Endure and Survive | Larry Stylinson

chapter one

SUMMER

"Guess what? We're shitty people, Joel. It's been that way for a long time." – Tess

"I think that's all of them." Liam evens out his breath as he tugs on his knife, the blade dug deep into a goon's throat.

"Wait, just—" Harry pressed his arm further against another man's throat, his arms flailing around to try and grab onto at least one of Harry's limbs before his lungs gave out. The man goes limp into Harry's arms and the latter drops him to the ground, "I can't believe we've been through this just because of those guns."

"Don't act like they're not important." They are, Harry realizes because a few days before, Harry's practically dead without ration cards. And without guns to sell, there's no ration cards.

The two walks and ducks down behind two crates pushed together, their eyes peeking out every second. "Oh, there's still so many." Liam says with pursed lips, Too soon, "I thought we had them all."

"Where the fuck is Cal?" Harry informs, ignores the stupid remarks the man is making, "That son of a bitch."

"There's his office, on the far right." Liam becomes an open map, "He must've run in there. Come on."

It's a wharf area, and there are guards working for Cal scattered all around. At the very end is the office, with a blinking light at the top of its door. It's not an easy job, taking out the left men standing with their guns. They make every shot and hit count, stealing the men's own ammo to fill their own back at their apartment.

"Come on. He must have heard us." Liam swears under his breath. They enter the door, and as soon as Harry shivs the door open, Cal shoots and misses, the bullet bouncing off to the metal of the doorframe. They're both quick, standing and using the wall at either side of the door as protection.

"Get back!" Cal calls for desperation.

"We just want to talk." Harry shoots Liam a look, because that's partially true. He also wants to kill him.

"Like hell we are!" Cal continuously shoots as Liam tries to take a peek, but misses horribly. As Harry hears that familiar click of the gun, signing as the lack of ammo, both of them spring from the wall. Cal takes off and runs off from his office through another door.

Harry kicks the door open and it leads through an alley. Harry pumps his legs faster, teeth gritting. Liam follows behind him as they both run after Cal. The man enters a building, and jumps out through a window and out to another alley. Harry loses him for a second; going through another doorway but Liam calls him out, "Idiot, this way!" Alright, Jesus.

Harry curses and follows Liam out, vaulting out the window where Cal had passed through. Finally, they catch a man, trying to pry open a tall metal fence with the other side of the alley trashed with bins, plastic bags and boxes.

"Hey." Harry greets, watching as the man struggles even further and snaps around in Harry's voice.

"Harry. Liam." Cal takes a deep breath, "Hey. How are you doing?"

Liam picks up a scattered metal rod as Harry chuckles out a response. Cal tries to run past them but Liam uses a great force to hit his kneecaps, making the man fall to the ground on his chest because of the impact.

Liam drops the rod and crosses his arms, "Where are the guns?"

"L-L-Look, I—" Cal stammers, struggling to find the right words not to enrage the two even more, "You have to hear me out on this—"