Set the Devil free, I say. For not even a demon can be denied happiness if he is set on changing his ways.

*NARRATOR'S POV*

Louis wanted to run but also he didn't, because the horror could not be as severe as it has been for him these past few days. The scream was gut-wrenching and ear-piercing but he couldn't tell where it was coming from, it sounded like a shrill voice was going off in his head to disable his senses. It was female and unfamiliar.

Harry sprinted, as fast as his legs could carry his weight and then he pushed on until he got to the front of the house. He doesn't know what made the 'barrier' that prevented him previously from getting here, got it to give away now. He had heard the scream too and it was coming from
inside the house.

Up the porch steps he went until he was standing before an open door and banging gate. Louis was inside and it infuriated Harry because Louis never knew how to respond to a threat, he was naïve and too innocent in his ways for anything but a normal life.

"Lou?" Harry put his hand on the handle.

"Shh. Stay there." Louis told him without turning around.

"Are you insane? Get out here. Now."

"Be quiet, Harry."

What the fuck was going on? Harry pulled the door open and stepped inside. At the sound of Harry's heavy boots, Louis spun around with a face of fallen fear.

"Stay there." Louis was pleading with him. "Please. Don't."

Why was he pleading? He was supposed to never be afraid, that was what Harry's purpose was on this forsaken planet.

"Louis, what's wrong with-" He didn't have to continue because then he saw it. He saw what was holding Louis back from shouting for help.

It was her. Again. Standing there with what could have been a smug smirk had the corners of her pale mouth not already been rotted away. Her teeth were hidden but not the same was said for the cruel streak in her white eyes, Harry saw it only because he's seen it before.
He could think of nothing else except to reach out and grab Louis' arm with his large hand.

Louis whimpered and resisted the hold, when Harry stared at him he saw why. She also had a grip on his other arm.

"Lou, look at me." Harry caught Louis' attention, looking the boy in the eye. Green to blue. He was quaking like a fallen leaf, fear is leaving his body is shaken vibrations and his lips is bitten
raw.

"Lou, don't look at her." Harry indiscreetly steps forward and she hisses, tugging Louis' arm so he cries out from the shock.

Harry holds on tighter but doesn't hurt Louis. He carefully let's Louis' hand hold onto the side of his shirt, and trying to reach for Louis' waist. "It's alright, Lou. I promise, it's alright."

Another hiss, venomous and threatening. Harry held back a defensive growl because that would frighten Louis. Louis winced whenever either side was under scrutiny but his left arm, which was in her viper hold, was twisted backward letting his palm face the sky. His bottom lip quivered and struggled not to cry from the pain.

"Don't cry, Lou." Harry fills his eyes with softness. "I'll protect you, you know I always will."
Louis swallowed and focused on Harry's voice solely as he spoke. When he opened his mouth, his voice was a sobbing beg. "Harry."

"Lou, just look at me, alright?" He pins Louis with his gaze. "Listen only to me, look only at me. Can you do that?"

Harry knew what he was doing, but it may hurt a little. Edith was a mass of destructive groans that poked at the boys' ears. Louis' nostrils flared and his chest began to rapidly rise before falling.

"No. It's okay, Lou. You're safe." Harry speaks hurriedly. He takes another step and Louis is pulled the other way again.

"Want to give me a hug, Lou?" Harry ignores Louis' panicked expression before the smaller boy nods in understanding.

Louis doesn't know what Harry'd done but as soon as his arm was free from the cold cage of fluid fingers, he folded himself around Harry's middle. His face was hidden in Harry's chest and his hands were burrowed under his plaid unbuttoned shirt. Harry hugged back and kissed Louis' forehead.

"You're okay." Harry sways them once. "You're alright. I'm here, Lou. I'm-"

He's cut off by a slash of pain across his back, a guttural moan erupting from his hoarse throat.
He jerks forward and Louis stumbles back.

"H-Harry?" He can't seem to swallow the scared lump in his throat.

Harry has his eyes squeezed shut, crinkles forming in the corners of his eyes and tears springing to the sides. The cut had to be wide, from shoulder to hip and bleeding profusely. His shirt was ripped, he could feel it. The pain bubbled in his chest, like a whip lash that cut him off mid-breath that made him cough blood.

She did it again. Harry was prepared this time, and wrapped his huge arms around Louis' tiny frame so none of him was available to her. He held Louis' arms between their chests so the smaller man wouldn't try to comfort him and get hurt himself.

Harry nearly tumbled to the ground on the third swing, it cut through his skin and a previous gash. It made him scream into Louis' shoulder who didn't mind.
When Harry's body slumped, they knew it was over so Louis shifted Harry's arms away from his back.

"Harry?" He caressed the taller boy's cheek with the backs of his knuckles.
When Harry blinked his eyes open, it made Louis jump back. They weren't green, nor were they black. They were white.

White like her eyes were, the pupils only recognisable because of a faded colour behind a film of fog. Louis' fear jumped up again, rising as speechless and bitter bile in his throat. He felt his way out of Harry's embrace, back to the door as he slowly moved towards it unconsciously.

"Lou?" The voice was his, but only barely there when a flash of green swam across his vision.

Louis couldn't find his words, the sheer terror of what just happened toppled with the temporarily loss of concentration from Harry has thrown him. He forces himself to move away, motivating himself with mental notes of liberation.

"Where are you going, Louis?" That voice did not belong to his Harry. It was edited, a terrible echo of meshed voices.

Harry's blank stare drops to Louis' legs when the man backs away once more.

He frowns, flicking back up to glare daggers into Louis' petrified eyes staring back at him. "Are you leaving me?"

He covers the distance of one stride closer to Louis. "Why would you do that, Louis?"
The questions rings and bounces off the inner membranes of Louis' brain. But he still cannot find it in him to respond. The door is about three steps back. He stops moving.

"How ungrateful could you be, Louis? I protected you and now you're running away!" He seethes.

"You're not Harry." Finally Louis whispers.

"Why would you say that?" He reaches out and seizes Louis' forearm, yanking him forward by force. "Look at me."

Louis is brave enough to ignore that command, looking everywhere besides at him.

"Look at me!" Harry's knuckles dig into his back painfully.

Louis' heart leaps into his throat. "Please....."

"Please, what?" Harry squeezes his arm. "You won't look at me, Louis. I hate that, especially
when I'm talking to you."

"I'm sorry." Louis automatically apologises.

"I should probably punish you but I won't because I'm tired." He releases Louis' arm. "Get our bags because we're staying here."

"What?"

"Get the bags, Louis!" He shouts.

Louis turns to leave, maybe obeying what he was asked and maybe hoping just to reach the car. His heart lurched at the thought of leaving Harry, speeding off and never coming back. He could never see Harry again.

"I love you." Louis whispers, begging whatever God there is to give him his Harry back.

"Good because I don't want to sleep alone tonight. Get the bags."

Louis bites back a sob and let's a tear escape. He's lost him, he definitely has. He leaves the house gingerly, clenching and unclenching his fists while he fights his helpless cry.

He got to the car and glanced back at the house, night has fallen and drenched the building in a cloak of darkness. Without thought he finds himself doing what he promised he'd never do, what he and his Harry debated over days ago. He had to do it, because he was afraid to go back in there. That wasn't his Harry in there and it could never be.

So Louis got in the car and ran.

[A/N: Honestly, this chapter wasn't supposed to end like this. I feel terrible. Do not shoot me. The story isn't over, I promise! I'll sit here.....and await your rants. You'll probably kill me. I just know it.]

Notes

[A/N: Honestly, this chapter wasn't supposed to end like this. I feel terrible. Do not shoot me. The story isn't over, I promise! I'll sit here.....and await your rants. You'll probably kill me. I just know it.]