𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

fifty four.

─☼☼☼─

𝙁𝙄𝙁𝙏𝙀𝙀𝙉 𝙈𝙄𝙉𝙐𝙏𝙀𝙎 𝙇𝘼𝙏𝙀𝙍, Charlotte sat alone in the old, eerie church.

Their bad luck hadn't ended with the falling of the cross that almost killed them.

After a lot of arguing as to how they were going to get the cross out, what they were going to do with it, Pope had interrupted with the exclamation that something was wrong.

And that it was.

The wasp stings he had received minutes earlier had sent him into anaphylactic shock. He had passed out seconds later.

After a mixture of terrified banter, they had loaded Pope into the Twinkie, prepared to get him the medical attention he so desperately needed.

But there was the matter of the cross.

John B had suggested that they hide it, but Charlotte knew that if Renfield and Rafe showed up, a pile of cushions would do no gold in concealing it.

Thus, she had offered to stay behind. No one could argue that if Rafe walked into that church, Charlotte was the only one who could potentially talk him away.

So, here she was, sitting in solitude as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon outside.

Every noise she heard had caused her to startle slightly. And as it got later and later, she realized how reckless it was for her to be here alone.

She had no weapon, no means to protect herself.

She knew (or at least hoped) that Rafe wouldn't hurt her, but Renfield was a whole other story.

A twig snapping, followed by voices could be heard from outside, prompting Charlotte to stand and turn toward the door.

She hadn't heard a vehicle pull up...this couldn't be her friends.

Worry gripped onto her body as she saw a figure in the window, but only for a moment before it disappeared again.

"Shit." She whispered, body buzzing in fear.

Looking around frantically, Charlotte bent down to scoop up the crowbar that had been discarded by Pope earlier. It was no match to a gun, but it provided her the slightest bit of reassurance.

With her heart in her throat, she hurried toward the entrance, pushing her back against the wall, hiding her from the view of whoever was about to enter.

Her hand gripped onto the crowbar, shaking slightly as the front doors creaked open. She held her breath, trying to remain as silent as possible. She hadn't really thought all of this through when she volunteered to stay. 

A man stepped inside slowly, crossbow raised as he surveyed the old church. He knew she was here...he was looking for her.

"I know you're in here. Come out, come out wherever you—"

Renfield's words fell mute in his throat as Charlotte made one swift move from her hiding spot, whacking him across the back of the head with the crowbar.