ชิ้นChîn: Chapter 3. In The Void

Late Noon

Nora briskly walks down the street on her phone.

-Hyphae & Conner-

[Conner] Any news?

[Nora] Nothing useful. All packages were labeled as from different fake names and addresses with no residents, and they must have used post boxes away from any cameras.

[Conner] Send the names and addresses to me anyway.

[Nora] Will do.

[5#] No fingerprints.

[Nora] At all?

[5#] No.

[4#] Victims' occupations in order of our labeling:

Technician for a chemical manufacturing company

Truck driver for a business delivery company

Funeral planner at a local church

Advertising agent

Landscape contractor

Event planner

[Conner] Give me the list of those companies.

[Conner] And any Lab results?

[2#] Recurring results include trace amounts of Monopotassium phosphate, copper, metabasalt, and unakite.

[Nora] Thank you, Hyphae

She looks up and sighs, putting her phone in her pocket.

She steps into a convenience store to buy cigarettes. She notices Charlie in the store. He sets his basket down on the floor to use his right hand to grab the snacks and food. He keeps his left hand tucked in his hoodie pocket. She pays, takes the smokes, and then walks over to him.

Nora: "Hey, Charlie, what are you doing?"

Charlie turns: "Oh, hey. I'm grabbing groceries. This place has the brands I like."

Nora, concern: "Are you.… holding up okay?"

Charlie, masking smile: "I'm fine."

Nora, concerned: "You are?"

Charlie: "Mhm."

He walks past her.

Charlie: "See you later."

Nora watches him walk away, worried.

-

Charlie enters his apartment and places the bags on the kitchen counter. Stepping back towards the door, he takes his shoes off and stares down at his bare feet. Static creeps up the edges of his vision as the floor shifts into a dark, obscured pathway. Closing his eyes, he rubs his face and steps to the kitchenette. He pours a drink, the last in the bottle. Then walks to his couch and sits down. On the table sits the package full of his finger pieces. He turns on the TV. As another infomercial plays, he lifts open the box flap. He stares at the pieces before reaching over, grabbing and downing the drink.

-

Charlie sits on the floor, his knees up and slightly bent. He puts the finger pieces together on his left hand, one by one. The hand is now half complete but still missing the top third of the middle finger, along with the ring and pinky fingers.

He stares at it for a moment, flexing it and making half a fist. He sighs and leans back, picking up and staring at his now-empty glass.

-

Late evening

Charlie walks up to a bar and enters.

Kate is taller than Charlie, slender, curved, and pale. They have shoulder-length, black, shaggy wolf-cut hair. Soft makeup but bold around their green eyes, and a slight Adam's apple. They wear denim shorts, black heels, a long-sleeved pine green crop top sweater, and tights going up past their abdomen under their shirt.

Kate sits at the bar on their phone.

-Ayden-

[Ayden] dont mind her

[Ayden] shes just a old asshole

[Kate] An asshole I have to deal with. Unless you come pick me up so I can crash at your place.

[Ayden] Im out of town

[Ayden] can u get a ride?

[Kate] No, and I don't have a key.

[Ayden] u no how to pick a lock?

[Kate] You're funny.

[Ayden] not something u read up on?

[Ayden] thats a first

[Ayden] few hours and i can pick u up

[Kate] I'll simply die of boredom until then, I suppose.

[Ayden] im sure ull figure out a way to entertain urself

Charlie steps up to the counter and orders a drink. He keeps his incomplete hand in his pocket.

Kate sighs, rests their chin on their hand, and glances around the bar. They spot Charlie and their brows raise with interest. They stand up and walk over, sitting one seat away from where he stands.

Kate speaks up, getting his attention.

Kate: "Hey. Sorry, I bet you get this all the time, but I like your tattoos."

Charlie, surprise: "You do?"

Kate smiles: "Yeah! They look cool."

Charlie, flustered grin: "Thanks…"

Kate: "Did the face part hurt? I can't imagine letting someone tattoo around my eyes!"

Charlie shifts uncomfortably, turning his attention to his glass.

Charlie: "Uh—I don't remember."

Kate: "Really?" humored grin, "Were you drunk while you did it?"

Charlie speaks into his cup before drinking.

Charlie: "Yup."

Kate: "You know alcohol thins your blood. Did you bleed?"

Charlie falters, static at the edge of his vision. He clears his throat, masks with a witty smirk, and lifts his right hand for emphasis as he speaks.

Charlie: "Yeah, all over the place. You should have seen the artist slip on his ass from the puddles."

Kate chuckles: "I'm surprised he didn't sue you."

Charlie shrugs: "I left a big tip—and a mop."

He finishes his drink. Kate watches, amused.

Kate grins and finishes their drink.

Kate: "Sit down, and I'll get you another."

Charlie is momentarily surprised, then smiles and sits down beside Kate.

Kate motions for their glass and for the bartender to bring more.

Kate turns their attention to Charlie.

Kate: "Is it just your face—" They look at Charlie's hand "—and hands? Or do you have more?"

Charlie: "Pretty much all over."

Kate: "Cool."

Kate rests their elbow on the counter and rests their jaw in their hand.

The bartender sets the drinks down.

Kate: "So what brings you here? Plan on getting more tattoos?"

Charlie, weak chuckle: "I just needed to get out of my apartment for a bit."

Kate: "Domestic struggles?"

Charlie sighs dramatically: "Yeah, I couldn't take my liquor bottle's empty promises anymore. Between you and me, I think it's been cheating on me with the fridge."

Kate chuckles.

Charlie: "And you? Here to avoid a domestic too, or just needed some liquid confidence?"

Kate: "Hah, as if I need to be more insufferable. It makes for a good boredom killer, though."

Charlie picks up his glass.

Charlie: "Only killing boredom tonight?"

Kate: "Maybe, and looking for someone cool to show up. Maybe I got lucky tonight?"

Charlie: "Oh, definitely, you should probably get a lottery ticket before it runs out."

Kate snorts and watches Charlie finish his drink

Kate: "You get the next round?"

Charlie: "Ah—You may be lucky, but my wallet is not."

Kate chuckles and finishes their drink.

Charlie: "Besides, who needs drinks when my immaculate humor and charm is already so intoxicating?"

Kate, smirking: "You got me there. Do you live around here?"

They lean in and lay a hand on Charlie's leg.

Kate: "We could get out of here, and you can show me where else you're tattooed."

Charlie finishes his drink and smiles.

Charlie: "Yeah, I do."

-

Kate follows Charlie down the hall in the apartment complex. Charlie stops at his door and gets his keys with his right hand, fumbling as he tries to unlock the door.

Kate looks up from their phone, amused.

Kate: "You look like that isn't your dominant hand."

Charlie: "It's not—" he lifts his other hand, "but that one's missing some pieces."

Kate's smile drops with mild embarrassment as Charlie returns the hand to his pocket.

Kate steps over, their faces close. They put one hand on his shoulder and the other over the keys in his hand.

Kate: "Let me help you then."

Charlie flusters, and Kate steps in front of him, unlocking the door. He pushes up against them and presses his nose into the hair on their neck. Kate leans into him, and Charlie pushes open the door. They stumble inside. Kate turns around, and their lips lock. Charlie kicks the door closed and guides them towards the bed. Kate slides their hands up Charlie's shirt and pulls both it and the jacket off. Kate eyes the marks around his torso and biceps as they sit on the edge of the bed. Kate pulls their shirt off, and Charlie leans over them, kissing around their neck as Kate kicks off their shoes. They grab something from their pocket and pull off their hose and shorts. Kate slides further onto the bed as Charlie slips out of the rest of his clothes and then crawls towards them. They kiss again, interrupted by Kate holding a condom in front of him. Charlie looks at it and then takes it with his teeth. He sits up, tearing it open, and puts it on. Kate sits up to push Charlie back, straddling him.

-

Late night, 1:47 a.m.

Charlie lies on the bed as he watches Kate pull their shorts on.

Kate goes to put their shirt on.

Charlie: "You can stay a bit longer."

Kate glances over their shoulder at him.

Charlie, shy: "If you want, I mean."

Kate pulls their shirt on.

Kate: "Thanks, but I don't have that kind of stamina."

Kate slips on their shoes.

Charlie: "Not like that."

Kate looks over their shoulder.

Kate, amused: "So, you're into aftercare cuddling?"

Charlie, bashful: "Maybe—and a little touch starved."

Kate looks away, pondering for a moment. They pull out their phone.

-Ayden-

3 hours ago

[Kate] [Map ping]

[Ayden] lol have fun

Now

[Kate] Don't bother with the ride.

Kate slips their shoes off and walks back over to the bed, leaning towards Charlie, holding themself up by their hands.

Kate: "If this is going to be a sleepover, I'll need to borrow something to sleep in."

Charlie smiles: "You can use whatever is in the top drawer."

Kate steps away and then returns in some of Charlie's pajamas, getting into the bed. They lie beside Charlie, and the two wrap their arms around each other.

-

Black turns to red static. Charlie gasping and hyperventilating. He fades into view, covering his face with his hands. He is younger, his hair short, and his body covered in a thin layer of dried blood. He stands in pitch-black on a concrete floor covered in loose pages. He slowly looks over his hands and sees Daniel, dismembered on the floor.

Charlie jerks awake with a terrified yelp. Red static lingers around his vision. Charlie hunches over, hyperventilating. The red fades as his breathing slows. He looks down at his hands, shaking.

Kate sits at the kitchen table, legs up in the other seat, still in Charlie's pajamas, phone in hand.

Kate: "You alright?"

Charlie looks over, still a bit dazed.

Charlie rubs his face and gets up.

Charlie: "I'm fine."

He walks over to the kitchen area.

Kate: "Nightmare?"

Charlie pushes the unpacked groceries to the side.

Charlie, flat: "I don't remember."

Kate's phone buzzes in their hand.

-Ayden-

[Ayden] Had fun?

[Kate] I did.

[Ayden] oh good u didnt get murdered by a creep

[Kate] As if.

Charlie: "Do you want some coffee or breakfast?"

Kate smirks: "I don't usually have breakfast with a one-night stand."

Charlie, half-smiles: "I don't usually have one-night stands."

Kate smiles: "Sure. To both."

-

Kate, sitting at the table with a coffee, bobs one leg as they watch Charlie. He uses only his right hand as he cooks. Kate looks at his missing fingers on his left.

Kate: "What's the story with your hand?"

Charlie moves his hand out of sight, shifting uncomfortably.

Kate: "I didn't mean to pry—"

Charlie moves the cooked food to a plate with the spatula.

He sets the plate in front of Kate: bacon, eggs, and one pancake.

Charlie: "Auto repair accident. Gotta be careful where you stick your hands."

Kate flinches: "Ouch."

Charlie fills another plate with only pancakes and sits across from Kate as they eat.

Kate: "You repair cars?"

Charlie: "Not professionally."

Kate smiling: "Cool. I have an old car, but it doesn't run."

Charlie: "What's wrong with it?"

Kate: "I don't know, the back blows black, nasty smoke, and it starts but just shuts off again."

Charlie: "Probably transmission then."

Kate shrugs.

Kate: "What got you into cars?"

Charlie: "I don't know. They look cool, and they're pretty predictable—when you know how they work."

Kate: "I don't get cars, but I get predictability."

Charlie awkwardly: "What about you? What do you do?"

Kate: "Remote accounting."

-

Charlie puts the dishes on the counter and turns on the sink to wash them. Kate pulls on their clothes.

Kate: "Thanks for breakfast."

Kate spots the notepad on Charlie's end table.

Charlie: "Any time."

Charlie: "I didn't catch your name."

Kate writes something down on the notepad: "Kate."

Charlie: "I'm Charlie."

Charlie keeps his focus on the dishes.

Charlie, nervously: "Maybe I could see you again sometime?"

Charlie turns as Kate walks up to his side and sets a piece of paper down on the counter.

Kate, sly grin: "I prefer text."

Charlie, surprised, watches them leave, speaking belatedly as they close the door.

Charlie awkwardly: "Se—Bye…"

Charlie picks up and reads the piece of paper.

'Kate They/Them 451-293-1205'

Charlie grins, flustered.

Kate walks down the hallway of the apartment, hose draped across their forearm as they type on their phone.

[Kate] He's actually kind of sweet.

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