The Exchange Student / English Version

68. Darkness

At the Styles

The darkness of the room swallows Harry's crying. His head lies between his hands, his eyes are closed. He sighs again and again. Tears runs down his reddened cheeks. He simply cannot forget Zayn. >I've lost everything. My life is a shambles. The night by the sea turned my life into a catastrophe for which I have to pay now - pay bitterly.< he thinks. >If Rose should live with us in the future, I will have the memory of it every day. That is a thought that gives me no peace of mind..<

It's coughing next to him. A hoarse, scratchy coughing. Harry opens his big eyes and sees nothing but darkness. Frightened, he reaches next to him, to lean on and stand up. His hands feel firm leather. "Is anyone there?" His voice trembles, his heart beats fast. Nobody's answering. "Hellooo? Is anyone there?" he asks anxiously. >Am I hallucinating already? < The curly head rejects the thought. Once again he tries to feel the object next to him. Hard, firm, rounded - a shoe? Finally Harry rises and looks for the light switch behind him. His hands are groping their way piece by piece along the cold wall and it takes him a while to get near the light switch. As he's about to touch it, a firm grip grabs his wrist. A loud scream leaves his mouth, his whole body trembles. He was caught up by a wave of panic. "Who is there?" he shouts. Before he can scream any louder, a hand lies on his mouth and silences him. Harry squirming to free himself. In vain. The hand is relentless and holds him tight.

"Ssshhhh," it whispers. The stranger stands behind him and pulls him towards him, the palm of his hand still on his mouth. Harry's trying to get an impression of the person. He is tall, strong, his hand is soft. The stranger wears a male perfume. "If you think you can get away so easily, it's not going to happen. I'll make you pay for everything," the voice whispers into his ear. The lips touch his earlobe. He shudders: "We're not done yet, Styles. Mark my words." Harry is stiff with excitement. A shiver runs down his spine. He shakes his head with all his strenght. For a short moment the hand slips, his mouth is finally free. "Niall, is that you? What is this? Do you want to blackmail me again?" he asks hastily and he almost stutters. The stranger releases him. Harry is able to move again. Nevertheless he feels the presence of the person. It's close, very close to him and Harry doesn't know what's creepier. The voice from the dark laughs.

"You're not Niall! That's not his voice. Who are you? What do you want?

There's only one thing Harry has in mind. He has to reach this light switch. He taps around and doesn't recognize anything. The room is so dark that you can't see your hand in front of your face. >The light switch...<, he thinks in panic. >I have to find it.< His feet are groping forward - step by step. The next second he stumbles over an obstacle and hits the floor. His head hits an edge and the pain numbs him. Harry feels blood flow. Then he passes out.

The curly head doesn't know how long he was in this twilight sleep. At some point he woke up, trying to think clearly. The dining room is in semi-darkness now. A narrow light gap illuminates it. The door is ajar. Harry's thinking. He tries to put together the puzzle pieces of his memory. Was it a dream? The dried blood on his temple doesn't suggest it. >Oh God. I didn't dream it. Everything was real.<

With his last strength he drags himself up to his room. In the bathroom he cleans his face of blood. Nobody in the house seems to have noticed the stranger. In his state of shock he has only one wish. >I have to call Zayn. I want to hear his voice, his words. Tomorrow he flies away forever. He has to talk to me one last time. Just one last time.<

He picks up the phone under his pillow and dials the number of his big love - Zayn - with a pounding heart.