: Chapter 10:
The Devils smile
Flo was currently sitting alone staring at a wallet in her paw she slowly opened it and looked inside; she saw pictures of a couple a wedding one in particular as well as some money though it wasn't a whole bunch, she looked down in disappointment she was hoping Charlie left this behind purposely though she was fairly certain that was unlikely didn't stop her from hoping. Flo slowly moved up the stairway leading where Anna Marie was sleeping she stopped for a moment and then placed it next to her. Flo stared at the girl with a sense of pity she had no idea what was happening and it was probably best if she didn't. It was a tragic thought that this poor little girl wouldn't understand just what happened to Charlie even after spending so much time with him; though this little girl didn't belong here either she needed a real family.
"Return it where it belongs and maybe it'll help you find where you belong" Flo said softly.
"What are you talking about?" Itchy asked her she turned and saw him standing in the doorway did he follow her or was he checking up on Anna Marie?
"Checking up on her?" Flo asked.
"And wondering where you got that wallet?" Itchy replied.
"I found it with the items you brought, which makes me question if you wanted me to considering how easy you made it" Flo stated.
"I don't recall bringing it, didn't know you were capable of lying" Itchy told her.
"We all are if it's for the best I went back to Charlie's old place to find some supplies for Anna Marie it was likely she left some stuff behind" Flo said.
Itchy wasn't certain he believed that completely but it made enough sense now the question was why was she giving it back to Anna Marie it wouldn't take her long to deduce how they got it which wouldn't help their relationship with each other, maybe that wasn't a bad thing.
"Trying to get her to leave before we lose Charlie, I recognize hurting someone to save them" Itchy said quietly.
"You can take it back if you want I won't stop you" Flo told him before walking down the stairs.
Itchy stared at the wallet and turned away walking down the stairs with her she was right this was best for Anna Marie and likely the only chance she had of finding a family. Itchy leaned against a wall trying to grasp what he just discovered and just what it meant for everything that happened, what fate it meant for him?
"I sense you are troubled Itchy" Flo told him sitting beside him.
"I never believed any of this, I openly mocked you for it once" Itchy said quietly.
"Yes you did and that was your choice and I accepted that" Flo replied.
"Flo you were right and I still can't bring myself to believe it even after seeing the proof" Itchy said his voice was very soft and quiet.
Flo understood what Itchy meant he had a deep resentment for her faith he didn't just disagree with it he outright despised it and now he was finding out the thing he couldn't stand the thing he loathed with a passion was true that he was potentially wrong to say what he did, though Flo didn't agree with that real or not Itchy's resentment was not completely and utterly wrong; Flo didn't view things that way.
"I can only imagine considering your hatred for everything I believe though I never understood why, why Itchy?" Flo asked him.
Itchy considered her question and he knew the answer it was the same reason a lot of people couldn't accept it the paradoxical nature of it all; if these angels and their god are so good and benevolent then why do so many horrible things happen on this world why do people suffer needlessly, why did he lose them; it wasn't fair why didn't they do something, why didn't they save them?
"It's, It's wrong, a paradox almost how can their be absolute good in such a terrible world?" Itchy asked though Flo was almost certain Itchy was talking to himself more than her.
"Itchy it's complicated they can't help everyone" Flo told him.
Itchy felt something in him boil he heard that excuse so many times too many times and he never bought it, they were all powerful there was no excuse to let something like what happened to them happen at all none! There was no excuse to not save them, it was their fault, they did nothing!
"Lies" Itchy said like ice.
"Lies! They can't do anything they can't help a poor little puppy on the street, they couldn't stop a speeding car while his father was racing across the street to help his young son!?" Itchy screamed tears filling his eyes.
Flo lowered her head she was expecting this some kind of tragedy it was the only thing that justified Itchy's hatred for christianity, it didn't save him or someone he knew.
"Your father, Itchy I'm sorry and I don't have an answer for you but you can't blame them for that, they didn't cause it" Flo tried to reason.
No but they didn't stop who did they didn't stop the culprit from forcing that situation to happen and that culprit was never even punished, never paid for the terrible thing they did.
"Than why didn't they at least make certain whoever did was punished, that they paid for the unforgivable thing they did?" Itchy said tears falling from his eyes.
Flo approached Itchy and hugged him gently she deeply felt for him he had been through a lot and he had so much on his shoulder; he was not the dog everyone saw and unfortunately he didn't really want anyone's help.
"Itchy hatred never helps whatever anger you feel you have to find the strength to forgive" Flo stated.
"No, I can never do that not after what happened" Itchy said.
"I can't be here anymore Flo, tell Charlie when he gets back I went back to the Casino" Itchy said in sadness.
"Itchy Charlie needs you beside him" Flo said softly.
"I can't watch him rot away, I can't look it in the face" Itchy said his voice a broken whisper.
Itchy then pushed the Church door open and walked away leaving the church behind and not bothering to look back at Flo who watched him leave with great sorrow. Flo closed the doors before hearing someone else behind her she turned and saw Anna Marie staring at her while holding the wallet.
"How did you get this?" Anna Marie asked her.
"Charlie had it" Flo answered.
"Where did he get this?" Anna Marie said staring at the couple's wallet a deep pain and guilt filling her.
"He stole it" Anna Marie said in shock and sadness.
Flo could see Anna Marie was about to cry and she felt regret for it but Anna Marie needed to know who Charlie was she couldn't keep believing this deception Charlie was giving her or their relationship would be nothing but a lie and nothing could come from that.
"Charlie has made mistakes" Flo told her.
"This belongs to them why would he take it?" Anna Marie asked saddened.
Anna Marie could discover those answers herself and when she did well then what happened next was up to her but Flo couldn't let her continue to believe this lie.
"I don't know you have it you decide what you want to do with it" Flo stated.
Anna Marie didn't even need to consider her options she knew what was the right thing to do and so she would do the right thing, she wondered if it would cost her if they would be angry with her but that was worth it they deserved to have it returned and Anna Marie owed them an apology.
Carface was currently sitting in his chair still reeling from the horror he just saw and still trying to understand just what the heck Charlie became it in truth made no sense to Carface none at all. Charlie should've been dead a million times over yet he kept getting up and showed no signs of damage at all. Charlie didn't even seem human more like some horrific monster; at least Carface knew how he survived his presumed death now, he wasn't even mortal. This created massive problems if Charlie wasn't mortal how exactly was Carface supposed to kill him could he even it was a pretty good question to ask and one Carface wasn't certain had a real answer.
Carface turned and looked at his men who were also still trembling many refused to go to sleep not that Carface blamed them; it was actually very worrying if they were this scared was it possible that they would betray him abandoned him, he had no way of truly knowing. Carface looked at Killer who was just sitting alone not even bothering to acknowledge the other dogs in fact it looked like Killer was about to talk to Carface about something.
"Boss that was insane, terrifying even I don't know how to describe it" Killer said trembling.
"What's your point Killer?" Carface asked him.
"Forget about Charlie, forget about the money, the girl just forget about it all" Killer said as usual he sounded afraid but not of Carface.
Carface reached into the drawer and grabbed his gun pointing it at Killer.
"Give up, surrender the fortune I rightfully earned, let Charlie win!?" Carface said enraged.
"He'll kill you if you don't!" Killer shouted to Carface it was the first time Carface recalled Killer shouting at anyone and in truth he was probably right if Carface kept trying to go after Charlie eventually Charlie would just kill him, maybe he should quit while he was ahead.
"I know but giving up can I really do that?" Carface asked.
"You're a survivor, survive" Killer stated.
"Well well I'm afraid that option has already spent, for him at least the only thing I can't decide is when his sentence is carried out" A dark yet still charismatic voice told them.
Every dog turned towards the entrance and saw Charlie Barkin standing in front of them; immediately they panicked some began trying to rush towards the back entrance while others grabbed whatever guns they could and emptied every bullet into Charlie, he didn't even react at all ignoring the wounds they gave him. Charlie then reached into himself and casually pulled out a bullet flicking it on the ground.
"They say insanity is trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results, or you're just stupid" Charlie taunted them..
Carface grabbed a shotgun while multiple of his other men had magnums others had guns or whatever weapon they could get their paws on.
"Get out Charlie before we decorate this place with your guts" Carface threatened.
Charlie gave them an amused smile and walked forward stopping right in their range he let out a dark chuckle and spread out his arms all the while smirking at them.
"You made the rules go ahead and enforce them" Charlie challenged.
Carface pulled the trigger as did everyone emptying more bullets into Charlie than anyone could even comprehend. Charlie felt them slam into him these bullets were bigger and had more power they also hurt more. A shot gun shell hit his stomach and went right out his back another hit his rib probably blowing one of them off other bullets struck his shoulder blowing it out while another hit his neck ripping through a large chunk of it in the process, the last ones hit his head exiting out the back leaving a very big hole in the process.
Charlie fell over onto the ground and remained still for a moment; he then began to twitch slightly and his body slowly forced it's way up; Carface could hear Charlie's bones snapping as he rose up like some zombie rising from the grave. Charlie reached into himself and grabbed whatever few bullets were still in him his wounds were already healing an intense heat emitting from him.
"Well that didn't work not going to lie that really hurt, like really bad way more than I thought it would" Charlie said rather playfully, the other dogs didn't find it funny they were wondering what kind of spawn of hell Charlie Barkin had become; they had no idea.
"Got any other tricks for me?" Charlie asked them.
"Yeah, have a nice swim" Carface told him before pulling the lever that opened the floor and Charlie found himself dropped into a small hole which led to a large area of water that he splashed into.
Charlie sat at the bottom of the water for a moment he then allowed himself to emerge from it looking up at Carface.
Thanks I love a good swim" Charlie said politely.
"Not for long, hey King meal time" Carface said trying to contain his joy.
Charlie turned and saw a giant gator heading towards him clearly hungry, everyone began cheering waiting for the moment the king gator ripped Charlie to shreds, well who was Charlie to deny them or this hungry animal. Charlie smiled darkly at the gator and let it come at him; the gator opened its large jaws and closed them on Charlie's body crushing in his ribs, Charlie laughed at the pain this was nothing he knew so much worse. The gator thrashed him around before forcing him into its mouth intending to chew him up then swallow the remains leaving him to die quite painfully as its teeth shredded his body before leaving him to slowly digest and likely while he was still alive. Well no more games Charlie let his body temperature increase as the gator's teeth sank into them the heat caused them to blister while Charlie's heat also burned its tongue. The Gator thrashed around and spit Charlie out before swimming back under the waves. Charlie smiled and sank his claws into the wall he then climbed up the hatch all the way to the top. Charlie pulled himself up and stood in front of the dogs his wounds almost completely healed he merely smirked at them.
"Good try, not good enough" Charlie said darkly.
Charlie began to chuckle a dark and cruel sound that froze the blood of every dog in that room he then smiled at them and turned to Carface.
"You can't kill me Carface, no matter how hard you try I will just get back up" Charlie told him chuckling again.
"Do you feel helpless Carface powerless to what you know is your inevitable demise, good I wanted you to know that feeling" Charlie said cruelly.
Carface couldn't believe his eyes he thought for sure that would've worked but it didn't Charlie really was invincible they couldn't kill him and now he would kill them, no maybe Carface could negotiate find someway to save his life.
"Charlie this doesn't have to end badly we can work this out; name your terms whatever you want, there's no need for you to kill me or any of us!" Carface said he tried to sound calm but his panic took over as he reached the end.
Charlie laughed again it was brief but terrifying he then turned to Carface and placed his paws on his head in disappointment.
"Carface I'm not going to kill you you have nothing to worry about from me" Charlie said though the tone of his voice made it clear Carface had something to worry about.
Charlie turned to the other dogs and picked up a gun loading a bullet into it he then turned and shot one of them right in the head. Charlie smiled as he watched its lifeless body fall to the ground he could hear his worthless soul being dragged into the inferno, no one escaped true justice.
"Well there goes another of you now how many more will go, well maybe none; you see if you are with Carface you're against me and well you've seen where that ends but I've got plenty of job openings come and work for a real winner. Carface is going to get you all killed in his stupid vendetta against me I don't want all of you dead so when Carface is well no longer a factor you can all get a promotion" Charlie told them before turning away from them and moving towards Carface.
"Or you can stay where you are and be against me where do you think that will lead you, oh right the uh dead guy on the floor probably answers that" Charlie told them he then turned to Carface.
"See I'm not going to kill you, they eventually will; wash your neck Carface and start counting, see you soon partner" Charlie told Carface with a sadistic smile he then walked to the exit and left the casino leaving Carface and everyone else trembling with complete terror.
Carface watched as all his men eyed him he reached for his gun waiting to see if any of them would make a move he also reached for the lever to the hatch to further dissuade anyone.
"Get out, all of you out!" Carface commanded.
He watched very carefully as each dog moved to the exit they all were eyeing whatever weapon caught their eye others just stared at Carface intensely while others paid him or the weapons no heed instead being perfectly happy to leave this nightmare of a place. Carface pointed his gun at his departing men before pointing it in another direction; They all wanted to kill him now and there was little doubt in his mind that they would very soon, how could he possibly survive now? Carface continued pointing his gun in every direction he couldn't actually see much in fact the only image that kept repeating in Carface's head was Charlie's cruel and sadistic smile, a smile of pure evil, the devil's smile.
And things just took a very dark turn I'm guessing many of you are shocked at just how dark Charlie went but I felt this was necessary to show how much Hell was changing Charlie, this of course raises the question of how far will this corruption take Charlie will he truly embrace it and where will Charlie's cruel actions take Carface. Also what of Anna Marie now that she has glimpsed Charlie's true nature what will it mean for their relationship or her dreams of having a family, read on to find out.