The Bagman's Direction

Chapter 49

I had woken up from my trauma-induced sleep as Harry stopped the car at the foot of our cabin. I rapidly blinked as if to keep myself awake, looking around the van to see what I had missed. I was sorely disappointed. Harry hauled a sigh as he shifted in his seat to face us. His face dropped when he saw what I saw.

Sarah was covered in a clean white sheet and her body had rolled to face the west. Tara wasn't holding her hand anymore but had a switched sides so she could rest against Maria's shoulder. She had stopped crying, she had probably dehydrated herself. Her eyes looked more sore than her wrists.

"When did...?"

"Ten minutes ago" Maria bluntly answered Harry. "We said it, so don't worry"

"Okay"

I couldn't breathe in there. I slammed open the van doors and stumbled outside. I hurriedly inhaled as if I had never tasted air before and let out a shaky exhale. I bent over and grabbed my knees, my breathing only getting worse. People dying wasn't my forte.

Harry clambered out of the van and I thought he was coming to comfort me but instead he helped Nicholas help the girls out of the van. Liam followed him, rubbing Maria's back in sympathy.

"Maria, I'm so sorry but I need you and Tara to move the body to around the back. We bury her today" Harry stated.

Maria nodded but before she could proceed with her lover we heard the front door open. Niall and Fetch slowly descended from the house and onto the lawn. They looked concerned and I guess they had every right to be.

"You're early... And you look like you've seen a ghost... What happened? Where's the President?" Niall enquired.

He adjusted his glasses as if that'd help clarify the situation for him.

"Where's Sarah?" Fetch frowned.

They were so clueless and it broke my heart.

Liam rushed over stopping them from coming any further. They fought him for a second, shouting obscenities at his obscene actions.

"Look before you look in the van you have to know that it's what she wanted and that she loved you. God she loved you so much and she loved us too and she wouldn't want you to be mad at us because she knows we have to look after you now, it's all up to us. Fetch, I'm so sorry but please just don't lose your mind and-"

"What are you going on about?" Fetch nervously laughed but I could tell they feared the worst. 

Fetch defiantly pushed passed Liam and hurried to the van. Tara started to cry again and turned to rest her face against Maria's chest, hoping it would stop her tears. I stood back as Fetch gazed over the sheet and went pale.

"Please tell me that is the President and not my sister"

We all remained silent. Niall had come to examine the situation too and upon seeing the sight put a hand on Fetch's shoulder. They angrily shook him off, their hands rising to cover their gaping mouth.

"Please tell me that is not my sister!" Fetch repeated, coming out muffled through their hands.

Tara and Maria began to move the body from the van and when Sarah rested in their arms, Fetch impatiently  peeled the sheet from her face.  Fetch fell back, a loud yelp of horror escaping their lips as they came to their knees. Their hands came back to their mouth as they started to violently sob.

I couldn't describe what I felt. Maybe I felt torn, twisted, broken. Maybe I felt wrong, guilty, overwhelmed. Maybe it should've been me instead of the little one's twin. Fetch had just lost a piece of herself. They grew up together, they were best-friends as well as twins, they rarely spent time apart and now there was only one. I would much rather I had died than Sarah for Fetch's sake. It then dawned on me that it was all my fault.

I watched as Fetch convulsed and Liam tried to console them. Harry began barking orders, telling Tara and Maria to get Sarah's body around the back, Liam was to dispose of the van and weapons, Sarah was meant to deal with the online or televised publicity of the event but the job was passed on to Niall who probably had no idea exactly what to do. Harry just kept rambling, yelling at everyone things that nobody could really understand. When he started screaming, I started walking. After a while he went to give me orders but I was far away.

I was still in the clearing but I was heading to the forest and I was almost at the brink of it. My arms were crossed as if I was cold but really I was sweating. I was crying again and close to puking.

"Louis!" He called out.

I flinched at my name but didn't stop moving. I had to break away. It wasn't until the second time I felt compelled to stop. I turned around and stared at him. I had gathered quite an audience. Everyone was there, huddled around Harry. Tara and Maria had returned from putting Sarah with the daisies and Fetch had slowly stood up. Everyone was confused about my actions and they were waiting for an explanation.

"It was him, Harry. It was Sparrow" I cried.

They tried to make sense of my words but needed a bigger bite of the apple.

"I should've told you. I don't know why I didn't tell you. Fuck, if I had told you that the man from the bathroom was Sparrow maybe we wouldn't have been in this mess! I should've told you because just yesterday he was telling me he knew about our plans and I still kept it a secret. He set us up and now Sarah is dead because of me!"

"It's not your fault" Harry shouted. "Don't you dare say it is"

"I guess I didn't think he was a problem or I was worried you'd be jealous or mad. I don't know, I just don't know anymore but I should've told you. I should've warned you, at least, that something would go wrong" I shook my head, beginning to slowly sneak back to them.

"Louis, you told us time and time again that it'd blow up in our faces. It's not your fault but mine. I should've listened to you. I should've listened to you especially when you said the President knew who I was. I was such an idiot to soldier in there and expect everything to be perfect. We weren't prepared and I ruined it. Sarah's death is on me if anything" Harry explained.

"Sparrow...  He knows everything about me. We shared so much. I thought he loved me until... Harry, he would know where to find me... Even worse he knows my family and he'd know where to find them. He was the best tracker in the mafia and he will stop at nothing to ruin me. I don't know what I ever did to him but he sure hates me... He's coming after me. I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead" I panicked.

I stopped a couple of metres away from the anxious group who relied on Harry to speak. Fetch was shaking from their loss and I was from my fear.

"He's not coming after you, Lou or your family. I won't let him" Harry insisted.

"You won't let him?" I questioned.

"If he so much lays a finger on you, he'll have me to answer to. I dont let people hurt those I love especially not the one I'm in love with" Harry growled.

"You're in love with me?"

"Yes"

"Okay"

I looked into his eyes and I couldn't tell if I felt scared or safe.

"Let's get out of here" He said.

He walked over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I cowered into his body, still traumatised by the day's events.

"Fetch, you can handle the burial. I don't know when we'll be back so don't wait for us" Harry informed them.

Fetch weakly nodded. I could not leave without a sign of affection and so I gave them a kiss on the cheek and whispered an apology.

Harry lead me to the motorbike and when I got on and held onto him all I could think about is how glad I was that Sparrow's prediction was wrong. It wasn't Harry who died.