Run (One Direction) [Watty Awards 2012]

Chapter Fourteen

 Louis

Harry pulls me to the ground before I can even react.

“What the hell?” asks Niall. Harry pulls him down with us. The couch is between me and the window, thankfully. Callin, Zayn, and Liam all drop to the floor next to us.

“Where's Preston?” Liam hisses.

“He went next door” Harry whispers in reply.

The doorknob rattles.

“He's locked out” Niall says, a bit of hope present in his voice.

“He's got a gun” Zayn hisses. “That won't last long.”

“We should move-” Liam starts to say. Then there's a loud bang, and the sound of the door swinging open.

“Louis Tomlinson?” calls a voice. Harry claps a hand over my mouth.

What does he think I'm gonna do, shout 'here I am!' or something?

I don't think the man can see us yet. Still, we all shrink backwards, closer to the couch. Maybe he didn't see us come over here. Maybe we'll get out of this.

“Run on three” Liam hisses, so softly I can barely hear him.

“My foot” I hiss.

Liam mouths a bad word.

“Three!” Zayn shouts, standing up and taking off for the kitchen at a sprint. My heart jumps to my throat as the man opens fire at Zayn's retreating back. But my friend doesn't fall. He makes it to the kitchen, and then I can't see him anymore.

And then I realize what he was trying to do.

A minute too late.

And then Harry stands up and takes off for the kitchen as well.

“Hey, ugly!” he shouts as he turns into the kitchen, and then he's safe as well. The man takes a few steps towards the kitchen. And then Liam grabs me, lifting me up, and then he runs for the stairs while the man's distracted. Niall got the same idea, and he follows with Callin.

Liam sets me down on the top stair. From here, I can't see the man, but I can hear everything he does. I can hear his footsteps, back towards the couch where we were hiding.

He opens fire at something.

Probably the spot where we just were, not a minute ago.

Then he starts for the kitchen.

I keep my gaze fixed on the door, wishing that Preston or someone would walk through and save us.