In Our Blood

Chapter Thirty

Charlie stopped when she noticed the bathroom door swing open, she watched as her father stepped out into the hallway. She didn't panic as she adjusted her grip on the blue cannister, she stayed calm as she watched as he noticed her.

"Charlotte."

She brightly smiled at her dad "Daddy."

His eyes glanced down to her hands "Where'd you find that?"

"Seventh floor." She didn't bother lying to him.

"What are you doing with it?"

Charlie's smiled didn't disappear as she spoke her words "I'm going to drink from it."

"Charlotte." He didn't hide the worry in his voice.

She lifted the cannister up slightly before unscrewing the lid "It's only water." She naturally lied.

"Charlotte." He watched as she began to bring the cannister to her lips.

She made eye contact with him as she began to tilt the cannister to her lips.

"Enough." He forced the canister away from her lips.

Charlie screwed the lid back on "It's only water." She let the lie slip naturally from her lips.

"Why do you have it?"

She wasn't sure how to answer the sentence, she knew that telling him the truth would be out of the question, but she wasn't sure how much longer he'd believe that she thought it was water. They both knew she was smarter than that.

"I don't want you drinking from that." He warned her as he voiced his concern.

Charlie nodded slightly "Why were you in my bathroom?" she wasn't worried about what her father would find, she knew he'd have to find out eventually.

"You've been wearing the same clothes for two days, I thought it was time for you to have something fresh to wear."

Charlie watched as he indicated for her to step into the bathroom, she didn't fight his cue as she took a step into the bathroom.

"I'll take this." He reached for the canister; Charlie pulled the blue canister behind her back.

"I'm going to fill it up with water." She calmly spoke "You never know when I'm going to need a drink."

He went to speak but barely had the chance for the words to leave his mouth as Charlie closed the door on him. He stared at the closed bathroom door.

Charlie placed the canister down on the floor, she noticed a purple dress folded under the toiletries bag. She rolled her eyes before looking at the door, it was her turn to wonder what his plan was.

She unzipped the toiletries bag, she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary as she rummaged for black box of matches, she took of the lid seeing the matches still inside before closing it and placing it back into the toiletries bag.

"Father?" Charlie called out as she listened.

"Charlotte?"

She looked at her reflection as she allowed herself to be annoyed at him standing on the other side of the door "Do I get food tonight?"

There was silence.

"Daddy?"

Silence again.

Charlie flipped her middle finger at the closed door before adjusting the taps of the shower.

"It depends on your actions."

Charlie jumped when she heard his voice as she was mid undressing herself. She wasn't going to question him again as she allowed herself to step under the running shower tap, letting the water soak over her body.

---

Charlie pulled her shorts on before hiding the small black box of matches in her pocket before pulling the purple dress over herself.

She looked around the bathroom, she had to think very carefully.

There was nothing in the bathroom for her to use against the building, there was no window or shower curtain, just a sink, a mirror, a toilet and a shower.

She looked at her shirt on the floor, she began to carefully pour petrol over the shirt before placing the canister down by her feet. She pulled two fluffy tampons from the toiletries bag and buried them amongst her petrol soaked shirt.

Charlie jumped when she heard a knock on the door.

"Let me die in peace." She called out.

"The puppet master wants you."

Charlie took the vocal cue as a hint on who was on the other side of the door. With her foot, she pushed the blue canister in the gap between the wall and the sink before opening the bathroom door.

"Ahh, puppet." She toyed with her words as she noticed the person in all black and black mask.