"Ah!" he said and quickly hid himself. Hurley stopped in his tracks and turned around, apologizing. "You scared the you-know-what outta me!"
"Sorry," Hurley reiterated, "I gotta tell Jack something." Charlie finished and rapidly zipped his pants. Embarrassed alittle, he walked cautiously out from behind the tree. "You okay, man? You looked alittle stressed." Charlie asked, looking at Hurley with his robust chest dropping and raising rapidly. "Ya know, I could tell him."
"Could you?" Hurley said, resting himself against the tree next to him.
"Yeah, wait here." Charlie said, thanking God for getting him away from this horribly awkward situation. It was like at ball parks, where guys tried to carry on conversations when you were using the urinal. Scary.
So Charlie left and found Jack carrying a bushel of logs into camp and told him about Hurley. Micheal was standing there as well, studying a drawing. Looking up, Micheal shook his head.
"He's up to something. I'm coming too." Jack dropped the wood.
"Okay, take us to him." he told Charlie and the three of them all walked into the jungle to where Hurley was at. Excitedly, Hurley greeted them all, although Charlie preferred not to make eye contact at first. "I have a gift," Hurley said and led them to the open valley, about 40 meters from the beach and 15 from the caves. And in the middle of the clearing stood a tall stick with a piece of cloth tied at the top.
"Welcome to the first," then adding cheerily," and hopefully the last, Island Opening. Its two holes, for the moment and 3 par." Inside, Charlie was screaming with excitement. Just what he needed. A game to keep his mind off the drugs! If he wasn't still so bloody freaked out by his encounter in the woods, he would have ran over and hugged the bloke! He looked at Micheal first then Jack. Both looked hesitant about the idea. But if they felt anything like he did, he knew they were secretly adoring the idea. Jack is doctor, for goodness sakes! He must have played golf like a million times in his life. Bet he was never more glad to hit the tee than now, especially with all the stress of being the annointed leader. And with a smile, both conceded. Charlie was never happier. "Micheal and I against Charlie and you." Jack said, and extended his hand, "May the best castaway win." Charlie could feel himself cringe but tried hard to keep the smile upon his face. Paired with Hurley? What did I do to deserve such irony?
"Alright, dudes!!" Hurley exclaimed, "Let's get it on!" Hurley chucked the bag at Charlie and Jack took a nine iron for his first swing. Charlie had never played golf much before so he didn't know if that was right but he watched carefully at the doctors choices, hoping to get some pointers. Finally, it was his turn.
"Okay, everybody, silence. Watch the Master." Charlie said, talking smack and trying to be cool. But it was made instantly clear the first time he swung and missed that he had only ever played the sport a couple times. And all those Putt-Putt courses didn't count. "Okay, okay, so I'm alittle rusty."
"Sure Charlie," Jack laughed, "but we'll be nice. That one won't count. Try again." Charlie stared at the ball and grumbled at it. "Alright, you useless prat, get as close to that other hole as you can or I'll chuck you straight into the ocean. Got it?" Charlie raised the club, focused on the ball and took a swing. He had hit it. It was heading upwards and seemingly in the direction he wanted it to. He danced like an idiot. "Uh Charlie?" Hurley said, tapping him on the shoulder. Charlie stopped and chuckled at him.
"Yeah?"
"That was just a chunk of dirt."
Charlie would never play golf again. It wasn't that fun anyways. So he headed back to the caves, back to Claire. Walt said she was sleeping and Charlie actually didn't mind. He liked to see her asleep. She even sometimes smiled in her sleep. He wondered what made her smile. Could she be dreaming of the baby's father? Being with her baby? Charlie smiled. Maybe him?
The camp was empty, even the Koreans were gone. But they often were gone anyway and he didn't expect to see them until later. It was just the two of them. Charlie snuck up on her as she laid curled up inside the caves, shaking. Worried, Charlie bowed beside her and stroked her face. There were tears on her cheeks.
"Claire?" he asked harried, "Are you okay?"
"Charlie?" her voice asked out as she slowly rolled over. When she saw him bowed over her, she smiled and wiped away the tears on the other side of her face."I'm glad your here."
"Whats wrong?"
"Walt," she began," he told me he was going to go to the bathroom. That was over an hour ago." she said, her icey blue eyes staring away, "He was bored with me. He left to go play golf."
"I'm so sorry, Claire. I'll make sure to beat him up next time I see him." he said, actually quite seriously. But Claire laughed. He was glad she thought it was funny. Cause he wasn't prone to beating up 10 year olds but he'd do it anyway if it made Claire feel better.
"No. Its just...I was alone....and I got scared....and..."
"Oh, love. I understand. And I am so sorry....is there anything I can do?"
"Stay with me?"
"You couldn't get rid of me if you tried." he stated. Again, she giggled. Their hands moved in towards another. Slowly, he gripped his hand loosely around hers. She was so warm.
"I don't blame him," she started to say, "I'd leave me too."
"What?! Nonsense."
"I can't do much..." she explained and relaxed her head against his shoulder, "I can't do anything."
"You do alot for me..." he informed her. Claire nestled her head closer. Charlie could barely breath. He was so grateful to have the priveledge of being here with her right then. How wonderful it felt to be wanted.
"Did you win?" Claire said, changing the topic. Bloody marvelous. He gives her a flirtatious commendation and she changes the subject. That could not be good.
"Nah," he said and sighed, "Games rigged anyway."
"Aww," she moaned.
"You wanna play a game?"
"Oh Charlie, I can't play golf..."
"No, no, no...I mean, a game. Like, Truth or Dare!" He'd been dying to play this with her since they became friends. It was always his way of getting to know girls. All the girls he'd ever met were 'Darers' but something told him Claire was 'Truthful'. "Truth or Dare? I haven't played that since former school, 7th grade!"
"Well, c'mon then it'll be fun. You go ahead and start."
"No, you go. I'm not ready."
"Okay, uh, Truth or Dare?"
"Truth." Didn't surprise him at all. She didn't seem like the 'Dare' type. Course he could go either way. But he wanted to get to know more about her. So this was perfect.
"Okay, so, whats the thing that scares you the most?" Claire 'hmm-ed' and began to massage her stomach.
"It used to be spiders. I hate spiders! But now, I can only think of one thing that scares me the most..." and she patted her swollen stomach. Charlie nodded.
"Yeah, something that big coming out of something-" he mannerly cut himself off and cleared his throat. Claire giggled. Charlie grinned. "Okay, its your turn."
"Truth or Dare, Charlie..."
"Truth."
"What scares y o u the most?"
"Well, Locke and his 400 knives for one..."
"C'mon!" she giggled, "Be serious!"
"I was!" Charlie admitted and played with her fingers, "Hmm. I guess what I fear and what I hate go hand in hand so I'll give you a 2 for 1 deal."
"Oh, how generous of you..."
"Being useless."
"Your not useless, Charlie..." Claire told him. Charlie frowned. She was always so honest. So genuine. Maybe she was right. Most likely she just didn't know enough about him to not know better. But he hoped on changing that. At least, the getting to know him part.
"Okay, well, its your turn again. Truth or Dare?"
"Truth."
"Truth again?" he smiled thoughtfully, "Ah alright, whats your deepest secret?" "I don't know!" she giggled, "Aussies aren't really that big on secrets!"
"So, thats a 'no' on big secrets?"
"Well, tell me," she asked provokingly, "whats yours?" Charlie deadpanned. He hadn't thought she'd turn it around on him. Should he answer? "I-" he began and stopped, "I used to be-" Was this a good idea? Charlie gulped hard, "I used to be-"
"Okay, okay. Will it help if I tell one semi-deep secret?"
"Extremely."
"Okay. I used to be a cheerleader. Shocking, right?"
"I will have to see this cheerleading!" Then he corrected himself, "Uh, after the little one is out, course." Claire knuckled him in the shin lightly and then smiled up at him.
"Alright. Now tell me, whats in your proverbial closet?" She was looking at him. Waiting. But how could he tell her? 'Yeah, I've been a cocaine addict for the past five years up until now, where I am going through painful detox.' She would have to be out of her mind to still want to be with him, if she ever even considered the thought. Charlie met Claire straight in the eyes. 'If I tell you, will you look at me the same way you are now? Will you still think of me the same way?' He swallowed hard. "I used to be a closet clown fanatic. Clowns everywhere! A complete prat, really."
"Clowns?" she asked. Charlie paled. She didn't believe him? Of course she wouldn't. Angels can tell when you lie. Its a fact.
"You don't believe me?"
"No, of course I believe you, its just I've never met a rock star clown enthusiast." He felt like throwing up. She believed him. She didn't have any other reason not to. Up until now, he'd been entirely straight up with her. Why didn't he just tell her? He knew why. Those eyes. So trusting. So believing. He needed those eyes to tell him everything he had never heard. If he told her the truth, he could lose all that. Charlie sighed. "We are few in number." he replied vacantly. Claire rested closer to him and nestled her head in the crook of his arm.
"I'm so tired, Charlie. Do you mind if I nod off for a few?" He was hardly awake himself. He relaxed his back against the cave wall and shut his eyes. "Yes, that would be fine." he said and yawned."Dream sweet."
So thats the next chapter everybody. Like how I ended it? 'Dream sweet'? If you saw the previews, then you know that Claire begins to have weird dreams. So I added some irony. Anywayz, R&R!