.Genderless.Episode.16.

I’ve taken on new purpose within the blessed Shallows.

I stride passed the bushes and into the clearing.

Never does it seem to not be teeming with small pockets of people.

Idly chatting, strumming guitars, or smoking various substances.

My eyes scan the groups until they stumble across Charlie and Slitch; smoking thin white cigarettes while in the company of a few others.

Quickly my feet have me taken in a beeline straight to them.

Charlie’s trademark smirk opens up his otherwise emotionless face as I approached.

Slitch shifted herself aside to make room for me.

I aptly took my seat between them.

“Someone seems to be in good graces this evening.” Charlie points out and I reply with a smirk of my own.

“Seems like it eh?” I laugh.

Slitch leans into me.

“I’m glad.” She says as I rest my head on hers.

I feel a smile try to tug at the edges of my mouth.

I push it back.

“So what were you up to before I rudely interrupted?” I tease and Charlie simply yawns.

“Nothing relatively in particular hun, it was actually a lot quieter before you arrived.”

A guy sitting opposite him let out a bark of laughter.

“Bullshit, you as well as everyone else here knows that I was betting you fifty bucks to make out with the new blood.”

Charlie casts a strange look back at the guy.

“And I gave you my response Heckyl.”

Curious, I interrupt.

“And who’s this new blood?”

Stupid question.

Hopeful answer.

Charlie glances at me.

“Please hun, I have not known you for lack of intelligence. I beg of you not to give me a reason to now.”

Now that was the equivalent of a slap in the face.

And so I grow quiet.

Slitch nuzzles my shoulder a little.

“Well you’re well known for being quiet the charmer Charlatan.” Heckyl antagonizes.

“And you’ve been known to cause quite a bit of strife amongst the people here.” Charlie responds.

Another bark of laughter.

“What can I say mate, I’m a heckler. I enjoy a tad bit of strife.”

Even I felt the razors laced within those words…

Charlie then leans in; the fire lighting his face up in a startling fashion.

“You enjoy strife?”

Heckyl takes this moment to lean in as well.

“I get off on it.”

For a long moment the two held a stare that could be felt by everyone in the circle. The fire casting shadows that danced upon their faces, making them both inherit almost demonic masks.

“So be it.” Charlie finally shatters the silence and turns to me.

And before I could even gasp I felt his hand caress my cheek and pull me into his lips.

My eyelids fluttered.

His eyes remained open and terrifying.

My heart skipped a beat.

But not because of the cliché.

But because I felt like he had just kicked it.