Tortured Love (One direction Fanfic)

Chapter 28

Charlotte's POV 

We were all stood facing the open vent. Our passage out of here. The truth of it all hadn't really set in yet.  

"Well" Liam shuffled forward "I guess it's now or never" he got on his hands and knees.  

"Mate, I'll be right behind you" Louis comforted. Liam nodded, still looking a little scared and I didn't blame him. We didn't know what Liam was walking into. It could just be nothing. Or it could be...something.  

Liam started in. When Liam was half way in, judging by the sound, Louis followed in next.  

"Liam? Louis?" Niall called down the shaft after a few minutes in a hushed voice, his voice bouncing through the vent.  

"Niall!" We finally heard after a minute of silence.  

"What's up there?"  

"No one's in the office. Keep it quiet coming up here, we aren't going to check the house with just the two of us" Louis replied.  

"McKenna?" Niall said, gesturing for her to go in. She nodded and went to go in but Niall pulled her in for a hug and kiss.  

"Like Louis said, I'll be right behind you" Niall assured her. She nodded, shaking a little, and he kissed her forehead.  

McKenna got on all fours and crawled into the vent.  

"What's your favourite kind of flower?" Niall called into the tunnel. He was trying to distract her which was sweet.  

"Um..." McKenna stuttered "I love roses. I think they are really romantic" 

Niall chuckled "I'll keep that in mind" 

McKenna coughed "it's really dusty down here" 

"McKenna, are you almost there?" 

"Yes...I can see a hand" she replied and I heard soft grunts as they helped her up. Niall followed in and he struggled a little more with his bad leg, but eventually made it too.  

"Alright, next!" Louis said.  

"Charlotte?" Harry gestured for me to go in.  

"Could you maybe go in first?" I asked, my fear spiking "this way, I'll have something to look forward to at the end" 

Harry smiles, sympathetically "alright, love" he kissed me and I savoured the feeling.  

"We will see each other in only a few minutes" Harry assured me.  

"I know. I love you" I told him, bulking up the courage to let go.  

"I love you too" he kissed me once last time and got into the vent.  

I heard Zayn suck in a shocked breath and muttered "can't believe I forgot it" under his breath.  

"Forgot what?" I asked.  

"My ring" Zayn shook his head "my grandfather gave it to me" 

"Where is it?" 

"Next to the sink" Zayn replied. 

"Go get it. I'll be fine alone for a few seconds" I told him. He seemed hesitant.  

"Zayn, go get it" he nodded and ran up the stairs quite fast. Judging by the footsteps, Zayn got the ring and ran back down the stairs.  

"Okay now we can-" he was cut off when Zayn took a nose dive and tumbled down the stairs. I rushed forward but it was too late, he had already hit the cement, quite hard.