p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;"The first thing Charlie noticed was the light of the sun, beaming down on the street, reflecting off the endless amount of windows. It was wonderful, she hadn't seen, much less felt, the sun on her skin for so long. She almost forgot what it felt like. She used to dream she was standing in a meadow, feeling the grass brush against her legs, hearing the wind blow the trees the birds in the distance, smelling the ground just after it rained. And feeling the sun caress her face. It was her heaven, the place she'd go to when facing reality got too much, which was often. And she really felt like escaping to her happy place right about now./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;"The second thing she noticed were the hordes of people. Bumping into each other, yelling into their cell phones, honking their horns to express their discontent with other stupid humans. It was all too much too fast./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""Yup, nope I can't do this.", she said making a quick u-turn back into the safety of the building they had exited not even 30 seconds ago. Surprised at her sudden departure from his left, August came to a sudden stop, whipping his neck around to re locate the speedy girl. Once he found her, it didn't take long for his long legs to catch up to her much shorter ones. Reaching a hand out to grab her upper arm, he stopped himself right before he made contact with her shirt. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""Where are you going? The car is that way!", he said as he gestured over his shoulder. He had known this girl for less than a day, and already she was the most confusing person he had ever met. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""I'm not going out there. Nope, no way José. Why can't we just stay here?", Charlie asked. To anyone else it would sound like she was whining, but to August, specially trained August, it sounded like fear. He could hear the very small quiver in her voice, see her hands shaking as she hid them in the pockets of her hoodie, he could see the terror in her wide eyes. Knowing he had to approach this situation, knowing he had to approach em style="box-sizing: border-box;"her/em, delicately he took a calming breath, relaxed his body position and said in quite possibly the most gentle voice he had used in five years./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""We're going to one of our houses, remember? We're helping you get back into the swing of things, back into society. You can't do that from a government office, you need a house. There is a nice house in northern New York. Small house, small town, small population.", August explained to her again. They had discussed this upstairs but he guessed that conversation flew out of her mind after all the stimulation./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""Why can't I stay in New York?", Charlie asked, not really wanting to stay in the city that never sleeps but she couldn't help but question everything this man said. He said nothing, he only tilted his head and raised his eyebrow with a gentle smile. Nodding his head in the direction she had just fled from. It was like saying 'really? you need me to answer that?'. Not wanting him to make fun of her anymore she rolled her eyes and nodded./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""Right, ya I get it. If I couldn't handle a street, no way this chicken could handle this city." she said in a self-deprecating manner. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""Not exactly how I would have put it but sure. It's calm, peaceful. Something you need right now. You ready to make another break for the car?", he replied not trying to keep the humour out of his voice. Charlie took another glance out the large windows out onto the busy street. Steeling herself she took a deep breath. Thinking to herself to just get this over and done with. But she couldn't lie to herself, she couldn't do it right now. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""Can we just wait until the street is less busy? I promise I will go then, there's just too much stuff happening out there. And unless you want to be leading a scared chihuahua to the car, we are going to have got wait.", Charlie answered, sounding timid and unsure at the beginning but as she should, gained confidence as she went on. Letting out a small, quiet huff of what could be considered laughter, August replied. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""I suppose we could wait until the evening, if that's what you really want. But if we don't leave now you will have to find some way of entertaining yourself until then." he answered, a little apprehensive about sitting here and doing nothing with the girl for the next couple hours. Especially after seeing the spark in her eye after he spoke. He didn't know her well, he didn't know her at all really. But he got the sense that the look was up to no good and he would not enjoy whatever she said next. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""Don't you worry muscles. I've got a brilliant idea.", and August had never been so scared in his life. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;"-/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""I am going to kill you"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""Try it"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""I am going to destroy you in the worst ways possible and just when you think I'm done I'll start over again."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""Sure you are"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""You think I won't do it? Cause I will. I am not above hitting a woman."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""uh huh"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""Don't do it"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""I'm gonna"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""Don't -", he was sharply cut off./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""Pick up two, reverse, skip your turn, pick up four, change the colour to blue, reverse, UNO, pick up two. BOOM!", she replied. Her voice so smug you'd think she just out smarted her greatest enemy, or been told she won the lottery. /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;"In a way she had just performed an incredible feat, at least in her mind. The large man's normally pale face was blotchy and red, it looked like he was one word away from blowing smoke out of his ears. It probably didn't help that this was the eighth time in a row the civilian had beaten the super agent at UNO. I guess he can't be good at everything, she thought smugly. She was not above making an 'L' shape out of her left hand and holding it against her forehead./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""I hate you", he muttered angrily. Charlie couldn't decide if he looked like a scary murderer, a grumpy cat, or a pouty baby. Probably a strange mix of all three. She couldn't help but burst out laughing at this super-agent-man's repeated obliteration at a children's card game. Shaking her hair, her hair swaying back and forth, she glanced out the window from behind the security desk they had sat behind during their games, she just noticed how dark it was outside. The only lights coming from the street lamps along the sidewalk. Turning back to the pouting man who threw his cards into the pile, she pointed out just how the time flew away from them./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""I guess time really does fly when you are having fun, September. Time to try Operation: going to the car again, I guess.", she answered while slowly standing from her criss cross apple sauce position. Stretching her arms above her head and shaking out her legs to get the blood moving again. She glanced at him to watch him some how gracefully stand up to his full height, she almost forgot just how large he was./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""It's August. And you're right we should head on out, it's a bit of a drive.", he answered starting to head towards the revolving glass door but stopped short. He turned his head to face her wanting to make sure he didn't loose her again./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; caret-color: #222222; color: #222222;""I know. Let's get going November.", she quipped, skipping past him out into the now quiet street. At the repeated and intentional mishap of his name he sighed, shoulders sagging. He knew this girl would be trouble. /p