Sweet Dangers

White

Harry stepped back and let the guys in. I fumbled with the sleeve of one of the coats, chewing on my own split lip. I could feel the gash open and tasted blood, but I didn’t stop. I was too nervous.

“What bring you guys here?” Harry asks, trying to act calm. He leans against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. He winces as a bruise on his arm presses against the wall.

“Nice piece of shit you got here,” Snake Tattoo said, looking over the apartment with disgust. “Next time you buy from me, don’t let a spare key fall out of the car,” he says, pulling a key from his pocket.

“Next time!” Harry mutters, rolling his eyes.

“So where’s your boyfriend?” Snake Tattoo asks and I see Harry go rigid. Snake Tattoo laughs, a terrible sound that makes my ears hurt. “Oh please, we had been watching you almost the entire time you were there. Just waiting for you to get drunk and not be able to resist. So where is he, hmm? I know he must be here,” he cooed.

Harry’s fist balled up and I silently begged for him not to do anything stupid. “He’s not here,” Harry spat, only a fraction of his anger from earlier bubbling its way to the surface.

“Oh really?” Snake Tattoo pressed. “Who were you talking to then? Right before you opened the door? I heard yours and his voices, these walls aren’t exactly thick. It’s a shit hole.”

“Must have been the TV,” Harry says, gesturing towards it.

“I don’t think so,” Snake Tattoo spat, bitterly. He turned to his friend, the one whom had made my body ache when I stood. “Check everywhere. I have a feeling he won’t cooperate unless we have some leverage.”

“Cooperate with what?” Harry asked, curious, but the Follower just passed the closet and went into the bedroom. I could hear things crashing in there, things being thrown. “Please don’t!” Harry cried. “C’mon guys, what’s the point in this? I paid for that!” the crashing stopped and the Follower came out.

“Not in the bedroom,” he said. Snake Tattoo was guarding the door, making sure Harry didn’t try to run for it. I really hoped Harry would get a chance to run, no matter what happened to me.

“Check the bathroom next,” Snake Tattoo ordered and the Follower nodded and poked his head inside. He reached in and I heard him shove aside the curtains.

“Nope.”

“Check the closet.”

I backed up into the corner, shivering. I was so scared, confused, and the apartment was bloody freezing! I pushed as many coats and shoes between me and the door as possible. My vision was blocked, but I could still hear.

“Why’d you get all tense, Styles? Something in there you don’t want us to find?” he purred.

The closet door opened, and I heard the Follower grunt as he tried to push aside the mass of coats and clothing. I thought I was safe, he wasn’t going to try to get through, but his hand shot from in between two coats and grabbed the front of my t-shirt. I jerked backward, automatically, and ran into the wall, hiding my head hard. I began to sink to the ground, head throbbing, but the Follower still had a grip of my t-shirt and just yanked me up off the ground.

“Found ‘em!” he cried triumphantly as he yanked me out of the closet. I stumbled as he pulled me out.

“Did you honestly think you could hide him?” Snake Tattoo asked, laughing. Harry’s face was red with anger, but he had his lips pressed tightly together in a thin white line. I had never seen him so angry.

“Get. Out.” Harry ordered through gritted teeth.

“But we need your help,” Snake Tattoo, said. “You could at least listen to what we need your help with.”