That Boy

•RED FLAGS•

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Melissa didn't even bother to hide behind the shelves of the storage room since she was sure he wouldn't find her. She's sitting on her knees as her gaze scanned her old dusty highschool yearbook, She found it by accident, and now she flipped pages by pages looking for her portrait back then.

Immediately, without any sign or prior ultimatum, Charlie showed up right behind Melissa as he put his elbow on her neck, putting her in a choke hold position. Melissa dropped her yearbook as she was once again startled by Charlie's sudden and unannounced presence, though this time she expected it since the two were playing hide and seek.

Charlie breathed heavily into Melissa's neck and every exhale sent chills down her spine.

"I found you. I've always watched you when I close my eyes I saw the directions you're walking on, You could never escape from me. I'm the winner" Charlie whispered.

"Charlie, le- let go please" Melissa replied as she started to cough; however, his choke hold intensified, Melissa gathered her strength and began to fight Charlie off, trying to break free from him. She managed to do it with struggle.

"Go to bed now!" Melissa snapped angrily at him.

"Why are you mad at me again?" Charlie asked as if he was clueless of what he did.

"You shouldn't do that Charlie. I almost passed out because of you!"

"I didn't do anything to harm you!" Charlie yelled angrily.

"You did. You just did, don't you realize that? You choked me!" Melissa let out all her frustration.

"If you hated me, then leave me alone!" Charlie's voice cracked as he backed off and sprinted out of the storage room. Melissa genuinely feels bad for yelling at him; however she knew that something about him wasn't right.

Melissa then wiped away the dust on her knees and made her way out of the storage room; she then went straight to her room; she knew it was not the right time to talk to Charlie.

The following morning

It was an awkward breakfast for both Melissa and Charlie; he was silent; however he finished his breakfast. Melissa then drove him to school with his favorite tune played as he always requested, no matter the mood he would always hum along.

Right after she dropped him off in front of school, Melissa drove straight to work.

********************

Melissa decided to approach a senior child psychologist during her break time, whose experience is much more than hers. She's a lady in her 40s and having children like Charlie most likely isn't a big deal for her.

"What seems to be the problem?" Ms Martinez asked her.

"I adopted this child. He was twelve, a victim of drug abuse and negligence.however there is something wrong with him.. you know, he was intimidating, and a bit creepy. Last night was a big red flag, he asked to play hide and seek. I did solely to entertain him, but then once he found me, he put me in a choke hold position, and when I told him to let go, his choke intensifies" Melissa explained.

Ms Martinez sighed, "That's not right. I need to talk to him directly to figure out what's on his mind, and to determine whether or not he had violent tendencies"

"When are you free to interview him?"

"Come on. I already considered you as a family member to me, Lissa. So yeah tonight I'll emptied my schedule to go check on him. He needed to be prioritized knowing his circumstances" Ms Martinez stated.

"Oh god, thank you so much Ms Martinez" Melissa smiled immensely.

"Pleasure is mine. You still live there right on the Fresno avenue?"

"Yeah" Melissa replied.

"Okay"

As Melissa made her way back to the children's therapy room to lead a group therapy for abused children, her phone ringing, a call from Zachary. She stopped right in front of the therapy room; all 10 kids waited for her inside as they sat on top of the round chair in a circle.

"Hello?" Melissa said as soon as she picked up the calls.

"Did you call me last night?"

"What? No?" Melissa raised her brows in confusion.

"Well apparently you did. It's 3 am, you may called by mistakes but still.."

"Listen, I did not call you. Okay?!" Melissa firmly denied it.

"Then who? Charlie?"

"I'll ask him if he did. something is terribly wrong with him and I asked my co-worker to help him"

"Yeah, you did a great job"

"Did he say anything last night?" Melissa asked solemnly.

"No. I got a call from your house phone, and when I picked up, there's nothing on the line. That's why I suspected it might be you, you might be drunk or did it by mistakes. I didn't hear a child's voice or breathing it was pure silence"

"No. I'm asleep at that time!"

"Fine fine, sorry about that. I wish you luck" Zachary said before he hung up.

Melissa feel more alarmed after she received Zachary's phone call.

He wanted to terrorize everyone.... Where did he get zach's number in the first place? Oh god, I must have left my phone in the living room while playing hide and seek last night. But there's a pattern before unlocking the screen?? Maybe he lurked around me and watch me unlock my phone pattern somehow who knows. I'm sure he noted down his number and decided to call him...