Burden // LS STORY

Part 21.

I never really thought much about how my life would end. I never really considered there to be anything more after this. Never really bought into the whole 'afterlife' conspiracy.

When I would watch movies as a kid and saw the different ways in which people died, stabbed, drowning, fire, shark bite, car accidents, sickness, old age. They all spoke of this ideology that life would flash before your eyes; that you would get this highlight reel of your best and worst moments.

But I saw nothing, the last imagery I saw was Harry's fingers tangled into mine and him telling me I was forgiven, and after that, was complete darkness.

Maybe I didn't need to see anything, maybe the lasting image of Harry was my highlight reel, he was the best and worst thing to happen to me.

I could see how that would be possible; nothing had terrified or excited me more in my life. In the 2 months that had passed with Harry Styles being in my world; I'd experienced more emotions than I thought I contained.

But I was confused by the darkness; and why it was so consuming, it seem to last forever, only getting more deep the longer my eyes were closed.

So I blinked; I forced myself to shift my eyes , in desperate search of some light.

Looking down I saw fragmented sections of light, still mostly darkness but mixed with shades of grey. Through blurred vision and mixed emotions, I saw that my lasting image was still apparent. My fingers were still interlocked with a set of hands that I would know anywhere.

My throat was dry, every swallow felt like blades running down my neck. I attempted to call his name but the sound was too weak.

I flinch my fingers hoping to make enough of an impact. But nothing.

No matter how hard I tried to get my brain to move my fingers, there was nothing. It did nothing.

I move my head to face the other direction, toward my left hand, and instructed my fingers to move. They did. They twitched upon command, so why didn't my right one?

"Ha-" I struggled. But the rest wouldn't follow. But luckily; it was enough.

"Oh my god! Louis!" He gasped moving his body up to the end of the bed and running his knuckles through his eyes.

"Are you in pain?" He asks running his thumb lightly over the bandage wound that sat on my shoulder.

I nod my head, throat still too stubborn to speak.

"I'll get the nurse, hang on" he offered whilst letting go of my hand and exiting the room.

The moment he let go of my hand I felt so lost and empty. Like his grasp was the thing that was holding me from the darkness completely consuming me.

He returns with a nurse and he sits back and lets them tend to me.

"How are you feeling Mr Tomlinson?"

I furrow my eyebrows and try and adjust myself to sit up, using only my left arm seeings as though my right one has for some reason stopped talking to me.

"I'm alright, but I can't, erm, move my arm." I say in hesitation, fearful of the answer.

"That's to be expected, where the bullet entered next to your shoulder there, has a lot of nerve endings and there was some significant damage to your rotator cuff. But we are confident with some rehab, you'll regain full movement." She informed me.

Well that sounded like good news, but then the reality of the situation hit me. Isaac.

What happened, was anyone killed? Was Isaac okay?

The nurse increased my pain medication now that I was awake and left me and Harry alone. I had questions, and he knew that.

"Lou, how much do you remember?" He speaks with a sadness to his voice, worrying me that what he about to tell me isn't going to be good news.

"A bit. Isaac, he was just sitting there when I went back for my Chem books, he shot with no hesitation and then left, I waited until the sound was far enough away and then I left and thats when I ran into you." I recall.

Harry nods his head slowly; but still looks down. There's something he isn't telling me.

"Is anyone hurt?" I ask

"Well you are!" He says with a concerned gaze.

"Harry?" I mumble.

"You were targeted by Isaac, Lou. So was I, and Nick, Niall and Kyle. He was after all of us." He informs.

I was a target? He was waiting for me. But why?

"Harry; did he find anyone else?" I repeat.

Harry's head falls as he lets go of hesitant nods, I hear him choke back some sniffs. He was upset.

"Niall?" I question as my first priority. Out of all of them I was probably the closest to him.

I anxiously wait for a reply, he shakes his head. But I don't know how to take that. No he isn't hurt or no he didn't make it.

"Harry?" I shout a little louder.

"Niall's okay, physically" he adds.

I feel an enormous amount of relief.

"Nick?" I question second.

Harry looks up and makes eye contact with me displaying bloodshot, tear filled eyes.

My stomach drops, that doesn't look good.

"Nick & Kyle were killed." He cries.

My jaw drops open. This can't be happening. That's what he meant by Niall being okay physically, he would be absolutely heartbroken by now.

"Why?" I breath out, being the only question I can actually gather up to ask him now.

"He targeted a certain group of people Lou, think, what do all of us have in common?" He replies.

I search my brain thinking of what could possibly link us all together. But then, of course; it hits me.

"Because we are gay?" I gasp.

Harry nods his head. "When I heard him asking for where the homos were as he came down the hall. My stomach dropped. Zayn screamed at me knowing you'd gone back to the room. As soon as he came through the door, Nick was first in his eyesight. Shot him straight in the middle of the head. I was right behind him. It could have been me!" He stumbles.

I had no words. You only ever hear of this stuff happening. Never being involved, much less, TARGETED.

"Harry; I'm sorry about Kyle." I whisper. Putting aside everything that has happened, I know they were friends. And had been for some time. I could appreciate that this would have effected him.

He doesn't reply to my statement. He just cups my cheeks in his hands, placing our foreheads together "I'm just thankful you're okay."