Chapter One: Charles Derry

"...He's sick officer Benton; he doesn't know what he's saying..."

The green doors leading out to the playground opened and everywhere Charles Derry looked, he could see other kids running around and playing. All over the large school yard he heard the shouting laughter and squeal of imagination. Tag games being played on the play structure; football, basketball and soccer games being played simultaneously on the fields and courts. Kids were swinging on swings and some were guarding the top of the big slide as if they owned it.

It was there that Charles spotted Carolina Edison. He’d noticed her ever since she’d come to his school a few weeks earlier. She was a grade below him and she never played with any of the other kids. Usually Charles saw her sitting against the brick wall of the school, talking to the weird stuffed animal that she carried around everywhere with her.

Charles watched the scene taking place at the base of the slide’s ladder for only a few minutes before he ran toward it. Little Carolina was sitting on the woodchips staring up at the big kids with her gigantic cobalt blue eyes. Her immaculate blond hair was done up in a perfect pony tail. Her thin wrists reached up desperately, her clean face scrunched up in silent panic.

“Ask for it back nicely,” Hunter Collins taunted. Hunter was one of the older boys and was a notorious bully. Carolina opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out.

“Come on baby can’t you talk?” Raymond Corbin mocked. Charles stood behind Carolina bravely.

“Leave her alone guys. Give her back her friend,” he said, puffing out his small chest and standing to his full height (he was as tall as Hunter himself who was a sixth grader). He glared daringly at the boys, just the way his father had taught him. The big kids’ attention was fixed on the younger boy hungrily. “I want you to leave Carolina alone. She wasn’t doing anything to you.” Charles gently took hold of Carolina’s outstretched hand and carefully pulled her to her feet. He lightly brushed the woodchips off of her pretty pink dress. Hunter glared at them.

“Fine,” he relented angrily (only because he’s Alan’s brother). “You can have her creepy doll. We just wanted to get her to say something. Come on guys, she’ll say something the next time.” Hunter threw Carolina’s stuffed, two headed llama at her and stalked away. Raymond followed after quickly, but not before pulling the little girl’s ponytail as hard as he could as he passed. Carolina let out a trembling squeak, and she moved closer to Charles when she saw that other kids had been watching.

“Come on Carolina.” Charles observed her reaction as he closed his hand around hers. He felt the little girl flinch, but to his satisfaction she squeezed his fingers. The tiny child allowed him to lead her to the edge of the playground where they both sat down.

Almost the second they sat in the cool grass, tears began to leak from Carolina’s stormy irises. She put her head on her knees and hugged her stuffed llama, Madeline, closer to her chest. Charles didn’t know what to do; he began rubbing soothing circles on her back, hoping it would make her feel better. It seemed to work, because seconds later she was wiping at her eyes and looking up at him.

“My name’s Charles,” he told her, pointing to himself. He grinned at her as he dug through his jacket pockets. “I brought something for you.” He pulled out a semi-crushed granola bar and set it carefully beside the girl. “I saved it for you, ‘cause you never have a lunch. I thought you might be hungry.” Carolina’s ruby red lips twisted into a grateful smile. She didn’t pick up the snack right away though, despite her growing hunger. She removed her gaze from the food and looked away.

“I’m not allowed to take anything from strangers,” she whispered nearly inaudibly. Charles’ smiled morphed into a frown.

“Oh.” His expression brightened considerably as he was struck with an idea. He slowly reached for her hand and pumped it up and down excitedly. “I’m Charles and you’re Carolina. There. We’re not strangers anymore. We’re friends.” Carolina was confused. She’d never had a “friend” before, well… unless she counted Madeline.

“Friends?” she asked quietly. Charles nodded energetically.

“Yeah. Friends. You know, we play, we talk, and we help each other out. We stick together.”

“Friends.” The idea was beginning to excite the child, who had never before knew such a wonderful thing could exist. She grinned at Charles and leaned toward him. “Can Madeline be your friend too? She wants to be.” The older boy reached out and shook one of the stained legs of the odd looking llama.

“Nice to meet you Madeline. I would love to be your friend,” he answered seriously as the teachers began to call an end to recess. Charles grabbed the granola bar and slipped it into Carolina’s pocket. He took her hand, and together they walked toward the dark green doors leading inside.

As the months turned into years, Carolina and Charles spent every moment they could playing together. He took pride knowing that he was her very best friend. Charles learned that Carolina lived with her parents, whom she called Henry and Wendy. He also discovered that she was afraid of them. Carolina never actually told him herself, but he could tell. Every time they came to pick her up after school she became jumpy and she wouldn’t look at anybody in the eye. And whenever her hair or clothes got messed up, she would cry until Charles was able to fix them again.

“Charles, they’re gonna be here soon,” Carolina cried on the last day of school years later, as Charles tried to pick all of the sticks out of her golden braids. “She’s gonna know!” Charles rubbed her back in that way that she liked.

“Who will know?” he asked curiously as he worked.

“Madeline says she doesn’t think I would tell you,” Carolina stated anxiously.

“I won’t tell a secret, Madeline, you know you can trust me.” Carolina moved out of his grasp briefly and grinned at him.

“She says she knows we can trust you. She says that I can only tell you that the Bad People don’t like it when I get dirty. They say a dirty girl is an ugly girl, and they didn’t choose an ugly girl, Charles, the Bad People are going to " “

“Carolina Edison?” a woman called furiously. Carolina jumped and moved behind Charles who was nearly two heads taller than her. She knew that hiding from Wendy was going to be bad. They were going to hurt her again, but she was scared. “Get away from that boy. He’s a stranger and you know what Dad and I say about talking to strangers.” By then Wendy had reached her daughter. She took the child’s long bony fingers and her voice became softer. “We’re just trying to protect you and keep you safe. There are a lot of dangerous people out there, Princess.” She fixed her buggy green eyes on Charles, and she glared at him cruelly. “Don’t ever step foot near my daughter again young man, or there will be consequences,” she hissed. She roughly dragged Carolina away, hissing at her the entire way through the playground and parking lot. Charles sadly watched Carolina’s car disappear down the road.

The realization that he wasn’t allowed to be friends with Carolina anymore didn’t dawn on him until later that evening when his mother received a call from Wendy Edison. Mrs. Derry hung up the phone with a sullen expression. She talked quietly to Mr. Derry for a few minutes before they called Charles into the living room.

“Charles?” Mrs. Derry said sweetly, patting the seat next to her. “Carolina’s mother just called. She informed me that she no longer wants you and Carolina to play together.” Charles felt like he was going to cry, but his father was in the room and he didn’t want to cry in front of him, his dad never cried.

“How come?” the little boy asked, his lips beginning to tremble. Mrs. Derry looked to her husband, as though he would know the answer. Mr. Derry’s eyebrows knit together. He wanted to give the Edisons a call and demand them for a reasonable explanation as to why they forbade his son from playing with his best friend. But Mrs. Derry had already begged and pleaded for them to change their mind, to no avail.

“They’re being a bit over protective, I suppose,” Mr. Derry replied slowly, trying to phrase it the right way. Charles felt as though every bit of happiness he had was seeping out of him.

“I’m the only friend she has,” Charles weakly protested. Mrs. Derry stroked her son’s greasy brown hair. She’d wanted to cut it for months, but the boy was terrified of scissors being close to his skin.

“Maybe you’ll be able to be friends again when school comes around,” Mr. Derry suggested lamely. He folded his arms across his chest as the tears he was holding back filled his eyes. Charles stood up abruptly and gazed, watery-eyed, at his parents.

“I’m going to bed early,” he mumbled, turning away and hurrying to his bedroom where he could cry in private.

He was terrified that he wasn’t ever going to see Carolina again.

Henry stared patronizingly at the child on the couch. She was sitting up perfectly straight with her clean hands folded delicately in her lap. Her angelic eyes watched him distrustfully. Her gaze following his every movement; waiting.

“You were warned Princess. Remember all the times we told you never to talk to strangers?” Carolina nodded her head slowly. “And you dirtied yourself up again. You know what that means.” His voice was calm and quiet. Henry never spoke loudly. His eyes were an entirely different story. They were a golden color that followed the child with an endless craving.

“Alright Princess, into the bathroom,” Wendy ordered in that same sugary sweet tone. The woman took Carolina’s fragile hand, careful not to bruise the child, and dragged her through the house and into the tiny room. Wendy lifted the hem of the girl’s perfect dress and slipped it carefully over her head, leaving Carolina standing in only her underwear.

Wendy stuffed the gag down her throat and lifted the belt from the hook. A cruel smile formed on her cherry red lips as her eyes darkened. Carolina placed both hands on the edge of the sink and closed her eyes tightly as the first strikes were delivered, leaving thin trails of blood dripping down her perfect tanned skin.

It will all be over soon Collie. Just close your eyes and remember the old days. The good times, Madeline whispered in her ear. Far away, it seemed, Carolina could hear Madeline’s shrieking cries for help. Another painful blow caused Carolina’s eyes to fly open and her grip to tighten on the porcelain sink. Choked screams caught in her throat, unable to escape.

Don’t worry Linnie, Carolina thought as tears streamed down her rosy cheeks, I’ll find a way to get us out of here. I’ll save you Linnie, just like you saved me. A horrendous feeling tore through Carolina’s chest, as though her heart was being ripped away from her body.

Just worry about saving yourself Collie. You know what you have to do. Madeline’s feathery voice whispered through her head like a comforting breeze.

What if I mess up or someone finds out? she asked, closing her eyes as tightly as she could in hope of blocking out the crippling pain and brutal rant coming from Wendy’s crimson lips.

Don’t worry. Everything will turn out good. But the Bad People must be stopped. Think about me, think about Charles. Do not let the Bad People take us away from you. Madeline’s voice was firm.

As the vicious beating finally ceased and she could hear Wendy’s heavy breathing and wicked laughing, Carolina knew what must be done. Madeline was right.

“There, there darling,” Wendy said, chipper. She stroked her daughter’s perfect blond hair that she admired dearly. “Now, next time you won’t try to get away from us will you?” Her eyes were evil, Carolina never looked into them. She was afraid the evil would get her.

“I wasn’t trying to leave you! I swear!” Carolina began to cry. Without the comfort of her stuffed animal, she felt alone and terrified. “Charles is my friend.” Wendy glowered at the girl, the urge to slap her gorgeous face was stronger than ever before, but she didn’t want to ruin its perfection.

“Friend,” she scoffed. “You’re not allowed to have friends.” Wendy flung the thin door open and pushed Carolina, still mostly naked and dripping blood, into the hallway. She led the child carefully to her bedroom where she cleaned the fresh cuts and redid Carolina’s hair. She slid a brand new dress over her head and glared at her. “Go outside. Dad and I have stuff to do.” She grabbed the child by her bony wrist and sneered at her, “This time don’t talk to any f*****g strangers!”

Carolina stumbled painfully outside, making her way down to Water Hemlock Creek where she sat beside the poison water. She watched the rapids snarl and hiss, crashing against the jagged, slimy boulders.

Collie, we must prepare, Madeline’s voice left Carolina feeling calm. She held her stuffed animal loosely, and a wry smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

“Linnie, I’m scared,” Carolina whimpered quietly, the lovely sound was swallowed by the thrashing creek.

That’s okay, sweetie. But when the Bad People are gone, you’ll never have to be frightened again. Now listen closely to my instructions.

“I will Sissy, I understand.”