Carpe Diem
Charlie's eyes met with Sayid's as he knelt down, pushing his fingers to Scott's neck. It seemed as though he was looking straight through him, full into the pit of his soul. They wouldn't listen. He told them that they wouldn't be safe. He warned them of the danger and he thought they would make the decision to go back to the caves. Yes, back to the caves, all of them, but no, some chose to stay gripped with a false sense of security held in trip wires and plastic bags full of tin cans.
"There wasn't anything we could do… he came in from the water…"
Charlie's heart raced, his glance turning back to Kate and Hurley as he pushed his hands into his pockets, shifting his weight as he stood in the sand while Scott's body was carried by him. He tried to block out the voices around him, the whispers that haunted him since Jack had brought him back from the jungle. His brow furled as he breathed in deeply, taking a step forward before walking away. This was just a warning. He knew he couldn't control it. It would happen again.
Hours passed by slowly, the rage quickly growing within. Charlie could feel his face flush with anger as he looked on, his eyes glaring at the survivors on the beach, planning their attack while fingering their guns with hungry eyes. Charlie leaned heavily on a tree, the bark pushing into his back as Claire focused in on him for a moment, her face finally turning downwards as she followed five others across the sand while they lead her away. He had been outcast, shut out of the hunt, left to the side as they pushed his one affection into the wilderness to be used as bait.
The rain bit at Charlie's skin as he knelt down in the shadows, hidden between a thick array of foliage. His hair was damp, hanging loosely across his forehead as he watched in silence, his eyes in constant motion, tuning in on each face in the distance with gun close at hand. Charlie's breath grew rapid, he was near and he could sense it. Ethan was not far away. A snapping twig and a frantic scream pierced through the sound of pouring rain. Charlie did not dare to move. He couldn't be seen. His eyes looked upwards as a struggle ensued, Jack's body intertwined with Ethan's as fists were thrown, before Jack's gun was knocked from his hand, landing near Charlie's feet. The others left their posts, circling around Jack and Ethan, watching as though they were children enjoying a school yard brawl. Now was as good a time as any, when all eyes were turned away. Charlie knelt down, close to the ground, reaching out with his arm, touching his fingers to the gun, quickly pulling it into his grasp. His hands shook as he drew the cold steel tight against his palms. He aimed, but lowered his arms as Jack threw out another punch, knocking Ethan to the ground. Charlie grew frantic and aimed again, another target, but he shook his head is digress lowering his arms once more. There weren't enough rounds. Charlie closed his eyes, drawing his arm across his face, tasting the sweat across his lips. Voices, so many voices… he opened his eyes quickly, jumping to his feet, standing firmly on the ground, arms outstretched before him. Everyone stood in front of Charlie, their backs turned as they circled around Ethan, now looking down the barrels of their guns as he brought himself up from the ground to his knees. Charlie could see the fear within Ethan's eyes. He knew they would want him to talk, to tell them where he came from and why he wanted Claire. Ethan was looking straight at Sawyer, but his glance fell away as he noticed Charlie standing behind them all in a heated stance. A sly grin began to form over Ethan's lips but Charlie did not wait. His finger gripped the trigger and he continued to pull back until every last round was spent into Ethan's chest. It was a price he was willing to pay… they just couldn't know. Besides, they would never suspect one of their own.