Another story seeing as I'm not sure how Corrie themselves are going to show Michelle seeing Carla again following her breakdown. I may keep writing as I have a few ideas if anyone has any interest in this.
Just a warning that there could be triggering topics discussed within this piece. Anyway, hope you enjoy, and if anything comes from this storyline I hope everyone starts to be a little bit nicer to each other because you really never know what people are going through. xo
The harsh light of the alarm clock situated on the dressing table beside her bed made her wince slightly as she strained her eyes, trying to work out the numbers it was showing, the blurred neon lights slowly beginning to come into focus. Taking a deep breath and sighing, she had managed almost an hour of sleep before being woken up by the harsh reality that her best friend was still missing. Each time she closed her eyes, the nightmares her brain constructed were becoming more and more disturbing and they were becoming so distressing that she was beginning to fear falling asleep. Carla had been gone for over a week, and that was the same amount of time that Michelle had gone without a decent amount of sleep.
It was only just gone 4am, but Michelle knew she wouldn't be getting any more sleep. Deciding she would go and search once more for the older woman, she slowly swung her legs out of the bed, her whole body protesting her getting up, she really was exhausted and there wasn't a single part of her that wasn't aching. She tried to remain as quiet as possible, desperate not to awaken any of the others asleep in the pub, there is no way Johnny would be happy with her going to search on her own at this time of morning but there was nothing else she could do.
On her way out, the only thing that made her pause was the quick sight of her reflection in the mirror by the side of the back door. Her skin was dull, the darkness under her eyes seemed to be deepening with every minute, beginning to give a bruised like appearance, with one last glance she wrapped her coat around her frame and stepped out, quietly closing the door around her before looking around the eerily quiet street. She had no idea where she would start her search, her brain wasn't making much sense anymore, nothing made sense or seemed to have a purpose anymore. As she leant back against the wall of the pub, looking down at the cobbled street beneath her feet, tears filled her eyes as she caught sight of the factory, seeing it destroyed yet again, the remainders of the roof scattered into ashes, she thought of everything it had been through, the memories of Paul and Liam. The hopes he had for that place, how excited he was when he was begging Paul to help him by investing. He had so many plans, wanted to make a real success of the place, maybe it was the factory that was cursed. Nothing good ever seemed to come to anybody involved. So much bad had happened within one building that there is no possible way that it could be a coincidence.
A slight rattle of one of the railing surrounding the disaster brought Michelle from her thoughts, her face suddenly cold thanks to the harsh bitter wind mixing with the tears she hasn't even realised she had shed. Quickly wiping them away, she tried to adjust her eyes, it had been too loud to have been the wind, it was cold but not that strong to have warranted the rattle, the noise echoed down the cobbled street and seemed to fill every corner, the noise strikingly loud in contrast to the eeriness that had cast over the street previously.
Michelle could feel the pounding of her heart as her feet subconsciously began to take her in the direction of the noise. She tried to be as quiet as possible as she heard the noise again, and then again. Trying not to be seen she leant against the wall outside of the Platts house, there was definitely a person there, she could see the shadow against one of the streetlights. It was the sob that gave it away, it was pained and tore straight through Michelle as soon as the noise registered in her ears. She watched the figure collapse against the railings and her legs couldn't have moved any quicker if she tried.
As soon as she spotted the older woman, Michelle's instinct was to get to her and hold her as tight as she possibly could.
"Carla, oh my god..."
As soon as the words has been spoken Carla's head flew up, her eyes wide with panic as she spotted someone coming towards her. She instantly scrambled up, forcing herself to fly as far away from Michelle as she could until her back came up against a wall, holding her shaking hands out and violently shaking her head as a warning to the woman she once would never have considered pushing away.
"Stay away, please don't come near me, please don't hurt me" the words were rushed and the tears were falling thick and fast as she gasped for air, looking at Michelle like she was a complete stranger.
The sight of her best friend in such a state was too much to bear and Michelle felt physically pained herself from the rejection. She thought she knew what heartbreak felt like, until now. This was heartbreak, and she had no idea what to do next, her own legs gave way and she slumped down opposite what she now considered to be the shell of her best friend.
"I would never hurt.. you... not ever" Michelle's eyes were unable to leave the floor as she spoke.
"I hope that you can find a way to believe me, I know you're scared, I know you don't know who you can trust but I am here, I just want you to know that I would NEVER hurt you, it's something I am not capable of Carla"
Carla was desperate to look at the woman talking to her, there was something about her voice that seemed so familiar, and almost safe, but she couldn't, the voices in her head had gone into over drive and were screaming at her that she wasn't safe, that she needed to pay, that she didn't deserve to live, and that nobody could be trusted, they were all out to get her. She was tired, actually completely exhausted and despite the protesting in her mind, her exhaustion was making it so much harder to deal with, she couldn't run, despite all her instincts telling her to.
Despite all of her thoughts and instincts she used the last of her strength to lock eyes with the woman in front of her. She still didn't want to trust her, but right now there were no other options, she couldn't escape even if she wanted to.
As soon as their eyes locked, Michelle slowly began to shuffle towards her, she was petrified of rejection, and of losing Carla again. Her own eyes shone with unshed tears and their eyes seemed to mirror each other, both lost, both scared, each for different reasons but their understanding of each other was beginning to crack, Michelle almost gasped in horror, up this close she could see the toll the past few weeks had taken on her usually stunning best friend, her limp hair was dull and matted and her usually flawless skin was a map of dark, circles on top of a severely dehydrated base. Her lips were dry and cracked, so much so that they must be painful. She barely moved as the younger woman slowly grew even closer. She trembled as she felt a pair of arms carefully begin to embrace her, and as she was pulled closer to the other woman the tears came thick and fast, she felt like a child, she clung to Michelle with the remaining strength she could exert. Neither of them spoke, they didn't need to. Michelle sobbed into the top of Carla's head as her fingers attempted to run through her dark hair, totally unlike the usually soft and smooth mane that was perfectly styled, it felt coarse and slightly matted in places and it reminded Michelle of when they were young and back on the estate, she would regularly have to cut knots from her hair, each time she washed it with the remainders of tiny bars of soap that she had to hide in her room to try and keep herself relatively clean for school but it didn't help her hair, it may have been long but the ends were always wispy, in such poor condition that half of the time it would fall out when she could eventually borrow some products and a hair brush from Michelle.
"Sweetheart what has happened to you"
Michelle's voice was barely a whisper and wavered slightly as her arms finally encased the older woman. She was so careful with her, treating Carla like she was made of glass and could shatter at any moment.
Looking up at the younger woman, Carla felt the tears begin to fill in her eyes, slowly beginning to travel down her face, she reached out to use her sleeve to wipe them away, watching as Michelle caught sight of the blood that had seeped into the material, and had now stained a deep mahogany red. Quickly trying to hide the damage again she broke all eye contact with Michelle, instantly feeling more vulnerable again, the voices in her head goading her that she was being judged, that Michelle would think she was ridiculous, that she deserves the pain that the blood was the result of. She deserved every bit of pain she was feeling.
"You need to go" she pulled herself from the embrace that she had managed to feel safe in for the shortest bit of time, instantly feeling anxious now she was on her own again.
"No Carla, I'm not going anywhere.. I'm here to help you, stop pushing me away/!: let me help you.."
"Go... please... before they come for you too"
She could see the confusion on her best friends face as she spoke the words, it confused her even more, Michelle knew, she knew people were after her, that Kate, Rana, probably Johnny and Jenny too, they were all in on it, trying to punish her.
"They will come for you too if you stay with me and I don't want that for you, you're good, you're not like me and I won't let them get you too, I just can't see you get hurt.."
Carla's rambling disturbed Michelle more than anything else ever had before, it proved to her just how ill Carla was and how bad her state of mind was.
"Come here please, Carla. Nothing bad will happen. Please just trust me, I know you're scared, but just do this one thing for me and please come here"
Despite shaking violently and fighting everything inside her that told her to get as far away as possible, she let Michelle get closer, her arms securing around her ever diminishing waist, they both slowly lowered themselves to the ground, Carla shuffling as close to the younger woman as she could physically manage, leaning her head against her chest as her eyes gave in to exhaustion. Allowing her best friend to gently rock her, both still sat leaning against the brick wall, as the sun began to rise. They would have to move soon before people began appearing, but for now Michelle was relishing in the feeling of finally having her best friend in her arms and back in her life, when she had feared the worst for the past week.