crumble | h.s

part two: aftermath

Lydia's POV: 

"James!" I heard the other waitress scream. I struggled out of Tina's hold and ran out to the main area.

"Lydia don't!" Tina yelled. I ignored her. 

When I got out I caught a glimpse of what looked like four men running out of the pub. They were dressed in all black. I didn't see their faces. I looked around me until I saw blood all over the bar counter and the wall behind it. 

James. 

I immediately ran over to him and the other waitress, Wendy. Tina appeared from behind her. James was on the floor holding his stomach. He was so pale. I thought he had died right then and there. I heard crying. It took me a while to realize it was my own. Wendy took her apron off and wrapped it around James's stomach in an attempt to stop the bleeding. 

My hands were covered in blood. There was so much fucking blood. 

Wendy looked up at us and swallowed sharply. "One-one of you need to call the police" 

Tina nodded and went to the phone, however the screeching sound of sirens arrived at the front of the pub before she could dial 911. Someone who heard the gunshot must have called the police already. I ran up to the cops who immediately told me to put my hands up. I listened to their orders. 

"I-I need y-you to help my friend. H-he got shot. Please he has a f-family." I cried with my hands up. 

Paramedics ran in while another officer told me to relax. James was being taken out on a stretcher. I looked up and asked why this was happening. I'm not sure who or what I was asking.  

10 minutes had gone by. I had been sitting in a booth, watching everything around me. Silent tears rolled down my cheeks. Eventually, an officer approached me with a blanket in one hand and a notepad in the other. He wrapped the blanket around me and crouched in front of me so we were at eye level. 

"What's your name miss?" he asked me. His eyes were gentle. 

"Lydia. Lydia White." I told him. 

"Okay, Lydia. Did you happen to witness what happened here tonight?" What the hell did he mean by that? My friend got shot. That's what happened. I shook my head and looked up at the ceiling, blinking back tears. 

"I'm sorry Miss White, we're just trying to get as much information as possible and-"

I cut the officer off, "I was in the bathroom. So was she." I said, pointing at Tina who was talking to yet another cop. "We stayed in there a little after the gunshot. I came out and-" I started tearing up even more. "I'm sorry." I choked. 

"It's alright, Lydia." The officer said, taking hold of my hand. 

I sucked in a deep, shaky breath. "I came out and he was on the floor, bleeding. I saw four men run out...but I didn't see their faces." When I said this the cop's eyes widened and he started jotting down notes. 

"Four men?" I nodded. "Well done, Lydia. You're doing great." He said. I half-smiled at the man. 

"Is he going to be okay? My friend?" I looked at him intently. 

"He's being transported to the hospital." He smiled at me. "I can promise you that he's in good hands." I nodded. 

"There is one more thing that I want to ask you..." I looked up at him. His expression had gone blank. He reached for his pocket and pulled out a red piece of plastic with five black dots on it. 

"Do you recognize this?" He asked me. His face had fallen very serious. 

Why would I recognize a piece of plastic? "No." I told him. With that, he nodded and thanked me for my cooperation. 

I got a police escort home that night. As I laid in bed, the events of that night ran through my head on repeat. Running out and seeing those men run away, then seeing James on the floor. The blood. Wendy screaming. The sirens. It was all so much. 

I jolted from my bed as I realized something. The cash register was closed. They hadn't taken any money. 

They weren't robbing us... they were there to kill. 

~

here's part two. i just wanna keep writing and writing but i think i'm going to call it a night. please let me know if you liked this part. also harry is in the next chapter lol.