It had been two days since it happened. The whole situation was a blur, the outcome though was unmistakably clear. There would be no hunting tonight. Charlies guitar would not make music. Not anymore. She was gone. Everyone tried to make it seem better for him. Tried telling him it was for the best. But how could losing the person he cared for more than himself be 'the best'? She was gone.
He could no longer sit with her, talk about the future and life. She didn't have either anymore. And he could not make himself believe that it wasn't his fault. Because it was. And the sooner he could brave himself to tell Jack, the sooner he may be able to heal. But how could he? The shame was so great, the burden so heavy. He wanted to show her magic. He wanted to see the sunlight wash upon her skin, the transient glow of the fire burning around them. He would have stayed there all night with her and he planned to. But for a few minutes, Charlie left her alone so he could collect more firewood. He hadn't planned on her actually staying with him. He didn't have more wood ready. But, eager for a night he had been planning for all week, he did leave and went into the jungle. He couldn't find any on the ground, so he climbed a tree to break off twigs.
And thats when he heard it. A low, ferocious growl. But it was too dark to see anything clearly and he was too afraid to move. Looking down, he saw it. Its wide body sneaking through the brush, straight on for Claire. The hair on Charlies neck rose. His fingers pinched into fists. She was in danger.
"Claire, get out of there!" Charlie shouted at the top of his lungs. Sliding down the tree, cutting his hands on the way, Charlie fell and charged at the shadow growing closer and closer to the campfire. Every thought was bent on killing it. He wanted to. He had to. But he had nothing to kill it with. He stammered harriedly to himself about what to use. A branch? A rock? He couldn't see a thing! Quickly, he began yelling again. "Hey! Hey, you ugly cur! Yeah, you!" Charlie spat out, as loud and as distracting as he could. He felt around the ground for some kind of weapon. Grass. He walked forward. More grass. Cursing, he stumbled forward trying to regain stability, "Come on and get me, you mangy git!" Finally, he felt once more along the ground. A rock. Grinning, Charlie charged into the clearing. There was nothing.
His breath stopped halfway out, "Claire?" Staggering, he searced restlessly around the clearing, looking for some clue as to where either of them could be. He shouted once again, more desperate, "Claire!" Suddenly, a terror-filled shriek pierced Charlies ears-and heart. He ran rounds, trying to find the source of the screams. He couldn't find her. He couldn't find her. God, where was she!
"CLAIRRRRRRE!" he screamed, his throat closing on him mid-scream. His breaths were nearly non-existent. A suddenly, out of a dark jungle came the blood-curdling scream he feared.
"CHARLIEEEEEE!" a bloodied Claire screamed as she fell out from the jungle onto the open clearing. He ran to her. Her arms were gashed, her face paled white with splashes of blood dappled around her chin and neck. There were gaping wounds on her chest and from what Charlie could tell, a cut so deep into her leg that the muscle showed. His eyes were so teared up he was begginning to lose sight. Squeezing out the tears, Charlie took Claire into his arms and kissed her forehead.
"I have you now," he assured her, "Nothing is going to happen to you."
I am sorry if this seemed alittle scary. But I was thinking about what would happen if something happened to Claire. I mean, we all want Charlie and Claire to be together. But what if our fairy tale ends? I actually meant for her to just die in childbirth, like we all fear. But I wanted to give myself something else to fear. Okay, so I am weird!!! Let me know what you thought, okay?
He could no longer sit with her, talk about the future and life. She didn't have either anymore. And he could not make himself believe that it wasn't his fault. Because it was. And the sooner he could brave himself to tell Jack, the sooner he may be able to heal. But how could he? The shame was so great, the burden so heavy. He wanted to show her magic. He wanted to see the sunlight wash upon her skin, the transient glow of the fire burning around them. He would have stayed there all night with her and he planned to. But for a few minutes, Charlie left her alone so he could collect more firewood. He hadn't planned on her actually staying with him. He didn't have more wood ready. But, eager for a night he had been planning for all week, he did leave and went into the jungle. He couldn't find any on the ground, so he climbed a tree to break off twigs.
And thats when he heard it. A low, ferocious growl. But it was too dark to see anything clearly and he was too afraid to move. Looking down, he saw it. Its wide body sneaking through the brush, straight on for Claire. The hair on Charlies neck rose. His fingers pinched into fists. She was in danger.
"Claire, get out of there!" Charlie shouted at the top of his lungs. Sliding down the tree, cutting his hands on the way, Charlie fell and charged at the shadow growing closer and closer to the campfire. Every thought was bent on killing it. He wanted to. He had to. But he had nothing to kill it with. He stammered harriedly to himself about what to use. A branch? A rock? He couldn't see a thing! Quickly, he began yelling again. "Hey! Hey, you ugly cur! Yeah, you!" Charlie spat out, as loud and as distracting as he could. He felt around the ground for some kind of weapon. Grass. He walked forward. More grass. Cursing, he stumbled forward trying to regain stability, "Come on and get me, you mangy git!" Finally, he felt once more along the ground. A rock. Grinning, Charlie charged into the clearing. There was nothing.
His breath stopped halfway out, "Claire?" Staggering, he searced restlessly around the clearing, looking for some clue as to where either of them could be. He shouted once again, more desperate, "Claire!" Suddenly, a terror-filled shriek pierced Charlies ears-and heart. He ran rounds, trying to find the source of the screams. He couldn't find her. He couldn't find her. God, where was she!
"CLAIRRRRRRE!" he screamed, his throat closing on him mid-scream. His breaths were nearly non-existent. A suddenly, out of a dark jungle came the blood-curdling scream he feared.
"CHARLIEEEEEE!" a bloodied Claire screamed as she fell out from the jungle onto the open clearing. He ran to her. Her arms were gashed, her face paled white with splashes of blood dappled around her chin and neck. There were gaping wounds on her chest and from what Charlie could tell, a cut so deep into her leg that the muscle showed. His eyes were so teared up he was begginning to lose sight. Squeezing out the tears, Charlie took Claire into his arms and kissed her forehead.
"I have you now," he assured her, "Nothing is going to happen to you."
He was wrong.
I am sorry if this seemed alittle scary. But I was thinking about what would happen if something happened to Claire. I mean, we all want Charlie and Claire to be together. But what if our fairy tale ends? I actually meant for her to just die in childbirth, like we all fear. But I wanted to give myself something else to fear. Okay, so I am weird!!! Let me know what you thought, okay?