Story of Charles

Sunday. The year is 1965.  A loaded bus arrives from New York City into Selma, Alabama, a city currently in civil unrest in support of a peaceful protest. Stepping off of that bus is an educated young family, husband, wife and young boy, Charles, age of 8, all filled with the hope and courage inspired by the Dr’s strive for equality and fight against injustice. The protesting crowd begins to march and the quantity of people begin to thicken.  “Stay Close, Ya Hear”, young Charles’s mom whispers while looking down at him through the congested view of overcoats that surrounded him. As the march in Selma begins to intensify as it is met with resistance, young Charles slowly gets lost in the sea of people, eventually losing sight of his parents. The once peaceful protest breaks out into full on brutality and young Charles witnesses the chaos of police, tear gas and dog attacks in full demonstration.

Terrified, Charles races looking for his parents amongst the anarchy only to find himself face to face with disheveled, slender policeman wielding a baton with hate in his eyes. A quick chase ensues and the policeman has young Charles cornered up against a store front window. Sweaty and belligerent, the lawman raises his hand with baton ready to strike. Frozen and paralyzed with fear for his life, a blank stare locks on to young Charles’s face. All of a sudden time begins to move as if in slow motion. The look of fear that just recently resembled the young boy’s face slowly started to take shape on the lawman soon followed by a scream of terror. The attack dogs in the area also looking confused scamper whimpering. All of the pain, hurt, and fear that the protestors were experiencing in that moment, the now activated Young Charles channeled and placed those feelings and thoughts into the mind of lawman. His skull starts to visibly bubble. Squeezing his head in agony, a dent punctures his cranium from young Charles’s immense mental power. A hand reaches and grabs the boy by the arm breaking the trance and freeing the lawman from the torture as he runs off frightened to death. It was his parents. Unaware of his new found gifts they hid away as a family in the store. Instilling to the young boy that an injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.

“The Story of Charles”

Story & Concept by Chuck Styles

December 2022

*these characters are in no way officially associated/affiliated with any brand or company and their stories are original to the creator