Bab 38: The Special Liberation

As the faint whistling grew louder, the storage room's darkness gradually relented, giving way to a soft, warm glow. Charlie, still trapped but feeling a glimmer of hope, strained his eyes to locate the source of the whistling. He knew it was the same tune Mr. Wisely had hummed at Mrs. Brit's Paradise.

The light intensified, illuminating the room and revealing the cluttered surroundings. Old cans of paint, tools, and forgotten belongings lay strewn about, remnants of a life once lived. As the light reached its zenith, Charlie's heart skipped a beat as a figure materialized before him. It was Mr. Wisely, his eyes twinkling with a familiar kindness.

"Charlie," Mr. Wisely said, his voice a soothing melody, "It seems you've found yourself in quite a predicament."

Charlie couldn't contain his words of urgency. "Mr. Wisely, I'm trapped here. Please can you help me get out of here, there's a backdoor here but I don't have the key and today's the Richard King's event and I don't want to miss it, is there something you could do?

Mr. Wisely's gentle smile remained unwavering.He flicked his hand, the dark room gave way to a bright light, Charlie watched as Mr. Wisely performed his trick, transforming the room and placing them both at the entrance of the back of his home.

Standing at the entrance, Charlie felt a sense of freedom for a second, but his initial joy began to wane as he noticed the setting sun, giving way to the night. The event had started in the morning and was set to continue until the early hours of the following day.

However, Charlie knew that staying until the event's end would be risky. Madam Gizel and Steve could piece together that he was the one performing as Chug if he remained in the spotlight for too long. Therefore he and Chloe had planned on going in the afternoon, and returning by eight, but it seemed like things took a turn, and this broke Charlie.

He suddenly found solace in Mr. Wisely's words. The enigmatic presence that had guided him throughout this journey now offered him much-needed encouragement. He took a deep breath, allowing Mr. Wisely's wisdom to wash over him.

Don't worry, Charlie," Mr. Wisely said, knowingly, with a soothing voice . "We all get scared sometimes, of things that we fear we can't do or things we know we can do, but that's because we don't look on the bright side. It's okay to be scared; it just shows our true nature. He placed a hand on Charlie's shoulder. However, he continued, it doesn't have to define us. You, Charlie, can do great things if you just ignore the odds. Remember that there's no success without struggle."

Charlie felt a renewed sense of determination and courage welling up within him. Mr. Wisely's words were a reminder that fear was a natural part of any journey, but it shouldn't deter him from pursuing his dreams. He nodded in assurance, with determination burning in his eyes. "I won't let anything stop me now. I need to share my talent with the world."

Charlie was about to rush off to the event venue when Mr. Wisely's words gave him pause. "Wait," he asked, "are you going there with those clothes on?" Charlie looked down at his attire, feeling reasonably confident that he was well-dressed for the event. "To the event, of course," he replied, gesturing from head to toe.

However, as his eyes fell on his trousers, he realized they had been tainted by the dust and webs in the storage room, leaving his clothes in a less than presentable state. Disappointment washed over him, and he began to feel downhearted.

But then, Mr. Wisely's calming voice assured him, "Don't worry, I'll fix that."

Charlie was momentarily confused. How could Mr. Wisely possibly fix his dirty, ruined clothing? He was on the verge of asking when he remembered the extraordinary nature of his guardian. "Oh," he said with a sheepish smile, "I forgot, you are a guardian. Sorry."

As Mr. Wisely raised his hands to work his magic on Charlie's disheveled clothes, the atmosphere suddenly turned dramatic. Chloe appeared a few meters away, her voice filled with urgency and a hint of outrage. She was dressed for the event, but her attention was solely focused on Mr. Wisely.

"Hey!!" Chloe's voice boomed like thunder, her strides purposeful and determined. She pointed an accusing finger at Mr. Wisely. "What do you want to do to my friend??" Her words echoed through the area, demanding an answer.

Charlie's heart raced as he watched Chloe's dramatic entrance. He tried to speak, but Chloe's fiery determination drowned out any chance he had to explain. She brandished her bag like a weapon, swinging it repeatedly at the bewildered Mr. Wisely.

"You!!!" Chloe shouted at the top of her lungs, punctuating each word with a forceful swing of her bag. "You want to kill my friend!" Her voice was filled with a dramatic intensity that could rival any Hollywood actress. She continued her purse-pummeling assault. "You've been stalking us for so long now, isn't that enough? Huh, huh?"

Mr. Wisely, caught in the whirlwind of Chloe's dramatic accusation, could only raise his hands to protect himself from her relentless attack. He hunched over, trying to shield his face as Chloe's bag rained blows upon him.

Charlie, caught between Chloe's fury and Mr. Wisely's bewildered defense, was in disbelief. He struggled to find a way to stop the dramatic scene unfolding before him.

Finally, he leaped in front of Chloe, grabbing her flailing arms to forcibly halt her assault. "Stop, Chloe, he's not a stalker, he's a guardian, my guardian, stop," Charlie pleaded, his voice a mixture of urgency and frustration.

Chloe, realizing her mistake in the most dramatic way possible, stood there with a mixture of embarrassment and chagrin. Her face turned a vivid shade of red, and she looked sheepishly at Mr. Wisely.

"Uh, I'm so sorry," Chloe stammered, her voice filled with embarrassment. "I thought you were a criminal, especially when I saw your hand language. I thought you were..... Dracula. I didn't mean to...attack you like that."

Mr. Wisely, ever the calm and composed guardian, chuckled softly. "It's quite all right, my dear. Mistakes happen to the best of us."

Chloe couldn't help but smile, her embarrassment slowly turning into amusement. "I guess I overreacted a bit," she admitted.

Charlie, who had been watching the entire dramatic and humorous episode unfold, couldn't contain his laughter any longer. "Dracula??", he burst into a fit of giggles, holding his stomach as he doubled over. "Oh, Chloe," he managed to say between laughs, "you really know how to make an entrance!"

Chloe's embarrassment now transformed into good-natured laughter. "Well, you have to admit, it was quite the surprise seeing Mr. Wisely here."

Mr. Wisely, still with a twinkle in his eye, joined in the laughter. "Indeed, it was. I must say, I've never been accused of being a stalker quite so dramatically before."

The three of them shared a hearty laugh, the tension of the moment dissolving into the warm camaraderie of friends who could find humor even in misunderstandings.

Charlie finally caught his breath and wiped a tear from his eye. "All right, now that we've had our dramatic moment of the day, let's head to the event. I wouldn't want to miss it, especially after this unforgettable start."

Chloe nodded, her laughter lingering in her voice. "Agreed. Let's make our way to the event and give them a show they won't forget!"

"Not so fast, " Mr Wisely advised, "you'll need to look special, just like you both are. Charlie and Chloe stood, awaiting Mr Wisely's special specialty, Charlie was fully confident, but Chloe wasn't but she just had to, it was the least she could do, after what she had just done.

Mr. Wisely raised his hands, closed his eyes, and in the seconds, he let his hands fall, releasing a golden dust, surrounding Charlie and Chloe, covering them from head to toe.

As the dust faded away, Charlie and Chloe were left in awe, admiring their transformed appearances. Their outfits were nothing short of magical. Charlie was dressed in a sleek, midnight-blue suit with shimmering silver accents, and his shoes seemed to reflect the starry night sky. Chloe, on the other hand, wore a flowing, ethereal gown that shifted colors like a mesmerizing rainbow, and her hair was adorned with delicate, glowing flowers.

Chloe couldn't help but giggle in delight, twirling around to see how her dress sparkled and changed hues with every movement. "Wow, Mr. Wisely, this is incredible! I feel like a fairy princess."

Charlie was equally amazed, adjusting his tie and admiring his suit's intricate patterns. "I've never seen anything like this. It's like we stepped into a fairy tale."

Mr. Wisely smiled warmly, pleased with their reactions. "I'm delighted you like it. You both deserve to shine tonight."

Chloe turned to Charlie, still giggling. "You know, Charlie, you might even outshine the spotlight in that suit."

Charlie chuckled back, his confidence boosted by his attire. "Well, I'll do my best not to blind anyone."

"Thank you, Mr. Wisely," they both expressed their gratitude as they continued on their way. The night was quiet, and a cool breeze rustled the leaves overhead. Mr. Wisely called Charlie back, his voice filled with warmth and concern.

As Charlie turned, Mr. Wisely handed him a remarkable golden mask, its intricate details gleaming in the moonlight. He explained, "This mask is specially made to help you maintain your Chug identity."

Charlie took the mask from Mr. Wisely's outstretched hand, and an overwhelming sense of appreciation washed over him. He hugged Mr. Wisely tightly, his voice sincere as he said, "Thank you. You've done more for me than any guardian could ever do. I'm truly grateful."

Letting go of the embrace, Charlie continued, "I can't express how much your guidance means to me." He looked at Mr. Wisely, admiration evident in his eyes.

Mr. Wisely, his tone humble, replied, "It's all because of you, Charlie. You're a remarkable young person, and you deserve all the support you can get. It's been my privilege to be a part of your journey."

Charlie stood there, silently appreciating the true guardian that Mr. Wisely had become. The night seemed to embrace them, a moment frozen in time.

Breaking the silence, Mr. Wisely reminded him, "Run along now. You wouldn't want to be late on your special day." He gestured to a luxurious limousine waiting for him across the dimly lit street.

Charlie's smile widened, and he thanked Mr. Wisely once more before dashing off to join Chloe. Together, they entered the limousine, and Charlie watched through the tinted windows as Mr. Wisely slowly disappeared into the darkness, a guardian who had made an indelible mark on his life.