Sell Your Soul

Cali tried to concentrate on the heavy music pulsating from the radio. Matt lightly nodded along to it, silently mouthing the words. Her thoughts trailed back to Jay. He was either worried or pissed, she couldn't tell, but she had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

The early dawn had given way to a bright morning, and Cali was suddenly reminded of the day at the beach with Charlie. She closed her eyes and sighed.

Matt felt awkward sitting next to Cali, the love of his best friend's life. At a stoplight, he looked over at her. He set his hand on hers, but she cringed. He knew he'd upset her, but he didn't think it was this bad.

They pulled up the driveway and stopped outside the front door. Cali hesitated before opening her car door. Matt opened the door and let her inside first, but she didn't thank him like she normally would have. Jay had heard the door open, and he was standing in the entryway.

"Cal, come on," he said. He grabbed Cali's arm and practically dragged her to the dining room. Matt stayed back, assuming it to be a personal matter.

Jay looked around before saying, "Okay,  I don't know what went on- nor do I care to know- but something needs to change."

"What do you mean?" Cali asked.

"Look out there," Jay instructed. He nodded to the living room.

Cali looked through the doorway and saw Charlie sitting on the couch. The tv was playing what looked like an endless reel of music videos, and Charlie lifted a bottle of vodka to his mouth. Cali turned back to Jay.

"Yeah." She tried not to look too bad.

"Keep watching," Jay said.

Charlie picked up a little container of what looked like medicine, and he took out two pills. He swallowed them with a drink of vodka. Cali closed her eyes, holding back her emotions.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Vicodin," Jay replied. "He takes two every few hours, each time with a different alcohol."

A tear fell from Cali's eye, and she put her face against Jay's chest.

"If something doesn't change, he's gonna kill himself," Jay said quietly. "I've tried everything-" he paused for a second, and Cali stepped away "-except taking it away."

"Why won't you take it away?" Cali asked.

"George is afraid he'll just find a different, more efficient, way," he replied.

"More efficient?"

Jay nodded to the locked cabinet on the opposite side of the dining room. Cali saw the block of knives, and she immediately knew what he meant.

"We locked all of them in here," he said.

Cali covered her eyes with her hands. Jay sat down in one of the chairs, and he put his hands on the table, tapping out a short rhythm. Cali leaned against the doorway and watched Charlie take another drink of vodka. She shook her head and turned back to Jay.

"I can't do it," she said.

"What? Just go talk to him," Jay said. "I don't care if you take him back or not, but this has to stop."

"I already told you, I can't do it. I'll make it worse."

"No, get out there and say something to him. He just needs to know you'll still talk to him."

"And what if I won't?"

"Then we stand losing our best friend. And Hollywood Undead loses Charlie Scene."

Cali sighed and nodded. "Alright." She took a step toward the living room.

Halfway to the couch she tripped over the edge of the rug and hit her knee on the table. Charlie barely moved his head to look at the noise. He turned toward the tv, but immediately he looked back at her. She saw a slight bit of joy come back to his face, but it left when he saw she had fallen. He tried to stand up, but he tumbled from the couch, drunk.

"Cali," he mumbled. He crawled toward her, and he stopped inches from her face. She looked up into his eyes. He said, "Cali, wh-what are you...what are you doing here?"

"Jordan, you need help," Cali said.

"No...no, I need you," Charlie said. His eyes filled with sorrow, Cali felt her heart sink.

"Jordan, don't do this," she said, beginning to cry. "Please, just give me your drugs."

"I need you, Cali...I messed up..."

"Please. Just give them here."

Charlie stumbled to his feet and got the bottle of vicodin from his pocket. Cali took it, and she stood up next to him. He smiled at her, but she closed her eyes and walked away. She didn't look back to see Charlie fall onto the couch and curl up, holding his bottle of vodka like a child would a doll.

Cali pushed the bottle of vicodin into Jay's palm and curled his fingers around it.

"Get rid of it," she said, her voice raspy and broken.

She closed her eyes and walked out.