want to go as soon as possible. And Elise does too. And I bet Nat and Horton do-”

“Alright, alright, I get it. Where do you guys need to go?” Chuck wiped away the cold sweat and shivered.

“Chuck, you’re sick.”

She kissed his cheek. “It’s just witch’s flu. It’ll pass by the morning once my powers replenish.” Her eyes weren’t as bright. In fact, they almost looked to be a dark forest green.

“Take me to Lord Yestin. We have to be reacquainted.” Lauren’s eyes seemed far off, dreamy and distant.

“Syvat Porte a Lord Yestin!” Chuck tried. When no portal opened, she said it louder. She repeated it until a swirling violet vortex opened. “Go ahead.”

Lauren knocked Chuck’s shoulder. “You’re not bad, Monty. Elise?”

The younger sister nodded and tightly grasped Lauren’s hand.

“If you let go, you’ll wind up in different places. Take care of yourself, Lauren. You too, Elise.” Chuck shooed them off encouragingly.

They looked to each other and jumped.

Nat and Horton wanted to find their mother; Chuck complied with their request to take them to her house in Connecticut. When both portals closed, Chuck crumbled onto the kitchen floor.

Danny scooped her in his arms. “We’ll leave in the morning. I already packed for you.” He carried her upstairs and gingerly set her on her bed. “Goodnight. I love you.”

“I love you too. Goodnight.” She smiled through closed eyes.

 

Author's Note

Thanks for reading.