Of Night and Dark Obscurity

A strangeness gripped Caroline. She felt a terror s

eize her. She was in danger. She knew it instinctively. Someone was in another part of the building watching her. In the darkness eyes were upon her. She turned around and peered into the black hole. Nothing.

She turned again and looked in another direction. Her eyes trying to find the culprit. She could see nothing. Someone touched her shoulder and she turned with a yelp.

“Caroline. It’s me.”

Caroline looked into his eyes. Was she frightened even more or not at all?

“Charles.”

“Yes.” A small smile was on his lips and he looked at her in the dark.

“Did you send the boy? To have me come here?” She asked.

“I did.”

“Why Charles? We just saw each other.” She shook her head.

“I-I’m not like the others Caroline. I never could be,” he said softly.

Caroline smiled but shook her head. “The others? What others, Charles?”

She tried to move past him to get him to walk with her to the door but he grabbed her arm and held her tightly to him.

“Caroline. I tried not to be like them. I wanted to belong, but they don’t want that. They want me to do something- something very bad,” he said the last word in a whisper and the word terrified her.

The words he was saying and the way he was holding her, she suddenly felt as if they were not alone.

“Charles. You must simply be strong,” she said the word trying not to tremble. “You must stand up to the others.”

But Charles shook his head. “They are stronger than I. They want too much. I see that now. I wish I never joined. I wish—“

“Yes?” Caroline asked him.

“It was stupid of me. I should not have joined. I wanted to belong. I wanted a sense of belonging. The same lads that joked at me and called me names at University, I wanted to feel important.”

Caroline nodded. “I understand. My sister was always the outgoing one. She said I was the pretty one but I always admired her. She had a way about her.”

“Irene.” Charles said.

“Yes. Irene.”

“Oh Caroline. I wish you hadn’t come.”

Caroline smiled lightly. “But you asked me to come here.”

He shook his head. “It will be too much. Your father and grandmother…“ he sighed deeply.

“My father and grandmother?” She echoed not following his words.

“They lost Irene. So young. Tragic. Now you.”

Caroline glanced around her and then back at Charles’ face. “No Charles.”

“But I have to. They’re making me.” He almost whined.

“Who is they?”