The Silence That Surrounds: Screams of the Damned

Narrator’s POV:

Harry sat hunched over on the chair that Liam managed to get him set into once they had wire-wrapped Louis securely – as per request to Zayn’s orders since Harry had yet to be able to speak without wheezing.

Matt sat on the long couch, directly across from the shorter couch, Eleanor huddled against him, their hands and feet secured in wire, but Eleanor had not been gagged, Matt still remained in forced silence.

“Niall? Go get Harry some ice – a frozen pack if possible.” Liam ordered quietly, the blonde popping from his seat and running to the direction of where the kitchen was.

Eleanor was looking pointedly at Louis, his mouth hinged shut, a look of worry settled on his unnerved expression – which was a rarity, even for Louis. If he was worried, she damn sure as hell should be as well.

“There’s a bag of frozen carrots, Niall. They should help.” Eleanor called, trying to break the tension in the air that was virtually suffocating.

“Okay.” Niall responded, the sound of the freezer opening and a shift of items could be heard before rushing feet came back and throwing the pack at Harry, the carrots landing on his lap with a loud thwack.

Harry’s mouth opened in a shocked scream, only the sound that came out was a crackled screech that was barely audible.

Zayn hit his hand over his face and Liam shot Niall a glare.

“I said go and GET him some ice, not throw it on his tadger and make him worse! He’s barely breathing as is, Ni! Common sense!” Liam chastised, glancing at Harry. “Mate? Are you alright? You’re looking pale.”

Zayn rolled his eyes.

“The snorf twisted his balls and then kicked them for good measure. Does he look alright to you?” Zayn retorted, gesturing to their poor leader. His luck was well in it where unfortunate events were concerned and it was past three by the time everyone had settled into the living room of the small house.

Liam snorted.

“No, he just got a bag of carrots dropped on him like a brick, I’d imagine not, but it never hurts to ask. It’s called being polite, maybe you should try it sometime, yeah?” Liam retorted, arms folding over his chest.

“Fuck you! I have been polite, given my situation, I think I have a fucking right to be pissed. I have a right to be angry and I had a right to kill who needed to be killed in order to get the bloody job done, can you lot say that? I’ve been tracking them all damn day!” Zayn defended, throwing his fist into the back of the cushioned chair that Louis was occupying.

Louis flinched, eyes moving to Harry.

“Harry? This isn’t going to solve anything. We can’t kill Eleanor, not because I feel anything for her, but because Rory and Emily, our drug deliverers are well in our circle – if they found out you killed El, they wouldn’t bother and you know damn well Damien needs that connection.” Louis reasoned with him calmly, his voice speaking a strict fact – because if she went missing, they would automatically suspect something was up.

Harry’s breath was a wheeze of great inner determination to speak without his voice sounding like someone who got kicked in the balls – though if he tried to sing, he was almost positive he would have no trouble at all singing soprano.

Taking in a breath, Harry finally spoke.

“I guess it’s a good thing that they will never know, hm? Considering you will have no further contact with them or anyone else from the underground. I’m confiscating your phone and banning you from all communications until further notice. If I can’t trust you, then you will be treated like the others and have no outlet at all.” Harry told him with finality, his voice cracking on certain words that used up more energy, tears springing to his eyes while he adjusted the bag of frozen vegetables.

Louis simply blinked, unconcerned with being ‘grounded’ from communications. It’s not like he used the phone for anything significant, hell, only Damien called him on that number and he wasn’t looking forward to talking with him again any time soon.

“Alright dad, if you think that’s best.” Louis responded sarcastically with a shrug, turning his head when Liam let out a small hiss of breath. “I’m not calling you dad, that just be awkward, so can it, Li and stop sending out smoke signals through your pie hole. I’m well aware of the angry ogre with the black and blue balls – speaking of, what did you think of my bird’s accuracy with target, H? I’d say pretty good – considering I’ve been working with her all day. Tell me that is not something to be p – “Liam slapped his hand over Louis’s mouth when he saw Harry’s breathing getting heavier – that meant one of two things: Harry acquired the Hulk’s powers and was about to turn green and go on a rampage or he was close to blowing his top and killing someone. Liam was leaning towards the first possibility as that was VERY plausible at the moment.

Liam turned toward Niall.

“Find a scarf or some tape, Harry needs to figure this situation out and how to handle it. We need to get a – GODDAMN IT!” Liam cried out suddenly, jerking his hand to his chest and cradling it.

“I told you to stop putting your hand over my mouth, Waffles. I have something to say and I need to say it,” Louis said, his eyes going to Eleanor, flickering to Matt with the swollen face and naked in only his boxers – poor bloke looked to have been attacked right in his bed. “El, I’m sorry. I’m sorry we ever met. Not because I regret it, but because you didn’t know the real me. This is my inner circle, the reason why I had quit seeing you those years ago.” He swallowed and looked back at Harry.

“H, she doesn’t know anything. The only thing she knows – “Harry held up his hand and slowly got up to his feet, his tall figure hunched slightly when he walked.

“I want to know what she knows, but I want only her to speak.” Harry ordered quietly, his voice so calm that it chilled Louis’s insides – even Zayn let out a shudder.

Eleanor looked at her captor, noticing the aging lines on his forehead – something normal twenty-somethings didn’t get until they were much older and had a reason to be stressed. Though given Harry’s position, she could see why he looked beyond his years.

“I know you’re a powerful leader.” Eleanor answered truthfully, swallowing nervously when he forced out a breathless chuckle.

“I am powerful, but I doubt that was you paying me a compliment, Miss Calder. I know that Emily and Aurora had to have told you something.” He gestured out, coming to stand in front of her, the bag of frozen carrots still firmly placed at his crotch.

Her eyes caught to his arm, trailing to look up to his face and shifting a little closer to Matt for an illusion of protection.

“I never asked. I just know they were in contact with Louis, but even they hadn’t seen him in a long time. This was the first time he had stopped by for the races since I met him at the same one when we were teens. We saw one another for a bit, until he disappeared. Damien and you normally communicate with Emily for shipment, right?” Eleanor asked, her throat thick with sludge like saliva, making swallowing difficult.

Harry nodded and looked back to Louis for confirmation.

Louis shrugged.

“I’ve seen Emily a few times to confirm shipments. She and Rory I saw from time to time when we needed to restock or when Damien needed to replenish his drug take. I asked them not to mention me in passing so technically, El is telling you the truth.” Louis confirmed, noticing Matt’s nearly swollen shut eyes were watching the events with scrutinizing judgement. Of course, Louis would too if he had his nose crushed and was awaken so rudely.

“Mate? Matt-boy needs the tape taken off, he can’t breathe.” Louis noted, seeing Harry glare towards him, obviously eager to get his clarification as a cross referencing witness.

“I need to question him anyhow.” Harry said, ignoring that as even remotely concerning while he ripped the tape from Matt’s mouth harshly.

Louis leaned back, figuring that mentioning anything further would be moot. Harry was pissed and he seemed to try and determine exactly what course of action he was going to take.

“And what do you know?” Harry asked, turning and sitting back down with a groan.

“That you really need a shower. No offense, but you stink of death. I only know my fiancée had a brief affair with Casanova over there – “Louis cut him off.

“How original, I’ve never been called that before.” Louis rolled his eyes, his orbs darkening to the man that sat tied up beside his old girlfriend and even going so far as to call her his fiancée when he didn’t even propose the question officially.

“She wouldn’t even be in this situation if it had not been for you!” Matt yelled, his nose wheezing out funny sounds through his broken septum.

“Coming from you, whistles? That’s rich. She’s an underdog and no less one than I. How do you think we met? The Catholic church?” Louis retorted, leaning forward to give his best glare.

“That is enough, the both of you! Christ, Lou – when will you stop being so careless? It’s our fucking lives on the line here! Harry? Emily and Rory keep me out of Damien Style’s affairs, but I run messages throughout the circles. Some yours, most not. I am simply a messenger and they tell me nothing personal if I have to pass it along. It’s mostly just codes and Victorian messages to go under the bizzies noses. I don’t understand half the stuff I’m relating, but I would understand enough if it caused dire stress on your or Damien’s situation.” Eleanor replied carefully, her eyes unrelenting from Harry’s as she tried to read his reaction to her words.

Harry let a tired smile fall over his lips, it was as cold as a Winters night and even more concerning than when he was yelling. A calm Harry was a dangerous one.

“I can see why Louis fancies you, Ms. Calder. You are beautifully charming and even more so enough to gaze upon, but our time grows shorter here as morning is fast approaching and I wish to be away from London when it does; so I’m going to need you to tell me the truth, one with no fillers or false compliments.” Harry instructed, slipping on the floor to his knees and facing eye level with Eleanor as she sat tied up and defenseless on the couch, his shadow over looming her face into a deeper contrast of darkness.

“Louis taught me how to defend myself, I asked him how he learned, he told me his past with being on the street and how he was working on cleaning up his life through the help of the underground. The other circlets have helped others and as an unspoken rule of courtesy, they don’t disclose which circle or leader. I simply assumed when he didn’t show up that he had gotten what he wanted and I was the stupid cow left standing in the field. He has never been disloyal and Louis never will. He talked high of you when he told me,” Eleanor explained, blinking to Louis for a momentary second, returning to Harry again. “I don’t know much, other than he works for you and that you spared Sophia’s life.”

Harry’s smile grew.

“Ah, so you know she was a hostage?” Harry hummed, his fingers gently going to the tips of her chocolate hair.

“I knew she used to be, she told me that she stayed because she loves you. Said she wanted to prove herself.” Eleanor lied with a gulp, Matt’s eyes scowling darker as he watched the infamous gang leader touch his beloved.

Harry paused, shock momentarily showing across his face.

“Did she now? Well, that is a severe case of Stockholm Syndrome if I ever heard one, lass. I believe if I had known I would gain an admirer, I would have saved her the heartache and put a bullet in her brain the moment I had the chance to. We don’t fall in love. We simply exist with one simple purpose and sadly, as much as I hate to do this – “Harry trailed off, stopping the massage of the tips of her hair and looking at Zayn. “Find something to gag the lovebirds with, knock the bloke out and I’ll handle the rest from there.” Harry ordered, eyes going to Liam and Niall.

“As for you two? Go in the back and get Sophia, load her in the Lamborghini and get her back safely to the cabin. I’ll handle things here” He finished.

“Harry, please don’t do this.” Louis begged, feeling Zayn’s hands hold his shoulders to the chair to steady him from leaving it.

“Zayn? Find something for his mouth too. I’ll settle Tomlinson when we get back, for now – make sure he keeps quiet.” Harry continued, getting up off the ground, the bag of frozen vegetables forgotten, not that the cold made much difference.

“Harry, she is no threat! You can’t just kill an innocent!” Louis protested, his eyes going over to where Liam and Niall were carrying Sophia’s unconscious body out.

Harry turned toward Louis and simply smiled.

“Louis? You’ve caused a lot of damage today in London and you took Sophia with you. She will be punished just as harshly, because she went with it. You knew better and yet; you did not listen. Maybe setting an example will finally persuade you to, I don’t know because I have no idea what the fuck goes on in your head and right now, I could give even less of one,” Harry began, his voice dropping lower as he went on. “We need to make this quick and I am not going to spare your feelings this time. The time before was merely a curtesy to you and it seems that even by those, I have not truly done you any favors. Perhaps you will thank me someday for this, perhaps not. Only you can really decide how you want to precede with the lesson.”

Louis stared at Harry, not understanding in the slightest how Harry could think that killing his old flame would teach him anything. In an almost guarantee, he was almost sure it was going to have the opposite effect if the curly leader truly went along with his determination to kill two innocents.

“Harry, El has saved this circle’s arse more than once. There was a message for another gang to try and steal Damien’s supply of drugs. She stopped it, that’s what Em told me. She belongs in the Underground, not in the ground!” Louis panicked, eyeing Zayn when he came back with a few thick headbands and long silk scarves.

“Found some blindfolds too.” Zayn smirked, eyeing Louis purposely. He was enjoying the fear that ran across the older man’s cerulean eyes.

“Louis, first.” Harry dismissed with a wave of his hand towards the chair Louis was occupying. Louis glared at the side of his leader’s head while he tightened his fists to try and dislodge the wire – which was tearing into his skin from the sheer tautness he was forcing his limbs to endure to try and desperately save the situation.

“Killing her or Matt will solve nothing, Harry. It just makes you one step closer to your father.” Louis reasoned, his stomach flipping when Harry just grinned more sinisterly.

“Maybe I’m bloody fucking tired of fighting with him, Lou. Maybe just falling in and doing what he wants will save us ALL some scars, yeah?” His eyes went to Zayn and he nodded with finality, grabbing one of the long scarfs and kneeling by the discarded bag of now slowly melting vegetables.

He glanced into Eleanor’s tear stricken eyes and just for a moment, he could almost swear Sophia was in front of him, but he blinked the thought away almost immediately and gritted his teeth – figuring he may as well offer some false hope.

Zayn went over to Louis and showed him the pale pink headband – obviously belonging to Eleanor.

“This would be more your color.” Zayn taunted, his messed up and overtired mind enjoying the pain of his friend and as fucked up as that was, the rational Zayn wouldn’t’ have been able to stomach it, but what was the point in anything anymore? Everything was not as it should be and everyone’s lies were coming to the surface.

“Fuck you, asshole.” Louis gritted his teeth in a growl, watching Zayn tie a tight ball in the material strategically and pull it down over his head, the stretch and thick pink material giving just enough so the ball could be set over his mouth and pulled in between his teeth from the back.

When the material was let go, it conformed back into its original stretch, keeping itself tight and securely in his mouth.

“We may need to get rid of the cloth strips and switch to these.” Zayn noted, checking his handy work and making sure the sharp wire still held the older gent securely.

Louis gritted against the gag, growling lowly and jerking his head back in a small effort to dislodge it, sadly for him it was not going to budge until Harry ordered it.

Harry watched the proceedings and gave a tired sigh, turning back to his victim.

“Make this count, Ms. Calder, because you only get one chance to change my mind,” Harry warned, his fingertip going to her eyes and wiping away the falling tears. “Why is it that I should spare your life? Forget Matt, he’s not making it from here. I’m setting an example and be it you or Louis that learns this – so be it, lesson still learned. I want to know what makes you special enough for me to consider this?”

His voice was slow and deep, calm and indecisive all the same about her fate. Though he knew that she loved Matt from the way she was pressed so tightly beside him.

“I don’t know what I should say? I don’t know what you want me to say, Harry. I want to say something that would satisfy you, but I don’t know what I can say. I’m sorry.” She spoke, her beautiful voice cracking, no longer the tough Underground dog that Louis had seen earlier and that scared him. Eleanor was strong and in the face of death, she didn’t put up a fight, she didn’t –

Her tied legs went up suddenly and Harry found himself on the floor again, holding his crotch again with another wave of silent screams leaving his mouth.

“Holy fucking – “Zayn started, only for him to be cut off.

“So I won’t say anything. I’ll die either way, it’s inevitable, you and I both know you aren’t going to let me live, even if I gave you the perfect excuse. So I did, I gave you one. Now you can shoot me without guilt, putting a rabid dog down as one should be, yeah? So do it.” She cried, her tears thick on her lashes as she buried her head into Matt’s shoulder and let off a sob.

He leaned in further to tighten their closeness, shushing her softly.

“It’s alright, everything is going to be fine.” He soothed, glancing at the front door when it opened and seen the younger men walk back in.

“We got her situated comfortably in the car, you want us to drive back?” Niall asked, anxious to get away from more bodies that was about to pile up.

He saw Harry on the ground and glanced at Zayn.

Zayn nodded.

“Harry got it in the googlies again, take her back to the cabin and wait for us. We’ll be along in a tick.” Zayn stepped up when Harry laid dormant on the ground in hot blinding pain.

“Alright.” Liam nodded, eyeing the scene and shaking his head. Somedays he didn’t know why he even ventured out of his room. One thing’s for sure, it was finally the end to a long day.

Niall followed after the doctor, happy to leave the house behind.

Zayn watched him go, setting a hand of Louis’s shoulder and leaning down by his ear.

“Tell me, Louis – how does it feel to watch everything you care about slowly being taking from you? What does it feel like to be helpless and forced to watch everyone you have ever cared for, die? I’d love to get your in depth opinion on the matter when you’re not gagged, because I want to hear your pain, because maybe once you experience it yourself; you’ll know how I felt when your fucking cow in training took my girl from me.” He finished with a growl and went over to where Harry laid on the ground, helping him to sit up.

Harry shakily took the now semi cold carrots and put them back on his junk, trying again to catch his breath.

“I’m buying a cup tomorrow; I think that last kick made me infertile,” Harry let out breathlessly, stealing a glance up to Eleanor. “Ace shot, Ms. Calder.”

“I gave you the reason you needed, so do it!” Eleanor yelled, refusing to look at the monster in front of her.

Harry remained quiet, the wheels in his head turning as he thought carefully on the situation as a whole. If he let her live, she could be plenty more use in regards to Damien, but killing her – it would tie up two lose ends in the shit storm he still needed to somehow sweep under the carpet before his father got wind of it.

“Zayn? Gag and blindfold them for me, I need a moment to think.” Harry finally replied, handing over the scarfs and closing his eyes in a groan.

“What is there to think on? It’s murder, plain and simple, right? There is no hope – “Eleanor went quiet when Zayn started to knot one of the scarfs.

“Hope is for the lucky, Ms. Calder. You and I? We aren’t that fortunate.” Harry replied, watching Zayn walk behind the couch Eleanor and Matt were on, Harry in front of it by their feet.

“Zayn? Tie it in her mouth, but do not choke her. I might see if Damien has a use for her at his cabin – if not one then there’s the ninth circle; she can be of some assistance there,” Harry thought aloud, eyeing Matt. “Nothing personal, mate. I’m sorry you got dragged into this, but in my defense, I didn’t get caught up and fall for an underdog. It’s best to avoid relationships with people in the undergrounds, it never ends well for the lovers involved.”

Matt flinched when Zayn reached between the lovers and connected the scarf into his fiancée’s mouth, tying it swiftly to the back of her head in a double knot.

Louis felt the blood dripping from his now deep wounds, but that wasn’t even a sting compared to his barely beating heart that now felt like shattering at the seams.

When he started, he didn’t think Harry would go as far as to hurt an innocent, but when he got upset, people died. Even innocent people like Eleanor and Matt or guilty scum like Steel and he suspected when Harry found out about him, Louis might want to reconsider running for the hills.

The second scarf was tied over her eyes a little more carefully, now blinding her to the sights around – which Harry did strictly for her benefit.

Zayn made quick work on Matt, gagging and blindfolding the bloke, backing away and nodding to Harry.

Harry cocked his gun and aimed it away from the lovers, shooting off a shot.

Eleanor let out a muffled exclamation, pressing into Matt as hard as she could.

“That was just a warning. If you don’t follow exact orders, Ms. Calder – we are going to have some major problems.” Harry told her, getting a bearing on his balance before unknotting the wire from her feet and forcing her from the couch. “I believe ninth circle will serve you better now that I think about it. Damien would just kill you and not as quick.”

Zayn narrowed his eyes at Harry.

“You certainly are your father’s son, mate.” Zayn shook his head, walking to the bag and rummaging through it to find the mine he had been given.

“Well, if Louis is telling the truth, then she will have her use. Ninth circle is – “Zayn snorted, cutting Harry off, setting the explosive beside Matt, dead view of the door.

“A whore house. She’d be better off dead,” Zayn eyed Louis, noticing the deep crimson running down the fabric of the chair. “Christ, Tomlinson, that was bang out of order. Harry? He’s ripping himself raw.”

Harry was unconcerned with Louis as the bloke was purposely trying to take away the sight of the situation and the gang leader only saw one thing right now and that was the color Louis was bleeding.

“So? Fix it.” Harry shrugs, sparing a glance at Louis with uncaring eyes.

Zayn looks at him incredulously.

“Yeah, I’m not Liam. I know basic medical, so fuck that,” Zayn waved him off and took his knife out, stepping behind Louis as he did so. “You know the truth and I know it, you’ll thank me later.” He hissed so Harry didn’t hear him.

Louis shook his head and sat up straighter, rubbing his hands more frantic against the wires while he watched his friend approach Eleanor from behind.

Harry’s eyes studied in on Louis again when muffled explanations left from his mouth, although as he turned back to Zayn, he already had his gun out.

“Zayn.” Harry growled in warning, pulling Eleanor away and glaring.

Zayn aimed it straight and put a bullet between Matt’s eyes without hesitation, looking as his body jerked and fell forward into his own lap, arms stuck behind him stiffly.

Eleanor jumped and pulled to get away, but Harry held her there firmly.

“I was taking care of the loose end; relax, mate. I’m not in disagreement of your decision, I mean, what good would it do anyway, yeah?” Zayn snorted and went to Louis, leaning down to untie his blistered ankles from the wire. “Let’s go.”

He pulled the older bloke from the chair, hands still wired behind his back.

Louis groaned at the pain that now riddled him, because despite the adrenaline being high, his senses were heightened, so he could now feel the damage he had done to himself.

“Liam’s going to have to stitch you, you’ve done lost the plot, mate. She’s of little concern to you and has been for years. This should really not knock your trousers off, should it?” Zayn antagonized, pushing him towards the door with Harry in tow with Eleanor.

Louis knew what Zayn was going to do, considering he had not holstered his gun and he couldn’t let him. He’d figure out a way to get Eleanor out of circle nine, they weren’t exactly Negate prison.

With precision, Louis flipped around and brought one of his legs up to meet Zayn’s stomach, throwing himself atop of the very surprised bloke.

Harry watched the scuffle with disapproving eyes and walked passed the fighting men to the door, shoving Eleanor to the green grass.

He went in and dragged Louis off Zayn before those two could get started, he wasn’t in the mood to deal with the repercussions of his fellow gang having a duff up and he had bigger issues to tackle than a few bloodied noses.

“THAT IS ENOUGH! TOMLINSON, MALIK! BREAK IT UP!” Harry boomed, his back hand making contact with Louis’s face and sending him back to the floor.

Zayn was up off the ground and bringing his foot back to kick Louis in the side of the ribs, but Harry was quicker and turned his body counterclockwise and with a powerful kick, hit his mark into Zayn’s back so he flew forward and onto the floor without being able to turn his aggression on Louis.

“Fuck you! He deserved it!” Zayn roared, standing back up, gun still clutched tightly in his fist, anger overtaking his normally beautiful honeydew eyes.

“I will handle Louis, you handle getting that anger in check, huh? Go out and guard the girl, we’ll follow up in a tick.” Harry ordered calmly, figuring Zayn would calm down by the time they got outside.

Zayn let out a growl, but followed outside to give Harry the chance to deal with Louis. After all, he was virtually the only one in the group he listened to.

When Harry was sure that Zayn was keeping watch of their prisoner, he turned to Louis and spoke.

“You knew the consequences of reconnecting with Ms. Calder, Lou. You forced my hand in this and I’m doing what needs done. As someone who has a chance at leadership, you too will have to one day tell a member of your gang that falling in love with the general populace is not probable. It will kill them, but I can see behind that anger and if I were Damien, I would taste it like candy. Fortunately for all of us, I’m not or you’d be joining her,” Harry paused, reaching up to pull down the headband that kept Louis silent. “I’m giving you a choice though…”

He finished with a pause, pulling out his gun and cocking it off safety.

Louis knew the pause and the deliverance of a line that didn’t need spoken.

Either I end it or she suffers. That was the dramatic finish and it left a worst taste in Louis’s mouth than the gag did.

“You know me, Harry; you know she won’t stay in ninth circle. I’d find a way to get her out.” Louis replied truthfully, his eyes going to the door in concern that Zayn was now out there with her.

Harry nodded, knowing full well what Louis was like.

“Exactly, which is why you’re being confined to the cabin and until further notice, your door will be locked at nights. Your punishment doesn’t even begin there and I hope you don’t mind the basement; because you’re going to be down there for the week. You put all of us on the spot, you ruined lives.” Harry finished with a scorn, reaching up to put Louis’s gag back on, but he jerked his head away.

“Do what you have to with me, mate, it was well worth the consequences, but leave Soph out of it. She didn’t do anything wrong.” Louis pleaded his case, the expression in his eyes giving him away.

Harry gave an incredulous laugh.

“Did she not? I don’t call twisting my balls nothing!” Harry shot back, glowering his fierce look into Louis’s face.

Louis shrugged, twisting his hands against the tight wire and wincing.

“She learned that from Andros, I taught her other things. Test her on weapons when you’re willing. She did amazing at them, Harry. She – mate, I think she has a chance.” Louis praised, smiling a little, his head snapping to the door when they heard Eleanor’s agonizing scream – followed swiftly by a loud gunshot.

Louis’s confident smile dropped as they rushed out the door, Eleanor’s body lying face down on the ground with blood running out the side of her head.

“Zayn!” Harry screamed, Louis rushing and dropping to his knees beside her at the same time, pulling hard at his wrists to get them free to hold her.

“It’s your fucking fault! You sent him out with her, Harry!” Louis cried, trying to hold Eleanor for his comfort.

Harry was emotionally closed off. He had no more anger or disinterest to give, he was exhausted and just wanted to go home and get some sleep. Burning the dolls, some even alive, was the hardest thing he ever had to do and he just couldn’t spend any more energy on trivial matters such as this.

“I sent Zayn out, yes, but I didn’t pull the trigger.” Harry justified.

Louis scoffed, tears running freely down his face – after all, what was the point in hiding them now?

“You may as fucking well have! She’s dead!” Louis pulled powerfully at his wrists, stopping when he felt the blood between his fingers and trailing his life force to the ground.

Harry scowled, saying nothing to that in response.

“Let me hold her,” He looked Harry in the eyes, finding that he only looked back with no emotion.

“For God sake, let me bloody say goodbye! It’s the least you could do!” Louis yelled out in a cry, pulling weakly one last time in his restraints, dropping his head down to the ground when no one made a move.

“No. The kindest thing I can do is take us home; there’s nothing to be done here now. If anything, you should thank Zayn for his mercy.” Harry corrected, his voice a low rumble. He was feeling sluggish.

Louis’s head whipped up at that, his tears reflecting the pain that was so clearly seen.

“Mercy?! She had a chance, because I would have broken her out and sent here away to someplace safe! I would have saved her!” Louis gritted his teeth, his head feeling lightheaded from the loss of blood.

Zayn glared down at him silently while Harry simply shrugged.

“I suppose Zayn did me the favor and you less hassle then, yeah? Come on, we need to go.” Harry encouraged, reaching to pull Louis from the ground.

Louis jerked his arm away from Harry and let out a silent wail, his chest heaving in and gasping to try to catch some air into his lungs, but the heaviness that filled his chest made it difficult to breath.

“Zayn was spot on, mate. You ARE your father’s son. Cruel in ever fucking way! I didn’t engage in contact, she saw me and I said hello, I abided my promise! I stayed away! I did everything you have asked, everything you told me to do. I loved her, Harry! I fucking LOVED her.” Louis sobbed, breaking down in front of their leader in a way that surpassed even Zayn’s agony and boy, did they feel it radiating off him like heat off cooling bread.

Harry pursed his lips slightly, licking them in slight agitation before replying.

“Then you are a bigger git than I thought, Tomlinson. We don’t love, we take – we kill. If you want a pathetic happy ending, then watch a Disney flick. Otherwise, wake the fuck up and realize tha we live in a nightmare, not a fairytale.” Harry told him bluntly, reaching down and violently jerking him to a standing position.

Louis stumbled with his footing, trying to jerk himself away from Harry when he finally caught his balance.

Harry held onto his arm tightly, using his other hand to reach for the gag again.

Before he could, Louis moved his head he missed it when he tried to reach.

“Fuck you, Harry. Fuck you all, I’m done.” Louis hissed out quietly, hiccupping and heaving.

Harry simply snorted and shook his head.

“You’re done when you die, Lou. You of all people know that. Now, I think we’ve wasted enough time chatting,” Harry replied tonelessly, grabbing the headband and yanking the tight knot into Louis’s mouth once more and pushing him to Zayn. “Take him to the car and set him in the back. I’ll take care of his bird.” He ordered, bending down to pick Eleanor up and taking her lifeless body back inside the house.

He deposited her gently on the couch beside Matts dead corpse and gently moved a piece of hair from her pale face.

“Lessons are not without consequence and unfortunately for you, you were that lesson. For both Louis and I,” Harry murmured, her hair soft against his large hands as he gently strokes it a few time, continuing on without pause.

“You see, to protect those that you are responsible for, you find yourself having to make difficult decisions. You weren’t so difficult, but what I have to become for Sophia and the rest to survive is vital to the bigger picture. I’m just sorry, lass. I am truly sorry that you had to be the consequence.”

He paused and basked in the dead girl’s silence, finding peace within those four walls and two bodies that now lingered inside the structure, taking it as a sign of her forgiveness.

“Goodbye – Eleanor.” Harry finished, leaning down to kiss her goodbye on the forehead and standing up.

The sound of the boot closing from the car was heard a moment later and that indicated that Zayn had put Louis in the small trunk in the back.

He cocked the gun he had off safety and headed out towards the car, walking back from the house a safe distance as he did so. His target: the mine leaning in between the now dead bodies on the couch.

Once he was out a safe way, he shot a round at the mine and jumped back from the harsh vibration of the earthshattering explosion that ignited, sending the house into a fiery ball of hell flame.

“No evidence.” Harry murmured, knowing the crime wouldn’t be pinned on them and with the way the house ignited, the bodies inside would be charred beyond recognition.

“Now he knows what it feels like.” Zayn growled, climbing into the passenger side and relishing in Louis’s frantic kicks sounding from the boot.

Harry shook his head.

“I really wish you wouldn’t have done that, the plan I had set was better.” Harry said, ignoring Zayn’s comments about the deserving punishment.

“Yeah? Well, done is done; can’t change the past.” Zayn replied hotly, his arms going to rest across his chest in slight defiance.

“Maybe not, but we learn from it and I believe Louis has.” Harry shrugged, turning on the car and driving away, the area around them surrounded in the faint afterglow of the rabidly burning foundation.

Zayn grunted out a response of agreement, hearing Louis go still.

“Let’s go home, with any luck we’ll get there in a few hours.” Harry finished, picking up speed so their normal four-hour trip would only take two.

“Yeah, I still have a table to fix and you have a cow to punish.” Zayn chuckled, looking out the window to the night sky, a slow fall of rain gently beginning to flow down from the Heavens, bathing the earth around them in angel tears.

Zayn couldn’t help how ironic it seemed that the skies were fine a moment ago, but the dark clouds in the even darker atmosphere contrasted to tell a different story.

“Just my fucking luck.” Harry muttered, slowing down some so he wouldn’t skid off the slick roads.

Zayn didn’t respond, he was too busy looking upward to the distorted stars and even then, he couldn’t help notice how dimly lit the few he could see seemed.

The situation was as dark as the skies, but with any luck, a silver lining would soon break.

Unfortunately, they aren’t without their costs.

Notes