Charlotte Greene

The easy S T U F F . . .

Name: Charlotte Nicole Greene
Nickname: Charlie
Age: Fifteen
Member Group: Student
Power(s): Pixie Wings and Hallucinogenic Dust
Play By: Dieke Hampsink

Let it F L O W . . .

Assorted journal entries...
It is November 9th and here I sit outside of the glass room they are keeping you in, my beautiful newborn Niece. Your parents have decided to name you Charlotte Nicole, but I think I'll call you Charlie. Your uncle James was the third person to hold you today, right after your father. I took one look at you and I knew that instant that you would look just like your aunt Carol, my wife. Long light hair, tall, thin.. I'm sorry you'll never get the chance to meet her, but I'll show you enough love for the both of us and spoil you twice as much as any uncle should ever be allowed to spoil his niece. You have your father's grey hazel eyes but your aunt's face and golden hair. I'll treat you like my own daughter and I'll be there for you no matter what, I promise. I can hardly wait until your parents bring you home and I can hold you any time I can steal you away from your mother. Sleep well, little girl. Something special is waiting for you in life, I know it. You'll need to be well rested if you want to face it head on.

New years day, 1999. I spent the first moments of the new year with a not-quite-two-month-old you in my arms and I couldn't be happier. You woke up and just stared at me when the fireworks started going off in the neighborhood like you were disappointed I didn't wake you to watch the ball drop. Sorry, sweetheart. I won't make that mistake again. I don't ever want to make those lips of yours turn down in a frown again. You are the prettiest thing from this millennium, and you are the most precious thing I'll see in the next one.

Your first birthday was last week. I didn't think you could get any cuter than the first time I saw you but you sure proved me wrong, Charlie. Every time I see you I think about your aunt Carol. Your hair is already getting long and even at a year old I can tell that you will be thin and pale and beautiful. I love that you are quicker to respond to Charlie than Charlotte, even though your parents refuse to call you by 'a boys name'. I have a feeling that when you start dating, your father will make sure he is cleaning a gun the first time you bring your boyfriend home to meet them. He means well, but I'm not sure if he will ever understand how to protect you while still letting you be free. I carried you into the kitchen over my head and you pretended like you were flying. You looked so happy. You're even making the airplane noises now so I don't have to. You have so much potential, Charlie. I know your aunt Carol would be so proud of you. Your mother might disagree but I think you liked my present best. It was a big book of fairy tales that I can read to you every time I put you to bed. Your father tried to take it to your room and you cried until he brought it back. That's my girl. Be strong and speak up when you know what you want. Don't ever settle for second best or let someone treat you how you don't want to be treated.

Wow does the time fly. You're five now and you are one of my best friends. You stay at my house it seems like every other day and I couldn't be happier to have you. You sure didn't get your manners from your mother, no Ma'am. I think she may be jealous that you like spending so much time with me. You are a perfect little lady, always excusing yourself and saying please and thank you, doing your best to help me with chores. I'm so used to having you around that you might as well be my little girl instead of your father's. You are the best part of my day and what I look forward to every night. Your favorite candy is Reese's Pieces, just don't tell your parents I let you have them. And don't mention the cream soda either. I'm sure your mother would throw a fit if she knew how much sugar I let you have, but you never take more than you can handle. Us grown-ups could learn a thing or two from you about moderation. You don't like to watch too much TV, you won't eat too many sweets, and at five years old you have convinced me to walk to the grocery store instead of driving my car. You are amazing Charlie.

Christmas eve.. You turned ten last month. I imagine you are going to be a little upset with me when you read these years worth of journals I have written for you. I have tried to write down everything about you that I love, and everything that I am proud of. Everything you do that makes me happy to be alive just to be around you, my wonderful little niece, but I haven't said much about myself. I just wrapped your Christmas present. It isn't as nice as the one I got you last year, but I know you'll love it anyway. This year I got you some clothes and a fairy costume.. it was all I could afford. You seem to really like fairies and pixies and all the little mystical flying things you can get your hands on. The reason I can't get you a better gift this year, Charlie, is because I am dying.. I hope you can forgive me for never telling you. I can't stand to see a frown on that face of yours.

June.. I'm not going to make it to your twelvth birthday, Charlie. I am so sorry, sweetheart. Your mom and dad may not know you quite as well as I do, but they will take care of you. I hope they explain why I never told you I was leaving.. I hope they make sure you understand it wasn't your fault. They are going to bury me next to your aunt when the time comes.. I hope you come and visit sometimes. You can tell me anything and I'll always be there to listen. Don't let your mother tell you that you should make the same sacrifices she did, and don't let your father keep you cooped up at home. Live your life, Charlie. You helped make mine worthwhile.

The handwriting changes noticeably...

Uncle James.. We put you next to Aunt Carol just like you said in this book you wrote for me. Mommy said that was a year ago. I never got to come talk to you like you said I could. I tried to tell Mommy you said I could but she is always busy. Daddy is at work a lot and I think he misses you a lot too. He doesn't like to talk about you but I think that's only because it makes him sad like it makes me sad that you aren't here anymore. I am tired a lot now. I lay in bed a lot at night but I don't sleep. Mommy tried giving me music to listen to and Daddy tells me that if I lay there I'll fall asleep eventually, but I miss the stories you used to read me. I wish you could come back. Miss you Uncle James.

I turned thirteen today Uncle James. Mom got me some clothes and some shoes and Dad took us out to dinner with Jessie from school. Dad works a lot more then he used to and Mom has been trying to find a new job. I still don't sleep like I used to. I wish I could have my bed that used to be at your house. Mom finally took me to a doctor after I got in trouble for the umpteenth time falling asleep at school and they gave me some pills to help me sleep. I'm trying to be special like you always say about me in this book but it's hard. I hope I have dreams about you..

Uncle James, the pills they gave me work! I feel so much better.. It's only been a few months but I have slept so much more than I used to and I feel so great when I wake up. I think about you every day and I'm gonna try harder than ever to make you proud. I found that pixie costume you got me a long time ago.. It makes me smile every time I look at it. I am having a hard time adjusting to my new sleep schedule, but I have been doing a lot more than I used to because I've been feeling so much better. I feel like you helped the doctor pick out these pills for me.. I just can't believe how much better I feel now. Miss you Uncle James.

Uncle James, I'm scared.. I had a dream last night about the costume you got me.. The little fairy wings. My back was really hurting and when I woke up.. They weren't just a costume anymore.. Uncle James, I have WINGS. I don't know what's going on or what to do.. I tried waking myself up but I don't think I'm dreaming.. I know if you were here you would know what to do. I can't go to Mom or Dad. I don't know what to do.. I'm scared.. I can't make them go away! I have to hide.. Mom and Dad can't find me like this. I know they love me but.. WINGS Uncle James.. WINGS. I wish you were here...

On a few pages of plain white stationary with a hospital's name and logo across the top..

The people at the hospital say they can help me, but they are waiting for a specialist from Vermont.. I asked them not to tell my parents but they only said that the specialist can help me with that. At least it's cool here. August in South Carolina gets pretty warm. I don't know what this specialist is going to tell me.. what they can do. I'm worried. The doctors here are nice and all but it feels like they are hiding something from me.

The specialist wasn't a doctor at all. He was a recruiter. For some school in Vermont. A school where there are a lot of people that are different like me, I guess. Apparently there's some kind of genetic.. thing.. sometimes it's a family thing, sometimes it is random.. but I have it. These wings are mine.. forever.. He says at least that I'll be able to control them. That's good. That with help and practice I should be able to 'put them away' and bring them back at will.. and that this dust they produce is.. powerful stuff, and I should be able to control it too. I'm glad I don't have to be completely alone in this, but I really don't know what is going on. It's been two days and my parents agreed to send me to this Hammel place. I am in the back of a car right now.. They aren't here. I know Uncle James would at least come with me to see me off. He would come visit. I don't know if my mom and dad will. Had lots of trouble sleeping last night. These wings are uncomfortable. Maybe I'm just not used to them yet.

So this recruiter guy has been talking with me.. He says that I'm a 'metahuman'.. I think I want to trust him. He seems nice enough. He says that these powers or changes usually happen right when puberty starts.. Guess I'm a late bloomer. I'm almost fifteen! I wonder if Aunt Carol was like that too. He says this place is a really good school with very dedicated teachers and that they can help me with everything including finding a job and stuff when I graduate. I guess at least I might get a good education out of this whole thing, then. I'll keep trying to make Uncle James proud. As of the 20th of August, I'm a student at Hammel Institute...

I have been here for two weeks now. September is here. My birthday is next month and the staff here have helped me to figure out how to 'put away' my wings. They say there are a few other people with very similar mutations but I haven't really met anyone yet. I have been keeping to myself and the library. People here can do everything from fly to telekinesis to turning into animals, mimicking other peoples powers, super strength and regeneration.... Some of them can even dominate people's minds and make them believe anything they want.. I'm afraid. I never had a lot of friends back home and those people didn't have the chance to be the incredible hulk, or to fry my laptop with their minds. It'll just take some time to get used to, I hope. The staff has been trying really hard to find something they can give me that will help me to sleep at night.. but I had problems sleeping before I grew wings and had to deal with them as well. They have really good doctors here, and they are really trying hard to help me. Nobody here can do actual 'magic' or I would probably ask them for that. Maybe there is a way they can just numb me with some power I haven't seen yet. My back hurts a lot but I really don't like taking pills for pain. They make me all loopy and disoriented and they all have side-effects... Aside from being awkward and really obvious and a little embarrassing, having my wings 'out' seems to be pretty okay as long as I remember not to.. dust things. It's hard. The dust is almost instinctive. Putting them away, though.. it's like making a really tight fist and holding it.. and holding it.. and holding it. It makes it feel like my whole back is cramping up. Makes it even harder to sleep. I'll make it, though. For Uncle James.

I have been at Hammel for almost a month now. I still don't have any real friends aside from some good books. It is getting a little harder to concentrate in classes. I can't sleep for more than an hour or so on my stomach, and I have to put my wings away to sleep on my back. My arms go numb when I try to sleep on my sides.. As long as I get a few hours of sleep every night I can make it. It's hard to tell but I want to say that my back doesn't hurt as much now as it did the first week or so. Maybe I'm just more used to the pain? They offer me different treatments all the time but I don't want to be stuck taking narcotics just to sleep. I remember how Grandma changed when her doctor prescribed pills for her arthritis. I don't want that. Besides, since this place is safe, I can leave my wings out during the day.. I only have to put them away for training and when I want to sleep. I get some odd looks, but at least I haven't noticed anyone actually making fun of me. By this point I am pretty used to the idea that anyone I see, talk to, overhear could be a telepath or a regenerator or a bio-something that can mimic the appearance of someone else.. or could manipulate energy or technology or any number of other things at will. Until you ask, it's hard to tell what most people here can do. At least with me.. what you see is what you get. I have pixie wings. Being here has kinda made me realize what Uncle James meant about mom and dad not understanding me.. I don't miss them as much as I think I should. I fit in here as well as I did in my home.. I could definitely be in a worse place right now. There are rumors that some countries snatch up all the metas and train them to be soldiers or experiment on them. I'm glad, at least, that I'm here instead of a place like that.

You know how people say you should try really hard not to diagnose yourself? Well.. I think I diagnosed myself. Everything fits. I think I have one of two things or maybe a combination of things, and not being able to sleep for very long periods only makes it worse. The first thing is maybe insomnia. It could just be mental... I know it's going to be hard to sleep for long so I try to make sure I'm really, really tired before I actually go to bed. Maybe. The other thing I found is called DSPD. Delayed sleep phase disorder. I think it makes just as much sense as insomnia. By the time I am tired enough to actually sleep for more than an hour or so, it's already morning. And on the weekends I sleep in more than the week. Those are common symptoms. When I have to wake up, I end up walking around half asleep for hours until when I should have got done sleeping, and then it's like I finally wake up.. only by then, half the day is gone so I end up not tired at night when I should be going to sleep.. I'm gonna try to talk to the staff about it. I know I can do okay in class like I am, and I don't want them to give me more pills. I feel like they just make me as loopy and lethargic as I would be without them, only it's.. synthetic instead of simple. Oh well. Maybe I can try acupuncture or massage or something. I'll have to ask if either of those are viable treatment options.

Behind the M A S K . . .

Name: Deuce
Age: Twenty-five
RP Experience: More than a quarter of my life..
How did you find us?: Van

Show your S K I L L S . . .

A chilly September morning in Vermont on a school campus for metahumans found one Charlotte Greene leaned against a wall and staring out at the sky as the sun made the clouds turn all sorts of beautiful warm colors. “Conservatively, you slept a solid.. four hours? You've dealt with less sleep before, Charlie. And at least the cold wakes you up a bit. It was worse before you learned to put your wings away. You should really talk to somebody about your schedule.. Maybe you could try that polyphasic thing you were reading about.”

Charlie closed her eyes with a sigh and rubbed slowly at them, her fingers momentarily obscuring the hazel grey irises. “You should probably stop talking to yourself at so me point, too. You already have friggin pixie wings, you don't need to give people any more reasons to think you are dipping into your own dust.”

She straightened and took in a deep breath, drawing her eyes slowly along the skyline. Reds, oranges, pinks, yellows.. Charlie ordinarily preferred darker colors, or at least cooler ones. More simple colors. Whites and blacks and blues and greens.. Purple was a bit too complicated a lot of the time, but green was natural and whole and blue was chill. White and black were just simple, and simple was good given how complicated things had gotten in the past month or so.

“And the decision.. Try to get some food, or try to go back to bed for an hour?” It was quite some time till Charlie's first class.. but it could take quite some time to get comfortable enough to fall asleep.. wings or no wings. In the end, as per usual, Charlie would just stare at the ground and walk, and would end up where her feet lead her. Yesterday it had been to the vending machines. Today they took her in the direction of the library. A good book was worth losing sleep over anyway.