Idiosyncrasy (Harry Styles AU)

Fourteen

Chapter 14

Harry

Run. Run, it says. The voice says to run and never look back. I want to, more than anything else, but my legs won’t listen to me. I can’t move. It’s like I’m paralyzed, but standing up. I can hear heavy breathing everywhere; it’s loud and raspy, but not as loud as my heartbeat. If it beats any harder, I might have a heart attack.

I can hear eerie wailing and screaming in the distance, and—is someone crying? Looking around me, I only discover that the one who’s crying is me. My sobs are so much louder than all the others, but no one seems to hear them.

Then, I see it right in front of me through the darkness. I know all hope is gone. A blazing, yellow eye the size of my head opens right in front of me and the dark forest I had been in transforms into a battlefield. Dead bodies and blood cover the ground.

As I try to move, pain engulfs my leg. I’ve been wounded in the fight.

A long, loud roar in the distance reminds me I’m not alone. The hair on the back of my neck stands up as I look over at the hill across from me. A red, scaly dragon paws at the ground, breathing fire.

I look down at my wounded body and realize I’m pretty much helpless.

My breathing gets faster, and I frantically search ground for something to defend myself with. My eyes land on a bloodstained sword lying next to a dead body. I pick it up and clamp my hand over my mouth when I see that the body is Sandy. Her eyes are wide open and lifeless, staring at up at me.

Loud breathing and thundering footsteps can be heard around me, and I look up to see the dragon running at full speed toward me.

My knees threaten to give way, but I force myself to stay standing.

I lift up the sword and get ready to strike when I hear my name being called.

“Harry! Harry!”

I turn, meeting the frightened blue eyes of Bethany.

She’s tied to a chair, struggling to break free. I look back to the dragon, which is quickly gaining on me.

I run to Bethany, cutting the ropes that restrict her arms behind her off with the bloodied sword in my hand.

“Run!” I screamed at her. She shakes her head, face pale as she points a trembling finger behind me. I look to where she’s pointing and my jaw drops.

The dragon has reached us, paw raised to strike. His huge eyes are angry, and if looks could kill I swear I’d be dead a thousand times over.

I tentatively raise my sword, but it’s knocked from my hands with one swipe of its large paw.

The air is eerily quiet and filled with angst as we stare each other down.

Then suddenly, pain shoots through me. The sword that I had been holding is now lodged in my stomach. I gasp for air, falling backward. I’m bleeding out. I have minutes to live—

“Harry!”

I can barely breathe I’m—

“HARRY!”

I sit bolt upright, screaming at the top of my lungs and gasping for air. I open my eyes, realizing I’m gripping Bethany’s shoulders uncomfortably tight. I’m drenched in sweat, but I’m freezing cold.

I crumble, falling into her arms like a rag doll. I’m shaking and probably getting sweat on her pajamas, but she doesn’t seem to mind as she strokes my drenched hair.