Charlotte appeared in a familiar room. She watched a young woman who sat in a dark room with her knees folded on a rolling computer chair. A large fluffy blanket was wrapped around her and she wore cute pajamas with slimes printed on them. Huge glasses reflected the bright light from her monitor screen as she clattered away on the keyboard and mouse.
“Yes! A moon slime. Now I can feed it the cat poop and create better fertilizer for my kitslimes!” A mound of untamed brown hair swooshed back and forth when she pushed herself away from the desk, spinning the chair around happily with arms spread wide.
“Now I just need to go find a rocky roller and bring it hom—”
A pounding on the door spooked her out of the chair, the pink headphones clattered to the ground. Her hand had knocked over the glass of water and landed through the casing of the big flashing computer sitting on the floor. The screen flickered and went black. The component hissed and sputtered with shock.
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Her jaw dropped and her heart quickened.
“Dad’s last gift to me… it’s ruined.”
“Dammit, Charlie! Are you still playing that blasted game? It’s three in the morning! Go to bed already! You have an interview in a few hours! I wish your father never bought you Crime Crossing. You''re not a kid anymore! Are you even listening to me?! And I asked you to stop rolling arou—”
“It’s Slime Crossing, Mom!”
She yelled back at the door, tears pattering onto the floor. The pounding continued as the young woman slumped to the ground in defeat.
“I’d rather die than get a job. But now I need to get this fixed.” The young woman mumbled to herself.
And it won’t be cheap.
All of a sudden, the room rumbled violently. The monitor fell forward and the young woman scrambled away. She ran to the door but when she turned the knob, fire consumed them both.
. . .
Charlotte jolted upright from the bed and she heard a scream.
“Help!”