Ch.15

They pulled up in front of the cave and Charlotte was out of the car before Barney had it fully stopped. She told him to wait there as she ran into the cave. The tunnel was a lot brighter with the days light shining in, not completely illuminated, but enough that she could run a little faster to the open room. There were beer bottles everywhere, she tripped on a few as she came in, filling the cavern with the sound of clinking glass. Clothes were strewn about too, a skirt hung off the edge of the table, remnants of what was probably a bra and panties spread about the cave floor. The girl's shirt was still near her prone body on the mattress, but Charlotte didn't take much notice as she fell next to the girl.

"Hey, summer girl, hey!" She called, shaking the girl's small form. The girl groaned, whined and then tensed. Charlotte knew that the space between her thighs was probably aching and throbbing dully. The poor girl's head was probably doing the same. She kept shaking her though, waiting for her light green eyes to open. "I need you to wake up now," Charlotte demanded, shaking the little girl a little harder. She whined again, her hand twitching on her stomach. Then her body jerked, forcing itself upright as her eyes shot open, hands coming out to ward off an attacker. Charlotte fell back, startled by the girl's sudden movement. She knew that feeling though; her body was catching up with what her mind had wanted to do while she was drugged. "Easy," Charlotte cooed, grabbing the girl's shoulders and pulling her back against her chest. "Easy sweetheart, you're okay now." She brushed the girl's hair back soothingly, whispering reassuring things too her until she calmed into body wracking sobs. "We need to go now. I can take you somewhere and we can get you fixed up. I promise, you'll be safe with me, but we need to go now." Charlotte stood, easing the crying girl up with her and out of the cave. They got to Barney's car and the old man stayed silent as Charlotte seated the younger girl in the back seat.

"Where to?" he asked again. Charlotte thought about it. She'd said somewhere safe, but in all honesty, she didn't even know a safe place in Cainsville.

"You said Mac wasn't at the garage, do you know where he is?" Barney frowned, stretching his neck and humming thoughtfully.

"Out taken care of business with Walter would be my guess. They left the garage together early this morning."

"Drive by my place, we'll stop if Mac isn't there." Barney nodded, putting the old car into gear and pulling back onto the makeshift road. The girl stayed quiet, occasionally letting out a little sob, but for the most part her crying settled.

"Who's she?" Barney asked voice low and rumbly. Charlotte looked to the backseat, frowning at the girl. She didn't look up, keeping her head on her knees and her arms wrapped around herself. "You don't know do you?" Charlotte shot a glare at the old black man.

"I've been calling her summer girl," Charlotte replied slightly perturbed that she didn't know the girl's real name. "Her family comes for the summers." Barney shrugged one large shoulder, shaking his head with a soft chortle.

"Should probably find that out soon." Charlotte nodded. They stayed silent as they continued the drive. When Barney pulled down the street Mac's house was on, he slowed. They passed the house once, checking for Mac's beat up yellow truck. Charlotte's was alone in the driveway though. Barney made another U-turn, pulling the Thunderbird next to Charlotte's truck. "You need anything else you call me, okay?" Barney asked as Charlotte helped the younger girl out of the car. She nodded, turning away and heading inside. Beast barked as they passed, scaring the girl. Charlotte petted her hair, pushing her head down so she wouldn't see the vicious animal. They were in the house before Charlotte let the girl go, setting her on the overly soft sofa in the living room.

"I'm gonna get you some water. It'll help with the headache." She left the girl there, watching her out of her peripheral vision in case she freaked out again. She returned with a small glass of water, placing it in the girl's hand. "Small sips," she murmured, lifting the girl's hand, and the cup, to her lips. The girl took control when the cold glass touched her lips, taking a dainty sip of the liquid. "What's your name?"

"Julianne." The girl's voice was horse, probably from all the sobbing.

"Charlotte," the older girl replied, taking the now empty glass and setting it on the coffee table. "Come on, I'll get you some clothes and you can take a shower. I'll take you back to your house when you're cleaned up." Her body tensed again. Her green eyes flicked up to Charlotte's pewter ones.

"What am I supposed to tell my family?" she asked pitifully, tears coming back to her eyes.

"You don't tell them anything," Charlotte shrugged, "The likely hood that they would believe you is slim. You won't even pass a drug test at this point, which is the first thing any hospital is gonna check."

"What?" Julianne whimpered. Charlotte pulled her off the couch, leading her down the hall to the bedroom as she explained what happened the night before. Julianne didn't say anything as Charlotte recanted the story. She didn't say anything as Charlotte urged her into the bathroom or when Charlotte told her that there were clothes laid out on the bed. Charlotte figured the girl wouldn't be out of the shower for a while and didn't disturb her for the next thirty minutes. She checked on the younger girl a few times, silently slipping into the bathroom to make sure the girl hadn't done anything rash and then slinking back out. She made a few sandwiches, assuming Julianne was probably hungry and sat on the couch, waiting for the girl to come out.

When Julianne finally emerged, Charlotte directed to her to the kitchen with a wave of her hand. She listened as the younger girl munched on the food, joining her a few moments later.

"Look, what happened…I know you're gonna wanna talk to someone about it. If it gets to be too much, come to me." Charlotte reached out, touching the younger girl's hand and squeezing softly. "Just make sure that there's just my car in the drive. I'm not sure what Mac would do-"

"You know that psycho? You live with him?" Julianne nearly shrieked, she pushed away from the table, sending her chair clattering to the floor.

"He's my brother." Charlotte left out the rest. The girl didn't need to be overwhelmed. "You need to sit back down," her voice got a little fiercer as she glared at the girl towering over her.

"You were there…" the thought seemed to just dawn on the younger girl as she remembered how vividly Charlotte had retold the events of the previous night.

"Yes," Charlotte admitted, "I didn't know what they were planning."

"You could have stopped them!"

"And I would have risked my life." The pair stayed silent, glaring the other down as that comment hung in the air. They were at a stalemate.

"And your life is so fucking important?" Julianne spat. There was another pause and when Charlotte didn't reply, the younger girl pushed away from the table, storming out of the house. Charlotte didn't go after her, she flinched when the door slammed, but didn't move from her chair. Her life wasn't that important, she knew that. But that didn't matter, because she could at least do something useful before she died; something a little more meaningful than saving some little cunt from getting raped. She started planning as she sat there, waiting for Mac to return. Yeah, she'd do something significant.

She'd make her last days count, or she'd die trying.