Chapter 40: Charmel's Wake Up

The night's events seemed like a surreal nightmare as the morning light began to spread over the abandoned street. Chika, Kai, and Leo were exhausted, both physically and emotionally. They had witnessed and faced a situation beyond their comprehension, leaving them dazed and drained.

As the first rays of sunlight crept through the gaps in the broken buildings, Charmel slowly stirred, her eyelids fluttering open. She groaned softly, her vision blurry as she slowly regained consciousness.

Chika, Kai, and Leo noticed Charmel's movement and hurried to her side. Their faces held a mixture of relief and concern, unsure of how much she remembered of the previous night's events. "Charmel, are you okay?" Chika asked, her voice filled with worry.

Charmel blinked a few times, her mind still groggy as she tried to collect her thoughts. She winced as she slowly sat up, her head throbbing slightly.

Charmel looked around, her eyes still a bit hazy as she tried to recognize her surroundings. She was in a room that seemed unfamiliar to her, adding to her disoriented state."This... this isn't my room," she murmured, her voice small and confused. "Where am I?"

Chika, Kai, and Leo shared a glance, concern visible in their expressions. They gathered around Charmel, their presence offering some comfort amidst the confusion.

"You're safe," Chika assured her, her voice gentle. "We found you last night in an abandoned street. Do you remember anything that happened?"

"So it's you guys" Charmel's voice was laced with a mixture of anger and sadness, her emotions clearly still raw. Her eyes welled up with tears as she looked at Chika, Kai, and Leo. Their presence seemed to both comfort and irritate her.

Chika, Kai, and Leo were taken aback by Charmel's reaction. They hadn't expected her to respond with anger, especially considering the situation they had just endured. They exchanged worried glances, unsure of how to proceed.

"Why did you Bully him?" Charmel's question hung in the air, her words edged with anger. It was clear she was upset about something, but what exactly was unclear.

Chika, Kai, and Leo were caught off guard by the sudden accusation. They looked at each other, confusion written on their faces.

"What do you mean?" Chika asked, her voice filled with genuine bewilderment. "We never bullied anyone."

Charmel's anger seemed to intensify at Chika's response. She clenched her fists, her eyes flashing.

"You did!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with hurt and betrayal. "You bullied him, and he didn't deserve it!" Charmel's voice was laced with pain and disappointment, her eyes pleading for an explanation. She looked at Chika, Kai, and Leo with a mixture of anger and hurt.

"Answer me!" she demanded, her voice growing more frantic. "Why did you send him away?" Charmel's breathing became erratic, her chest heaving with emotion. The anger and hurt in her eyes seemed to intensify.

"You know who I'm talking about!" she exclaimed, her voice on the verge of a sob. "You sent him away, and he suffered because of you!"

The previous night's memories came rushing back to Chika, Kai, and Leo, along with the realization of what Charmel was referring to. They had been chased down and nearly attacked by the entity possessing her.

The three friends exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond. They knew they had to explain themselves, but it was difficult to know where to start. "Charmel, listen," Kai began, his voice soft and sincere. "We didn't send anyone away intentionally. We were running from the entity possessing you. We were trying to protect ourselves."

"Charmel! So you let him use your body?" A tinge of surprise flickered across Charmel's face. She had not expected to be questioned about her actions. But her expression soon turned defiant, a hint of pride in her voice. "Yes, I did," she replied, her voice firm. "I allowed the spirit to possess me."

Chika, Kai, and Leo were taken aback by Charmel's admission. They hadn't expected her to willingly agree to being possessed. The revelation only added to their confusion and worry.

"Why on earth would you do something like that?" Kai asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Because he's my friend," Charmel's response caught the threesome off guard. They had expected many reasons, but not that.

"Your friend?" Chika repeated, her voice filled with surprise. "You allowed yourself to be possessed by a spirit because he's your friend?"

"You don't understand!" Charmel's words hung in the air, and the three friends could sense her irritation. They realized that there was more to the story.

"Enlighten us then," Kai said, his voice gentle but firm. "Help us understand why you willingly allowed a spirit to possess you." Chika, Kai, and Leo were stunned into silence. They had not expected such a revelation. The weight of Charmel's confession hung heavily in the air, the gravity of her statement sinking in.

"What are you talking about?" Chika asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Charmel's voice trembled, her eyes welling up with tears. The guilt and pain she had carried for who knows how long were finally bubbling to the surface.

"It's all my fault," she choked out, her voice cracking. "If I hadn't been so careless, if I had just been more careful... he would still be alive."

"We're friend when he's still alive we're 9 year's old at the time we meet,"

Charmel's voice trailed off, her eyes lost in memories. The trio could sense that the recollections were both painful and important. They waited patiently for her to continue, knowing that they needed to hear the full story.