Mortal, But At Least I'm Free

Chapter 10

"The folks in that last town said that it was going to rain, shouldn't we find someplace to spend the night?" Harry was watching the sky, and stumbling over his own feet. Louis ignored him.

"I mean, I guess you might want to walk through the night, get soaking wet, catch our death-"

"We're both immortal, idiot. We'll be fine."

Harry was silenced. But only for a moment.

"I'm only half immortal. And plus I'm tired." Harry nearly ran into Louis who had stopped abruptly, his back still turned to Harry. With a sudden pivot, Louis was facing Harry.

"We can find someplace to spend the night. But it's early yet, we've got hours before it starts to rain." Harry wasn't so sure about that, but he didn't want to fight the blue-eyed boy.

"Okay," Harry mumbled the response.

Not an hour later it was raining. And not a pleasant, romantic, fun kind of rain. It was coming down so hard Harry was sure he'd have welts, and he couldn't see more than a few feet in front of him.

"Korakas!" Louis was frantically searching for shelter. Water was running off the tip of his nose and into his eyes. Harry was worried he'd start off suddenly and be out of sight, so he gripped a handful of the black blouse Louis was wearing.

"I don't know where we're going Harry! I can't see anything!" Louis hadn't turned to face him, so Harry still held a wad of wet shirt in his hand.

"I don't know either. It doesn't matter! We just need to get under cover!" Harry was trying not to shout but he could barely hear himself. Louis' shoulders dropped and suddenly he was shaking. Harry didn't know what to do. Was this demon...crying?

"Louis? Louis it's gonna be okay. Everything'll be alright. We'll be alright." Harry let go of the handful of fabric he'd been holding and pulled Louis close to him, hoping to shade him from at least some of the pelting rain. "Come on Lou, come on," he spoke more to himself now than to Louis who was crying audibly now. All Harry could hear in between sobs was a choked "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" when Louis tried to catch his breath.

Harry knew even less of where they were or where he should be headed. But he started walking. Holding Louis close to his side, all he could think to do was to keep moving. So he kept walking. And walking. And pretty soon Louis' sobbing had been replaced with chattering teeth and uncontrollable shaking. Harry couldn't feel his fingers or his toes now.

Harry couldn't think anymore. Everything looked foggy and shadowed. He was starting to feel dizzy and he could tell his knees were about to give out. Going, going, gone.