Episode 10

Bella grabbed her backpack and headed down to the riverbed. She sighed, rinsing her arms and face, and removed her jewelry. Bella stripped down to her bra and boy shorts and jumped in the water. She swam around, washing the blood from her hair and body, and got out. She dried off, put on her jewelry, and gathered her things.

Suddenly, Bella heard a twig snap, and she scowled.

"Alright, you creep! Come out!" she yelled, but no one came out or made a sound.

Bella dropped her things, grabbed her knife, and looked around.

"Come out, you perve!" she yelled, but no one came out of the woods.

She sighed, grabbing her things, and Charlie jumped out of the forest.

"Boo!" he yelled, and Bella screeched, dropping her bag.

"Charlie! I'm going to kill you!"

Her brother laughed, running away, and Bella slipped on her boots, grabbed her things, and ran after him, holding her towel. Megan saw her son running toward her, and she looked at him with concern.

"Charlie? Are you alright?" she asked.

"Can't talk now," he laughed, running past her, and Megan saw Bella running toward them with an angry look on her face.

She stopped and glared at Megan. Megan laughed behind her hand, and Bella scowled.

"Oh, what did he do this time?" she chuckled.

"And you call me the evil one," she breathed and entered the tent.

Megan and Andy exchanged looks and laughed.

"I see he's doing better after the attack," said Andy, and Megan nodded.

"He has a sister to torment to keep his mind busy," she teased, and Andy laughed.

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Dale was sitting on the ground, working on his bike, when he saw Charlie run up, laughing, and stopped, doubled over, catching his breath.

"Hey, buddy? You alright?" he asked, and the boy nodded.

"Yeah, but if you see my sister, I wasn't here, but I think I lost her," Charlie breathed, looking behind him, and Dale chuckled.

"Now, what did ya do to piss your sister off?" he asked, loosening a bolt.

Charlie grinned and plopped on the ground.

"I jumped out of the woods and scared her down at the river. You should have seen her face," he giggled, and Dale chuckled.

He noticed Bella standing a few feet away, and she was eyeing her little brother. She was wearing a black fitted t-shirt and a pair of blue bell-bottom jeans with her knife and gun holster. Her hair hung down to her hips, dripping wet, and Dale liked the grunge look on her.

"You mean that one?" he asked, pointing, and Charlie looked at his sister.

"Damn it. I'm so busted," he breathed.

"Uh, language," said Dale.

Bella started toward them, and she had her eyes set on Charlie.

"You think Dale can protect you, you little shit?" she yelled, running up and snatching her brother's arm.

She squatted to his level and gave him a thoughtful look.

"You better sleep with one eye open, kid, because it's on like Donkey Kong," she said, tickling him, and Dale noticed a thick scar as her shirt raised above her hip.

"Okay, okay. Stop. I'm sorry." Charlie giggled, and Bella grinned, continuing to tickle him.

"Well, you shouldn't scare people when they are trying to bathe in peace."

Charlie laughed, breathing heavily.

"I said I'm sorry!" he cried.

"What? What was that? I didn't quite hear you," Bella laughed, letting her brother go, and Dale chuckled.

Charlie sat on the ground, and Bella played with his shoelace.

"So, I heard you and Mom got drunk last night," he said, and she shrugged.

"Yeah, so?"

"Did you have fun?" he asked, playing with the rings on her fingers.

"Yeah, I did. I needed to blow off a little steam," she said, and Charlie looked at her thoughtfully.

"Did Jason really turn into one of those things?"

Bella hugged her knees and nodded sadly.

"Yeah, he did."

Charlie looked like he was about to cry, and Bella squeezed her brother's hand gently.

"We're okay," she whispered, and he only nodded.

"Did you really tell Uncle Steve off cuz he's really mad?"

Bella ran her fingertips along her brother's palm and smiled.

"Yeah, I did."

"Eh, he deserved it. Personally, I'd like to punch him in the face," said Dale, and Bella huffed a laugh.

"I'm glad you told him off. There's something about him I don't like," said Charlie, and Bella rested her cheek on her knee.

"Yeah, like what?"

Charlie shrugged his shoulders, and Dale leaned toward him.

"Hey, you know you can talk to me or your sister about anything," he said, and Bella smiled.

"You know I am the fort knox of secrets, kid," she said, squeezing her brother's hand, and Charlie sighed.

"I know. Well, ever since you and Dad got here, he's been acting really weird and mean," he explained, and Bella blew a breath, looking at Dale.

She never lied to her brother or sugar-coated anything, and she wasn't about to start now.

"Well, you and Mom thought me and Dad were dead, so Uncle Steve and Mom formed some type of twisted relationship, and now since Dad and I are back, he knows he can't be with Mom anymore, and it made him angry. He better not be taking it out on you. I'll kill him."

Charlie looked at his sister oddly and creased his brow.

"Why?"

Bella chuckled, wiping a tear from her eye, and squeezed Charlie's hand.

"Because you're my brother, and I love you, and I will do anything to protect you, kid," she said, and he hugged his sister.

"Me, too," he said, and Bella wrapped her arms around him, noticing Dale smiling.

"Anything you want to add?" she asked, and he shook his head, lighting a cigarette.

"No, ma'am."

Charlie let go of his sister and gave Dale a strange look.

"When did you start having manners, Dale?" he asked, and Bella snickered.

"When you're old enough, I'll explain it to you," said Dale, and Charlie laughed.

"Look, Charlie, he has a bike just like Uncle Dan had," she said, pointing, and Charlie nodded.

"Yeah, but it's not like your bike was. This one sounds as deep as Dale's voice."

Bella laughed, and Dale made a face.

"Wait, what do you mean by was?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at her brother, and Charlie's eyes lit up.

"No way! Can we go for a ride?"

Bella laughed, getting to her feet, and Dale looked at her oddly.

"You got a bike?" he asked, and Bella nodded.

"Yeah. Just need to find a ramp to get it out of the truck," she said, putting her hands in her back pockets, and Dale grinned.

"We got a ramp. Just hold up a second," he said, getting to his feet and heading toward his trailer.

Where did this girl come from?