The Plague

2

A big stone had been lifted from our chests and we started to live again even if we kept to ourselves. I read everything I could find about HIV/aids. There weren't any cures but my research made it clear to me that those people in the hospital needed more. They were alone and afraid.

One day I found myself standing outside that wing again, looking through the same glass window. I hesitated but reached for the door knob. A nurse stopped me.
"You can't go in there!"

"I want to visit." I said.

She stared at me like I was crazy then her face softened.
"Do you have family in there?"

I glanced through the window again. I didn't know any of the men laying there.
"They're all my family."

She looked confused.
"Please, someone needs to hold their hand. They're all alone." I pleaded.

"It's not safe." She said.

"It is!" I said, sounding frustrated.

"You need to talk to the hospital board, okay?" The nurse said and lead me away with an arm around my shoulders.

When I got home I was still upset. Louis immediately noticed.
"What's wrong, love?"

He hugged me and I started to cry. I told him about my visit to the hospital.
"We need to talk to the hospital board then." Louis said.

We wrote a letter. They sent an answer a week later declining our request. That made Louis furious. He called Zayn, Liam, and Niall. They came over. Louis was pacing back and forth.
"Me wonderful sweetheart of a boyfriend. Me compassionate, empathic, beautiful man just want to hold their hands and they say no? I will have it! We have to protest!"

"Is it really as horrible as they say? I mean, what the disease does to you?" Niall wondered.

"Yes." Louis sighed. He scratched his neck. "All skin and bones. Fucking awful."

Niall looked devastated for a second.
"Are you okay, mate?" Liam asked.

Niall smiled but it didn't reach his eyes.
"All good."

We talked for hours about what we would do. It was getting late and we all had to get up for work the next day. The guys got up to leave. Niall hugged us all and told us he loved us. He wasn't usually the one to express his feeling so we all hugged him back and ruffled his hair fondly. He was always our ball of sunshine, high on life.

I walked them out. Niall was the last one to leave. He turned around with his hand on the door handle.
"Goodbye, Harry."

"Goodbye. Sleep tight. We'll talk to you tomorrow." I smiled.

He gave me a long look and nodded his head before he walked out and closed the door behind him. I furrowed my eyebrows. Something didn't feel right. Niall's eyes had looked so empty.

I had a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach as Louis and I got ready for bed.
"Did you notice that something is off with Niall?" I asked.

"He's probably just worried as usual." Louis shrugged.

"Of course, just... I feel there's more to it." I said.

Louis looked worried now too.
"Let's call him."

"Now?" I asked.

"Yeah, now you got me worried about the little guy." Louis pouted.

We got seated in bed and grabbed the phone. We held the phone between us while I dialed Niall's number. He didn't answer.
"He's probably asleep already." Louis said.

I sighed but put the phone away. We settled down and I tried to fall asleep but my brain kept going through the evening step by step. Niall had been quieter than usual. He always talked a lot. He actually hadn't said a thing since he asked about the hospital. Not until he said that he loved them. Why would... I flew up.
"Louis! We need to go to Niall's apartment right now and check up on him."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Louis mumbled sleepily.

"No! Lou, I think...oh God, I think he said goodbye to us earlier." I stressed. I was already out of bed and getting dressed.

Louis sat up.
"What do you mean?"

"I just know something is wrong!" I said, close to tears.

"Alright, alright. Calm down. I'm sure he's fine." Louis said but he got out of
bed and started to get dressed.