Downfall [Punk Niall Horan]

5

Drip. Drip. Drip.

My eyes clenched shut, and I tried to shake the haunting sound away. Some kind of liquid dripped down the side of my face and trailed down my neck, and I hastily tried to shake it off. A pounding sounded in my head, and I knew that was the sign of a massive headache coming on. My mouth tasted like it had been washed out with acid. Everything hurt terribly, like I had gone through a ringer of death.

My brain was a completely hazy, and I couldn't remember when I had fell asleep, or where for that matter. All I could remember through the fogginess was I was in the garden with Niall after my mother slapped me, and-. And a fire..The fire..The stranger restricting me..The cloth. My childhood house, and the White House, burning to ashes.

My parents.

Immediately I shot up, regretting it instantly. A violent pain shot throughout my whole body, and it shook me until I felt like I was going to throw up my internal organs. Hesitantly, I layed back down onto the old mattress. Wait, what? I had a huge TemperPedic mattress, and it most definitely didn't smell like mothballs. Instantly, I sat back up again. The pain was a little less severe, but it hurt a whole lot nonetheless.

"You might wanna take it easy, mate," someone piped up beside me. A male who I did not recognize, but he sounded friendly. Why did he sound friendly? My eyes darted over to find a boy with slightly curly, blonde hair and bluish green eyes. A huge smile was plastered on his face, and he had a Celebrity Gossip Magazine in his hands. "Hiya," he grinned widely, obviously speaking to me. My eyes literally bulged from my head and I screamed a throat ripping scream.

Stuttering off the bed, I grabbed the nearest weapon I could find. And that happened to be a lamp. It was a lot heavier than I thought it would be, but I managed to haul it over my head. This was obviously not my room and not a dream, judging by the way my muscles screamed in protest. I hobbled over to the friendly stranger, weapon raised.

"He said you were feisty, but I didn't think you'd be crazy," he muttered giddily, mostly to himself. A scoff fell from my lips as I closed in on him. Suddenly I felt the need to be sassy and not throw the lamp at him before I could set him straight. This stranger had no right to call me crazy, and who told him I was feisty?

"Says the one who is freaking reading a Celebrity Gossip Magazine by an unconscious, kidnapped girls bed! Which isn't even my bed!" I screamed angrily, getting ready to throw the heavy lamp. He raised his hands in surrender and quirked an eyebrow. Why this made me not throw the lamp at him right away, I didn't know.

"Hey! I can't help that Tay-Tay catches my attention!" He said defensively, frowning a little. I dropped the lamp down a bit at his hurt face and looked at him incredulously. "What are you 12?" I scoffed loudly, aiming the lamp at his face. The stranger only shrugged, and took a step towards me. I reared the lamp back over my shoulder, daring him to come any closer with my eyes.

"No, I'm Ashton." He smiled happily, then extended his hand. I stared down at his hand wildly and had half the mind to break the lamp over it. Ashton noticed and replaced his hand back in his pocket with a little giggle. "Pleased to meet you, mate. I believe we're going to be good pals," Ashton announced excitedly, to which I narrowed my eyes at him. Still, I felt unsafe even though he seemed slightly harmless. I took in his toddler smile, and black attire. He could be a killer, my subconscious reminded me. "Not likely," I grumbled. "I'm not friends with strangers who sit by an unconscious, kidnapped girls bed reading a Celebrity Gossip Magazine for Taylor Swift!" I yelled wildly, about to throw the lamp at him for real this time.

Just as I was raising my lamp again and Ashton was shielding his face from the impact, the door flew open to reveal yet another stranger prancing in with long black skinny-Jean clad legs. His blue eyes took in Ashton standing in the corner shielding his face, and me probably crazy-eyed, standing over him with a lamp. My eyes snapped over to him, readying myself to protect myself against him as well, and I forgot about Ashton momentarily.