Teenage Runaway (Larry Stylinson AU)

Prologue ♥

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Louis had never given much thought about how fast one's life was able to alter. He never imagined how a visit to the supermarket could pull a family apart. He wasn't able to imagine how much pain was able to shoot through someone's heart as they watched their mother's casket get lowered into the ground. He would have never been able to imagine the numbness someone felt while everyone around them had tears in their eyes

That is, until it happened to him.

***

It was a regular Sunday afternoon. He and his mum were going to the drug store to buy some medicine, since Lou was feeling quite sickly for the past few days. His sisters were at home with their father, so it gave Louis alone time with his mum that he hasn't had in a while. He smiled lazily as the town passed by him in a warm blur as he sang along to the radio, knowing how much his mum enjoyed his singing.

One of the many things she loved about her only son.

They approached the right turn into the shopping complex, but they were both so into the song and Louis's sweet tone that neither one of them noticed the 18-wheeler driving towards them, way above the speed limit. They slowly started driving, and they didn't hear the loud honks from the frightened driver until the grill of the truck was already tearing into the driver's side, the speed of the monstrous vehicle causing the small Toyota to turn and roll, crashing into a light pole across the street.

To Louis, it all seemed to go in slow motion. One moment he was singing happily to his loving mum, the next, he was feeling unbearable pain all over his body, intense burns across his face and arms from where the glass shards cut his skin. He felt as if every turn and crush he heard and experienced was in slow motion, taking much longer than it actually did.

He groaned, wanting so badly to pass out as he felt something clamp down on his leg, causing incredible pain to rush through his numbing body. One thought echoed in his mind. Mum, are you okay?

The last thing he saw were feet running towards them through the shattered windshield, before the young boy blacked out.

~

He finally felt the numbness fading away as he slowly opened his eyes, temporarily blinded by a bright light above him. He felt something lumpy and cold under him, which he soon realized to be a mattress. He glanced around, wincing as he turned his stiff neck. How long has he been laying here? Well, where was 'here' anyways?

"Mr. Tomlinson?" He turned to the quiet voice, hoping to find his loving mother so she could tell him what happened and why he felt pain overpowering his shivering body.

He whimpered quietly, wincing again as he tried to move his arm. To his dismay, he looked down to find it in a cast. His blue eyes widened, and the poor nurse watched as the young 12 year old examined himself, tears returning to his eyes as he examined his right leg wrapped in gauze, his left in a cast much like the one on his left arm, and his right hand with stitches. He returned his attention back to the nurse who he could barely make out through his tears. His throat felt so soar, but he desperately needed to know what had happened.

"W-What...happened?" he croaked, feeling as if someone scrubbed his throat with sandpaper, leaving it sore.

"Well, you and your mother-"

"Where's my mum?!" he cried out, blushing immediately as he realized his mother had not raised him to do that. The nurse didn't mind at all, knowing that she would need to give him some news regarding his mother.