Hostages

nine

- Andrea -

We all ran, sprinting so hard my legs ached and my lungs couldn't take the dry air anymore. Just really hope I don't have an asthma attack. I don't have my puffer on me either.

I had to stop, leaning against a building. My eyes were dotted with dark spots, my ears ringing. I coughed, hard, my throat dry. I placed a hand to my forehead, trying to control my breathing but it was no use.

I slid down the wall, watching as the boys surrounded me. They were mumbling words that my muffled ears could not hear. It sounded like I was underwater. Harry and Liam were crouched down in front of me, looking at me and saying words I could not make out. Niall was standing up, talking with Zayn.

My heart beat dropped into my stomach, the pumping of it making my stomach churn, the sick feeling of throwing up. The ringing grew louder and I heard the sound of my rapid beating heart. My head spun, my eyes clouded, slowly falling closed but I had to keep them open.

C'mon Andrea. My conscience encouraged. Stand up. You can do this. You're not far from the house. No asthma attack. Just breathe. For Louis.

With that, I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. A spotted Harry handed me an object that felt oddly familiar. I brought it to my mouth, inhaling the compressed air. My heart beat slowed back to normal and I exchanged the puffer for the offering of someone's water. I chugged hard.

Rising to my feet, my hearing became normal and the dotted Harry cleared to a proper vision. "Are you alright, Andrea?" He asked me.

I nodded, taking deep breaths. "Asthma. I have asthma." I struggled to say. I took one last chug of water. "Sorry, let's go."

We sped off again, starting at a jogging pace just to keep me from passing out again. Harry ran by my side, everyone else trailing behind us. I could tell Harry would run faster, but he kept at my pace. He was a celebrity that ran from fans a lot, I could see as to why he could run extremely fast.

When we reached the street, I booked it hard down the sidewalk, my only motivation being Louis' life. I ran for the door and tried the knob, but it didn't work. Patch must've locked it so I couldn't get back in.

I groaned, pulling my hair. I tried the front window but that was locked too. My brain shifted gear and I remembered. I climbed up on the porch railing, my hand shuffling inside the gutter searching for the key. I pulled it out and smiled. Yes, still there.

"How'd you know that would be there?" One of them asked me, that I remembered was Liam. He was a cutie, that's for sure. I adore his brown eyes. I wiggled the key in the door before it flung open.

"This is my old house." I said, looking up and taking the key out of the knob. "I have no clue why the kidnapper would use my old house, but I did live here and I always kept my key in the gutter. I'm surprised it was still there."

The four boys, exchanged looks of concern. I strutted into the house, and soon enough, Harry walked in behind me along with his friends, and the man in black that I learned was Paul.

We stepped down into the basement, where a trail of Louis' blood remained. It still had the fresh sight of wetness to it. It made me cringe and tears watered my eyes, but I moved past it and swung open the cellar door.

No one was there.