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Charlie's Demon encircled him like a vulture. Charlie was down, but he wasn't done; his Demon rested only when the tension had subsided. But Charlie was still thinking, still lamenting, still angry, still rebelling with what little agency he had over the situation, and so his Demon still fought. It scooped him from the concrete with its tail, this time curling around his neck to stifle his speech, then dragged him into a swift punch. Charlie's Demon quickly pulled Charlie into a nearly asphyxiating suspension, then smashed him onto the pavement again, and still he raged. Footsteps sounded from Mike's stairway, and they belonged to Molly. She was getting some fresh air. She exhaled tension and put her back against the wall. Molly didn't expect to be called out like that; she thought after what happened last time, Charlie would be too anxious and angry to face it, and too hurt to care anymore. But she knew his thick skin only went so far, and this must've cut deep. She wanted this past her, for this chapter to end as it had for her some time ago because she couldn't stand to read it any longer, but tonight it hadn't gone her way; clearly, she had some work to do. Vexed, Molly looked to her left, Charlie's Demon smothering Charlie into the pavement just out of sight in the other direction. But before she noticed them, she noticed Charlie's jacket, discarded in a heap on the floor. |