Ruby's Special Dessert

A jolt startled me awake. I looked over at Charlie.

"Sorry," he said, glancing at me before turning his head back to the road.

"It's okay," I replied, stifling a yawn, I stretched my arms and back.

"How close are we?" I asked. Squinting out into the darkness. Almost nothing was visible except the snow covered, narrow two lane road.

"Not too much longer," Charlie said in a vague way.

But Charlie was always vague, about everything. Some would call him noncommittal. Is that more green or more blue Charlie? Could be either. Is Coffee or Tea better? Depends. You planning on killing me Charlie? Probably not…

I blinked. Where did that last thought come from? I frowned. Damn inner voice. Must be tired still. I looked over at Charlie's profile. He had a nice face. Upward tilt to his nose, long eyelashes, bow mouth. I snorted, he's prettier than I am.

"What's funny?" He asked.

"Just wondering what you would look like with makeup," I said. He gave me a side glance and I realized that was an odd thing to say. What's wrong with me?

"I just mean, uh you have a nice profile. I'm super jealous of your eyelashes, just got me thinking about mascara, I know, the brain is weird. Start at point A and end up at point.."

"2 and ¾," he said, interrupting me.

"Guess I must have said that before," I laughed at myself but felt a little uneasy. When did I say that last?

I shook off the feeling and looked out into the darkness. Shouldn't we be there already? "Why is this drive so long?" I asked.

"Sometimes the route is not very direct," Charlie said. I frowned. That made sense but why?

"How's our gas? It looks like we're in the middle of nowhere. Hate to break down here. We don't even have any food. Speaking of, when did we eat last?"

"It's been a while. We have plenty of gas, we'll get there," Charlie said.

I slumped in my seat. I wasn't hungry but…"I sure could go for a Ruby's special right now," I smiled thinking of the delicious dessert.

"With a malted chocolate huckleberry shake," Charlie said and I laughed.

"You guys always made fun of me for getting those shakes," I said with a smile. I could see Taylor's smile and hear Evie laughing.

"You're the only person in the whole town who likes them," Charlie said, his voice echoing Taylor's in my head. I smiled and looked out the window into Evie's eyes. I blinked and she was gone. I turned in the seat trying to see the road behind us.

"Evie was out there! We need to turn around!"

I looked at Charlie, he gave me a sideways look.

"That makes absolutely no sense," he said.

It was her, I was certain. Long dark hair, big brown eyes, but so pale, almost white.

"I...I think…" She was hurt. An image rocked into me. Evie, so pale, blood on her lips and on her hands as they clutched her abdomen.

"I've heard people often see images in the fog," the voice snapped my focus back to Charlie. The image faded and I struggled to hold on to it.

What? fog? I clutched my head. What had I been thinking, it had felt important.

"We are making good progress now," Charlie said. Now?

I tried to recall the conversation. I had thought of food… Ruby's! A memory of Evie and Taylor laughing.

"Your nails!" Squealed Taylor. I looked at the table, at the perfect nails that were buried in my Ruby's special dessert. I blinked and the memory faded.

I glanced at Charlie's colorful nails. His nails were legendary at school. No one did such a fantastic and creative paint job as he did. Taylor had always been jealous.

"Taylor always wanted your nails," I said, grinning. He looked at me and smiled.

"I know."

I shivered. He turned back to the road and I tried to forget that smile. Something was wrong with it. An uneasy feeling settled over me and I turned towards the window. The feeling faded as I stared out into the darkness. Gray fog, briefly visible in the car's lights, streaked past. My eyes drifted shut.

A jolt startled me awake. I looked over at Charlie.

"Sorry," he said, glancing at me before turning his head back to the road.

"It's okay," I said, stifling a yawn. I froze, hand to my mouth. Deja Vu swept over me. I looked at Charlie's profile. Upturned nose, long lashes, bow lips. His hair was long and golden, nicer than my own hair. His perfect nails gripped the steering wheel. He's prettier than I am.

Taylor loved his hair. It was almost identical to her own. I remembered when they dressed up to be mirror images of each other for Halloween. I smiled, remembering their antics at the Halloween party we had attended.

"Remember that Halloween when you pretended to be Taylor's mirror image? And the party? It was so much fun." I said.

"Yes, she ate all of the foods I hate, so I was forced to mimic her and eat them also. Including the ice cream, knowing I was lactose intolerant," he said. I looked at him. His voice had matched mine. A fond memory, if you ignored the words. I frowned. "You are popular because of me." Taylor’s voice but when did she say that? The memory remained just out of my grasp.

She had been my friend… hadn't she? It felt as if the fog from outside had filled my brain. Everything was confusing. I looked at Charlie. He glanced at me and I was speechless. Blushing lips and blue eyes made all the more vibrant by expertly applied eyeliner and mascara. He was even more lovely than Taylor. I could have sworn he wasn't wearing makeup when I woke up from my nap. A headache bloomed behind my eyes and I closed them. Fatigue hit me hard and darkness claimed me.

A jolt startled me awake. I looked over at Charlie.

"Sorry," She said, glancing at me before turning her head back to the road.

I gasped. This has happened before. Charlie tilted her head towards me at my gasp.

"Is there something you want to say?" She asked quietly. Her voice was always soft, except that one time…

"You're only popular because of me," Taylor snarled, her pretty features twisted into something ugly.

"Leave her alone Taylor," Charlie said. I had never heard her voice so harsh, so deep. Taylor had me cornered behind the school, pressed up against the chain link fence. Charlie came out of nowhere behind her.

Taylor whipped around at Charlie's voice. "She's fine, we were just talking," Taylor said. She turned back to me with a smile. "My sister is worried I was being mean to you…" Her words and the memory faded. How did I forget? They were sisters.

"Your nails," squealed Taylor. I looked at Charlie's hand buried in my special and turned my head. She was grinning at me as she pulled her hand to her mouth and licked her fingers. I felt flustered. The way her tongue moved. Wait, was I attracted to her?

I shook my head, the memory fading. I looked at Charlie. The outfit she wore showed off her figure. She was tall and her shoulders were a little broad, her hips narrow, but she was still shapely. Her chest was larger than my own. I had the sudden urge to turn her face towards me and kiss her.

"Are you a lesbian now?" Asked Rose. She was my closest friend. Since grade school. She cocked a dark eyebrow at me and I rolled my eyes.

" I don't think so. I only feel this way around Charlie," I said. Rose smirked.

"Good, because I would have been offended. I mean, here I am, totally hot.." she waved at her petite frame with a slender hand and never finished the sentence. Her smile vanished. "Here comes evil Barbie," she muttered. I tensed up. Taylor.

Rose vanished as I turned towards Taylor. She approached with a smile. A year ago that smile seemed so friendly, so sincere. When did that change? She walked towards me, her smile morphing into concern. She stopped before me and glanced around.

"Charlie is not who you think," she said and there was fear in her voice. "Stay away from her. She'll just end up hurting you."

The memory faded again. What? I looked at Charlie, I looked at the road. Where are we? Where are we going? Why… How did I get in this car?

"Where are we going Charlie?" I asked.

She looked ahead and I didn't think she was going to answer.

"Where you need to be," she finally said.

I swallowed. What was I going to do? I looked out the window and my brain began to grow fuzzy. The car jumped forward, and the fog lifted from my brain.

"You have slept enough," Charlie said.

I looked at her. "Taylor warned me to stay away from you, said you would hurt me…"

She looked at me and there was anger in her eyes.

I looked at my hand, I was holding a bloody knife. Evie was clutching her abdomen, bleeding.

I gasped. What was that? Did I... did I stab her? Why would I ever hurt Evie? No, I wouldn't. I knew it.

Another image, Charlie and Taylor yelling at each other. Only Charlie looked different. Her hair was short. She had no breasts. What?

"I need your help," Taylor sounded desperate on the phone. "I have to tell you, tell someone. Charlie isn't my sister. Charlie is my brother. Charlemagne died with our parents in the fire. My brother Jake just snapped. He decided he was Charlie, assumed her identity. I went along with it because I love him. But now he's obsessed with you and I think he.." she sobbed into the phone. "He knows I warned you to stay away. He thinks I'm a threat. I think he's going to kill me…" The memory got fuzzy. I focused. "Can you come and get me? Let me stay with you?" She asked.

I snapped out of the memory. Charlie was watching me.

"Remembering?" He asked softly.

"You're a guy, not a girl," I stated.

He smiled and reached a hand up to his head. His hair slid off. A wig. His real hair was a darker blond.

"We are almost there now," he said. I flinched at his gentle tone. Why did he always sound so kind?

"Did you kill Evie?" I asked.

He looked so sad at my words. His pale skin brightened and I realized everything was bright. I turned my head. Headlights rushed towards us.

"No!" I shouted.

"Goodbye," Charlie whispered in my ear. I screamed.

Jolting upright, my eyes flew around, taking in the room I was in. White walls, chairs, a hospital?

"Evie?" I snapped my head to the left. My Mom stood in the doorway to the room.

Memory returned. "Mom," I choked out before dissolving into a sob. She rushed to me and wrapped her arms around me. She rocked me and I could feel the tightness in my abdomen where stitches pulled my flesh together.

"I thought you were never going to wake up," she said.

The tears slowed and the sound of a throat clearing drew my gaze to the officer standing just inside the room.

"Hi, I'm Officer North, Evie. I was wondering if you remembered what happened?" He asked

"Yes…"

I pulled the knife from my stomach. Dropping it, I caught a glimpse of myself in Taylor's floor length mirror as my legs collapsed.

"No one is taking my brother from me," Taylor said. I watched as she picked up the knife.

"No…" the word was weak. Blood filled my mouth and I coughed. She moved towards me, then Charlie was there. He grabbed her arm, told her the police were coming. A loud banging and shouted words stole my attention. The Police. My gaze shifted back to the siblings as something flew towards me. I covered my head but nothing touched me.

"Evie…" my eyes flew towards the voice. Charlie lay on the floor next to me. Blue eyes ,so kind, so gentle. Taylor was next to him. Her hands on his neck trying to stop the blood. He smiled and it was all wrong. Because I knew what it meant. "I love you Evie. Goodbye."

"Yes, I remember. Charlie, whose real name was Jake McNarmy, saved my life." Twice.