The Cured

Chapter 34

Won't hear your beating heart tonight...

~•~ Chapter 34 ~•~

I moved forward, grasping tightly my gun in my hands as I stared wildly ahead at the woods. My heart was pounding loudly against my ribs, the cool breeze brushing over my skin in a skin crawling way. I knitted my brows together, trying to see through the dark.

"Help!" Ashton's voice came from the woods, sending my heart over the edge.

I stormed towards the forest, my feet hitting hard the ground with each step, strong heat errupting in my chest. I adjusted the gun in my hands, panic and worry taking over my body as I stared at the black trees seen through the dark blue sky. Before I even got close enough to the woods, a large hand gripped my arm and yanked me back, my wild eyes instantly softening when I swung around and saw Harry giving me an angry look.

“What are you doing?!” He hissed at me, his hand firmly holding me in place.

“It's Ashton - he needs help!” I yelled, pointing at the woods with the tip of my gun. I made a move to walk forward but he pulled me back again, making me growl in frustration.

“Ashton is dead!” he snapped at me, giving me a stern look.

“Listen! He's calling for me!” I exclaimed loudly, feeling the time running low for Ashton as we stood here arguing. I can't give up on him again.

Another shout of Ashton came from the woods, making me look there with a broken heart as Harry gazed at the same spot with knitted brows in confusion and then looked up at the crow that flew over us.

“Claire he-,“

The shout of help came to a stop when a gunshot was heard and the crow fell on the ground with a loud thud, dead. My breath hitched in my throat at the sight, slowly turning my head to look wildly at Harry who stood there with the gun in his hands. Confusion and shock hit me with the whoosh of cold air that brushed over my face.

“That was...” I stuttered, my mind a complete mess as I tried to comprehend what had just happened before my eyes.

“That's a crow repeating Ashton's last words! It's the shield playing tricks on us!” He claimed, gripping tightly my shoulders, eyes strict.

I opened my lips to say something but I closed it again, overwhelmed and puzzled. I looked up at the dark sky, seeing a few crows fly towards the woods. My stomach churned tightly as I realized that there was not a second chance for me to save my friend.

“Oi! Who the fuck used his gun?!” Louis snapped at us, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Are they coming?” Harry said flatly, ignoring Louis’ question as he guided me back to the front porch.

“Duh! And they're a lot!” Louis answered in a vexed tone. “We were wiping them out and now they're storming at us!” he practically shouted at us, making me slightly flinch at his harsh tone.

“Shut the fuck up and help me!” Zayn snapped.

“The crows are impersonating human voices - that's why they're coming here!” Harry clarified tightly, walking up the few steps beside me at the front porch.

“You're kidding me now right?” Louis said, doubtful and sarcastic.

A sleepy Thomas appeared by the front door, his messy hair sticking to different directions as he peered at us with narrowed tired eyes, his gun loose in his grip. “What's going on? I heard a gun going off.” he asked lightly in a worried tone.