Monster || Narry AU

01- Abandon

Starting this instead of Capes, it's kind of a trial to see how it goes.

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Niall didn't think it was that big of a deal really, a silly dare that would lead to eye rolls when he came out the next day perfectly unscathed. He wasn't scared, not of what could be up there in that house. It was most likely empty, the only things living being the rats that would scurry around in the broken down and abandoned home. His friends tried to remind him of the rumors: roars and screams coming from that house, disappearances, the light on some nights, but Niall only saw them as rumors. They weren't true is what he had decided, that there was no such thing as monsters.

He only believed in the monsters living inside of people, clawing at their minds and driving them into insanity, driving them to murder and beat and lie and steal and hurt others.

The task had truly slipped his mind during the day, work taking up the majority of his time. He smiled and greeted people as they entered the smaller music store that Niall considered his baby. He had bought it from an old man in his late 90's, his old boss, when he turned 18- literally the day of his birthday. He had saved every penny he could since he was 15 and had started at that old place, and had happily bought it three years later. The old man had died only days afterwards, not from old age, but from being stabbed for the paper in his wallet. He died for 15 pounds and 13 pence.

It was then that Niall decided that the only monsters that existed lived within us, within humans.

It was a normal Tuesday, business slightly busy, usual guitar lessons at 4 for anyone interested and willing to pay the 5 pound fee. It was a usual day for Niall, except for how the night would be spent. Although it didn't faze him.

It didn't really cross his mind until 7pm when he was locking up and his friends stumbled in, cajoling and trying to scare the lad. Niall didn't seem fazed, in fact he wasn't because he wasn't scared of what he would find up in that old house. He wasn't scared of the bugs and the rats that were certain to be there, rather than what everyone else thought was up there. He was certain it was just stories told to children who didn't behave, or told around campfires.

He continued locking up, making sure everything was put away and locked away before he could leave. He chuckled at his friends who were jabbing at each other, lightly shaking his head as he got into his car, one of his calmer mates taking the passenger seat. Liam was slightly anxious for his friend, worried that he may get hurt because of a stupid dare, or worse yet, killed by the thing that lived up in that old house. Surely, he would argue that he wasn't one to believe easily, not in rumors or stories, but this one had stuck to him, there was an overwhelming amount of proof that there was something living up there. There were certain things that stuck out to us, and for him- and most of the town- that one stuck to them.

Liam's leg bounced anxiously, up and down up and down, nervousness rolling through his body for his best mate that couldn't really care less about the whole thing. He was a cynic really, too focused on the monsters in humanity to believe in anything else. It was good, Liam supposes, that he wasn't afraid of everything and the unknown, but Liam also thinks that one day it might be his downfall. He fears that it might be his downfall tonight.

It didn't take long to reach the edge of town, where a hill began to grow quickly, a home sat atop it dark and empty and creepy. It was bigger than most of the other homes down in town, about the size of a medium sized mansion, much like those on the richer side. Although it was dark, and said to have been forgotten by everything except for time. It was aged and abandoned and dark. The paint faded, a creak in one of the wooden steps that lead up to the porch, the grass surrounding it grown tall with age. A large Oak sat in the front yard, branches expanding outward and upward, reaching for anything it could reach, shading half of a side of the house.

As everyone drove up to the beginning of the hill, the sun setting behind it made it look even more eerie, a slight movement in the window making everyone gulp a bit in fear save for Niall who just tried to look deeper into the home from how far he was. It was a trick of lighting is what he told himself, he knew that monsters weren't real. A mate of his jeered at him, pushing him towards the house a bit. Niall just shrugs uncaringly, walking around and grabbing the duffle bag from the back of his car, smiling reassuringly at Liam who looks half as worried as he feels.

Liam catches his arm before he goes, hugging him and telling him to be safe or Liam may have to kill him. They both know it's an empty threat, but they both also know how sincere his words of worry are. It's not like Liam to worry that much, so when he does it's a pretty big deal. He's usually a pretty go with the flow kind of guy, laid back. Niall shakes his head, muttering something about 'being safe against spiders and rats because that's all that lives up there' and steps back, smiling widely at his best mate. He slings the duffle bag onto his shoulder, grabbing his guitar from the back seat before making his way to the start of the hill.

Everyone was quiet now, no longer cheering and jeering and jabbing, watching as the fake blonde walks up the overgrown gravel path, bag swinging slightly with each step. It was all really a drunken dare, one Niall accepted without batting an eyelash, but now that they think about it, they're scared that their mate may not be coming back down that path in the morning. They say nothing however, not stopping the lad because they know that even retracting the dare wouldn't stop him. He was going to prove a point: that monsters don't exist.

By the time he reaches the top, standing right in front of the creaky wooden steps that lead up to the porch, his legs are burning a bit from the incline. His cheeks are a little pinker than usual, and his heart is beating harder in his chest. He takes a deep breath, and walks forward taking the first step onto the small trio of stairs. It creaks loudly under his weight, the sound piercing through the silent air. He freezes, suddenly slightly worried. He thinks that maybe there were bats, and birds living in there, and he shivers. He hates bats, hates being stuck in a room with birds, but he'll tough it out, he has to.

He takes another step, this stair not creaking under his weight, but giving way just slightly, so he takes another step onto the third and then onto the porch. He doesn't want the steps to give way under him, his movements rushed. He looks around the large porch, the paint peeling from the wood, and old wire bench covered in spider webs looking sad. He steps to look into the window, but it's dark, curtains drawn tight to make sure nothing can be seen. The window is dirty on the outside, dirt crusting the sides, smudges covering the glass parts. It looks more kept than he would have thought an abandoned house would look.

There are big spider webs in the corner, and in front of the door is a faded welcome mat. An old pair of rain boots lay discarded next to it, one fallen over, the color faded from years of direct contact with the weather. An old brass knocker sits at eye level on the door, beckoning him to knock. The sun is now almost completely under the horizon, going to bed for the night, the moon bright and full creeping up the sky, an almost orange color making it seem eerie.

Niall has the urge to knock, but he shakes his head at himself for being so stupid. The house was abandoned, forgotten save for tales of horror told in the town. He reaches out, grabbing hold of the cold doorknob. He twists, the door creaking open, he takes the first step in, shivers wracking through his body.

His first step into a new life he never expected.

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So, new story.

What do you guys think so far?

What will happen with Niall?

Where are the others?

Will Liam's intuition be right?

Do monsters exist?

10 comments for an update?

Val xxx