Chapter 20:

Charles woke up with a painful grunt, his eyebrows raised, his jaw-dropped and his eyes buldged out of his head with suprise. Looking around, he was confused and bewildered, his vision was blurry and contorted. The room seemed to be spinning around him, he was lying on an uncomfortable, rigid bed with one thin sheet covering him. There was a horrible suffocating smell lingering in the air, it was the smell of bleach, which had been used to clean the linolium floors. He quickly realised were he was, he was in the local hospital, and he had not forgot about Lila. He was wrapped in bandages, some were stained with blood, his wounds were also aching. His eyes darted around the room, searching desperately for a drink as his mouth and throat felt dry. The door slowly crept open, "who is it" he asked, before Tiffany rushed in with a glistening smile. She looked frighteningly pale as she ran to him, before flinging her arms around his neck and sighing with relief. "I need a drink" grunted Charles as he sat still slightly bewildered

"Okay, honey" replied Tiffany before hurrying from the room, then returning with a bottle of water. When she handed it to him, he slowly sipped at it while she sat on the edge of the bed. "Lila...am gonna kill her" snarled Charles

"You can't, sweetie, she didn't mean it" explained Tiffany before adding "it was like, a moment of madness. She was just angry"

"ANGRY, I am fucking angry" roared Charles angrily before throwing the bottle across the room

"Chucky, don't do that" cried Tiffany before muttering "I've been so worried"

"Well, am okay" replied Charles

"Okay, Chucky...you've been in here for three days" revealed Tiffany before she suggested "I should get a nurse, just to check you over"

"No, Tiff. Sit with me, I wanna talk"

"Chucky, you need to rest" insisted Tiffany as she stood up and headed towards the door

"Tiffany, I said I wanted to talk. Now, sit back down" demanded Charles before asking "you got any, ciggarettes". Tiffany sat back down on the edge of the bed, before handing him a ciggarette which he quickly placed between his lips. "Give us a light"

"Oh, god...am sorry Chucky, I must have dropped it" Tiffany apologized

"Fucking hell" yelled Charles as he slammed his hands against the side of the bed. Charles calmed himself down, before he said "Now, Tiff" he stopped for a few moments before questioning angrily "where the fuck, is Lila"

"She's away, she's away" whimpered Tiffany

"What, she's in jail...for me" stammered Charles

"No...she's away, in the apartment" stuttered Tiffany nervously before adding "when you were shot, she ran off...I told the police it was some intruders. Oh, god. The police'll want to talk to you"

"Doesn't matter where she is, am gonna fucking kill her" sadistically chuckled Charles

"You can't Chucky, please don't" begged Charles

"Tiffany, I don't give a shit, if you love her like a mother...she's as good as a corpse" explained Charles

"Ch-Ch-ucky, don't do this" tearfully asked Tiffany, before suggesting "I know, let's leave...go back to New Jersey, wouldn't you love it"

"Fuck off" snarled Charles

"Come on, bet they're not expecting the return...of the Lakeshore Strangler" smiled Tiffany as she wiped away the tears. Charles laughed to himself as he patted his knee, before announcing "guess we're heading back"

"Okay Chucky, thanks" stammered Tiffany as she leaned over, wrapped her arms around his neck then began kissing him.

...Three Days Later...

Leaning against his crutches, Charles waited for Tiffany to open the door to Lila's apartment, as she opened the door she looked back at him and smiled "remember, we're just getting our stuff". He'd been kept in the hospital for an extra three days, even though he believed he was fine, he still had to suffer several tests before leaving. He smiled before the two entered the apartment, he limped into the livingroom where his heart sunk into a deep abyss. Lila sat on the sofa with a cheerful smile on her face and she was cradling Eddie in her arms, she looked up at Charles and sighed "isn't it amazing". Eddie stood up before casually strolling towards Charles, he gave Charles a friendly hug before chuckling "Charlie boy, long time no see" then he asked bitterly "where's Tiff. You know, Tiffany, the girl you stole from me as I sat in the big joint"

"For a fat fuck, you're acting awfully tough" laughed Charles

"Now boys" snapped Lila as she stood up then walked beside Eddie, before explaining "I'll have no swearing, in my house"

"Eddie, did you know, your beloved aunt put a couple of bullets in me"

"Oh, god...Eddie" gasped Tiffany when she walked into the room

"Tiffany, you look good" complimented Eddie before insulting "a couple of pounds more heavy, but good"

"Fuck you" sneered Tiffany

"I want no trouble" grinned Eddie before adding "me and aunt Lila, we're going back to New Jersey. Everythings all ready"

"So are we" replied Tiffany

"Eddie, why don't you and Lila stay here" suggested Charles with a look of disgust

"No, we're alright thanks...but since we're heading the same way. We all might as well ride together"

"You're having a laugh" spat Tiffany as she glared at Eddie

"Tiffany, what's wrong sweetie, you're like my daughter" interrupted Lila before stroking Tiffany's face and smiling "I've always loved you, not Charles, but yes, you"

"Yeah, I think it's a good idea" said Charles with a mischeavious grin, as he secretly hoped there would be an arguement, he was just waiting for a chance to stick a knife into his old buddys gut. Charles just wanted him, out the way. Tiffany and Lila then left the room, so they could gather everyones clothes and pack them into the car, leaving the two men in the livingroom. "It's been a long time" Charles grunted

"Long enough, for you to jump on my girl" smirked Eddie before adding with a laugh "but nevermind, it's all behind us"

"If you want trouble, just tell me...I might be in crutches, but I can still chop a fat fuck to pieces" insisted Charles

"Charlie boy, we're old friends...how long have we known eachother-"

"Too long" interrupted Charles

"We've also been through alot, and seen alot together" continued Eddie before adding "you wouldn't have ever become a notorious killer, if it wasn't for me...I was always, a loyal accomplice"

"Oh don't worry, I know" smiled Charles before warning Eddie "you ever bring up Tiffany, about how she's with me now, then I'll forget all that. I may kill you, I may not. I wonder what the old gang would think, if they found out that he wasn't really into women"

"I ain't no fag" insisted Eddie angrily

"Yeah I know, but I know, you're a fucking sick and twisted paedophile" revealed Charles

"You know what, I can't believe I once admired you"

"Fuck, you thought the sun shined from my arse" laughed Charles

"Well, I guess this road trip, will be fun" sarcastically remarked Eddie, before Lila yelled for them both to come and join her and Tiffany at the car. They both calmly walked to Tiffany, she was in the drivers seat, Lila insisted that she should sit beside her, leaving Charles and Eddie in the back seats, awkwardly chatting.

...Several Hours Later...

The old dilapidated slums creaked eerily in the macabre moonlight as shadows danced on the doorsteps of dwellings deserted long ago. A gale screamed at the sights as it tore through the rooftops leaping in and out of the holes that time had worn in them. Fetid puddles of old rainwater littered the cobbles. There was a cornucopia of blind eyes of bats peering out of the darkness. The street looked abandoned, Tiffany hated driving in the dark, it always made the streets look creepy and scary.

Suddenly Tiffany noticed headlights were speeding towards the police van, before there was anytime to react the car lurched forward and she was thrown forward violently, the seat belt biting into her chest, knocking the wind out of her. The van flew forwards, flying threw mid air before crashing back down onto the floor. She heard the sound of raining glass as the airbag exploded in her face, before she heard Lila let out a spine-tingling scream, then she looked over and saw how Lila's face and arms had been sliced by the shattered glass. All the blood rushed from her head, her vision was blurred and disorientating, then her ears popped before any noises sounded distant and faded. Then darkness started to cloud her eyes...

Charles opened his eyes widely with disbelief as he noticed Tiffany moving slightly beside Lila, who was covered in blood and whimpering. He glanced to his side to check on Eddie, he was unconcious, the back of Charles's head was aching badly, he'd hit it several times when the car flipped over. "Tiff" he muttered as blood dribbled from his nose

"Chucky" cried Tiffany before admitting "Lila, she doesn't look to good"

"Eddie ain't awake, but it looks as if he's breathing" Charles informed her before reassuring her as he brushed away the pieces of lap that were on his lap "everything, will be alright". He slowly opened the door, before leaping out onto the pavement, he looked around but there was no one around. He opened the drivers door, Tiffany turned to him and was crying madly "oh, Chucky...Chucky". He unbuckled her seat belt, before swooping her up into his arms and gently laying her out on the pavement. He scanned her body, she looked okay, just a few scratches on her face, a bruise on her cheek then another massive one on her arm. He smirked sadistically when he looked at Lila, she was wiggling about, covered in her own blood. He opened her door, dragged her out of the car then threw her onto the pavement. "Chucky, don't" angrily yelled Tiffany

"You know, Tiffany, she ain't nothing, but a liability" explained Charles as he stood over Lila. Lila was stretched across the pavement, coughing blood as she clutched onto the huge slice on her arm. Her whole face had been mutilated by tiny, pieces of shattered glass. She was drenched in a mixture of tears and blood, she reaked of death. "What...what are you doing" panted Tiffany as she clutched her hair with frustration, annoyed at the aching pounding in her head. Charles smiled evily as he placed his hand over Lila's mouth, then pinched her nose with the other. She began kicking her legs and thrusting her body side to side, she looked at Tiffany and a tear fell from her eyes, but Tiffany was in to much pain to pay attention. Instead as Lila was murdered, Tiffany curled up on the pavement and closed her eyes to try and ignore Lila's squirming. When Charles was finally finished, he stood up and laughed "they'll think she died, chocking on her own blood. Stupid fucks".

Chapter 20 finished

Authors note: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a review and tell me what you think. Next chapter will find them back in New Jersey, will they meet up with Tiffany's abusive mother or the sister she missed.