tbo offshoot, depressed Charlie
Charlie sits up at the campfire. He’s gotten thinner lately. Thandi realizes she hasn’t seen him eat for days, and since Senet told him off and declared him banned from eating their cooking, there’s no way of knowing if he has eaten.
She sits down next to him, beaming. Hoping her sunshine will rub off on him, get him to smile at her the way he always… the way he used to. There’s a sharp pain in her chest when she realizes that he’s not even looking vaguely in her direction.
“Charlie! Have you eaten dinner yet?”
“No.”
“Oh! Let’s get y—”
“I’m not in the mood, Thandi.”
The pain deepens. Where is it coming from?
“You need to eat, darling…”
“I’m not your darling.”
That’s… but he loves to be called darling. Thandi feels her eyes starting to burn and takes a breath. It’s okay. It’s fine.
“Well, that aside, you still need to eat.”
“I’m not your responsibility.”
“You are as long as I have—” Thandi watches the bracelet loosen on her wrist. Charlie still doesn’t look at her. It slides off of her wrist, into her lap.
“Sorry I forced you into it. I… realize now it wasn’t a wise decision. Sorry.”
Thandi gathers it up into her hands, tries to encourage it to wrap around her again, but the life has gone out of it. Why does this hurt so much? It’s like she’s splitting in…
Thandi swallows and wills herself not to cry. “All right. Good night, Charlie.”