A Flash of Red

Chapter Five

Around 12:30, a blonde haired boy woke up in the bunker, needing to go to the bathroom. He looked around the small room to see if anyone might be currently using the curtained space in the next room. He noticed that Harry was no longer in his bunk and assumed he was using the toilet. He waited until he got back, giving him the little privacy he was able to offer in these cramped quarters. After nearly 10 minutes, Niall groaned and stood up from his bunk. He stretched, his back cracking. He walked into the other room and stood by the doorway.

"Harry? You alright in there, mate? Been in there awful long. Did ya eat the canned tuna? There's a reason we don't go near that shit." He laughed as he said it and someone stirred behind him.

"Niall, shut the fuck up. It's still dark out," Louis grumbled from behind him. "Fucking irishmen."

Niall laughed harder. "It's half past 12, you shit." Louis groaned.

He still hadn't heard a response from behind the curtain.

"I think Harry fell asleep on the toilet." Louis sat up in the top bunk as Niall said this, careful not to hit his head on the ceiling.

"Zayn's the one that falls asleep on the john, not Harry."

"Harry, I'm coming in." He moved the curtain out of the way and was met with an empty makeshift bathroom. "Uh... he's not here."

"What do you mean he's not there? Not a very big place, Ni. Look in the pantry."

Niall took a few steps and scanned the room with shelves of food.

"Not here." At this, Louis climbed down from his bunk, not caring if he made noise or not. He joined Niall's side.

"What the fuck?" He whispered to himself. "HARRY?" He yelled. There was no response. The others began waking up.

"What are you screaming for? Someone clog the toilet again? Al, we fucking told you to eat less shit to produce less shit." Zayn said, rubbing the sleep from his eye. Al groaned in response.

"Harry's not here," Niall said. "We can't find him." This caused Liam to sit up.

"You don't think he left the bunker, do you?" He asked. He glanced at the floor. "Shit."

"What's going on?" Paul asked.

"The piece of paper Al threw at us yesterday. The one with the safe places. It's gone and so is Harry."

"You really don't think he was stupid enough to leave, do you?" Niall asked.

"Of course he did," Zayn answered. "He's not fucking here so he's obviously out there."

"We need to get him," Louis said. "We can't leave him-." He was interrupted by the sounds of gunfire outside. Everyone was silent.

"No one's going out there. Not now. The kid's smart. He can hold out for a little bit. He wouldn't want any of you coming after him if he was in trouble." Rick whispered.

"What about food? Water? What if he gets hurt? Where will he stay?" Liam frantically asked questions, usually the worrier of the group but this time he wasn't the only one.

"If he tries coming back, we'll be ready for him. We'll let him in. But those gunshots have me thinking he won't, at least not for a day or two. He'll find his way back."

"He's out there alone," Niall said. "What if he doesn't-."

"He will, Niall," Louis said. He turned to face Al. "Awfully quiet over there, aren't we? Guilt eating you alive?"

"I didn't do anything." Louis opened his mouth to give a witty comeback, but decided to save his energy and close it.

"I'm going to punch this guy. I swear to Lucifer, I will." Zayn mumbled.