Deadly Obsession - Chapter 5 (Patreon)

I’m home early. I slowly push open the door to my parent’s rundown home. The wear and tear over the years are disgusting, to say the least. But it’s the last thing that’s on my mind since that meeting.

If I take Luca’s offer, I am definitely out of here. And I can take Charlie with me. The question is, what would I do with Charlie once I’m out? Would I let him return to his family? Or let him live out his days with me?

I’m shocked out of my thoughts when the sound of a scream fills the air. I enter the hall just in time to see my father dragging Charlie by his collar through the house. Charlie is kicking and screaming, pulling at the chains as horror is etched into his features.

He’s screaming for his life.

“Hey!” I shout. I take off towards my father, but he’s already in his room with the door halfway open.

“Charlie!” I scream his name letting him know that I am here. My father throws Charlie roughly into the room and the moment his feet hit the ground he scrambles towards me, a look of sheer terror and desperation in his eyes. My father kicks him hard in the back, preventing him from moving.

“Charlie!” I scream again, willing my feet to move faster, but they just aren’t fast enough. My father slams the door, bolting it from the other side. In normal circumstances, I could break the door down. But my parent's occupation caused them to be very prepared. The door is metal with a steel bolt on the other side. I can’t get in.

I can hear Charlie screaming on the other side and I beat furiously against the door, screaming at him to let him know I’m here.

“Charlie! Charlie!” I beat my fists against the door, but I can do nothing but listen to Charlie’s blood-curdling screams. They’re unlike any screams I’ve heard before. His screams go from painful to desperate.

“Please! Please don't! Pl-” Charlie’s voice is cut off by a sickening thud, and he screams again.

And I can do nothing but listen.

* * * * *

My head is spinning. I’ve been in my room for the past hour and a half listening to Charlie’s strangled screams, unable to protect him. I sprint through the house making my way to my parent’s bedroom to find the door cracked. I place my hand against the cool metal, pushing it open to reveal their filthy living quarters.

My eyes immediately fall to the figure on the bed.

Charlie.

He’s curled up in fetal position, violent sobs racking his body. I take in his pitiful state with guilt brewing deep in my gut. I couldn’t protect him. The shirt that I had gotten him is now in tatters on his body, and I take note that underneath there seems to be a large gauze wrapped around his body.

I gently place my palm against his back and he immediately jumps away from me, kicking and screaming.

“NO! No! Not again, Oh God please not again!” I grab ahold of his flailing arms, pinning them down. His eyes open wide, and pure terror is reflected back at me in that deep blue gaze. His breathing is so erratic I fear he might have a heart attack.

“Charlie…,” I whisper.

His eyes slowly drain of energy, and he realizes it's me. His sobs come in fast pants and he jumps into me, his arms wrapping around me like a vice.

“Don’t leave me… please, don’t ever leave me..” he hastily whispers.

He continues to cry, his body shaking violently as he sobs into me. I suck in a deep breath lifting him to carry him to my bedroom. After all these years he is still so small and fragile. His body has barely grown. It doesn’t match his age at all.

I gently place him on my bed and begin to clean the blood from his face. When I move to remove his shirt, his eyes fly open and he screams in a panic.

“Don’t touch me!” he shouts.

I flinch from his tone. He’s never directed that kind of tone towards me. Not anger, but terror.

He’s truly terrified.

“It’s ok... I’m just checking for damage,” I try and reassure him. His eyes look deranged and he shakes his head.

“No... don’t touch me. Just... let me stay with you… in your bed, please?” he looks away from me, and I can see his broken spirit.

“I’m scared to be by myself,” he whispers.

Any hesitancy that I had dissipates from the suffering in his voice. So, I relent.

* * * * *

Charlie’s frail body is curled up next to mine. His breathing is shallow and he’s already fallen asleep.

The decision is obvious. I am going to take Luca’s offer. I’ll figure out what to do with Charlie when the time comes, but I can’t sit through another one of his beatings. No matter what happens, he’ll be safe. I’ll leave and take him with me.

We’ll leave as soon as he’s well enough rested to move. And now that he isn’t bolted to the wall, we can walk out and I can take him with me.

I look at his sleeping form.

All these years he’s suffered from my psychotic family. No more. I will end the cycle. I will have to bury the need to kill my parents until I am sure Charlie is safe. I will have to put off my needs for his own.

I lay my head against the pillow, feeling the heavy sway of sleep wash over me. A newfound feeling of hope bubbles in my chest. With this offer, I will start a new life. And we will survive.

I jolt awake in bed when I feel something... wet. It’s soaking my clothes and the sheets. I immediately sit up in bed, checking my body. The substance is thick. The metallic tang of blood hits my nose and I immediately check myself for wounds. There are none.

I look to Charlie’s sleeping form, the moon casting a shadow over him through the window. My heart rate immediately spikes and I reach over to turn on the lamp. I yank back the covers inspecting him. There’s a puddle of blood in my bed. I look at Charlie, fear paralyzing me. I’m seconds from shaking him awake when I notice the gentle rise and fall of his chest.

He’s breathing.

Then where’s the blood coming from?

My eyes shift to his body. Only his pants are soaked, starting from the center. My heart beats faster as ideas begin to form in my head.

No fucking way.

I reach out with shaky fingers, gently shaking him. His eyes open falling on me, not realizing that he is coated in blood. How could he? It’s his blood… his body temperature. He notices my shocked expression, sitting up, finally noticing. His eyes slowly wander to the puddle of blood coming from him.

Then he looks back at me with a panicked expression.

“Romelo… I can explain…”

I stare. I don’t know what to say. What do I fucking say?

“Charlie… are you a girl?”