These High Walls

Chapter 14

After Jolene left we sat there on the couch with an uncomfortable silence growing between us.

I decide to break the increasing tension and ask: "Can you bring me to the mansion so that we can have this conversation with everyone?"

He looks at me with a hint of unexplained sadness, but he lightens up the next second. "Okay, you know what you have to do-"

"No," I interrupt him, "I want to know the mundane way to the house so that I can come to you at any time if I need you. That way I can come without needing to push the button and have you guys worry about me."

"Okay, yes that sounds more logical. The only problem is that I don't know the mundane way." Niall says frowning.

"We will find the way eventually just like we did when we went to the mall," I suggest.

Niall nods and says: "Okay, but it's going to take a while that way. I think we best leave tomorrow morning, it's already dark outside."

"You can sleep in the guestroom, first door on the left. The toilet is right across that room. If you need me I am in the last door on the right." I say while walking to my room, "Sleep well."

I am very tired and I quickly throw off my clothes and shower. This day was hectic and exhausting. I hear Niall closing his door while I drop into my bed. I fall asleep to an owl talking to the night sky. That's unusual since my apartment is situated in the middle of the city.

I still wake up every night from the same nightmare, I had hoped when I slept in my own bed, they would stop coming every night, but I guess I was too hopeful.

I hear a knock on my door and Niall saying worriedly: "Louis? Are you okay? I heard you whimpering. Are you hurt?"

"Come in, Niall!" I yell laughing at his worries but still shivering from my nightmare. Even though it's the same one every night, I still always wake up whimpering and shivering.

Niall opens the door and looks at me with concern. "Do you still have those nightmares?"

I nod sadly, I wish they would leave me alone. I want to have even one night without waking up in the middle.

I pat the place beside me on the bed, urging Niall to sit next to me instead of standing. I lay my head on his shoulder but I feel him freeze, so I lift it up again.

"You can lay your head on my shoulder, I just wasn't expecting it," Niall says, I lay my head back down, "I have been training myself, you know. Since I was stalking you the whole week, like I said earlier, I was in proximity to humans much more than my body is used to. I tried to kill the time with little challenges too. So, I am more used to being in the vicinity of human blood, now."

When I wake up the next day, my first thought is that it was all a dream. Until I feel the bracelet poking my wrist. I take some comfortable clothes out of my closet and throw them on. Luckily I don't have to go to work today, otherwise, I wouldn't be able to leave with Niall to the mansion. I am both excited and scared to see the boys again. I have no idea how they will act. Will they be as kind as Niall? Or will they push me away? I wouldn't be surprised if they did that, I did break their trust. From experience, I know that it is hard to rebuild broken trust. I force myself out of my thoughts, I know it's not healthy to dwell on the past, it's the present that counts. I walk out of my room into the kitchen. I find Niall looking in all the cabinets.

"Good morning."

Niall jumps up and closes the cabinet door with a bang. "Oh, I am sorry. I didn't hear you coming. I was looking at all the food you have, getting some inspiration."

"Okay, can we leave now? I am ready."

"Yes, I am ready too. I hope we won't be on our way for the whole day. I still got a couple of things to do today."

"Tell me all about it when we're on the train," I say, laughing.

I take some snacks because I know I will be hungry and some money to buy breakfast. After that, we leave the building.

"I am going to buy some breakfast in the 'Pret A Manger', okay?"

"Yes, I will wait here."

I enter the shop and I am surprised there are only a couple of other people inside the building. I usually go here for my morning tea when I have the morning shift since the shop is already open at 6 in the morning. In no time it is my turn to order: "One brie, tomato & basil baguette," I look outside at Niall, "make that two and one green tea, please."

"To consume here, or to take away?"

"To take away."

"That will be ten pounds, please. Have a good day."

"For you too."

I leave the shop with my bag. I am happy there weren't many people because otherwise, I would die from hunger...and stress.

"Got everything?"

I nod and we can finally begin our journey to the mansion. I lead Niall to the station where we take the train to the city where we went shopping from there Niall knew the way through the forest.

"Here," I say while giving one of the baguettes to Niall, "I bought you one too, it's with brie, tomatoes, and basil. I didn't want you to look at me eating while you're probably hungry too."

"Well, thank you, but you didn't have to waste your money on me. There are probably things you wanted to buy with that money. Plus, I can't even be sure that I will like the taste since I haven't eaten anything but wild animals for years."

"Stop making excuses and start eating."

We arrive at our destination before we finish our breakfast so we finish it while walking to the forest. When I am done, I ask hopefully: "Did you like it, the taste?"

Niall looks at me and laughs: "Surprisingly, it tasted delicious. I guess we should start variating more with our meals. Our bakery is running well and we have spared a lot of money over the last years."

While we talk I try to memorize the route, but when we enter the forest my memory starts to betray me. Everything looks the same and I soon give up trying to find clues.

"How are you able to navigate through those trees?" I ask Niall, perplexed by his confident steps.

"Years of practice, I am sure you will be able to find your way soon," Niall answers, "Plus I can smell Zayn's paint from across the globe."

We laugh the rest of the way and soon I can see the giant house through the woods.

I am quickly greeted by Liam who's standing by the door. I want to hug him but I'm not sure if he practiced his 'being near blood' skills and I don't want to test it. So, I just wave at him from a safe distance.

Niall leads me into the hall, where I immediately notice all the changes. It seems that Niall wasn't joking when he said that Liam started renovating. As he said, the alterations are cheap but they make the mansion more like a home and not just a building. There is new paint on the walls instead of the peeling wallpaper that covered it a week ago. I can also see that Liam scrubbed the floor and repaired the wood that was partially eaten by vermin. There are paintings, probably Zayn's, hanging on the walls which makes the house a lot warmer.

When we make our way to the living room I see these adjustments everywhere.