Animal

Chapter 25

Louis looks from the horrific scene at the window to the matching one at his door. It felt twisted, much like the bunch of knots in his stomach. It felt like they were mocking him, goading him to make a choice. He hated the stress and he was bucking painfully.
The bleating laughter that came out in waves, the fading lights of a fire truck, the screams of tortured innocence from all around. His breathing laboured and the cold fear started to flood his body from head to toe.

They were still waiting when suddenly a brick came down on the male mutant's head. The woman outside saw everything and became frantic, dropping Harry's unconscious form and dashing off. Louis rushes to his door, unlocking it to reveal Zayn crumbled on the ground and a horrific scene on the floor.

The male attacker's skull was bashed in, splatters of blood sprayed across the walls and tiles. A woman had done it, a normal human woman who owed Louis and Zayn nothing. She straddled his back and kept on hitting until there was a dent in the floor. Her rage was too great and the adrenaline running through her was phenomenal.

What did they do to people here? This is cruelty.

The echo of a shrill cry coming from Louis' left had him snapping back to reality. The female mutant had her eyes set on this lady and Zayn hadn't moved an inch on his own yet. Louis has no massive strength and can't do much besides drag him into the room.

Flickering light bulbs in dish-like holders was above them, and blood from different creeds of people dripped at their feet. Louis felt a special kind of fear, of illness bubble in his chest as he just manages to get Zayn inside. He hears the woman's scream getting closer and she's probably coming for the patient who killed her partner, but Louis fell to the floor and started crying anyway.

These conditions are far past too much for him. What was he doing here? He should be at home where there's an alarm and security company. Where Harry is, safely locked up in circumstances they were both familiar with. The stress of Niall, who he doesn't know the whereabouts of, of an unconscious Harry outside that he can't get to, of being pregnant in such deplorable conditions, makes Louis grieve.

He wants to go home and would give anything for that.

When the woman starts to scream, finally at the mercy of the mutant's partner, Louis screams louder with hands over his ears to block it out. Block it all out.

In his wrecked state, he forgot to lock the door and suddenly it's being pushed open slowly. He doesn't even care about being dragged off anymore. Death sounds peaceful when staying in a place like this is the alternative. Louis leans against Zayn's side and sobs into his shirt, at a loss for everything coherent.

A hand touches his shoulder and he doesn't fight it. What's he going to do anyway? He's small and weak.

"Lou." But fate had other plans.

Louis sighs in relief, overwhelmed by the warmth of this familiar voice, and jumps to his feet.

It was the first intake of air after drowning and the feeling of relief when a beached sea creature makes it back home. It was undoubtedly happiness, and fond affection in its purest form.

Harry isn't smiling but he's not severely injured enough to reject Louis' hug. Louis ignores laws of personal boundaries and wraps himself around Harry, legs perched on his hips and arms locked around his neck. Harry's cheek is bloody and his bandage needs redressing but he's so strong and Louis owes everything to Harry.

"I wanna go." Louis mumbles into the man's dirty neck. "I wanna leave, Harry. Please."

"I'm getting us out." Harry inspects Louis for any injuries. Even when he's a walking mess, he puts Louis well above him.