Hide and Seek

Chapter 27

Love is a tragedy but it's each person's choice to make the sadness worth it.

*LOUIS' POV*

Fuck, please not again. Though the seriousness of the situation should filter through in my mind

and have me in frenzied fear, this very minimal but present habitual annoyance is also in the back

of my mind. However, it isn't enough to keep me standing. When a solid smack of hard, cold air

has me flying backwards against the counter interior I refrain from standing. There was no point to

trying and protecting myself.

You're a weak one.

The ghastly creature with something familiar about it, speaks. Her lips move but they're too fast to

be saying what I hear. My heart is in my palm, bared and oh so vulnerable to be destroyed. I hiss

from a strong throbbing from the back of my head, and I draw my knees to my chest for

protection. I feel no better.

The shadow is what this woman is. That's what was familiar about her, I've seen her - it? - in my

nightmares. She killed Harry's family, and let me watch while I slept. She appeared to be on the

brink of rusting rather than decaying, with brown clothing and tanned skin that could not be the

fault of the sun. Her words to me are drowned out by a blood-thickening pulse in my ears and a

few escaping droplets dropping from my nostrils.

But I see why my son chose you. No one likes a fighter.

I cringe at the sound of her voice. It was akin to the sound of scraping one's steel nails on a

blackboard and I resist the urge to protect my hearing with my hands. She bends in a horrific way,

folding back on herself but finding no difficulty in moving towards me. If I pressed my back any

further into the counter I'd be a permanent component. Fear coursed through my veins and pure

horror bled into my eyes as I watch her get nearer.

Her face was long, angular and black sores were scattered all over her skin. Her nails were more

like claws, when she reaches out her finger bends where it shouldn't trying to touch me. Oh God

please no.

You don't want me to touch you?

I stay silent, head turned to my left.

You have to answer me or I won't know.

I hone my courage that keeps escaping me. "Please- Please don't touch me."

Surely I don't scare you as much as Harry. I'm harmless compared to him.

Nothing. I give her nothing. A snarl leaves her throat and I flinch.

The door swings open, too powerful of a jolt to be the wind. I look up, relief flooding my raw

nerve endings when my terrifying restriction is gone with the wave of wind.

"Harry." I say like his name alone is my protective talisman.

I scramble to my feet hurriedly, wiping the blood from my nose with my sleeve as I go. I