Magic (Niall)

16: Stand Up

*~Maddie~* 

No one had a clue where I was, and though I'd hate to admit it, I liked it that way. The blood that was in my room wasn't much- just paint, actually. I wondered if they'd actually fallen for that? It wasn't very convincing, but I'd like to think they were too frantic to really note the details of it all. I knew they would be out looking for me, which was why I had to keep moving. I needed a break from it all.

My memory was slowly but surely coming back on its own when I was back at the house, but the process stopped abruptly when I left, with the little that I had gained being all I had to lean on. Right then, I was sitting in an alleyway, trying to focus on digging through my mind to get those memories back. I still didn't have a clue what, exactly, had happened to my mother- I knew she had died in a car crash, but I couldn't remember anything else about her and it was scaring me half to death. I didn't remember what my dad looked like, nothing. The only people I really knew after that little incident was One Direction and my sisters. I remember, at one point, that Danielle and Eleanor came over, and that one girl named Perrie. Talking about a house . . ?

It was dark out, so I doubted anyone would be looking for me at this time of night. Even if they were, they wouldn't be able to see me. I knew that if one of them found me they would send me some place meant for crazy people. I wasn't crazy, just, currently, mentally troubled and my current situation was futile for my state, and therefore under no circumstances should I be sent anywhere, on the off chance that they actually found me. I would come back in a week or two, I was sure.

I had been eating meager snacks that I had stored in my room before I had left, I still had a bunch left but it wouldn't last me long- I was barreling through those snacks quickly, and estimated that I barely had three days before I ran out and was forced to go back home. I had a feeling it wasn't just the lack of food that would eventually force me to return. I don't want to go back, though. That's my problem.

One of them probably got hold of the police, assuming that they figured out that I left in the first place. Either that or they went searching themselves. It was in vain, but I was hoping one of them was searching for me, giving me a reason to go back. I was highly at war with myself. To go back, or not to go back?

Colds were not fun, especially in my condition. I had a sunburn: I unfortunately chose the only four sunny days strung together in forever. So, sunburned, a cold, my food rations running out. I was trying to dismiss reasons to go back, but it wasn't particularly easy. Jeez, I thought, I should probably just go back now, before I catch the flu or something. But, no. Of course not. My stubborn self wouldn't take this as an adequate reason to go back. Of course.

It was dark out, with very little light. The moon was nonexistent, and the stars were dim. It must've been extremely late, because no one had their lights on. To think! I chose the best time, didn't I?

I leaned against the wall of the alley I was in, along the outskirts of town. I figured I may as well try to sleep, as I hadn't slept even a few minutes in the course of two days. Then, tomorrow, I figured I could venture home before I broke a limb. Sighing, I realized that I wouldn't be able to sleep with plans to do something the following day that I could do right now. And Jacob, Aidan, and Dilly were coming soon! With my blanket! I wanted my blanket . . . As baby-ish as that was, my dad used to like having the house on 90 degrees below freezing(Fahrenheit), so I preferred walking around with that. And I forgot to pack it!

Swiping my hands along my jeans, I stood up. It was dark, but I packed a flashlight. This was it, I was gonna go back. I wondered what the others were thinking, what they were doing. If they even cared. Why would they care about me? It didn't make much sense to me, because I was just me, the girl who ate grass when she was eight and is too stubborn for her own good, most of the time. If they wanted to care about me, they could, but I would not let it pass without good reason!

So I started the trek home, making sure to hurry. I didn't like the dark much, but that was why I brought the flashlight. It didn't stop me from feeling as if someone was being me, watching my every move. I ignored my fear, and didn't look being me. It's a basic rule in the game of Slender! Don't look behind you, ever. You'll get attacked and then Slender will eat your soul. I doubted that would happen any time soon, but still.

There were a lot of cars on the street that night, too many to count. It was dark, but the cars had their lights on, so the street was lit up. The streetlights didn't help much to illuminate it, as they were dimly lit. I waited for the signal for the cars to stop and the people to go, just me and this one dude who looked exhausted, and vaguely familiar. Some YouTuber, I guessed.

We crossed the street, but someone must've been drunk, or didn't see the rest of the cars stop, or just plain irresponsible. It was all in slow motion, and that dude no longer looked exhausted throughout it all. I felt the impact of the car and fell to the ground. I saw ruins around me as I fell, no longer able to hold on to my consciousness.

*~Liam~*

I sat on the couch with Louis and Megan with me. We were just watching the news, boring news. Megan insisted, though, and wouldn't let Louis or me go anywhere.

"A car accident around midnight last night caused a devastating loss of life and limb for many. A drunk driver didn't pause at a stoplight, therefore causing six other cars to be involved in the crash. Three lives were lost, including the driver. Twelve others are in critical condition at the hospital," the news anchor stated, "Two pedestrians crossing the street late last night are included in those in critical condition: A man and one of the girls who now lives with famous boy-band One Direction, whom we believe to be either Madison or Riley."

I leaped off the couch in unison with Megan and Louis, and immediately turned the television off. "Mayday, mayday, mayday!" Louis called out, causing everyone to stomp down the stairs. Louis had recently picked up a habit of calling that whenever something bad just happened, and our curiosity often got the better of us.

"What's up, Louis? What happened?" Zayn asked hurriedly.

"It's Maddie," I piped. "She's at the hospital. It was on the news. A car crash! We need to hurry. Fetch Luke, Niall!"

Niall refused to do this, so Harry took it up. He rang him and demanded that Luke come over immediately, for there was news about Maddie. Niall didn't look too happy, but we didn't have a choice but to bring Luke along.

He was over in a matter of minutes with his car. Not all of us would fit in his, so we took the largest car we had, and it was still extremely cramped there. We didn't care, we needed to get to that hospital, and fast!

* * *

"Maddie, get up, please!" Niall cried hysterically. Luke hadn't gotten to see her, for he had to get to his new job. He no longer volunteered at the hospital, but rather worked at some restaurant. He and I were the only one's currently in the room, since only two were permitted at a time. Niall wanted to go first.

"She's in a coma, Niall, she's not going to get up," I choked, forcing the words out of my mouth. He slumped down in a chair in the corner of the room.

"Am I allowed to stay here for forever? I'll book a room at the hotel nearby if I can't, but I'm not leaving her side until visiting hours are over," he said, stubbornly.

"I don't think you're allowed to stay here forever, Niall," I replied, smiling sadly. Niall's face dropped as he glanced at Maddie: She didn't look good, sickly and broken.

Suddenly, Niall looked determined. "Fine. But the only things I'm doing from now on until tour are eat, sleep, and sit here next to Maddie. I wouldn't even go on tour if I didn't have to. Eight months!"

"El,  Dani, Meg, are here though. They'll Skype us the second Maddie wakes up." I purposely didn't mention Luke, and for a good reason. Niall really didn't like him much, for pretty obvious reasons.

"We'll see," Niall grumbled.