Chapter Twenty-Three
"Come on, Harry," Louis whined, leaning against the doorframe as he waited for his boyfriend to finish brushing his hair. "Your hair looks fine the way it is. I wanna go and see Zayn and Niall again. You know it's been months since we saw them."
Harry chuckled as he set his brush down, looking at his boyfriend through the mirror. "Of course I know, Boo," he said, turning around and reaching his hands out for Louis'. Louis happily grasped Harry's, and the two stepped forward so their chests were touching. "I just have to get my shoes and jacket and then we can go, okay?"
"Okay," Louis agreed, leaning forward and connecting his lips with Harry's. Harry's fingers brushed over the soft skin of Louis' cheeks, making their way to the older boy's feathery hair. Louis giggled as they pulled away, making his way to the front door.
Harry went into his room, which had various clothes scattered around, shoes strewn carelessly close to the closet. He picked up a random pair of sneakers, slipping his feet in them. He hurried back to the foyer, where Louis was waiting, staring at pictures on the wall. He had his jacket on, Harry's jacket in his hands.
Quietly, Harry wrapped his arms around Louis' torso, resting his head on Louis's shoulder. Louis turned his head and giggled as his nose brushed Harry's cheek. "I love you," Louis whispered, pecking the younger's cheek.
"I love you more," Harry said softly, his lips placed on Louis' shoulder. Harry untangled himself from around Louis, taking his jacket. "We should get going, or Zayn is going to yell at us for being late." Louis nodded in agreement, skipping out the door and to the car.
Harry laughed as he closed the door, fishing for his keys in his pocket. Once they were located, he unlocked the car, sliding into the driver's seat. Louis climbed into the passenger seat, strapping himself in. He leaned over and placed a kiss on Harry's cheek.
"Let's go!" He said enthusiastically. Harry smiled as he pulled out of the driveway, heading down the empty road. It was a bright sunny day, the air warm. Louis rolled his window down, leaning his head out. The wind blew his hair around, but he didn't care.
Before long they had arrived at Starbucks, the same Starbucks they had been when they first encountered with Des. They both stepped out and headed inside, instantly spotting Zayn and Niall in the corner. They headed over to the couple, who were cuddling on their side of the booth.
"Hey guys," Louis said as he slid into the booth, followed by Harry. The two other boys greeted them with smiles, but quickly went back to talking quietly amongst themselves. Harry glanced around the small restaurant, an uneasy feeling settling in his stomach.
"Louis?" Harry asked, tapping Louis on the shoulder. "Do you feel like something is wrong?" Louis turned to Harry, his eyebrows knit in confusion. Across the table, Niall giggled as Zayn nibbled on his neck, causing both Harry and Louis to look up.
"No," Louis said, taking Harry's hand in his, "I don't feel that way. What do you think is wrong?" Harry's face burned, and his thumb rubbed small circles on his boyfriend's hand.
"It's nothing, don't worry about it," Harry said, bringing the older boy's knuckles to his lips. Louis nodded, and the two turned to Niall and Zayn. Niall was curled up on Zayn's lap, his head in the crook of Zayn's neck. Zayn was whispering softly to Niall, rubbing his back.
"Enough with the love fest, you came to see us!" Louis chuckled, his hand still holding Harry's. Niall's cheeks burned red, but he didn't move from his position on Zayn. But before they could say anything more, Harry's head started to spin, and his vision clouded over.
"L-L-Lo-" Harry gasped as he fell over, tumbling to the ground. The three boys sprung up, Zayn and Niall grasping his hands as Louis grabbed Harry's legs. They carried him to a chair and started to tie him down, although Harry had no idea where they got the rope.
A sudden shot rang out, and Louis' eyes rolled back into his head. Harry watched in horror as his boyfriend once again crumpled to the ground, dead. Looking up with rage, Harry was surprised to see Liam there, a smoking gun in his hand.
"Finally, I've wanted to kill him forever," Liam said, putting the gun away. Harry's jaw dropped, tears streaming down his face. Liam curled up into a ball of the floor, screaming his lungs out. Harry was confused as to what was going on, and glanced over at Zayn and Niall.
Harry gasped as he saw his two mates were tied up on the ground, back to back. Scratches and wounds covered both of them, and Niall didn't seem to be breathing very much. Liam stopped screaming, and Danny was all of a sudden there, helping Liam to his feet.
Together, they both turned to Harry, matching grins on their faces. Out of nowhere, a girl with blonde hair came, a gin in her hand, pointed at Niall's unmoving body. With a nod, Liam and Danny charged at the girl, tackling her to the ground.
The bonds holding Harry were gone, and he dashed over to Niall's pale body. He tilted Niall's head back, his fingers searching the boy's neck for a pulse. Finally he found a very faint pulse, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Harry," Zayn croaked, turning his head to see the younger. Harry hurried to his side, his body shaking. "You have to save Niall." Someone grabbed him by the back of his shirt, pulling him into the mess behind him.
The girl was on the ground, unmoving. Danny was the one who had grabbed him, and he was pinned under him. Liam leaned down to Harry's ear, pressing the gun to Harry. "Harry, I need you to kill me."
"What? No!" Harry said, shoving the gun away. "Liam, I can't do that!" Liam's eyes glazed over, and his body went limp. Danny now had a gun, and it was aimed at a person behind Harry. Looking back, Harry spotted Greg, Des, Mr. Howl, and Yaser, definitely outnumbering Danny and Harry.
Finding strength within himself, Harry dashed back over to Zayn. As he collapsed next to the raven haired boy, he found himself face to face with Yaser. Suddenly, Zayn's bonds were gone, and he was tackling Yaser. Harry watched as Mr. Howl and Danny fought, and Greg made his way over to Niall.
Knowing Zayn would kill him if he didn't, Harry rushed to save Niall. Greg was beating and kicking Niall, who was hardly conscious. Two gunshots ring out, and Harry's head snaps up to see that Mr. Howl and Danny had shot each other, both of them laying in a puddle of their own blood.
Another shot makes Harry's head twist to see that Zayn had shot his father. Zayn throws himself at Greg and they roll around a lot. Harry didn't know what to do. People were dying left and right. Harry crawled on hands and knees to the door, wanting to get away from the craziness.
"Where do you think you're going?" Bobby asked, yanking Harry back by his hair. Harry cried out, watching his father's foot stomp down on his chest, knocking the wind out of him. "Lights out, curly," Bobby laughed as he pulled out a knife. Harry screamed, and Bobby brought the blade down into Harry's chest.
~~
Harry woke up screaming, tears streaming down his face. He didn't know what was worse about the dream, the fact that he had Louis taken away from him again, or that he had died. Suddenly, the door was flung open, and Des stormed in.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Des asked, his eyes frantically searching the empty room. Harry didn't answer right away, gasping in air. "Well?"
"I-I had a bad d-dream," Harry whispered, his cheeks flaming. Des sucked in a deep breath, his jaw clenched. He let it out, shaking his head as he did so.
"Next time only scream for emergencies," Des snapped, spinning around and storming out of the room. Harry huffed, pulling at his ropes. He threw himself forward, gasping as the chair fell over, trapping him under it. He grunted and leaned to one side, hoping to tip the chair so he wasn't on his stomach.
Finally it tipped, and he was on his side. Harry twisted his wrist around a couple times, surprised to find that the bonds were more loose than he thought. With a triumphant smirk, he slipped his wrist out of the rope. He was quick to work on the knots on his other hand, his eyes glancing up at the door often.
Soon he was working on his feet, free at last. He stretched quickly, walking on shaky legs to the window on the far side of the room. He pulled some boxes under it, climbing up them. He pushed the window open with his elbow, the night immediately greeting him. And then he pulled himself out the small opening.
~~
"Zayn?" Yaser asked as he shook his son awake. Zayn's eyes snapped open and he was quick to snatch his father's wrist, yanking him forward. He flipped the man over, pinning his arm behind his back. "Zayn! Zayn, please, listen to me!"
"Why should I?" Zayn snarled, applying a small amount of pressure on his father's arm. Yaser cried out, his other limbs flailing. "You let Bobby hit Niall! You're letting him destroy my baby!" Zayn's heart was pupping wildly, adrenaline running through his veins.
"He's dead, Zayn!" Yaser shouted. Zayn froze, his breath leaving his chest. "Bobby killed him! He strangled Niall!" Zayn's body began to tremble, a sob building up in his throat. Niall couldn't be dead, he couldn't.
"No! You're lying!" Zayn screamed, unable to stop the tears flowing down his face. "Niall isn't dead! He can't be dead! My little baby is still alive and okay! Tell me you're lying!"
"I'm sorry, Zayn," Yaser said quietly. Zayn let the sobs out, curling up in a ball, his head lowered into his knees. He cried and whimpered out Niall's name, Niall's image burned in his mind. His sweet little angel was gone, destroyed by a demon.
"No," Zayn wailed, choking on his tears. "Not Niall! Anyone but Niall!" Rage bubbled in Zayn's stomach, and he turned to Yaser. "You! This is all your fault!" With an animalistic cry, Zayn leaped on his father, clawing at Yaser's face. "You let him die!"
"Zayn, stop!" Yaser screamed as Zayn's fingers dug into his eyes. Zayn's legs were wrapped tightly around Yaser's chest, and he worked his way to get them around his father's neck. Yaser would pay for what he did to Niall, Zayn would make sure of it.
"Evil, evil, evil," Zayn chanted, one leg around the man's neck, his other dangling. "You deserve to die for what you have done to my little angel." Finally he was able to get his other leg around Yaser's neck, his fingers leaving his father's face.
"Zayn!" Yaser shouted, stumbling into one of the walls. "Stop!" But Zayn didn't, the tears still streaming down his face. He could picture his boyfriend, a rope wrapped around his skinny neck, struggling as Bobby pulled on the other end. Niall's face would turn blue, reaching out for someone to save him.
"Any last words, father?" Zayn hissed, his hands on either side of his father's head. Yaser struggled to get the raven haired boy off of him, to no avail.
"I'm sorry and I love you," Yaser whispered, giving up. Zayn's breath caught in his throat as memories flashed before his eyes. Setting his house on fire, watching his younger sisters' faces cry and scream at him, the cries echoing in his ears.
"I'm sorry, too, and I love you," Zayn said softly. With a final grunt, Zayn snapped Yaser's head to the side, a sickening crack bouncing off the walls. Yaser's eyes rolled back into his head, and his body went limp and crumpled to the ground. Blood drilled from the corner of his mouth, and his chest stopped moving.
His body shaking, Zayn got to his feet, the tears ceasing. He had just killed his father, his very own father. Zayn turned away, stumbling to the stairs. Now it was Bobby's turn to pay.
~~
Niall's eyes slowly opened as he heard a key jostling in the lock to his door. A small whimper escaped his lips as he tried to scoot into the corner, stopping with the overwhelming pain. The door swung open, and Bobby was in the doorway, a grin plastered on his face.
"Hey, stupid little amiss," he greeted, stepping slowly over to Niall. Niall whimpered, his body shaking. He closed his eyes tightly, wishing he could be back in Zayn's safe arms. "I'm afraid I have some really bad news."
Niall didn't say anything, his mind spinning over every possibility that could've happened. His heart hammered in his chest, and tears gathered in his eyes. "I'm afraid that Zayn is dead. Yaser killed him." Niall's breath hitched, and the tears streamed down his face.
"N-No," Niall whispered, sobs wracking his body. "N-No, please. Not Z-Z-Zayn." Bobby grinned, stepping up to his son. He yanked Niall to his knees by his hair, laughing as the boy cried out in pain.
"You're pathetic," Bobby said, kneeing Niall in the stomach. Niall doubled over, gulping down air. "And now Zayn isn't here to protect you. He never really loved you, you know. It was all an act. Right from the beginning."
"N-No it w-wasn't!" Niall cried, lifting his blotchy face up to stare at Bobby. His father laughed, kicking Niall in the side. Niall's body rolled to the side, and Bobby repeatedly hit Niall all over his already battered body.
"You're stupid," Bobby seethed, kicking angrily. Niall tried to crawl to the open door, ignoring the pain the best he could. "Worthless. Ugly. Unwanted. Always in the way. A burden. Subnormal." Niall cried out and whimpered every time Bobby hit him, the sobs choking him.
Finally Niall reached the door, but his achievement was cut short as Bobby stomped on his back. "Where do you think you are going? You want to go see Zayn's dead body?" Bobby asked, dragging Niall down the hall, throwing him down the stairs.
Niall lay in a mangled heap at the bottom of the stairs, still crying. Bobby dragged him into the living room, freezing as he heard a strangled cry from the basement. Moments later, someone was rushing up the stairs.
"Zayn?" Niall asked, glancing up from the floor. Zayn's eyes were cold and angry, but as soon as he saw Niall, and dove to his lover's side, taking the broken boy into his arms.
"Niall, baby, they told me you were dead," Zayn whispered, unable to hold back the tears. He butterfly kissed Niall's face, clutching his to his chest. Bobby rolled his eyes, grabbing a brass poker from beside the fireplace.
"Pathetic," Bobby said as he swung the poker, catching the back of Niall's head. Zayn screamed as Niall's eyes rolled back into his head, and he slumped in Zayn's arms. "You guys are disgusting."
Bobby found some rope, quickly tying the two boys back to back. It was quite easy for Bobby, since Zayn was sobbing and Niall was out. With a satisfying smirk, Bobby strutted out of the room.
~~
Perrie was quick to make her way over the fence of Bobby's rental house, swiftly approaching the house. She found an open window, crawling into it. The house was quiet, and Perrie smiled, clutching her pistol to her chest.
Then she heard a sound that made her heart break. Zayn was sobbing from somewhere close by. She crept quietly towards the noise, freezing as she spotted Zayn and Niall tied up, Bobby walking into another room.
Perrie had a clear view of Niall, which was perfect for her. She planned on killing Niall and then rescuing Zayn. He would fall in love with her after she saved him, right? He didn't love Niall that much, did he?
She crouched on the ground, getting ready. She had shot her best friends for this, she couldn't mess up. She had been in love with Zayn for as long as she could remember, and this just pushed her over the edge. She dealt with it when they broke up the first time. She was okay with watching him from a distance. Sure, stalking him wasn't as good as actually being with him, but she didn't mind. She had taken care of herself when she found out that Zayn had fallen for Niall.
But now, now she couldn't take it. She had held it in for too long, and it needed to be released. She had to be with Zayn, she couldn't stand not being able too.
She aimed for Niall's head, breathing hard in determination. She cocked the gun, a grin finding it's way onto her mouth. Then she pulled the trigger.
~~
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Liam asked Danny, approaching the fence. Danny hoisted himself over, waiting for his companion. Liam got on top, tumbling and falling over onto the ground. Danny helped him up, chuckling.
"Of course I'm sure," he said, beckoning for Liam to follow him. The two boys dashed for the house, helping one another through the open window. Liam, again, fell, landing face first onto the tile floor. "Stop being so clumsy, you're going to give us away!"
"So sorry," Liam said, rolling his eyes. The two of them pulled out their guns, creeping into the doorway. They were surprised to see that there was a girl laying down on the floor, her gun pointed at Niall. "I'm going to shoot her."
Danny nodded as Liam raised his gun. He cocked it, sweat trickling down the side of his face. He pulled the trigger. Four shots rang out simultaneously.
~~
Note: What have I done? I'm so sorry, the next chapter is going to be sad. No promises that Ziall is going to make it out alive.
This story is almost over. We will be lucky if we get two more chapters, and an epilogue, of course. I do not think we will get more than two chapters.
So I want you guys to do something for me, okay? When this story is finished, I'd like for all you silent readers (and non silent readers) to go to your favorite chapter and tell me why it's your favorite. Please, that's all I ask. I don't care if all of you stop posting comments until the end, just please, please do this for me. It would mean so much to me.
~Rosy