The next few days didn't feel real. Back when Charlotte spoke and told— no— confessed to me, I thought she was lying. It was only logical. That day marked the day of arrival, when everybody transmigrated. I didn't want to believe she was killing people prior to that… not back in our world. The thought of living alongside a serial killer, hitman, whatever you want to call her, thoroughly disgusted me.
I woke up leaning against a smooth boulder. The smell of smoke and flame was already wafting into the cave from the cavemouth. A sharp pain stabbed my head like a needle. I wanted to cry or scream, but I just pinched my eyes.
A trail of drool stuck to my arm, connecting a thin rope of saliva between my hand and lip. I took one contemplative look at it, and flicked it away without a second thought. What do I do?
Perhaps speaking with Charlotte fried my young brain, but I hadn't even processed the danger she'd pose to the group now.
After what must've been hours of sitting against a rock, I rose and stretched. My body was sore, and some of my muscles went numb. I dragged myself outside of the cave, and as I exited the cave mouth, sunlight obscured my vision.
I heard arguing. When are they not?
"I'm saying she's a threat."
"Look, you're insane! She's in this just as much as us!"
"I dunno what's really going on, but don't you think tying her up is a bit much? She hasn't done anything to threaten or hurt us…"
Well, that's a new voice. Jacob finally joined in on these little altercations, then? Terry, Leah, and Jacob. For the former, I've never really seen them get so emotional… For the latter, it's so shocking he's defending her. If something like this happened in my past life, Jacob would've taken the righteous mantle and imprisoned her himself.
Heaven's Blessed…? Probably. That Infinite Lucky Star, as he calls it, is subconsciously influencing his actions. Why? Charlotte's beneficial. As for how, I'm not sure.
As my vision returned to me, a sight that would have never happened in my past life revealed itself. Charlotte was bound, head to toe, pressed down against the sand by Terry. He held a spear an inch from the back of her neck.
She didn't scream, kick, or cry. She just lay there in silence without protest. Terry and Leah's incessant argument continued. Seems they haven't noticed me yet… Should I just kill them all? Take Maria with me and go, maybe.
"No," I muttered under my breath. "I promised I'd be better." I shook my head and trudged forward directly into the heart of the storm.
"What the hell are you all doing!?" I shouted. Terry's spear-hand twitched. Leah jumped. Her hair was frizzy, and her face bore a few cuts. Probably from nails. There were also tears in her eyes. Seems like she was mainly responsible for the screaming. Terry, on the other hand, still had the same old calm gaze, but with a tempered resolve sparkling through his eyes.
Jacob just turned to face me. "These guys aren't in their right minds, kid. You should leave. Go join Maria and—"
"— Drop it, Jake. I don't care about whether or not our so-called 'leaders' are sane or not. I asked what the fuck they're doing." I replied.
Jacob gave me an apologetic look but stepped in between them and myself. "Sorry, Paul. You can't come any closer. Just trust me."
My eyes darted to Charlotte. She was already looking at me. She flashed me a soulless smirk. On second thought. Maybe I can make use of her Aberration. At least before Jacob does.
Charlotte never revealed her Aberration directly, but she could nullify or remove certain effects and phenomena. More or less the gist of it. I should take her. Force her into submission. Preferably, before she decides I'm the next threat to be nullified.
"You're right," I sighed. "My bad, I'm not looking at this the way I should be," I admitted. I stopped in my tracks. "So, pray tell, why is Charlotte tied and pinned to the ground by a six-foot-five unit?"
The corner of Terry's mouth twitched. Jacob's brows furrowed. "Wouldn't you like to know. Personally, they won't tell me a thing. Too busy with their shouting match to inform me, I guess," he grinned.
"Terry, let her go," I said softly. Surprisingly, he complied. He lifted his knee off her back and withdrew his spear. I looked at him and smiled. "Right, now we're getting somewher,e aren't we?"
"Don't get it wrong, this is a special case," Terry said. "It's only because she wants to kill you that I had her bound. And it's only because you're the one who's in danger… that I'm letting you decide what to do."
Ah, I see. So that was it. My smile thinned. "Was she going to kill me in my sleep or something?" I cracked a joke to relieve the tension. Terry looked at me solemnly and nodded. My smile faded.
"Neat, you're coming with me now," I pointed at Charlotte. She didn't say anything. Just scoffed and looked at Terry. Despite his opinion, he spent a few seconds cutting up the vine and rope that bound her, and then helped her up.
She dusted herself off and walked up to me. We were face-to-face when she stopped. She leaned forward until she was right next to my ear. "So what's the plan, captain save a hoe?"
Seriously. I save your life, and this is how you treat me? My jaw tightened and I spoke through gritted teeth, "Plan? What. Plan." Charlotte's smirk widened. "You mean, you're seriously defending a killer without a reason— without a plan? I knew you weren't sure but I didn't think you were stu—"
"—WHAT DID YOU DO?" The words erupted from the depths of my very soul, bursting out like a geyser. That shut her up. For better or for worse, it shut everybody up. Even Maria, who'd been over by the shore, managed to hear me.
Charlotte was so startled that she froze up for a moment. Then she looked like she was pondering something before she spoke again, "Well, I've scattered our food source across the beach, if that's what you mean."