Cursed

Chapter Four

Niall pulls me into a hug. My breathing begins to slow and become normal once again. I feel weak, unstable if you will. I feel useless and helpless. Like I'm just another mouth to feed. Niall hushes my cries and I feel his strong hand on the back of my head, my long brown hair being played with. I have only known this guy for a day, yet he treats me like a friend he has known all his life. He cares for me, protects me, but not in a brotherly way like Luke. There's something else about him that gives me a different feeling.

"I feel like she's my sister man. I've only known her for a day, but I feel like I have to protect her, you know?" I hear a small whisper coming from the edge of the room, but I don't dare pull away to see who it is. With Niall's muscular arms around me, I feel safer than ever before.

"It's gonna be alright. We'll be safe. You'll be safe," Niall says reassuringly.

After a few minutes with Niall's arms wrapped around me, I pull back. "You ok?" He says and I nod in return. "Ok. Good. Are you hungry or anything? We have tons of food thanks to your giant suitcase," he offers but I refuse. I don't want to eat, not after what just saw.

Niall hands me over to Luke and he, followed by Liam, leads me to the kitchen anyways. I begin to feel aggravation. Why are they treating me like a kid? I can handle myself just as good as they can handle themselves. Luke sits me down at the kitchen table and Liam walks over to the cabinet. The anger grows inside of me like a fire. What on Earth do they think I am? A two year old?

"Guys just stop! I may be a girl but I can handle myself. I may have asthma but that just makes me take care of myself more. If I was hungry I would eat. Just let me take care of me and you take care of you," I say, snappy. I get up from the table and walk out of the kitchen. Harry is standing in the center room whispering to Louis about something and Zayn is sitting on the couch staring at nothing. Niall must be in the other room. I walk over and sit down by Zayn. I startle him a bit and he jumps. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you," I say.

He looks over at me and smiles. "It's ok. I'm just a little 'on the edge' if you will. After seeing all of that, it just scares you. Threatens you," he says. I nod in response. After a long break of silence, we start back a conversation.

"We'll be ok. We can survive here for a while and then we'll move or get supplies. It'll be alright," he says, but I can tell he isn't sure of the words he had just said. He was trying to convince himself.

"You're right. We'll be fine," I say, trying my best to convince him.

"He really cares for you, you know?" he says looking at me and smiling. He was speaking of Niall. He cares for me, yes, but in what way? Brotherly, a friend, or more?

After a long conversation with Zayn, I am dragged off of the couch by a more familiar boy. Luke. He pulls me toward a room in the back of the building. This room was the one I was lying in when I awoke. The house is dark due to no electricity and it is becoming night.

"What are you doing? I'm here for you, to protect you. I made a promise 4 years back and I'm going to keep it. So stop acting stupid and just let me watch over you," he whispers, angrily. I feel a pain run up my arm and I look down. Luke has my arm in his hand and his grip is deadly.

I jerk from his hold. "Just stop it! I know what you told my dad. Yeah, sure, protect me. Whatever. Just don't treat me like a four year old!" I say a little louder, but still in a whisper. I don't want Niall to hear us. He grabs my shoulder and squeezes tightly. What is he doing? He never acts like this.

The vital hold on my shoulder sends pains through my body. I jerk but his hold stays tight. I yell in pain as the grip tightens. With his other hand, Luke points his finger at me. "I won't let your father down. Do you understand?" he whispers through gritted teeth. I yelp in pain again. The agony becomes unbearable and I fall to my knees.

I hear fast footsteps coming in our direction and I begin to stand up. Niall enters the dark room with a flashlight. He points it at my body as I'm still trying to get up. I hiss in pain trying to hide what Luke had just done. I see the light as it flicks up to Luke's angry face.

"What do you think you're doing?" Niall says calmly to Luke as he walks over to help me up. He reaches for me and I feel his hand on my lower back. He leads me to the doorway where Harry stands. He hands me over but I stand there. "Are you insane?" Niall yells this time. Why does he care so much?

"She needs to be safe!" Luke screams back. "And you aren't doing a very good job!" he adds.

"Me? I'm not the one trying to kill her because she won't listen!" Niall replies and my heart begins to beat faster. Harry tries to pull me away but I slip from his hold.

"Guys! Stop! Please!" I say as I start to run for the middle of the two boys. Harry's arm wrap around me and hold me back. "Let me go!" I yell as I fight against him.

The flashlight drops from Niall's hand as Luke runs for him. Luke hits him hard and they fall to the floor, Luke on top. He punches and he slaps as Niall fights back but does no good. I scream punch after punch after punch. Niall finally gets a punch in and he surprises Luke, but Luke comes back with a hard hit to Niall's jaw. I finally break loose from Harry's hold and run for the boys. I push Luke from Niall's body. I lean over onto Niall, not allowing anymore hits. Luke pulls back his fist and I feel a pound on my jaw. My head slings to the side from the force and I fall back.

"Oh my god. What have I done?" I hear Luke's voice as he shuffles over to me. He reaches down to touch my bleeding face but I push him off.

"Don't. Touch. Me," I say through gritted teeth. I jump up and rush over to Niall. My face throbs and everything around me spins. Niall's eyes aren't open. He's unconscious. I hear pounding footsteps coming nearer. Liam runs into the room.

"Get out. Get out! Now!" he screams. Luke walks out of the room and Louis enters. Liam rushes over to Niall and I. "Are you ok?" Liam asks. His hand finds my chin and pushes my head upward. I grab his shirt, unbalanced. His thumb runs over the bleeding wound onMy jaw bone. "Get her out. Clean her up," he says looking to Louis and Harry. Where's Zayn?

"I'm not leaving him!" I yell as the boys grab my arms. "No! Let go! I won't leave! Liam, please!" I fight an they finally let go. I crawl back over to Niall and my hand finds his bleeding face. His eyes flick open and they find mine. "Oh, thank god. You're ok," I say as tears begin to come from eyes. His hand reaches up to my face and runs over the wound. I see worry on his face. "I'm fine," I say reassuring him. He grabs my hand and I lean in until my head is on his chest. His other hand finds my the back of my head. He begins playing with my hair and I smile. I can't loose him, I won't loose him.