Generation 2, Chapter 7: Saving someone is currently an important mission

The past two months after my break up with Charlie had been hectic... Hectic, technically, would be sugar-coating it. My life had been in turmoil, all because of a guy. For weeks, all I wanted to do was lay in my bed and wonder if I had made the right choice. That uncertainty was enough that I want to kill myself at times. Mom had taught me to be a strong girl, and to not let anything get me down. Obviously she had not lectured me on matters of the heart.

Time healed many wounds, and slowly, I realized that Charlie just wasn't the right guy for me. But there were still answers that were left unanswered. I vowed to find those answers, and I'll do whatever it takes to get them.

By luck one afternoon, we all gathered in Janelle's office without even arranging an appointment. Now or never, I think, and start to set things in motion. The "things" is the investigation into Charlie's past, and the pasts of different criminals; all in an effort to try and figure out who "The Raven" could be.

"Janelle, you think you could grab a book on criminal antics? Maybe we could get a look inside the mind of one? See what angle they're working?" I ask as Janelle paces by me, impatience stricken across her face.

"Like a psychologist getting inside the head of his patient? I like how you think. But books don't hold all the answers, Kaylin. While we're ransacking a library, The Raven has already attacked two more people. And what's worse is, they had harsher injuries."

"Would you just get one," I grit my teeth, trying hard not to let that fact put me off on my goal. "Pretty please..."

"Fine," she sighs, shoulders hanging low. Slumping all the way to the bookshelf, Janelle starts to work through the books like a pro.

"'How to be the perfect criminal'... 'Why NOT to be a criminal'... 'Criminals of the 21st century'... Oh, hey, here's a DVD box of 'Criminal Minds'. We should watch that. Hmm..." It takes at least ten minutes till Janelle gives a satisfactory "Eureka!"

"'Telling criminals apart from normal people: What are their tactics?'. Now THAT sounds like something we could use."

Bridget and Aaron gave dramatic "Ooh's" and "Aah's", but not from the book's title. Those two decided to step away from detective work and preferred to watch re-runs of The Voice on an HD plasma screen.

"Kaylin, can you get them to turn off that blasted TV? I can't handle all that singing while I'm trying to find evidence that Charlie attacked those people."

"I don't understand why you're targeting Charlie... I've known him for a very long time. There is no way in hell it could be Charlie doing all those things," Aaron silences Janelle's complaining with his protest. From the frown between his eyes, I know that Aaron is trying to convince himself only.



"The odds are against Charlie, sadly," Bridget gives her two cents up. "The absences, the crappy excuses... It's either he did it, or he has multiple personality disorder and his alter ego is doing these things. Or he could be possessed. There's always that. You guys have no idea how many dark...eh, spirits run around in this world." 

I was doing my best to tune their conversations out, but some of the parts stuck in my head. Multiple personality disorder? That's an interesting theory...


The page I'm loading is taking forever to load, but I can't quit on it just yet - it's the page that I'm hoping will solve a lot of problems. A page on the history of Twinbrook and its inhabitants. Perhaps something of Charlie's past will turn up.


And there it is: A photo of an attractive young blonde man, just out of college, with his entire life's story  for the world to read.


"James Rapp, born November 14, 1968, graduated Bridgeport University of Sports. Rapp married college sweetheart, Layla Brock, and later had two children - Jenna and Charlie. The couple were married for 13 years before Layla filed for divorce. Rapp turned hostile, and went on a shooting rampage inside his house. Young Jenna was fatally injured, where as Charlie barely survived. Rapp turned the gun on himself on April 7. The whereabouts of Charlie are unknown, as the mother herself disappeared."


"Good lord," I mutter to myself, "It's surprising that he didn't go crazy any earlier." My eyes turn itchy, and I dab at them, only to feel the wetness under my fingertips. I struggle to contain myself, and not show shock at what I just read. Charlie had led such a hard life. How had he managed to cope with it for so long? How can you cope with the death of your sibling? Even though Bridget's a pain in the ass, I wouldn't want her to die - I still love her too much.

"You too, Kaylin? You also believe that Charlie did it? God! It seems you can't call anyone friends anymore. Are you guys gonna start suspecting me of things, too? You dated Charlie, or goodness sake! That's it. I'm out of here."

With not a single word further, Aaron thrust himself out of his chair and towards the door.

"It's not that I believe he did it...," I sigh to myself. " It's that I just found out some shocking news that would explain a LOT of things."

"What things?" Janelle looks at me with questioning eyes.

"Come take a look for yourself. You too, Bridget. In the meantime, I'm going after Aaron."

Of course I know where to find Aaron. There's always that one place he'll go to release frustration. That place is none other than the gym. Lucky for me, there's one conveniently located on a lower floor of the apartment.

"Aaron... You can't burn away your problems like you do calories," I enter the room hesitantly, delivering my opening line with a soft voice, as if the slightest increase in tone would make him run away.

"Watch me try," he spits out between gritted teeth.

"Look, I didn't mean to say that I believed Charlie did those things. I just... I just found something really shocking on the net, something he didn't tell us, and it shocked me. It's something you don't know, and I think you should know, Aaron."

My words doesn't change his expression; instead, Aaron turns to work even more profusely than before, ignoring me completely.

"How about we go out," I suggest after a while, "And you can tell me all the things you know about Charlie, and why you believe he's innocent."

Surprisingly enough, Aaron takes me up on my offer, and suggests we head down to a small park, where hardly anyone would visit.

"Here we are, together in private. Now can you get started on telling me about Charlie? Little details only you would know?" I get straight to the point as we sit down on the swings.

"That's quite a story, to be honest," Aaron smirks, looking down at the dirt with a smile. Frowning, I see him absentmindedly kick at the sand. "This is where Charlie and I met, actually. Here at the bus stop, when children still played on the jungle gyms. He was 16, I was 15. My dad had just kicked me out of the house because I didn't want to follow his dream. Charlie, well, he had no where else to go apparently."

"You two met here? You never told me that..," I frown, a teeny bit sad. I almost wanted to label this place as "Kaylin and Aaron's special place", seeing as we always met here to talk.

"The need had never arisen before. My career also started out here, as I juggled for the kids' entertainment. As I accidentally dropped a juggle, Charlie's hand shot out to catch it. He offered me his hand, and introduced himself. We both recognized that we were homeless comrades, and we talked about that a great deal. Together we formulated the idea to start a small entertainment business, which has attained a lot of success. That's the business part of our lives. Charlie, well... He's a good soul, Kay-Kay. He tackled a thief that ran away with a grandma's purse, he saved a kitten out of the tree. Y'know, the usual good Samaritan stuff. He's had some ups and downs when it comes to his love life. His last girlfriend, Vanessa, dropped him for another guy who played in a band. So he hasn't had all the luck, but honestly, he's NOT a bad guy. He wouldn't hurt anyone, not even because his girl dropped him."

From Aaron's tale, he was making Charlie out to be a saint. And with every sentence that comes out of his mouth, I start to believe that Charlie could never be that guy that did those awful things. Not the real Charlie Aaron had met at this very park.

Aaron clears his throat quite noisily, yanking me back to the present. "Uh hum, as I'm being incredibly honest here, I would like to tell you something. You look amazing in that back lighting. It frames your face very well."

"Why thank you, mister Glover. That's a rather surprising compliment you just delivered," I admit with gallantly. Something I didn't even know I possessed. "One question though: Out of all the things you could bring up, why did you bring up that?"

"You're gonna make me come out and say this?" Aaron guffaws, clearing his throat again. "Okay, one hundred percent honest... Kaylin, I like you. I've liked you from the day we met, the day I was such an ass to you. I just didn't know how to talk to such an amazing girl like you. And I know I probably sound like a bumbling idiot right now, but-"

"Aaron, calm down, don't talk so fast!" I jump up and place my hands on his face. In this instant, I feel the biggest wave of déjà vu; this was exactly how Charlie and I became a couple. Only this time, I have real feelings for Aaron. Feelings I haven't told anyone about. Perhaps it's time to unveil them, and I might as well reveal it to the guy it's about.

"Aaron... It's time for me to be honest as well. You shared your secret, and I should as well." I back up slowly, and Aaron follows, walking around me to catch my hands, holding them tightly.

"I... Well, I like you too, A-"

"So THIS is why you left me, Kaylin. I can't believe it, man. I thought we were friends, Aaron." 

Both of us whip around to see Charlie standing behind us... And he does not look happy. Apart from the awful clothes and slacking attitude, Charlie looks awful. His hair is a shaven mess, his beard is discolored. And worst of all, he has black rings under his eyes, either from a lack of sleep or alcohol.

"Charlie, she's not your girlfriend anymore. It's been two months, dude. And she's not your property, so stay the hell away from her. Let's talk this out like calm people."

"Stay away from her, huh? Be calm and all that shit? I'll show you exactly how calm I can be!"

It all happens very quickly.

Charlie lunges forward to Aaron, and in a fluid movement, Aaron pushes me out of the way and onto the ground. I almost complain out loud, but I keep my mouth shut as the scene before me starts to envelop.

Charlie's strong fist reaches out for Aaron's face, and barely misses as Aaron ducks out of the way. Aaron might be strong, but Charlie is naturally stronger and more buff than Aaron, and sadly, in the state he's in, he's much more crazy and prone to not feel pain. The second punch lands, and with slow motion, Aaron starts tumbling backwards, until...

...His head hits the pavement, and he's laying flat on the ground.

Oh my God, Aaron! I want to scream out. There's a big possibility that Aaron could be dead. After that fall to the ground, he'll be lucky if he can still think properly.

All of my worries about Aaron dissipate as the sad reality dawns on me - nothing is standing in between me and Charlie. Aaron was the only defense I had. I have no knowledge of how to defend myself, other than kick a guy in the groin. But I'm not so sure that will work in this situation.

Maybe I should have listened to daddy... I should have just stayed in Sunset Valley.

"Now, you. What are we gonna do with you?" Charlie turns his cold eyes on me. Ever inch of my body screams to my mind that I have to run, but my feet just win't obey. I'm frozen in the same spot, and possibly, I'm going to die.

"Come here you little bitch. Time to give ol' Charlie a kiss. Or perhaps something better, I dunno. All I know is, I hate to be screwed around with Kaylin. And that's exactly what you did with me!"

"I didn't, I swear! Charlie, you're hurting me! Let me go, please!" I beg to an irrational Charlie as he starts to grip at my wrists, trying to plant a kiss on my mouth. His breath stinks of an assortment of alcoholic drinks and smoke.

For a moment, Charlie steps back, only to yell at me.

"I can't believe you're sleeping with my best friend. How could you do that to me, Kaylin?!"

"WHAT? I'm not sleeping around with anyone, Charlie. You're quite the one to accuse people, seeing as you attacked random strangers just because they're famous." Courage started to flow back in my. If I'm going to die, I might just as well go out a hero.

"I didn't hurt those people... Or at least, I don't think I did," doubt starts to creep onto Charlie's face. "I've been having a lot of black outs lately. They're happening more and more... But you know what. It's just the alcohol. You pushed me to start drinking. You left me, just like my mother did. One of you has to pay, and I think I'm gonna start with you."

"Hey, jerkface!" The sudden gravelly tones coming from behind Charlie is enough to make us both jump into the air. "That's no way to talk to a lady." Around Charlie's waist, two strong, tattooed arms appear, clinging at his shirt.

Just like a professional wrestler would do as a finishing move, Aaron pulls Charlie back by his hair and throws him onto the pavement. Charlie's entire body flings into the air with shock, and his foot barely misses my face.

Motionless, Charlie lies on the ground, passed out like a baby.

"We need to call a ambulance... And then a psychologist," Aaron breaths noisily, trying to steady his own heart after all the "excitement".

"Why? He just attacked us like a crazy man, Aaron! He could have killed you, could have killed me. And now you want to help him?"

"I have to help him, Kaylin, because this is not the Charlie I've come to know. You're sister was right, he must have a multiple personality disorder or come kind of medical crap. All I know is.... He's my best bud, and I gotta save him, like he saved me all those years ago."