1D • Stories

Louis ~ Paralysed

Louis's POV
I couldn't move. My body was weak and exhausted. I had collapsed onto floor of our dressing room. I needed help. I mustered all the energy I had to shout:
"Paul!"

"Louis, I need you to... Louis?" Paul asked, before I heard him coming over to me. "Are you alright?" He asked as he knelt beside me and put his hand onto my side.
I tired to speak, but my body refused to. I moved my head a little, but no words came out.
"Talk to me Louis. Are you in pain?" Paul asked me.
"Urh," Was all I could manage to say before I moved my head and my hand slightly.
"If this is a joke, I need you to stop it now. You're on stage in 5 minutes," Paul said, but this really wasn't a joke.
"Louis!" Niall called before he came into the room. I moved my head and swallowed, as it was all that I was able to do. "What's he doing?"
"I don't know. But he's not talking to me."
"Louis, get up," Niall said as he kicked me. "We've got a show to do."
I moved as much as I could, and I tried to speak. But something was badly wrong.
"Louis?"
"Can we get the medic?" Paul asked as he put his fingers to my neck.
"This is serious?" Niall asked as they started taking me seriously.
"It seems to be."
"Louis, can you hear me?" Niall asked as he took my hand. I tried to squeeze his hand, but I unable to.
"Louis, talk to us."

I then passed out, and came round some time later.
"How long until the ambulance gets here."
"10 minutes."
"What could have caused this? He was fine 15 minutes ago," Liam said.
"I don't know."
"He wasn't just unconscious, he was moving," Niall added.
"...wrong," I forced myself to say.
"Louis?"
"What's wrong?" Paul asked, and I had to really work to get my words out.
"... ... ing's wrong."
"What's wrong?" Niall asked me, and I could feel that he still had his hand in mine.
"...ong," I managed to say before I tried to move, but only my head made any movements.
"I'm seriously worried Paul."
"Can you say anything else Louis?" Harry asked as I felt his hand on my shoulder.
"...ong," I said again, unable to form any other words.
"Can you move your body at all Louis?" Liam asked, and I tried hard, but nothing happened. Instead, breathing became harder.
"We need that ambulance."
"Stay with us Louis," Niall and Harry said seriously.

The world faded out again before I came to. There was screaming around me and my body was fixed. I was loaded into something before the doors were closed. There were sirens and lots of noise: before everything went quiet.

At The Hospital

"How is he doing?" I heard Niall ask.
"He's responding to the medication well. We're hopeful that he will wake up soon."
"So, he's just asleep at the moment?"
"Yes."
"It's an improvement from yesterday."
"It was scary."
"Very scary. Louis couldn't move, at least not very much."
"Or talk."
"He managed to say that's something's wrong."
"We know that Harry."
"... Ni, all," I said and I felt him squeeze my hand.
"Louis. Hey, are you ok?"
"What... happened?"
"You got something... I'll let the doctor say it."
"It was an infection. It's hard to pronounce, but it almost paralysed you Louis," Harry told me gently.
"I... know. Could... hear."
"You were conscious?"
"Yes."
"We were very lucky that you were only partly paralysed. People have died because of this injection, they were unable to breathe."
"It was... scary."
"It was scary for all us."
"I wasn't... joking."
"No."
"We got you help Louis."
"Thank you," I told them before I relaxed.
"You're being given medication, so you should improve."
"Have I been... been here overnight?"
"You have."
"Ok," I said, and I went quiet.

A few moments passed before the boys spoke again.
"We should let him sleep."
"I'll stay with Louis."
"Ok. We'll get you some food Zayn."
"Thanks guys," Zayn said, and I heard 3 pairs of footsteps leaving.

~

The day and next night passed. The boys swapped with each other, but I was never alone. I rested and didn't talk to them during this time, but I was beyond grateful for their company. It was with Liam that I finally decided to speak.
"Hey."
"Louis. Are you ok?"
"Yeah. I've been resting."
"You're sounding a lot better."
"I am a lot better."
"Good. The doctor's been worried."
"I heard."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I needed to rest. What time is it?"
"6am. Hospital rounds start in 3 hours."
"I will be awake for then."
"Good," Liam said, and I fell back asleep.

In The Hotel

I was discharged 6 hours later and I sat in the hotel with the boys watching a movie. I still couldn't believe that I had been awake but paralysed just before a show. They had thought that I had been joking. What does that say about my character? I would never do anything to worry the boys, but if they thought...
"Louis?" Liam asked and I realised that the movie had been paused. "Are you ok?" He asked, and I looked at him with tears in my eyes.
"You stayed with me round the cloud, but I..."
"Hey. Louis, it's ok," Niall reassured me. "You needed our help."
"If I didn't mess around in the first place, you wouldn't think that... I had been pretending."
"Oh Louis."
"What does it say about me if I was on the ground, and you thought it was a joke?"
"Give us some space," Niall said, and I watched as the other boys left as tears flowed down my face. "Louis. We love you, and we love to mess around. I came looking for a laugh when we have 3 minutes to get on stage and you were missing. But Paul knew that something was wrong and I knew too when you could only move your head and your hand. You didn't speak to us."
"You thought I was pretending Niall."
"I did. But most times, you are. But that is nothing to be ashamed about. It's what makes us love you Louis," Niall said and a warm sensation filled my heart. "But once we knew that something was wrong, and it was serious. We helped you, no questions asked."
"And next time? If I keep crying wolf, you might not help me."
"We might not. You draw the line in the sand very well Louis, and as long as you don't cross it: we'll know when you need help. Don't lose your spark because Paul and I hesitated. Please," Niall said and I looked at him. Tears were welling up in Niall's eyes, and my heart broke in two.
"I won't."
"I love you Louis," Niall said, and he hugged me.
"Thank you for helping me. You all stayed with me, and I wish that I had told you sooner."
"You're recovering. It's ok Louis."
"Thank you. Thank you to all of you boys."
"Boys!" Niall shouted and I laughed as they all came in.
"Are you ok Louis?"
"Why are you crying Niall?"
"We've had a heart to heart," Niall told them.
"Really?"
"Yeah," Niall said, and the boys sat around me.
"Are you ok Louis?"
"Yeah. I'm really sorry that you had to find me like that. Niall and Paul..."
"It's ok. We've talked it over," Niall finished for me.
"I wanted to say thank you," I said before any of the other boys could interrupt me. "For staying with me in the hospital. I love you all."
"We love you too Louis."
"We're so glad that you're ok."
"Very glad."
"Can you finish the movie now?" Harry asked, and we all looked over at him. "I want to know how it ends."
"Louis?" Zayn asked me and I smiled.
"Sure."

Niall snuggled into my chest as we watched the end of the movie. I fell sleep as the credits were rolling, and I knew that all of the boys loved and cared about me. I wouldn't let my sense of humour stop because of an infection. As long as I had a line in the sand, the boys would help me when I really needed it ❤️.