Walking home from the diner, the Buckton women reminisced about old times as they strolled down their new street, Charlie pushing Ruby's chair as they laughed about old school memories, bad haircuts and the mischief they got up to as youngsters. The relaxing day Charlie had been hoping for had been even better than what she could have imagined. In fact some would call it perfect.
"I've done stupid stuff. Rubes what about the time when you were five years old and you wanted to go swimming so you went into the bathroom and filled up the bath tube, forgot to turn off the tap, left the room and practically flooded the whole house", Charlie said through tears of laughter.
Charlie remembered that day as if it were only yesterday. Whenever she thought about it she could picture her parents faces when they walked into a seeping wet house. They tried giving Ruby the stern parental approach. But when they saw Charlie laughing at her little sister/daughters shenanigans, they could help but laugh at the mess themselves.
"Ok, I really wanted to go swimming that day and we all know that when I get an idea in my head I have to follow through with it. And besides you can't blame me for that, I was five and you were supposed to be watching me if I remember correctly", Ruby said, trying to think of a story that involved Charlie getting into trouble.
The two Bucktons continued on thinking back on all times all the way down the street. When they arrived at their home, they decided to catch up on a couple of episodes of America's Next Top Model, but after some complaints from Ruby about how it promotes a distorted body image to young girls, Charlie decided maybe it would be better if they watched something more fun and entertaining. So they found themselves engrossed in Australia's Got Talent.
"Hey mum, was it Dannii or Kylie Minogue that was on that show about a beach side town before she became a big star?", Ruby asked as she remained engrossed in the talent search.
"Em, Dannii I think. Kylie was on Neighbours or something like that", Charlie said as she placed the popcorn bowl on the coffee table.
"Oh", Ruby replied as she began to yawn. "I think I'm gonna go to bed", she said as she lifted herself from the couch into her chair with the support of the armrest on the couch and Charlie's firm grip of her hand.
"Ok. Do you want me to sleep with you tonight?, I know you've been having those nightmares again" Charlie said as she stroked her daughters hand.
"Do you mind? I mean you've hardly slept in your room since I came home and I don't want you to have to keep staying in with me cause of some stupid nightmare", Ruby said as she gripped her mothers hand.
"Hey, it's not stupid. You've been through a lot, it's completely understandable. Anyways, I couldn't sleep if I knew you were in the next room tossing and turning all night", Charlie said as she got up from the couch.
She turned the t.v off and placed the remote on the table. Putting the cushions back into their place neatly, Charlie picked up her phone and then made her way down the corridor into Ruby's room. As her daughter checked her blood sugar levels, Charlie informed her daughter she would be back in a sec before she retreated out of the room and entered into her own bedroom. Walking over to her bedside locker, she opened the drawer and removed her police issued pistol, putting on the safety.
Since John Doe had taken it upon himself to disappear, Charlie felt insecure about keeping her guard down. Whenever she heard her police collegues talk about his case she got the same feeling of disgust and fear she felt when Grant came to town. Only difference was, this time it wasn't her life she was fighting for the right to, it was her daughters. Charlie was not going to let her family slip through her fingers.
Tucking the gun into the back waist of her trousers she returned to Ruby's room to find that her daughter had already changed and gotten into bed and was already beginning to drift into a deep sleep. Removing the gun from her waist she opened the drawer in Ruby's bedside locker and placed the gun inside and then closed it. Charlie then proceeded to change into her nightware. After removing the last of her hair clips, she pulled back the duvet. Climbing into the bed she lifted Ruby's arm from out of her way and then lay down, placing her daughter's arm over her, stroking it as she watched Ruby sleep.
"No, no, please, let me go", Ruby said as she began to toss about in her sleep.
Charlie watched as Ruby began shifting about. Instinctively, she kept a firm hold on Ruby's arm and with her free hand, stroked Ruby's hair to sooth her through her nightmare.
"Shhhhh, Rubes it's ok,, it's ok, shhhh" Charlie said as she hoped Ruby would begin to settle. "It's ok, I'm here".
As if by magic Ruby began to settle down, relaxing back into her mother's embrace. Charlie continued to sooth her until she was sure she was alright. Just then Ruby began to talk in her sleep again.
"I'm scared, don't let them hurt me again, please", Ruby mumbled.
Her arms wrapped firmly around her daughter, Charlie kissed the top of Ruby's head.
"I won't let them hurt you again....I promise", she said as she pulled the duvet up around them and craddled Ruby in her arms and then she too fell asleep.
It didn't take long before Charlie slipped into a deep slumber. As she slept she entered into a dream. Just like she had the last time she feared for her daughter's life.
Walking through the cemetery, Charlie looked around at all the people dressed in black as she made her way down the path. They all stood there, sad faces lined with tears and a look of sympathy as they watched Charlie glance around at them all. Recognising a couple of them she tried to register what was going on and when she realised everyone was dressed in black it suddenly hit her.
She followed the path all the way down to the end, dead leaves crunching under her footsteps as she moved with pace, ducking under tree branches and trying to get to the place she was being led. When she turned around she saw Angelo standing next to a fellow police officer, his hands cuffed, and then he spoke to her.
"I never meant for this to happen", he said as he was then led away in the opposite direction.
Charlie felt her heart beginning to pound out of her chest. What was going on? Why was she there? With Angelo out of sight she found herself being gazed at by her friends and towns people, a gloomy feeling take over. She turned around back in the direction she was heading in and was startled by the sudden appearance of her father standing in front of her. An expression that was ful of sorrow and pain as he placed a hand on his daughters shoulder.
"I'm so sorry Charlie", he said as he stepped out of her way and walked down the path to the other watchers on.
Finally unable to take it any longer, Charlie began to run, and kept running right until she was stopped dead in her tracks by a heartbreaking scene before her. Under a dark, lifeless tree stood a headstone, covered in dead black roses and withered wreaths. Charlie walked up to it and crashed to her knees with a thud, unable to stop the flow of tears she found herself shedding. Reaching out, she wiped away the overgrown weeds.
Reading the headstone, Charlie felt her heart stop for what felt like an eternity.
In loving memory of
Ruby Buckton
1993-2010
Beloved Daughter, Granddaughter and Friend
Forever In Our Hearts
"Your Love Will Light My Way, Your Memory Will Ever Be With Me "
Love Mum
Charlie lowered her head and let out the tears, and wrapped her arms around herself as a cool wind picked up and the leaves began to circle around. Dredging up a feeling of anxiety in Charlie until she finally looked back up. She felt herself heave as she looked into the eyes of the person staring back at her. His wavy brown hair slicked back, his brown eyes piercing through her, his evil grin widening at her disomfort and upset.
"Don't worry Charlie, I'll take care of OUR precious daughter", Grant said as he began laughing in a sinster, twisted manner.
Feeling sick, Charlie found herself rising to her feet and running. To where she didn't know but once she started, she couldn't stop. Her flickered in the wind. The blank faces of her friends and family watched on as she raced down the cemetary path and out of the gate. Just then she was halted by the sound of a bang.
Charlie eyes shot open and she snapped upright in the bed. A noise from somewhere in the house startling her and sending her police instinct into overdrive. Reaching over to the bedside locker, Charlie opened the top drawer and removed the pistol she had placed in there earlier. She closed the drawer over quietly as not to startle the intruder. Turning around she laced Ruby's arm from around her waist onto the bed beside her. Pulling the duvet back up around her daughter's shoulders she stroked her hair and then walked towards the door. Preparing herself for a stand off.
