Charlie and Me by Mark Lowery

Author:Mark Lowery
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: little bee books
Published: 2018-11-05T16:00:00+00:00

Lost

A Chant

Lost in a strange town

I sat and cried

Cause I realized I’d lost you

And lost something inside

Repeat again and again

By Martin Tompkins

Age 13

Stage 4c

The Alley by the Side of a Cheap Hotel in Exeter to the Worst Car in the World

Distance–30 feet

Walking

Pains and Memory Loss

I don’t know how long I’ve been squatting here, leaning against the wall and rocking backward and forward.

The only thing I do know is that when I realized I didn’t have Charlie and the backpack I blacked out big-time, maybe the second-worst one ever, and it felt like my brain was spurting out all over the place like lava from a volcano. I must’ve been screaming or something because I remember that someone (an old woman?) came down the alley to see what was up but I waved her away, howling like an animal. In my head, I can just about picture her terrified expression, but when I think about it, her skin peels off, her eyes turn dark red like a zombie’s, and she begins clawing at my face. I know this didn’t happen. I think it’s just my brain going wacko again because it can’t deal with the sudden shock.

A few minutes go by.

I’m feeling exhausted from the panic attack. It’s been ages since I’ve had one. I should’ve known it was on the way, what with the mini-meltdown at Preston and the puke on the train and the stress of everything, but it’s still hit me hard and fast like a ninja.

At least they always pass. Even the bad ones. And now I’m starting to return to the real world again, aware of the sharp, cool bricks against my back, and the aching thirst in my throat, and the raw throbbing of my knuckles. I wish I had that bottle of orange juice. The thought of it makes me lick my lips.

I notice a thumping pain in my head, and when I open my eyes, I have to squint against the dim sunlight of the alleyway. There’s an overflowing trash can across from me, and I’m surrounded by a really strong smell of toilets. When I look at my knuckles, I see they’re shredded and bleeding, and I can’t really bend my fingers. Maybe I punched the wall like I did that other time this happened. Who knows?

For a few minutes, as I slowly come around, I flick in and out of consciousness. Behind the hum of some traffic noise, I can hear trains pulling in and out of the station, and suddenly I’m flying above the train as it rattles along through the countryside, then I’m zipping into the train car through an open window. And there’s the backpack, under the seat where I left it. And I float down the aisle, past the handful of bored passengers and into the bathroom where I can see Charlie. He’s happy and unaware that anything’s wrong and I want to hug him, but when I reach for him, he disappears like he’s made of mist and I’m back here in the smelly alleyway before I know it.

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