Chapter 41
Ben
I’m panicking.
I fucked up.
I fucked up so bad. I should have never let Charlie out of my sight. I should have insisted she come back inside with me. This is my fault. My god damn curse strikes again and now Charlie is going to get hurt because I’m a rotten, horrible soul.
My fault. My fucking fault.
How will I ever be able to look the guys in the eyes if she gets hurt? How will I live with myself? I need to find her. Now.
And then I’m going to murder Chuck.
I’m speeding down the road in the direction I saw the car driving away when I use my Bluetooth to call Max.
“Hey!” He sounds way too bright and cheery. “You guys on your way? Andy and I got stuff to do a taco night.”
“I got stuff to do taco night! You just went home asshole,” I hear Andy shout.
“Dude, put me on speaker. Now.”
I hear quiet shuffling and then Andy, much louder and clearer than before, “What’s going on bro?”
“Charlie got taken. I left her outside the gym for like two fucking seconds to go grab my keys and I’m sure that fucking sicko Chuck took her! There was this rust bucket of a car speeding away when I came back out and she was just fucking gone!”
“Shit," I hear Max mutter. “Was the car green?”
“Yeah. It was the same one Chuck was standing beside when I beat him up a few weeks back.”
“I know that car.” Andy sounds confident, but I know just like me he’s also panicking. “I’ve seen it around a few times. It’s sometimes parked at that run down house on the corner of 5th and Elm.”
I let loose the breath I was holding and pray to a god I don’t believe in that that’s where he took her. “Okay yeah that’s the direction I am heading right now. I’ll go see if it’s there.”
I take another deep breath before adding, “I’m so sorry guys. This is my fault. Charlie is going to get hurt and it’s all my fucking fault.”
“Ben,” Max cuts in sternly. “This isn’t your fault. This is Chuck’s fault. He’s the sick bastard who took her. This isn’t the curse. Charlie is going to be fine. We’re on our way now,”
“Okay,” I mutter, even though I don’t believe him. “Please hurry.”