Demented ➳ h.s [Editing Starting Soon]

CHARLOTTE’S POV
FRIDAY

My eyes creaked open and the laptop screen was still up, the battery running dangerously low. Another night was spent rewriting notes on Harry’s freedom. I got a friend that could get me into some of the videos with the court systems. Spent hours on that. Nothing new turned up.

I rubbed my eyes and grabbed my cup of freshly brewed coffee, thanks to Celia who is still very sickly. Pressing play, I slipped back under the covers and watched yet another video of Harry’s court dates. Hours and hours passed of the same old videos and it was wearing me out at only now six in the evening. I haven’t really eaten anything, I haven’t been hungry.

My appetite has gone down and my suspicion on many of these tapes has gone up. There he is. That same person that appears in every tape. Sure, the same people can turn up once or twice but no, this person showed up at every. Single. Court. Date. In the same seat with the same black hood on. His hair visible, it was blonde. Similar to Frankie’s. I tried zooming in to see the brand of the coat, an ID, a face, anything. I could see nothing once I got too close, it was too grainy.

Harry kept looking back at that figure as if he knew who it was, but he didn’t smile. He didn’t smile, laugh, wink, or even wince. He just would occasionally look back and scoff once he looked back at the judge. That was an ongoing occurrence; looking back and looking at the front. Although I couldn’t put a name or face to the figure, I could see him smirk. A devious smirk drawn onto his face as if he’d defeated Harry. That must be the real murderer. Harry must know him somehow.

I was allowed to call Harry and I hacked the phones where it wouldn’t be recorded, thanks to that friend of mine. “Hello?” He picked up the phone. I cleared my throat and I heard him go into a closed off room where all the patients go for when there’s an important call, “Charlotte, is that you?”

“Yes and there’s some things I found. I just can’t bring it to work, too much of a risk.”

“What is it?” His breathing was jagged as if he ran to the phone. If he had, it was sweet. “Sunshine?” He reused the nickname he’d given me the first day we’d met.

“Sorry. I’ve been looking through your files and your court tapes and everything. I think I’m close to having enough to get you out, yet I’m so far away. I had better information but I’m convincing myself that Louis stole-”

“Louis stole your notes? I knew he never wanted me out of this place, fucking asshole. He probably killed those girls just to make me take the fall for it. You’d think he’d feel bad after stealing my-” He stopped himself. I didn’t question what he was going to say afterwards. “Anyway, when are you coming back?”

“As late as I can. I’ll try to get a doctor’s note and all. I’m trying to get you out of there,” he sighed on the other end, the phone crackling.

“Listen, I have to go, lunch just started. Keep pushing, I really appreciate it. Bye, Charlotte.” And he hung up. Maybe Louis really is the killer and trying to have Harry take the blame. But I don’t think Louis knew that he could use me. I don’t think he knew I had notes until he came over. Unless he knows something more than I do.

LIZ’S POV

Carla exited the room and Louis walked in. His face was filled with shame. “What did you do now?” I asked. He threw some random papers on my bed. They had Harry’s name written all over it in Charlotte’s ninth grade handwriting. It was her same handwriting the night before our last final that she was cramming over. All because I persuaded her to go to a party with me. She barely made an A- while Celia made it out with a high A, nearly earning a plus at the end.

“I stole some notes for whoever the fuck needs them. Liz, I can’t tell you much but I’m deeply fucked.” His pulled his fingers through his hair and sighed.

“You know the killer, don’t you?” He didn’t answer, “Don’t you?!”

“Liz, I don’t know who it really is-” My yelling caused Carla to appear in the door.

“Sir, I understand you may need to speak with Ms. Martin but I’m going to have to ask you to leave. She is in a very fragile state and shouldn’t be under any pressure.” Louis gathered his papers in frustration and left, leaving his outside yet nice smell behind. “If that boy wasn’t your brother and I didn’t work here, I’d try to do some things to him.” I’d found that Carla was actually a lot of fun and acted like my best friend. The only friend besides Louis that I had left.

HARRY’S POV

Lunch was presented in front of me and for once, I actually ate it. Only because it wasn’t as bad as it usually was. Or maybe it was and I just was too distracted to notice. I saw my ashtray emptied, Charlotte must have done that. Thinking about it, Charlotte does a lot for me. Especially using up probably all of her sick days just to rid me of this place. She’s something special. Which is why I can’t let Louis have her. He had Raven for as long as he wanted and that didn’t work out. I need Charlotte somehow.

I need her to help me. As selfish as it sounds, she’s the only one that will help me out of here, which is another reason why I need her. After therapy, I tried not to bring up New Years or the fact that I would probably be turning twenty-one in a mental asylum. It didn’t seem like it concerned her, even though by the way she was speaking, she was looking through all of my files. All of them. Right down to my relationship status before the murders; if that’s possible.

What if Charlotte somehow did find out about Raven? If Louis or someone told her, would she change her point of view? Would she throw away all her notes and continue being my therapist, only my therapist? That would suck. Whatever I was eating was pretty good considering the bad thoughts I was having. It infuriated me that Louis would stoop as low as to take her notes. I should have known it was him. He killed Raven after she left him. Just because he couldn’t have her.

Maybe it was Charlotte. Of course, she has no idea or motive to even kill a bug but what if it was her. She’s basically the cop that takes their own case to just hide the evidence. She could be looking through my things to just point fingers at me. Maybe she’s teamed up with Louis. They could both be lying to me and she could be looking through my files just to cover her tracks. Taking in the cases so she can find out every fault in that sick plan of hers so she can right the wrongs.

Or maybe it was Liz. Sure, she’s out right now for whatever reason that Charlotte won’t tell me but still. Charlotte says they don’t live together anymore and that she hasn’t seen her in weeks. What if it was her going about with Louis? It has to be Louis somewhere in this equation. Otherwise, who would have raped them? Sure, there’s women raping people but not common, definitely not all that common. Liz could be anywhere gathering any information she needs to continue her killing spree. Am I that paranoid to think that the only person willing to help me is out to get me stuck here? Or a person I’ve only met around twice is trying to keep me behind four white walls?

It could be anyone in the world of over seven billion people, yet I suspect the people closest to me. Maybe it’s the farthest people from me. Ms. Hannigan, Samuel, anyone. Gemma, Mum, Dad, Robin, fucking Liam could have done it. Now that I think about it, what if it is someone I don’t know? It might sound absolutely absurd but what if?

Someone just needed someone else to put the blame on and they found someone. A curly-haired, tattooed, spoiled asshole with no ambition and nowhere else to go in life except into the pockets of others. And occasionally the vaginas of his sister’s friends… that’s a different story. They saw the closest person they could to a low life with everything he needed and could ever want and wanted to tear him down. They succeeded. My sister obviously lost her job, as Charlotte says she works in delivery.

Mum probably transferred by now and her and Robin are most likely on the rocks. I don’t call anymore and when they call, I don’t go to the office to answer. I scratched my ship tattoo and continued thinking. They probably hate the fact I ruined their lives. They don’t hate me, I don’t think. Just the whole world does. Except Charlotte. That brings back my thoughts of her going on a murder spree. She has no motive though is the only reason why I don’t think she did it. That is unless..

She’s just crazy.

Notes

If you haven't read my author's note before this, please do. But how paranoid is Harry right now though? He needs to take some meds. Anyway, you guys should tell me who you think the killer is after Harry's point of view of what he thinks. I'd love to know. At the moment, @XOXOH thinks it's Liz. Hm, I wonder. Also, go check out her series of wonderful writing, she's so beautiful and amazing. She got me my 61st sub and I love her sooo much please go read her "It Takes Patience" series that this story was partially based on.

You guys are amazing and I love your cute faces.
Byeeee x