Bad Times Ahead

[Charlotte Lewis]

Charlotte found herself straying to the edge of one of the docks at the pier again, her hair blowing in her face as he shoved her hands deeper into her coat. It was chilly, then again, it was Janurary - almost into Feburary - so of course it would be cold. Her hair slapped against her cheeks in the strong wind, but she barely noticed the stinging feeling.

Something wasn't right - so many things weren't right. She couldn't even list them all, but toward the top were Sawyer and Aaron's deaths. Charlotte could have cared less, but they had to do with those 815 people, so she couldn't really rule out that fact that it wasn't just some big conicidence. She hadn't really talked about it with anybody - she was more of mulling the idea over in her head. And so far, she really hadn't come up with anything. It was the reason she was standing out here on the pier - trying to clear her mind enough so that she could maybe focus on something else.

She paced near the edge of the dock, her freezing hands clenching and unclencing in her pockets. Charlotte's stomach churned, nearly making her sick. She was worrying herself over nothing, but she just couldn't help it. She didn't often worry, but it was one of those times that she did.

She heard the footsteps behind her, but she really didn't pay them any mind. Probably someone just finished docking their boat, or heading out to their boat. Why anyone would be out on the choppy ocean water today, she'd never guess, but hey - it was their choice not hers.

However, she did stop pacing when the steps stopped, what seemed to be right behind her. She hesitated a moment, but it was long enough for someone to put their hands in the middle of her back and shove her forward. She struggled for balance, but it wasn't going to happen. She tumbled forward off the pier, plunging into the freezing waters below.

Charlotte surfaced with a gasp, her breath visible as she shivered, attempting to swim back toward the land, but the more she swam toward it, the more it seemed to drift away. Soon she was floating in the deep water, just past the pier, right next to the Freighter where it was docked. Some force was almost pulling her out further, but she grabbed onto one of the ropes that tied the Freighter down, attempting to keep herself above the water. She kenw she needed to get out of the freezing waters, fast, before hypothermia settled in.

Something - it felt suspiciously like a hand or rope - wrapped itself around her ankle and suddenly jerked her down. She hadn't had time to take a breath, so her lungs burned as she was pulled toward the bottom - it actually wasn't that deep, as she wasn't that far out, but deep enough to where the pressure on her was almost painful. Her ears popped as she struggled to swim back toward the surface above, the churning waves far above her. She couldn't even see the sunlight anymore, as it was dark all around her.

Or maybe it was jus ther vision fading.

Unable to swim up any more toward the surface, her arms and legs felt one hundred pounds. Her vision around the edges of her eyes was blurry - not like Charlotte could tell the difference, for it was so dark down here. She seemed to float for a moment in one place, her lungs absolutely on fire.

And she couldn't take it anymore.

I'm so sorry, Daniel.

She inhaled water as she finally gave up, her body shutting down the moment the salt water entered her lungs. Her eyes shut and she let the darkness consume her completely.