Chapter 28-1

I want to put the last 5 years behind me, but the horrors will always linger in my dreams. -Charlie Chapter 28 Charlotte woke up gasping for air. Her hands went quickly around her throat as she drew in a sharp breath as droplets of sweat covered her forehead. Her chest rose and fell quickly as her nightmare lingered on her skin like an oil clinging to water. Movement next beside Charlotte alerted her someone else was in the bed and for a second, blinding panic took over her body until the soft ginger hair of Chase slowly filled her vision. Sighing, Charlotte ran her hands over her damp face, knowing this was the fourth night in a row she had awakened to the same nightmare. Glancing at the clock, Charlotte knew she wasn't getting back to sleep, so she silently slid out of bed, grabbed her silk robe and wrapped it around herself. She tiptoed across the room and glanced one last time at Chase before making her way downstairs. Once she reached the kitchen, she poured herself a large glass of whiskey and snatched the pack of cigarettes off the counter and opened the back door. The cool October air cooled the sweat on her skin causing Charlotte to pull her robe closer to herself. Sitting in the dark she lit up her smoke and took a long drag until her lungs could no longer inhale. Letting go of the smoke and watched the grey cloud disappear into the light breeze that was sweeping through the yard. She flicked her cigarette and took a long sip relishing in the whiskey's burn. "Will, you ever leave me alone?" She whispered into the dark at no one and took another drag. She knew she would never escape him. He would always be there haunting her dreams, staking waiting to strike fear into her heart and soul. Her hand trembled as she reflected on her time with Landon, she tried to remember if she had any good memories, but whenever she would think of one, beatings and declarations of love followed by hateful words and fists overshadowed it. She finished her smoke as the cool breeze picked up again, so she collected her glass and bud and headed back inside. She threw the dead smoke into the bin and wandered back upstairs. Charlotte planned to head back to bed instead opened the door to her art temporary art studio Chase had created for her. Taking a long sip as she entered the room she flicked on the light and dimmed the lights to a soft glow. The room had yet to have curtains installed so Charlotte walked over to the large window and overlooked the backyard. She rested her forehead on the cool glass and closed her eyes. The moment her eyes closed images of Landon danced across her vision causing her eyes to snap open immediately. Her hands were shaking as Charlotte lifted her head off the wall. Looking around the room she saw a giant canvas, and an image flared to life inside of the mind. The image pounded into her brain and she knew it would haunt her until it had been created. Placing the glass down Charlotte grabbed the large landscape canvas and put it on the easel. She opened different draws until she found led pencils, rubbers and a sharpener. She pulled up a chair and put her supplies on the table which held her drink. Taking a sip, her hand shook as she reached for the pencil and held it up to the canvas. Charlotte felt an overwhelming sense of fear coursing through her body as her hand shook in front of the canvas as hateful words filled her head about what a terrible artist she was and how she would never succeed in her dream. Charlotte tried to push those thoughts and memories out of her head and took a leap of faith and drew one solid line on the canvas. The moment her pencil touched canvas it felt like her world exploded as image after image filtered through her mind. Charlotte focused on the image she wanted to create and soon her hand was flying across the canvas. Her shook slightly from having been dormant for weeks as it flexed and moved across the boards. Lines blended together as a rough outline took place. Not thinking, Charlotte went with the flow as the image burned itself into her mind and soul. Two angels one fallen and dark and another bright and heavenly fighting over a mother and small child huddling together in the corner of a beautiful meadow. Charlotte erased and added lines and shades where needed and soon she gathered a range of dark colours to start on the fallen angel. She mixed blues with black, blacks with whites and a range of other colours to make them dark and gothic. Charlotte held her colour palette in one hand and her paintbrush in the other and froze. Drawing was one thing but painting. She hadn't painted in over 4 years and fear stopped her cold. Charlotte tried to move her hand to start but found her hands shaking and tear flowed down her cheeks. Phantom pain spread through her right hand almost like she could feel Landon beating it with a bat repeatedly. She could feel phantom pain all over her body from beatings when she was caught painting. Her body shook with sobs and she lowered her brush and colours. "Charlie?" She spun around shocked and watched as Chase pushed himself off the wall and slowly walked towards her. "I can't do it. I can't paint anymore." Her sobbing increased as her heart ached at the realisation that she could create nothing beyond a drawing for the rest of her life. Through blurry eyes, Charlotte watched as Chase took off his white shirt and gently took her brush and colour palette from her and dipped the tip of the brush into a dark purple she had created. "Paint me instead. Imagine I am your canvas and just paint." Charlotte sniffed and wiped her running nose on the end of her robe not caring about ruining the silk. She looked at the colour Chase had chosen and shook her head. "I don't think I can," Chase smiled gently down at her she gestured the bush towards her again. Charlotte tilted her head before shaking. "They are not your colours." Charlotte got up and grabbed a new brush and palette and instead mixed golds, yellows, whites, purple's, pinks to create warm and soft colours. She mixed them carefully with a shaky hand and when she was finished found Chase sitting on her stool in front of the canvas. "C-c-can you stand, please?" Her voice shook and Chase the excellent model stood up as Charlotte slowly him. She twirled her brush in a soft yellow and tilted her head to one side biting her bottom lip. "Don't think sweetheart just paint," Chase said while he gently brushed his thumb along her lip causing her to stop biting it. Charlotte closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she knew what she wanted to paint. She glanced into Chase's reassuring and comforting eyes and took a deep breath and gently placed the brush against his pectoral. "Can you sit please I can't reach," her voice was softly spoken afraid he would say no. Instead, Chase lowered himself onto the chair and Charlotte began her work.