Thou Shall Not Fall

Chapter 11

Harry’s P.O.V.

Christmas Day, 1912,

I woke up gasping. It was pitch black and I could barely move in the confined space. I felt horrible, fatigued, and no matter how much air I was sucking in, I still couldn’t breathe. My ribs were aching from gasping for air, but I didn’t feel like I was suffocating. It was almost as if I simply didn’t need it.

I tried to scream for help but my voice cracked. My throat was dry and I was so thirsty. There was this gnawing in my stomach and I felt like it was going to swallow me whole. Where am I? How did I get here? What’s happened to me? Where is my Mum?

I began to panic and bang my arms and legs on my surroundings. Have I been buried alive? Am I in a coffin? Why would someone do this to me? I could feel the tears streaming down my face from the fear but that only motivated me more. I started punching the ceiling of the box I was stuck in and it only took one hit for it to crack. I was surprised at myself for being able to punch through the thick wood, I felt something moist fall onto my face and it wasn’t till it got into my mouth that I realized it was dirt. 

I continued ripping open the box and then pulling myself up. My mouth was full of dirt and it was making my eyes burn but I continued pushing forward. I pulled myself through the earth and didn’t stop once. When I reached the surface I shuddered at how cold the air was outside. I pulled myself out of the ground and laid on my back looking up at the sky in exhaustion. Everything was intensified. Something was happening in me and I had no idea what. But I wasn’t my old self anymore…

“Hello brother,” a soft voice said. 

I rolled over to see two boys around my age leaning on a tombstone. Was I in a graveyard? One had black hair, and had tan skin. He had warm brown eyes and he smiled at me kindly. The other one had much shorter hair, lighter brown eyes, and familiar birth marks on his neck. I recognized him instantly.

“Liam?” I said, my voice extremely raspy from it being so dry. My god, I was so thirsty.

“Hello Harry. I’m glad you remember me.” He said softly.

“Why wouldn’t I? I just saw you at the bakery.” Liam had worked with me at Michael’s bakery for quite some time. He was a strange boy, however, he and Ms.Cromwell were the closest I had to friends and he was always kind to me.

The one with dark hair leaned in and whispered something. It was strange because even though he whispered it, I heard it as plain as day. “He’s disoriented Liam. He doesn’t remember.”

“D-Don’t remember what? H-How did I get here? Have you done something to me?” The gnawing in my stomach and the dryness in my throat was starting to get to me. I have never felt like this before. 

Liam walked over to me slowly, his hands in the air showing he meant no harm. “We’re your friends Harry. We’re here to help you. You’re going through the change and it is going to be a lot to deal with, but that is why we’re here.”

“Liam wha—…the change? Are you mad? What’re you talking about? Who is he? What the bloody hell is happening!?” I started to panic again and as I did Liam sat his hand on my shoulder. As soon as he did so, a sense of calm washed over me. I felt like I could trust Liam, like he was going to make everything okay. I don’t know why, but I knew he was here to help me.

“Harry, what is the last thing you remember?”

“I, I took some bread to Ms. Cromwell’s. She gave me a purse…and then…” It was all so fuzzy. My thirst was starting to fog up every part of my brain. I needed something to get rid of it, this gnawing…it was starting to become unbearable.