Saving Mattie (nh)

Chapter 20: I Love You

*Niall's POV: Continued*

A male police officer snatched the phone from my hand, promptly turning off the speakerphone. I wanted to snatch it back, turn on the speaker. I had to know where she was too.

"Can you give us the location?" he asked, his steely grey eyes flashing up to me. I wanted to begin biting my nails again, but if I did it any more I knew they'd bleed.

I heard mumbling on the other end of the line, and the police officer's eyes widened. "She's there? That can't be right, those are flats."

I felt like I'd been dunked in ice water. She was in a complex, with her mother. There was only one place her mum would know well enough to sneak Mattie into.

"Sir!" I said, latching onto his arm. "I think I know where she is."

He turned to me, his eyes dead serious. "Are you sure?"

I nodded, my eyes wide. He studied me for a few moments, before sighing. "Sorry sir, but this is police business." he said, shaking my hand off. "Go back inside, we'll handle this."

I felt angry. I knew where she was, but he didn't trust me? That little prick.

He turned away, and gestured for the other police officers to follow him down the stairs and our the front door. He muttered something to the dispatcher, before hanging up, and handing the phone back to me. "Stay here sir. We'll call you once we find her," and he took off down the stairs.

I was in disbelief. They went to find Mattie, and thought I'd stay behind?

The other officers shot me sympathetic glances, before following him down the stairs. This was absurd. They were absurd. Thinking I'd stay behind while they swooped in and saved my girl?

I opened my door and leaned to the coatrack. Grabbing my slicker and a beanie, I took off down the stairs, following them.

They thought wrong. I'm going to help save Mattie.

***

*Mattie's POV*

I awoke in a daze. I couldn't breath. Every time I tried my chest would spasm, and send flames of pain all over my torso.

I was lucky to have that drink. I was able to lick my lips, and keep my tongue moist without difficulty. At this point, that's all I could think of. It was too hard to focus on anything else.

I wanted to shift, roll over but the pain kept me still. It swaddled my entire being in heat, pulsing, shifting whenever I did. I felt like I ha been dunked in acid, seeping into me veins, coursing in through my bones. I wanted to scream, but rather than waste my precious energy, I just gnawed on my fat, split lip.

I felt sticky. My head was pounding, but I could feel something sticky gluing my head to the floor. I needed to move, and find our what it was.

I struggled to shift my head. It pounded, but I continued to wiggle it. I heard something peel, and suddenly I could move my head more freely.

Even though it was aching, I lifted my arm, and it felt as though it was on fire. I wanted to scream, and sob, but I settled for a loud whimper. A few tears dropped down my cheeks, but I still struggled to feel whatever had stuck my head to the floor.

My fingers reached out, stretching, clamping onto something stringy, and hard. Slowly, so my arm didn't burst into flames, I moved it in front if my face. That's odd. When did I dye my hair?

It was red, stringy, and coated in something dry, and flaky. As I pinched it, little red flakes would rain down, the size of fish food. It was weird, not only in looks but also in scent. It was salty, and almost... metallic.