redemption: harry styles

Chapter Fifty One

One by one people are screaming next to me-crack!-and dropping, getting wrestled to the ground. Screaming, screaming. Everyone screaming

                                               [l.o]

-:-:-:-

"Hello?" I hissed again and the muffled groan sounded once more, this time much closer. I moved toward the deep sound as quietly as I could. My feet shuffled across the cold cement floor and dust rose into the air, clogging my nostrils. The air was damp, I had to swallow repetitively to keep myself from coughing and being heard.

My heart pounded like never before. I was afraid it was going to burst out of my chest and tried to control my breath. Exhaling slowly, but I couldn't. I needed proper oxygen instead of dust and kept going. The smell of mold and dirt on the walls were strong, making me cringe. I need air, I need to leave.

The silhouette, slumped on the chair, lightened as the candle flickered, and it was then I recognized the face.

His hair looked damp--sweaty, probably because of the amount of heat in the room--and messy. Shirtless and dirty. Something dark oozed out of his temple and ran down his defined jaw, and things looked like blotches--bruises--over his skin.

I swallowed back a gasp but the man still heard me and regarded me with solemn, pained eyes.

"Liam?"

His head lolled to the side and his arms flexed as his hands struggled to untie themselves, pulling the rope limply. He opened his mouth to call out to me, stopped, and groaned in annoyance as something shuffled to the side, and slumped.

"Ah, Evelyn?" A voice hissed through the shadows. "You're not supposed to be on this side. Oh," it chuckled, "that's ironic." It was a man's voice. I can hear it rumbling through his chest and sense a smile--but it wasn't the man from yesterday. It couldn't be.

I froze and despite my lungs screaming for oxygen, I held my breath. They knew I was here, even though the place was pitch black with the exception of the candle at the side of the room. It didn't even illuminate a strand of hair on me.

An ice-cold hand pulled me into a chest, and I tried to jerk away and jab them in the stomach with my elbow but there was a hand clamped over my gasping mouth, gripping something that stunk like chemicals. I thrashed about and heard a groan as I hit the person on the shoulder, flailing like a madman, but they grabbed me again, hard.

I heard the voice saying something about how it was my fault before I went out.

13 HOURS AGO

"Be carful, tonight." Harry rested his elbows at the edge of the balcony. "Don't forget curfew."

"Yeah, I know. What am I going to do at night, anyway?" I kicked a piece of glass off of the balcony. "This is your fault, you know; the curfew." I smiled jokingly and he shrugged.

"It's alright, I'll be out of the city soon," he said and gazed out into the dark.

I stared at the sky. It got darker and if you strained your eyes you can make out the tiny stars, not that they were tiny in reality. "How would they know you're gone?" I asked just out of curiosity. Fortunately, I didn't feel tired. I knew it was still a few hours before I went to bed but I knew all thoughts that I will dwell on tonight, will prevent me from sleeping. Fuuuuuuck.

Harry bit his lip. "I'll make sure to leave a little message, just don't worry."

Don't worry; never mind; just leave it; trust me--all he said to me today to change subjects and prevent conversation.