Through The Dark || Harry Styles

8. HARRY

HARRY

The lights from the ambulance are blinding in the darkness. My hand shields my face to see and the clear hustle of emergency workers running back and forth is what makes my pulse start to gallop.

I try to run towards the wreck as fast as I can, the monstrous piece of metal wrapped around a tree in front of me, but my feet feel like lead. No matter how hard I force my legs to push harder, move quicker, they refuse to cooperate.

I know this road, I'm near Jake's house. It's quiet during the day and even quieter at night.

"Jake!" I scream into the eerily still night air but no one looks up.

I push through the crowd that has started to gather, coming out of houses and nearby pubs, closing in around the crumpled mess that once resembled my best friend's car.

Making my way to the front, I can see the team of professionals cutting someone from the mess, their movements experienced and their voices in control. The cold air sends a shiver up my spine as I desperately pray to anyone listening that Jake makes it out of this alive.

My breath catches in my throat when I see a paramedic pull a small, feminine figure from the driver's seat, her blonde hair hanging as lifelessly as her body, as she is carried away.

I see her face then, her eyes closed and a bloody patch on her forehead seeping into her golden hair. Still beautiful.

"No," is all I can whisper and somehow the man carrying her hears me from a few steps away.

"Do you know her?"

"Yes," I'm frozen, bile rising in my stomach and although I tell myself she might be okay, I know the truth is, she's gone. "Her name is Lucy, Lucy Holland."

He gives me a sorry smile. "Her ID says Lucy Banks," he tells me and walks towards the ambulance, taking her with him to place her on a stretcher.

The panic sets in.

Don't take her away.

"She can't drive! She doesn't have a licence, why was she driving?"

This catches the attention of the policewoman nearby.

"Guess we need to investigate this as a suicide then," she says calmly, as if this is a matter of business and not the soul-crushing reality of my dead friend in front of me.

"This can't be happening," I grapple with the truth.

"This is all your fault, Harry," I hear a familiar voice from behind me as tears start to fall and I spin on my heel in disbelief.

"Jake? Jake! Thank god you're here!" I try to run up and hug him but he holds a hand out. I'm so relieved to see him, it's been so long since I've been able to speak to him and I've missed him so much.

"Lucy did this because of you, Harry. You should have stopped her. I thought I could count on you."

"What? Jake, no! That's not true. I have been looking out for her!" I try to step forward but my legs are bolted to the ground. My best friend keeps still, a warm light radiating around him and it's only then do I realise the rest of the people have disappeared.

Lucy has disappeared.

"You kept her from the truth," Jake says and my knees hit the pavement with a sickening thud.

"You didn't tell her about the baby or the affair either, Jake! You didn't even tell ME."

"She deserves to know," his voice is calm.