high flyer // l.s

s i x

Harry sat down on the floor as Present left, mumbling his goodbye.
"Past'll be here soon. Be ready," he said to Harry and then he was gone.

Harry was so completely over the visions. Like, if it was really happening, why wouldn't they let him return?

He was ready to go and take his life back!

He wanted to live. For Louis.

He rubbed the tears out of his eyes, casting a glance at his stiffening corpse. Rigor Mortis had begun to set in, and his fingers started to curl into themselves.

It was disgusting.

He was disgusting.

He turned his head, catching sight of a man about his height, dark hair and green eyes.

"My name is Past," he said, and his voice was soft.

Past smiled, a fleeting smirk, before grabbing Harry's arm.

"Let's see a past without Harry Styles," he murmured, and Harry went dark.

-

Harry's eyes opened and he was in the X Factor house.

It was weird for him, to be back in such a memorable place.

But where were his boys? Where was Lou?

"Where're the boys?" Harry asked, meekly.

"Zayn and Liam made it, but they parted ways soon after," Past said, softly. "Louis never makes it out of Doncaster."

"What? No!" Harry shouted. "He doesn't deserve that!"

"You can stop it all," Past whispered, waving his hand.

Niall came running down the oh-so familiar stairs, laughing.

"Niall never knew any of you."

"Niall," Harry whimpered, reaching out to brush his fingers across his shoulder.

Niall just ran past, giggling as he did so.

"Zayn's a model, you know," Past shrugged. "In America."

"But he's a great singer!" Harry objected, feeling every emotion but sad.

"Doesn't matter. Pretty faces make pretty money." Past sighed. "Let's go. I've got another place to show you."

-

Harry found himself somewhere he didn't recognize.

"Where are we?"

"This is where Anne and Gemma Styles reside."

The air was thick with toxins and the place looked run down.

How could they live there?

It was as if it was directly from a bad movie.

Frightening, but all too real.

"No, they can't," Harry murmured, wide eyed. "It's not safe here!"

"Without you to tie the family together, Anne lost her job, Gemma failed school, and eventually they couldn't pay their mortgage. Now, Anne is a part-time clerk at Tesco's and Gemma babysits the children next door," Past pointed vaguely in the direction of yet another run down house.

Hardly the place to raise children.

"And right now, Gemma'll be taking them home."

Harry watched as Gemma held the hands of two small children. One was very tan, contrasting with Gemma's pale flesh, and the other was paler than her, soft golden locks and brown sparkling eyes.

Gemma smiled at them, laughing.

"Let's get you guys home."

Harry nearly wept at the sound of her voice.

It had been so, so, so long since he'd heard it. They hadn't spoken in months.

"Gem," Harry whispered, falling to his knees. "Why'd you bring me here? The show me the squalor my family would live in if I'd never been born? If I'd never entered the X Factor?"

"Well, yes, those things...but also this."

Past's eyes crinkled at the sides, and Harry felt nostalgia for Louis' crow's feet.

God, Louis was beautiful.

A car began to speed down the road, dirt and garbage flying under the tires, windows darkened except for one which remained open.

He stopped, watching with intense concentration. He squeezes his fists together, resisting the urge to punch Past in the face.

Gemma glanced up, tightening her grip on the children as she ran toward their house.

One single gunshot rang out.

And it wasn't a child that collapsed onto the ground in a blur of crimson.

No, it was Gemma.

Harry ran to her, sobbing. How could anyone be so cruel?

"No, Gem, no! Jesus fucking...you don't deserve this!" Harry wept, pressing his face against her stomach.

The blood dripped down her torso, but it didn't touch Harry.

Because Harry himself was already dead.

-j