Saltwater ~Zarry~

Chapter 8.

Rough, blue water crashes against the hard, jagged rocks. The sand hot and getting hotter as the boiling sun rises higher.

It's 5:45am on the beautiful island of Kauai. Harry was sat in the sand of his backyard with his board stuck in the sand next to him, looking onto the deep blue that was, in no time calling to him.

Quickly grabbing his board, and plopping down in the water once he was knee deep. Paddling out to the massive morning surf, and duck-diving under waves too close or too small.

The impact zone was rough and coming in hard. The water looking almost mad.

Once Harry though he was far enough out, he sat up on his board swinging both of his legs over the sides of the black and blue surfboard and waiting for the perfect wave to relax with.

He waited and waited, but it's like as soon as he got out there the surf went flat. Then he heard splashing from behind. Looking back he saw Zayn paddling toward him.

Once Zayn reached him, he sat up as well looking at Harry like he was confused. "What are you doing out here, Haz?" He has asked.

Harry cocked his head to the side, "Practicing." He said.

"For what?" Zayn asked him, and he started to genuinely confuse Harry.

"Nationals. They're in 3 weeks, remember?" He asked Zayn.

"Yeah but...you can't compete, Harry." Zayn looked out at the ocean, watching the pink and purple sunrise.

"What?" Harry asked, he was shocked Zayn had said this. What was so bad about competing? It's nothing different from before, right?

"Because of what happened." Zayn said looking down and running his hand over the water. "Because you lost your leg." He finished.

Fear started swarming around Harry as he slowly looked down at the legs, only to confirm his panic. His left leg was now gone, amputated. The skin, bone, and muscle from just above his knee, was replace by a nasty scar at the top of his thigh.

His head snapped up and his green eyes met Zayn's golden ones. "You're not the same, Haz. You can't surf anymore. Your life is over." Zayn said, sadly looking into Harry's watery eyes.

Harry started spiraling; chest heaving, hands shaking, vision blurring, ears ringing, and head ponding.

The ringing had settled down but was quickly replaced with the roaring sound of salty water waves that were barreling towards Harry.

But by the time he saw the wave, it was too late. Trying his best to hold his breath before the wave hit, but failed. Water surrounded every part of Harry, and all he could see was blue.

He could feel the tunnel of the wave pulling him down to the ocean floor, and the strong current pushing him out to sea ever further.

Lungs burning, begging to release the long breath Harry was forced to hold. Begging for air.

But the only thing that flooded Harry's failing lungs, was saltwater. Inhaling one last time as his vision started to blacken, Harry let the ocean claim his life.

Gasping deeply which quickly turned into coughing, Harry's body shot up in the bed he was trying to sleep in, eyes blown wide with shock and hands gripping the covers his body was laying underneath. It felt so real.

Zayn shot up from the, finally, comfort of his own bed. Looking around at the noises that made him wake he quickly took action in seeing what the situation was.

Jumping into Harry's bed behind him, Zayn sets his legs of either side of Harry's body, holding both of Harry's hands as his arms snake around Harry's torso from behind.