alive ↠ hs

.05

Harry's POV

I watched as the young girl nearly sprinted in front of me, fear in her eyes as she almost tripped over a stick. She was mumbling something underneath her breath, but I was too far behind to catch it.

"Hey, slow down!" I breathed, catching up to her.

She realized her speed before stopping, hunched over with her hands on her knees. "Sorry, I'm just really worried about my friend."

"How far?" I asked her.

She breathed deeply before looking around. "About a mile."

Finally, we ran into a house, where I nearly fell over and died from lack of oxygen in my lungs, but Saige pushed on and up the stairs, determination in her eyes. I had to admit, she was determined; if she wouldn't have gotten the meds for her so called friend, she might have walked another ten miles to get them.

She didn't say anything to me as I followed her upstairs and into a bedroom, gasping at something in her way. I peered over her shoulder, finding a Geek dead on the ground in front of a closed bedroom door. I could hear as she let out a sob, pushing the door open and searching the room frantically.

"Asher!" She yelled, running over to the hunched body on the floor. 

I habitually pulled the gun from my thigh, aiming at the potential undead figure. She shook her younger brother, pushing his hair from his face. I could see his forehead glistening with sweat and the red around his eyes from his illness.

His eyes opened, the color of the ocean, reminding me of Niall. I pushed the thought from my mind as I looked at him. "Is he bitten?"

"What?" She asked, not looking at me.

"Is he bitten?" I repeated.

She turned and looked at me, shoving my gun to the side. "Put that down, of course he's not!"

I hesitated, huffing as I lowered my gun, shoving it back into my holster. 

"Asher?" her voice dropped low and soft as she cradled his face in his hands. "Ash, look at me."

The smell of vomit and body odor filled my nose as I cringed, resting my hand underneath my nose. She pulled the medicine from her backpack, giving him a dosage. He took it before sighing, leaning back and closing his eyes.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head into her chest as she hugged him tightly. I could see her shoulder shake softly as she cried to, as I assumed to be more than her friend. She picked him up, sitting him on the bed, tucking him in before kissing his forehead.

I stood awkwardly in the doorway, watching her as she wiped her face and set some water on his bedside table. She turned to me as if realizing I had been standing there the whole time.

I followed her downstairs as she looked through the cupboard, finding a couple cans of soup, mumbling a 'hell yeah.'

"Want soup and crackers for dinner?" She asked me.

I shrugged. "Sounds great."

At first, I wasn't sure about her, but seeing the way she acted with her "friend," I could tell that she was just another scared person in the world, trying to protect the one she loved. I remember when I used to be like that, doing anything to protect everyone. 

Now there was no one to protect.

I glanced up at Saige, watching as she popped open a can of soup, taking her bottom lip between her teeth as she thought. Maybe I was wrong about that.

I still couldn't trust her though. She wasn't stupid. She was smart, clever. 

"We can light the fireplace," she said, mostly to herself. "It'll be chilly tonight anyways, we can all sleep down here."

I nodded, agreeing with her. I watched her as she threw open a door, finding a few logs stacked up. "Damn, lucky us."

She pulled some matches from her backpack, lighting the fire with a random slip of paper before smiling. She made a makeshift stove, hanging over the fire, heating the three cans of soup.

We sat on the floor, enjoying the heat of the fire as she sighed, closing her eyes. 

"So, Asher is your.. friend?" I asked, starting a conversation.

She smiled softly. "Yeah, he is."

"You two aren't like dating or anything?" I asked out of curiosity.

"If I weren't mistaken, I'd think you're asking me out." She grinned.

I let out an actual chuckle, earning a laugh from her. I couldn't remember the last time I even smiled. 

"Just wondering, you two seem a lot closer than you mentioned." I said to her.

"Strictly fraternal," she chuckled. "He's like my brother."

I nodded. "Makes sense."

"Will you-uh, help me bring him down?" she asked me. "I don't want him to tumble down the stairs, Tami-flu can't fix a broken bone."

I chuckled again, nodding. "Of course."

I followed her upstairs, watching as she softly talked to Asher, willing him up. She was so careful and sweet to him, it was touching. 

I stepped beside her as she lifted him, touching her arm softly. "I got 'em, Saige."

Her cheeks reddened as she nodded. "Thank you, Harry."