search for the lost

Who: Charlotte
When: All through-out the wee hours
Where: her house, the cemetery, her car

Charlotte hadn't slept. She'd tried, but her head had been too messy, and after she heard her mom go to bed, she got on the computer. She stayed there all night, clicking around for information about ghosts, and what was happening. There wasn't a lot to be found for the latter until early in the morning, but there was enough to know it wasn't going away.

Charlotte worked like a robot, not thinking, just driven by the need to know. It only occurred to her that it was morning when her mom peeked in to let her know she was leaving for church again. After she heard her mom's car pull out of the driveway, Charlotte finally removed herself from the computer. She pulled clothes out of her closet and quickly got dressed, and headed out. A few weeks ago her mom had gotten a new car and given Charlotte her old one, and now she was glad. She'd need it today.

Her destination wasn't school - she had no idea if school was even still on today with all the crazyness, she hadn't paid attention to that part of any news reports. Her destination was her grandmother's old house, which she only had memories of from when she was a little girl. It took a little while to find it, and once she did, she didn't know what she'd been expecting, or planning to do. Her grandmother wasn't out wandering around the front lawn of the repainted house, and really, Charlotte hadn't expected her to be. From there, she drove to the cemetery where her grandmother had been buried.

It was as the reports had said it would be - which was to say, a little overcrowded, by people who looked confused, like they didn't know what to do with themselves. Charlotte knew she wasn't supposed to see them, but she scanned all their faces anyway, and occasionally offered awkward, sympathetic smiles. Her grandmother wasn't there. She hadn't expected her to be.

One thing she had found on her searches, ghosts tended to be people who were leaving a lot behind. Not little old ladies who had died natural deaths, though there were a few of those too. Ghosts, from what Charlotte had read, were the spirits of people who had died before their time. People with unfinished business. Her grandmother didn't fit that bill. But she knew two people that did. The first was Lullaby.

Her grave was a lot easier to find than her grandmother's had been. After all, it hadn't been that long ago when they buried her. Charlotte felt like an invisible hand was squeezing her heart as she stood in front of Lulu's grave. She had no idea what she'd do if she actually saw Lulu, she just had to check. As she stared at it, she knew she was in the wrong place.

Lulu wouldn't come here. She'd go to her house, or Joshua's, or maybe where she died. Probably some place where she had been happy. It also occurred to her that if Lulu came back in ghostly form, she'd end up hearing about it. There was someone she wouldn't hear about, and as much as she cared for Lulu, she had to search for someone else.

She drove home and hurried up to her room, grabbing her messenger bag before heading for the stairs. Anna blocked her path. Charlotte moved to step around the dog, but she moved to continue to block Charlotte. Charlotte sighed, a noise of frustration. "Yes?"

Where were you? Anna asked.

Charlotte made a face and wondered if she was actually going to take the time to explain this to Anna. In the end, she felt like Anna had a right to know. She'd been the closest to her. "I went to see if Grandma was back."

Anna huffed. I could have saved you the grief. She knew it was her time, she was ready to go on. Where are you going now? Charlotte stared down at Anna for a minute, not sure how to answer. It wasn't like Anna could stop her, but still, she hesitated. Anna sighed. You're going to look for your father. Of all the dogs in the world, how did Charlotte have to end up with the wise old sees-all knows-all dog out of a Disney movie?

"So?" Charlotte replied, sighing back and leaning against the wall. "Someone has to." On the drive home she had wondered, briefly, why her mother wasn't doing this herself, but the answer came to her as quickly as the question itself did. Her mom had a new life to take care of. A daughter, and a business, and a new husband that probably wouldn't appreciate the last minute fourteen-hour roadtrip to search for dead husbands. She had responsibilities here. Wasn't it the sixteen-year-old's job to be irresponsible and take last minute fourteen-hour roadtrips? It felt like it was.

It's a long drive. Anna said. As a dog, Anna didn't quite have the same understanding of time as Charlotte did, but she knew enough. She'd made that trip a few times herself in her long life, and it took quite a few bathroom breaks along the way. You've never traveled that far by yourself. Your mother will be displeased.

"My mother will be at church all day. By the time she knows I'm gone I'll have crossed the bridge to the lower peninsula already." Charlotte replied. "I'll leave her a note." With that, she said screw it, all but climbed over Anna, and descended the stairs. She headed into the kitchen, and grabbed a couple bottles of water out of the fridge to throw into her bag. It was a seven and a half hour drive there, and she didn't want to make any stops if she didn't have to. She set her bag on the counter and turned to grab a pad of paper and a pen, and realized that Anna was sitting in the center of the floor, staring at her.

I'm coming with you. she said.

Charlotte stared at her for a moment. "Huh?"

I'm coming with you. Anna repeated.

"...No, you're not." Charlotte replied. "Why would you even want to?"

Someone has to. Anna answered. Someone has to be there to remind you to eat and rest, or you will not. So I shall do it myself.

"You'll slow me down, Anna." Charlotte said, with a heavy sigh. She didn't like putting it that way, but it was the truth. "I'll have to stop every few hours to let you walk around and pee and-"

And having to take a break every once in a while will be good for you, too. Anna interjected. So make sure you pack my travel dish. And food. And that blanket in the living room I like.

Charlotte continued to stare at her a moment. "I cannot believe I am arguing with a dog!" she blurted out.

Yes, you are. And you're losing, too. Pity. Anna responded. For someone who seems to be so worried about making good time, you're wasting an awful lot of it trying to come up with excuses. I'll wait for you by the door. And with that, she stood and padded lazily out of the kitchen. Charlotte was fully aware of the fact that she was crazy, but she went around and packed things for Anna. Dog or not, she was right - it would be easier and faster to just do it and get out of here.

After packing Anna's things, she went back to writing her mom a note.

Mom,

     Charlotte

After putting the note on the fridge, she quickly sent off a text to Kaysen and Ransom. Then she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. As she'd said she would be, Anna was waiting for her there. Charlotte opened the door and they headed down the driveway to her car. It took an extra minute to put Anna's blanket in the backseat and make sure her food and water were in a good spot on the floor, but in the end it was still less time than it would have been arguing with her.

Thank you. Anna said, as she hopped into the back seat and got herself comfortable. Off we go then. Charlotte nodded faintly as she buckled her seatbelt and turned on the ignition. "Off we go." she echoed.