Interlude [h.s]

forty-four

Alouette's ears are ringing and she can taste metal in her mouth. Bright light dances in her vision and only then she remembers where she is, what happened. Her hands fumble with the seatbelt and moments later she frees herself and slumps back against the car window.

"Nathan!" She hisses, opening her eyes and scanning the space around her. She lets out a gasp when she sees him leaning over the steering wheel. "Nathan!" She calls him again, shaking his shoulder.

He falls onto her lap in a mess of blood and broken bones and she screams. The other car has slammed onto his side, he wasn't able to avoid the hit. She doesn't know how long she's been out for, but it can't have been more than a minute or two, because they're still alone on the street.

A terrifying thought occurs to her and she turns around.

"Harry!" she chokes out, trying to reach for him when he doesn't move. "Harry, please!" Her hand lands on his knee and she pats it harshly, trying to get a reaction from him.

A hum comes from behind her and then Harry is slowly sitting up from his previous position slumped against the side of the car.

Alouette can't check if he's okay while he's right behind her seat so she takes off the lock and opens the car door. She falls back on the street and her body aches, but not nearly enough for her to be concerned. She's still in one piece and she isn't bleeding, she'll be fine.

She can't say the same for Nathan, though. He's now half-lying on her seat, and the fact that he still hasn't moved brings her to a horrifying realisation. She forces herself not to think and runs to Harry's door, pulling it open.

"Harry!"

He's now leaning back on his seat and his chest is rising and falling quickly, a muddled look in his eyes. Alouette cups his cheek and turns him to face her to check him. Aside from a cut on his temple, he seems to be okay.

He turns his head to the side quickly to force her to let go of him and sends her a hateful look. In another situation it would break her heart, but she's already forcefully shut down her mind, so it doesn't sting as hard as it should. Do now, think later, she repeats in her mind.

"Are you okay? Is anything broken?" She asks him fast, even though she has reasons to hope he's not harmed.

Harry opens his mouth, but before he can let out a sound an odd smell enters Alouette's nostrils. She immediately stills, trying to understand what it is.

Gas, she realises. She assesses the situation and then pulls out a knife. They can't move fast while he's tied up.

"If you run, I promise you I won't miss," she hisses in Harry's ear, and then brings the blade down between his hands.

The ties fall loose and she grabs his arm, pulling him out of the car and dashing in the direction of the nearest side street.

They only make it some steps into the street before the explosion goes off. The boom echoes in the crossroads and they're violently thrown to the ground. Alouette covers her head with her arms as pieces of burning metal and concrete fall around them. The wave of heat runs over them and she is glad, so glad that they are out of range, or else they too would be eaten away by the fire.

When her brain stops feeling like it's about to melt out of her ears, Alouette reaches out and grabs Harry's wrist again. She pulls him up and, to her surprise, he looks as shocked as she is. His hair is disheveled and there's dirt and blood on his face, his suit has faded to grey and there are dark stains on his white shirt. She's never seen him look so out of place, so lost, almost.

"Come on," she says roughly, pulling him down the street with her. Her muscles burn but she ignores the ache. They need to get out of there or else they'll be caught. She'll be caught.