Thou Shall Not Fall

Chapter 23

As soon as my legs could move I sprinted across the yard and onto the front porch. I reached to open the door, but the handle singed my hand. I cried out in pain as the hot metal burned my skin. I banged on the door, trying my best to open it but it was no use. I began running back to my car so I could retrieve my phone and call the fire department, but before I could reach my car I heard a loud bang from behind me.

I turned around to see Zayn and Niall carrying out Paul, my mouth fell open when I saw how badly burned Paul was, almost his whole body was black, and he was barely recognizable. I ran over to them and helped them sit Paul on the grass. I looked back up at the two of them in a panic.

“What happened?” I said breathlessly.

Zayn ran his fingers through his hair, his eyes not leaving Paul’s burned body once. Niall’s face was stained in bloody red tears as he looked back at the house.

“WHAT HAPPENED?” I yelled. “Where’s Harry?”

“Louis and Liam went back for him; he was in the basement when it happened. Someone soaked the basement in gasoline and let Caleb out.” Zayn said panicked.

I looked back at the house. My stomach churned as I realized Harry was still inside. My heart began to race and I could hear my blood pumping through my ears. My face was hot and I couldn’t hear anything. Zayn and Niall just kept talking but I couldn’t hear a thing they said. I couldn’t focus on anything but the burning house, and the fact that Harry was still inside…

Suddenly there was a huge explosion and all the windows in the house shattered. I could smell the burning wood and I could feel the heat on my skin. Before I knew it I was back on my feet and sprinting towards the house, but suddenly strong arms were holding me back. Niall had me by my waist and I did my best to fight against him. But I’m a human and he’s a vampire, it was like a teddy bear wrestling a lion, I had no chance of escaping…

“Sam, you can’t go in there, you’ll die.” Niall yelled.

“Niall! Get the fuck off me! Harry!” I struggled against him and eventually broke down in tears. My chest began to ache, and the yard began to spin, I felt like I couldn’t breathe and that I was going to die any moment. I didn’t know why I was reacting this way, but I can’t just let Harry die.

Suddenly three figures burst through the front door. Louis and Liam had each of Harry’s arms slung over their shoulders. They dropped him in the front yard and as soon as they did Niall let me go. I ran over to where Harry laid on the ground. His eyes were shut as he screamed in pain. The whole left side of his body was badly burned. His skin was stained black from the smoke and he had blisters all over his face. I held his head in my lap and stroked his hair as he cried. He looked up to me in a panic.

“Paul, check on Paul.” He cried.

I nodded at him before walking over to Paul’s body. Louis was sitting next to him on the grass and held his hand in his. Liam stayed by Harry but tears were in his eyes as he stared at Paul. Zayn had his arm wrapped around Niall’s shoulder as he cried looking at their burned friend. I sat down next to Louis and grabbed his free hand. He smiled weakly at me before looking back at Paul, whose eyes were slowly beginning to open.

“Hey you big oaf.” Louis smiled.

“Hey.” Paul croaked.

His breathing was jagged and his voice was barely audible. He kept taking sharp inhales, and you could tell he was in pain. Zayn knelt down on the other side of him. He turned into his other face, the one with the black eyes and the fangs. The one I heard the boys refer to as their “true face”. He ripped the flesh of his skin with his fangs and held it out to Paul. Paul shook his head violently and coughed as he attempted to speak.