WONDERLAND

Chapter 11

Harry

"Well what a shit show," Niall concludes.

We were finally back after hours of bickering and bonding as Layla describes it . 

Out of the forest back in the cars with food, that some kind women we met on the lodge provided us with .

I was sitting in the passenger seat attempting to calm my nerves while Rue kept trying her hand on the steering wheel or more like fiddling with it.
Turning the wheel multiple times , adjusting her seat to properly get this out of the world experience she's having .

"Oh what- is - this,"she gasps as she turns on the vipers .

It's strange to say the least . I've never seen someone get so thrilled to turn the headlights on and off. I have also never encountered a human as foolish , intolerable yet amusingly whip smart as her.
"I want a car," she declares.
"Does this look like a carriage to you?" Niall arcs his brows sitting up in the backseat .

"I meant one of my own,"Rue says with a her curious eyes stuck on speedometer.

"Thank god you don't have one," Niall widened his eyes, horrified at the way she was pressing on the gear like it was a button.

"Let's switch seats, love . I think you've had enough fun."

She turns her face to my side for minute like she was ready to fight but quickly retreats , opening the door and exiting.

"Hey," Liam climbs up the backseat , rubbing his hands together because of the cold.

"Maya and Louis are sleeping , Zayn and Layla are going to take turns driving," his voice gravelly and tired , he informs relaxing his posture.
"So it is me and you driving then ?" I questioned .

"Yeah," he mumbles exhaling as his lids fall.

It got pretty quiet now , Niall and Liam were sound asleep within a minute . So , I shuffled out a cigarette and got out of the car.
The air was chilly outside , it almost felt like It had dampened my hair as the it flew by attacking me.

Our cars stayed parked outside a small hillside gas station . Empty rugged road , its hovering lights towering above the bundles trees were weak and flickering. On the edge of the road was the end of the mountain. We were now almost at the top , there was only descending from here  and we'd enter Nesiryn .
...
I dragged the cigarette between my lips and took a puff -
.
then another
.
and another .

The smoke left my lungs with my worries , I inhaled the same air taking them back .

another puff .

Finally, I crushed the bud and followed the moon till my feet halted at the parallel edge of the road , I took out my phone and captured a picture of the sky . The prettiest full moons I'd seen in a while .

My stupid conscience forgot when my thumb instinctively pressed send on mother's number .
She was quite fascinated with the moon .

But how could god let me have a moment of peace ?

Through my peripheral vision I saw her standing , doing something rather strange . It was Rue of course .

I turned immediately.

What the fuck is she trying to do ? It looked as if she was trying to jump from the edge of the road while holding a stick poking it in the air ...

I rush towards her .

Upon reaching closer I realise what she's doing .

She's stepping on a loose block below that could possibly end up with her falling downhill into the long trench for a squirrel , that is sat on a bark hanging  below us .

My hand lightly push her in order to give her a head start but she shrieks and stumbles on the rock in panic. Instantly, I grip the edge of her sweatshirt and pull her back by her waist so she does not slip.

The way she is , she might fall from a mountain or get murdered by someone soon enough, but not today .
As much as there is need of hostility, as much as I need to kill you, not today.

"Do you want to die ?"

"No, but you sure want to kill me," she scolds "I would've fell of the cliff."

"Wasn't that what you were trying to do , I was just trying to help you,"  she frowns at my taunt.

"What do you want Styles?"

I stepped back, "Nothing, I was just bored."

"I'm going to fucki-" , filled with anger , she forms a punch .

With her breath hiking up , she accelerated her hand towards me.
I caught her punch just before it hit my chest .

My palm swallowing her fist, in a composed grip. Held staunch until my thumb brushed a bump .
Out of stupid curiosity I turned her fist around.

It was a tilted mark , on her wrist .

Consciously , I relaxed my grip.

Her eyes frantically moved from left to right,cold frigid hands went soft and she slowly retreated.

"You could've slipped," gulping in the behold of thick air between us, "that's when I just a saw a good omen,"I tried to shift the discussion.

She turns her head towards its direction . Her eyes stay there a bit . Her lips part a bit as she exhales , "it's a full moon."

Mesmerised by the moon , she picked out words, "it's strange that you believe in such things."

"My father used say that the moon-"

"changes form, to show its apprehensions and it feels just like we do." She said, in a raspy tone, "people in my home town still believe it."

My could stray away from her incessant sparking gaze , staring at it, "Haven't you seen a full moon before ?"

"I have, but this one seems closer," she whispers.

"I should've sacrificed you tonight," a wicked smile crept my up face.

"Well you had the chance," she didn't seem angry now , the frown in her head had settled , her hand lay easy by her side .

All this time she looked at the moon .

I draw out the bandage and hand it to her but she stares at me in doubt. I had to tuck the strand of hair swaying above her chest in order for her to notice the cut just above her collarbone.

"Yeah .. t this ...was some man tried to ...you know kill me,"hesitantly,she snickered .

The vain attempt to shrug it off didn't work, her hand fiddled with the wrapper before tearing it open .

"No , somebody let you live Ms. Wynter," my voice came out with a rasp , like a ghost .

I could not help but examine the cut, it wasn't that deep although the mark was placed at a threatening place but in such a way that that the tip had only teased the skin . It is usually done before slicing someone's neck open . I know because I've done it.
The way she had ran in horror didn't look like she had fought off the enemy either.

"How did you know the way out?" turning the aim at me she diverts the point of discussion.

"I've been here before, when I was younger."

"For drug dealing?" she counter questions.

"No , personal business," I could feel my chest tightening . "You seem familiar with the place too,"my voice had shrunk with thoughts thumping at the back of my head.

"I've been here before as well," she whispers .

Her words shoot chills up my spine and adrenaline through my veins , the sight crawls through my skin. I'm gathering myself while she still refuses to look at me for some reason ,  her gaze locked at the moon as if it was the one she was talking to.
My eyes searched her face waiting for her gaze to meet mine . I waited then gave up and travelled my eyes to meet her point of focus, the moon .

We just were there at the edge of cliff looking up at the sky .

Not today Rue,I'll fool myself again .