The strangers

Willow Claire was silently reading when she was interrupted by the sound of her doorbell. She was annoyed by the disturbance, but she got up and walked to the door. 

She opened the door and was welcomed by an unfamiliar face. The man was tall, with dirty blond hair atop stunning blue eyes.

“Hello,” the man says in a deep and strong voice.

“Hi, how can I help you?” Willow asks in a curious voice. He was probably trying to sell her something but she had too curious of a mind not to make sure.

“I have some questions for you,”

“Questions?” 

“Y-yes,” he stammers, “may I come in?” 

Inviting a stranger inside was probably dangerous, but Willow doesn't think ahead like that. 

“For sure!” she says in an over-enthusiastic voice. Willow steps aside, allowing the young man inside her home. Her dad wouldn't be home until around 8:00, and it was sometime around 2:00. Her mother was recently deceased, so no need to worry about her either.

“Take a seat,” Willow says, waving towards the sofa. The stranger sits down and begins his questioning immediately.

“Do you know who I am?” he asks with curiosity leaking from his voice.

“Uhm, no. should I?”

“No, but my name is Charlie,” he says sorrowfully.

“Ah, well nice to meet you, Charlie,” Willow replies. Something was off. What was off, Willow couldn't tell you; however, she had a weird feeling.

“Nice to meet you too,” Charlie says, then he pauses for an awkward amount of time. It sets Willow on edge. She had to get him out of her house. “So, willow, what's your favorite food?” he asks calmly. Her heart drops, she hadn't told him her name. Willow wondered if he was a stalker or something like that. She always got herself into messes like this. What can she do? Willow thinks for too long, long enough for Charlie to clear his throat to remind her of his question.

“Oh right, sorry. My favorite food is probably,” She pauses for a moment to think of the food she enjoys the most. “Sushi,” Willow says after she came to a decision. 

“Yeah…” Charlie replies. Then, there was another moment of awkward silence. Putting Willow even more on edge. She had to get this man out of her house. She cringed at herself for letting him inside in the first place. Charlie hadn't said anything too suspicious, but she had a gut feeling that something was wrong.

“Oh! Would you look at the time,” she says pointing at the clock hanging on the wall. “My dad will be home any minute, you should probably leave. He doesn't like strangers,” She says in the most cheerful voice she could manage.

“Your dad gets home at 8:00, and he loves strangers, you know that,” he says in a more threatening voice. Willow could feel the color drain from her face.

“Get out of my house,” She says in a threatening voice, matching his.

“I need to tell you something first.” this was it, she was going to get kidnapped by this stalker. Or whatever he is. Until she heard the sound of her safety. The doorbell rang, and unless it was another psycho she would be safe from Charlie. She ran to the door with the feeling of relief washing over her like a tsunami. When she opened the door, it was another stranger. The stranger looked so similar to Charlie, they could be siblings. This was not good.

“Hi, is Charlie here?”

“Oh no,” Willow thought to herself before speaking. “He- he um,” she stammers, “he’s here,”

“What are you doing here Samantha,” Charlie says from behind her. 

“I could ask you the same question,” she shifts her focus to Willow who was still standing in between her and charlie. “So sorry about him, may I come in,?” 

“I-” Willow starts before being interrupted by Samantha.

“Great,” she says, shoving past willow. After getting in the house she walks up to Charlie and grabs him by the ear and takes him farther into the house. Far enough for Willow to not hear them at least. The thing is, Willow had excellent hearing so she could hear them, even though they were on the other side of the room.

“Sam I was so close,” Charlie starts in a hushed voice.

“Close to what, Charlie. You know what dad said,”

“Close to telling her everything. Dad doesn't know what he's talking about,” Charlie says in a voice shaped with pain. Willow could tell that much. 

“She can’t know yet,” Samantha says frustrated. Willow didn't know these people, but they obviously knew her. Charlie pulls a photo out of his pocket and shows it to Samantha.

“If I could just show her this then maybe-” he says before getting cut off.

“No, you can't show her.” What happens next surprises Willow, she watches as Charlie's eyes fill with tears. Samantha notices Willow watching them and says something to Charlie that she couldn't hear. Willow was done with this. She slowly makes her way to the kitchen and picks up the phone and dials her dad's number. A few rings later he picks up. 

“Hello?” he says. And in the quietest voice, she can manage she says,

“Dad, there are two people in the house. Their names are Charlie and Samantha I think, they are acting like they know me, and I'm scared,”

“Oh no,” he says. Then he at least tries to take the phone away from his mouth before he says, “those idiots.” Her dad knew them? This didn’t make any sense.

“Hey, Willow?” Samantha calls, of course, she knows her name too.

“Y-yes..?” she answers.

“Can you come here please? Charlie has something to tell you,” She says in a defeated voice. I guess Charlie won the argument they were having. She tells her father to hold on and then Willow slowly walks out of the kitchen to see Charlie standing there with a photo in his hand.

“Can I show you this? Fair warning, it might be a surprise.” What did she have to lose by looking at a photo, so she nods her head. He steps toward her and extends his hand with the photo, showing her. Willow gasps, it's a photo of her and Charlie.

“But that doesn't make any sense, I have never met you before,”

“That's the thing you see-”

“Charlie!” Samantha interrupts once again. “I said you could show her the photo, that's it.”

“Fine,” he says, “do you- do you remember anything? Like taking that photo, or you know, me?”

“I- I'm not sure,” Willow says. Charlie sighs.

“Hey Char, we gotta go. Mr. Claire will be home soon and he will not be happy with us,”

“Right, uh, goodbye Willow,” Charlie says in a sorrowful voice.

“Goodbye,” Willow says. Samantha comes up and grabs Charlie's arm and heads to the door.

“Wait,” Willow starts, “can I have the photo?” she asks shyly. Charlie smiles, his eyes with tears again. 

“Yes, you can,” he says, handing her the photo. With one last look into her eyes, Charlie leaves with Samantha.

Willow goes and sits down on the couch looking at the photo. She would just sit there holding the photo until her dad comes home. She had completely forgotten about her dad on the phone. She was too mesmerized by the photo. She, and Charlie. She looked so happy in the photo and wondered if it was even her. 

Then, while sitting on the couch, looking at a photo, she remembered. Not everything, but she remembered enough to go rushing out the door after Charlie and Samantha.