Eventually We Find Our Way (2/3)
Pairing: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson slight Liam/Zayn
Characters: All the boys and others.
Rating: NC-17 I suppose for violence and language
Summary: Harry wakes up post infection/zombie apocalypse and Louis is nowhere to be found.
Word count: This chapter 5, 061
++ the italics are flashbacks by the way
Day 10
The city is not too far away from Harry. He has not stopped for food in a long time and he has been out of water since the night before. He finally reaches his exhaustion point and stops a mile or two outside the city, a road bridge leading into the skyscrapers looming overhead. He feels too out in the open but realises he will have to get used to that now in his new haven.
He slides a finger over his lips and feels some dry skin peel off. He gazes up at the sun rising high in the sky and feels beads of sweat trickle down his back. He scans the ground for even a puddle to drink out of. He finds nothing and reaches inside his bag. He takes out his last can of peaches and opens it, drinking the juice and letting the peaches slide down his throat without chewing them. He fights the urge to vomit and the sudden hydration makes him feel much better.
He stands up in order to walk across the road and make his way up to the bridge. He hears no sounds which makes him feel uneasy what with being so close to a city. His mind wanders as he walks and he thinks about his friends, what are they doing now, what he wants them to be doing now and walks on with a small hopeful smile on his face.
~~
Niall is pacing the land dying to scratch his eye behind the bandage but resisting, knowing he will only infect the cut.
“Niall!” he hears Zayn call from the bunker and he rushes over. The radio is crackling, the sound of static filling the usually quiet air. Liam looks up at them, a large smile spreading across his face. Zayn and Niall hold their breath as they watch Liam turn the buttons, waiting for anything to come across the sound waves. The static catches every few minutes and they startle, thinking it is a voice coming to them.
“Fucking hell” Zayn grumbles after a few hours, all of their heads sore from the sound of the unresponsive radio.
“Sorry guys” Liam says and switches the radio off, lying down on the hard ground and kicking his legs in frustration.
They sit in silence, something they have been doing more frequently since Harry left. All of them worrying, all of them waiting to leave this confined space themselves.
~~
Ellie is crouched over, her hands covering her ears, terrified and shaking. She hears Louis shout “HEY” and peers over the rock only to see the larger teen run toward him. Louis is standing his ground, his bat in hand, looking just as small as she feels.
She watches as the teenager reaches Louis and hears a loud crack fill the air as Louis’ bat swings around and hits the teenager across his skull. She winces as he falls to the floor and watches as Louis stares with an open mouth at the blood spilling out onto the grass. She can tell he is trying to remain calm and brave but notices the little twitch in his hands, the way he bites the corner of his lip.
“You arsehole” the female teenager screams and runs at Louis, a large stick in her hand. When she reaches him she swings her stick in the air and Louis dodges it, clearly not wanting to hit the girl.
The remaining teenager rushes to join his friend and Ellie panics as she watches the two of them circle Louis. He is trying his best to hit the male teen but he is small and dodges each swing swiftly, taunting Louis by sneering at him whilst the girl repeatedly hits him with the stick.
Ellie’s temper flares and she scans the ground around her. She spots a fairly large rock and picks it up. She takes aim and flings the rock in the air, feeling sickly satisfied as it hits the girl square on the nose. She falls to the ground and the male teenager turns around in shock to face Ellie. Louis takes this opportunity and whacks him on the back of the head, he spits out a mouthful of blood before falling to his knees beside his friends.
Ellie and Louis are both frozen to the spot. After a few seconds they both look at each other and rush across the grass, Louis picking Ellie up and squeezing her.
“Let’s get the heck out of here” she says and Louis tells her not to curse before they both turn and run towards the city.
Day 11
Harry has now reached the outer ring of the city. If he felt uneasy by the silence before he got here, he can’t begin to decipher his feelings on the sudden noise that now reverberates throughout the concrete jungle.
He keeps his eyes and ears open as he ducks past blown out cars and buses on the road, he tiptoes past sleeping dogs, not sure if they are also infected or not.
He can hear babies crying, women screaming and men roaring. He listens in vain for Louis’ voice but gives up as he moves further into the city.
It is growing dark and he is in what he assumes was an already dodgy area. His fear levels are at an all-time high and he can hear his own heart and his own short breaths as he dives into black doorways, hoping to keep out of trouble.
“Pssst” he hears and stays as still as he can. “Psssst”
He looks up at the nearest window and sees a boy around his age peering out at him. The boy waves at Harry to join him. Unwilling to trust, Harry shrugs at the boy before ducking back under the doorway. He hears an angry curse word from above him and moments later the door he is standing against opens and Harry nearly falls in. Startled, he takes several steps back and faces the young boy who is waiting impatiently for Harry to come in.
“I don’t have all day and if you stay out here you are going to be eaten alive” the boy snaps and Harry looks over his shoulder and hears a faint cry in the distance. He gulps and steps forward into the doorway.
The house is as dreary as the bunker he was confined in, it looks dilapidated, wood being eaten away by mould and the damp Harry can smell in the air.
“What are you doing hiding in my doorway anyway?” the boy asks as he leads Harry up the very unstable staircase.
Harry remains silent trying to listen out for any sign of danger. He takes in the boy’s size and shape. He is very small, about a foot smaller than Harry but Harry can see the outline of muscle on the boy’s arms under his long sleeved top.
I may appear to be skinny but check these abs out; I can take you out anytime, anyplace go ahead and try me. Ouch Harry, that hurt.
“I’m looking for a friend of mine” Harry finally speaks up.
“A fellow band mate?” the boy asks and Harry groans internally as he realises that the boy must know who he is. The boy turns to look at Harry and grins at him. Harry nods his head and the boy asks which one.
“Louis” Harry says and feels his stomach drop having said his name out loud.
“Stripes?” the boy asks with a raised eyebrow. Harry nods his head again, his mouth feeling more and drier by the second.
“I have not seen him around, sorry mate” the boy says and shoots Harry an apologetic look. Harry waves him off and joins him in what looks like an abandoned bedroom.
“The name is Chris by the way” the boy introduces himself but does not hold out a hand for Harry to shake. He keeps them stuffed in his pockets.
“I would introduce myself but I think you already know me” Harry jokes and accepts a glass of water from Chris.
“Well my sister absolutely loves- loved you” the boy says, falling silent toward the end of his sentence. Harry reaches out to squeeze his shoulder but Chris flinches away and jumps over to window to look out. Harry feels confused but joins him and looks out on the night.
“What do they look like? The Infected?” he asks Chris, staring out at the empty streets blow him.
“They almost look normal, just more haggard. Some of them have red eyes, some froth at the mouth. It is not hard to spot them really; you just have to be careful” Chris whispers and points at a corner not too far from the house.
“There” he nudges Harry and Harry squints out. He sees a woman probably around Harry’s Mum’s age rooting through a forgotten bin. She stops every few seconds to sniff the air and lets out short squeaks. Harry feels his stomach twisting with pity as she crawls around the litter, trying to find any food. The pitiful feelings stop however when he watches as the woman spots something in a shadowy doorway, just like the one Harry had been hiding in. A young girl runs out, screaming for help as the woman chases her, drool falling heavily from her hungry mouth.
“Can’t we help her?” Harry asks, watching as the girl nearly falls in her effort to escape the infected woman. Chris shakes his head solemnly and they walk away from the window when the girl’s screams are cut short by a vicious hand gripping her throat.
Harry swallows the feeling of sickness and sits down on the edge of Chris’s bed.
“You look like you need some sleep. Why don’t you catch a few hours, I’ll keep watch” Chris offers. Harry doesn’t want to take up his offer but his eyelids are drooping and his head is thumping. He smiles gratefully at Chris and lies down on the bed, falling asleep almost as soon as his head hits the pillow.
Day 12
Unfortunately for Zayn and Liam, Niall has found a small bouncing ball somewhere along his patrolling. After the ball hits the wall for what feels like the millionth time, Zayn reaches his hand out in front of Niall’s and catches it.
“Enough” he snaps and Niall does not even try and get it back. “I’m leaving” Zayn says and stands up, looking down at Liam who is fiddling with the radio, ignoring the two of them. “I said I am leaving” Zayn announces even louder. Liam does not look up and Niall sniggers as we watches Zayn’s expression turn stormy.
Zayn moves towards the door, louder than necessary and when he flings it open he looks back at the two of them. Niall raises his eyebrows, doubting Zayn is actually going to leave and Liam blocks his eyes from the light but remains focused on the radio. Zayn lets out a frustrated grumble.
“Zayn for God sake, if you are leaving leave, stop making a big deal” Liam mutters, and taps the side of the radio with his hand. Zayn looks at Niall with a shocked expression and Niall looks at Liam with the same expression on his face. Liam finally looks up at the two of them and stands up. He crosses the floor until he is standing inches from Zayn.
“I know you are not actually going to leave, you’re impatient- we all are, as soon as I try and get a signal on this damn radio we will go find them ok?”
Zayn’s eyes scan Liam’s face and his expression remains neutral. They stand like that until Niall coughs uncomfortably. They look away from each other, embarrassed and Liam’s head snaps over to the radio when a sudden noise emits from the constant stream of static. He runs over and holds it in his hands and raises it to his ear. His eyes shine brightly and he turns the volume up so the others can hear.
“If anyone can hear this, there is city-wide evacuation in two days. There is a walled site in the centre of the city, we will be evacuating any non-infected citizens for half an hour only, I repeat half an hour only. The evacuation begins at 2pm precisely, ending at half two. We hope to see you there” the message crackles over the radio. It is on repeat and they hear it numerous times before Liam switches the radio off.
The three of them share a glance.
“Harry and Louis” Zayn mutters before the three of them rush around the bunker, gathering as much provisions as they can.
~~
Louis and Ellie are under a mound of discarded boxes somewhere on the edge of the city. Louis can no longer lift Ellie, the ribs on his left side severely bruised and his arm sore from the sharp hits of the stick he had received.
“You are such a baby” Ellie mumbles as she ties the brace from her dungarees around Louis’ neck as a make-shift sling for his arm. He is wincing and being as dramatic as possible.
“I’m only trying to make you laugh” he says through gritted teeth. She raises her eyes and pokes him in the ribs, making him yell with pain.
“Get some sleep” he tells her as she yawns widely. She rests her head against Louis right side and snuggles down, falling asleep almost straight away. He looks at her and tries to get her to stop cuddling so close into him but no matter what he does, she finds a way. He curses and fights the sleep but eventually caves in and rests his head atop of hers and they sleep throughout the night.
Day 13
Harry wakes up and Chris is resting his head on the windowsill, snoring lightly.
“Oi” he whispers and Chris stirs, glancing over at Harry with a tired smile.
“Sleep well?” he asks, stretching his arms above his head letting out a tremendous yawn.
“Yeah actually, I didn’t think I would but all that walking must have worn me out” Harry replies, looking around the room for something to eat. Chris seems to know what Harry is looking for and throws over a packet of biscuits. Harry rips the packet open and tried to fit five in his mouth at the same time. Chris laughs and catches a biscuit Harry throws his way.
As they sit in silence Chris starts to scratch fervently at his hands. Harry watches him, concern creeping into his eyes. Before Harry can open his mouth to ask Chris if he is OK, there is a disturbance downstairs. They hear the front door fly open and bang against the dilapidated wall. Chris hops off the windowsill and Harry off the bed. Chris reaches under the bed and pulls out a shotgun.
“Holy shit” Harry blurts out, eyeing the weapon nervously. Chris’s worried expression twists into a slight smile and he winks at Harry before lifting the gun and hovering his index finger over the trigger. Harry holds in a breath as he hears a dull thudding sound inching closer to the room they are stationed in.
The door bursts open and what Harry assumes is an Infected looks at them momentarily before letting out a loud shriek and lunging towards Chris. It is an elderly man, grey hair visible through the clumps of blood all over the man’s face and skull, his teeth have shreds of meat in between each incisor and his fingernails are longer than any Harry has ever seen before in his life.
Chris does not hesitate before pulling the trigger, blasting the man’s brains out the back of his skull, decorating the door with a stark, bloody design. Harry gasps as a speck of blood lands on his hand which he wipes off hurriedly, afraid he will somehow contract the disease. Chris is breathing heavily and lowers his gun, glancing at Harry to make sure he is ok.
“Close one” he laughs and plonks down on the bed, hands shaking, making the odd parts inside the gun tinkle. Harry can’t reply, feeling horrified at what he just witnessed
“Harry, you have to get out of here, go find Louis and the others” Chris says, placing his gun down on the ground and leaning back on his elbows.
“Well let’s go then” Harry makes towards the door eagerly but Chris remains on his perch on the bed.
“I’m just going to wait here for a while” Chris mutters and scratches his neck vigorously.
“I’m not just going to leave you here” Harry tells him and waits for Chris to get off the bed and join him.
“Harry I- I was scratched by one of them a few days ago, I don’t think I am safe” Chris confesses and lifts his t-shirt, revealing a large scrape from his armpit to his hipbone which is jutting out from above his trousers. Harry gapes at it, the scrape turning a putrid yellow colour and oozing pus. Chris drops the fabric over the scrape, avoiding Harry’s worried gaze.
“Chris I am sure we can find something to help, we just-“
Chris waves his hand abruptly, cutting Harry short. “Please just…just go, your friends need you more than I do. I might change, I might…I might try and kill you” Chris swallows past a lump in his throat and hands Harry the shotgun. His eyes read more than he can probably say and Harry just nods at him and tries to convey his gratitude and fondness for his new friend through his own eyes. Harry makes for the door and hears Chris let out a small sigh and Harry prays for his safety before rushing out the open door.
~~
“Louis wake up” Ellie is whispering, shaking Louis’s arm, stirring him from his restless sleep.
“What is it?” he shoots up, grasping for his bat, on high alert.
“Nothing, I just think we should get a move on” she says, peering over their shelter for any sign of life. Louis winces as his left shoulder twinges with sharp pain. He slaps himself across the face in an effort to spring to life but ends up hurting himself and giggling helplessly with the amused child.
He nudges her to move and they spring silently out from the boxes, sticking close to the walls of the buildings looming high overhead. They are passing by an abandoned shop when they hear a voice crackling out of the smashed window. They freeze and listen and hear a man’s voice calling for attention.
“It’s a radio” Ellie gasps and rushes inside the dark shop. “Ellie!” Louis snaps and runs after her, panic rising in his throat. The shop is thankfully empty and there is a radio perched on the counter, the noise an eerie change from the never ending silence of this isolated part of the city.
“If anyone can hear this, there is city-wide evacuation tomorrow. There is a walled site in the centre of the city, we will be evacuating any non-infected citizens for half an hour only, I repeat half an hour only. The evacuation begins at 2pm precisely, ending at half two. We hope to see you there”
Ellie and Louis stare at each other with excited grins on their faces and they duck out of the shop. Ellie stops to pet a stray cat but Louis drags her away, unsure if it is infected or not and unwilling to take the risk. He can’t stop the hopeful feeling creeping on his skin. What if Harry and the others are there, waiting for him? He grins to himself when he thinks of them standing around, play fighting and turning to face him moaning about how late he was.
“What are you thinking about?” Ellie asks, noticing the sudden change. Louis weighs out the pros and cons of telling Ellie anything about himself. He ignores any con for now and starts telling her all about his friends, from the day they met until the day they were separated.
“I think you fancy Harry” she states when he is done and they are huddled against a petrol pump at a blown out gas station.
Louis splutters and stares at her. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me” she says and walks off, whistling a merry tune with a cheeky smile on her face. Louis feels his heart racing and tries to fight off the urge to both laugh and cry.
Louis, your boner for Harry is showing again. You know, you really should either tell him or just surprise him one day by shoving your- ok, ok I’ll shut up now.
“I’m going to punch you” he calls after Ellie who squeals and runs away from him.
~~
Zayn, Liam and Niall are gathered under the same bridge Harry had been only days ago. All three of them are dehydrated and Niall has not stopped complaining about his hunger pains since the day before. Liam is observing the bridge and the city in the distance in silence. The furrow in his brow implies that he is coming up with a plan for them.
Niall is about to open his mouth to grumble again when Zayn abruptly clamps a hand over his lips. Niall’s eyes flash with confusion when he takes in Zayn’s worried expression. Zayn cups his free hand around his ear, listening for something Niall cannot hear. He suddenly drags Niall behind an abandoned blown-out washing machine and they watch as Liam notices their sudden absence and ducks behind a pillar holding the bridge up.
They sit in suspenseful silence when suddenly two people come rounding the corner. They are dragging something between the two of them.
“This will keep us going for at least a week, maybe even two” they hear a female voice cackle. Niall pops his head over the washing machine to get a good look. Zayn drags him back down and Niall falls against the washing machine on his way, knocking it over on his side, completely revealing him and Zayn to the passing strangers.
They both freeze and look towards the two passers-by who whip around to the sound of the washing machine falling over. Liam’s head edges out from behind his pillar and he groans inwardly at the sight of his two crouching friends staring at the two strangers. He looks at their bags on the ground under the bridge and calculates the distance he is from them and the speed he will need to get them before the two people notice him.
“Hello” Niall says cheerfully, hoping these two people will be just as enthusiastic as he is.
The two glance at each other and share a wicked smile before dropping what Zayn realises is a dead body and making their way over to the two of them. Zayn grabs Niall by the collar of his once white but now brown t-shirt and hauls him up off the ground. He steps in front of Niall, protecting him from the dangerous cannibals.
“Back off” he snarls at the strangers who only laugh cruelly at him and Niall.
Liam takes this opportunity to sneak over to their bags and rifles through as quickly but as silently as he can. He spots the crowbar Harry had left behind but shakes the idea of impaling another human and throws it back in the bag. He fights his panic as he sees the two people move closer to Zayn and Niall.
“I said back off” Zayn repeats, pushing Niall further back and standing his ground, trying to assert as much authority as he can.
They laugh again and the male of the two grasps Zayn’s hair and fires him to the ground, leaving Niall completely at mercy to them both.
Liam looks up at the sound of Zayn’s shout and watches as he is thrown to the ground by the man. He forgets any morals he was once clinging onto and thrusts his hand inside the bag and withdraws the crowbar in his hand.
“Ha, nice strength you have there” Niall stutters, backing away from the man who is rounding on Niall with a vicious look in his eyes. The female stands over Zayn, keeping her foot pressed onto his cheek, driving him further into the dirt. The man grabs Niall by the throat and throws him down onto the washing machine, holding him down and laughing as Niall tries to struggle out of his grip.
“Struggling will only make it worse” the female whoops, watching with malicious glee as Niall’s face turns a bright red colour and stamps on Zayn who is trying his best to get away from her and help his friend.
There is a sudden roar and Niall’s eyes spring open when a sudden spurt of blood from the man’s mouth lands in his face, his hands releasing their tight grip from around his throat. He slumps forward and lands on Niall, revealing Liam standing over the two of them a crowbar raised high above his head and a terrified look in his eyes. Niall shudders and although his vision is growing blurry, he flings the man off him and tries to sit up. The woman standing on Zayn screams in anger and runs towards Liam, clearly intent on hurting him. Liam stands frozen to the spot, his arms shaking violently as he watches the woman come toward him. Zayn springs off the ground and chases her, tackling her to the ground before she can reach Liam.
“Get off me!” she screams repeatedly and Zayn holds her to the ground, barking at Liam and Niall to run. They don’t argue and sprint away, up towards the bridge, Niall clutching his neck, struggling to breathe. The sit down on the deserted road on top of the bridge and catch their breath. They hear a sharp screech and moments later Zayn appears with a dark look on his face. He rushes over to Niall and reaches out to touch his neck, but Niall flinches out of his grip and rubs his bruised skin, panting slightly. Zayn then turns to Liam who is staring at his hands, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. Zayn sighs and flops down beside them and they remain in a horrified silence until the night falls.
~~
As the sky darkens, Ellie and Louis are doing their best to find a safe place to hide and also find the evacuation sight. They are failing miserably at both and Louis feels a pang of guilt as he watches Ellie struggle to walk, her legs tired and her eyes heavy.
“I’m sorry I can’t carry you” he murmurs, inspecting his nails when she turns to look at him.
“Don’t be silly” she replies and stops outside a wire fence on a dark street. “Why don’t we stop here for a while and catch some sleep?” she offers, glancing around and looking back at Louis who is biting his lip uncertainly. He takes in her appearance and tries to picture what he himself looks like and nods his head. They lie against the fence and Louis allows her to lie against his right side until she falls asleep. He fights it as long as he can but soon Louis succumbs to slumber.
~~
Harry is creeping around the dark streets of the city, his thoughts creating the noise absent from the area. He can’t stop thinking about his friends, his family, Chris and most of all Louis. Where are they all? Are they safe? He can’t stop, no matter how hard he tries, they are all he can see and hear.
You’re always worrying Haz, stop worrying about me, I should be the one worrying about you, I am your elder you know.
“Shut up Louis” Harry hears himself say out loud and stops in his tracks as he rounds a corner leading into a dimly lit alley. There is a figure lying on the ground by a fence. As he squints his eyes in an effort to see if they are dangerous or not, he sees another person tucked in by their side. Harry is about to tiptoe past until he sees a familiar flick of hair, poking out against the fence.
“No” he whispers, shock surging through his veins. He dares to smile, the widest smile he has felt since this whole thing started. He starts to jog towards the sleeping figures when he feels a sharp pain in his right leg. He lets out a cry as he trips to the ground.
~~
Louis jumps from his sleep when he hears a shout in the street where he and Ellie are lying. He looks over and sees a person lying on the ground and what he fears is an Infected standing not too far from them, looking upon the fallen person with hunger. Louis shakes Ellie lightly and she opens her eyes and Louis presses a finger to her lips. He picks her up, forgetting about the pain in his arm and goes to sneak in the opposite direction to the other people. He is nearly out of their sight when he hears a strangled voice call out into the dark.
“Louis!”
Louis freezes, almost dropping Ellie and turns around. The boy on the ground has lifted his head and Louis almost cheers and cries simultaneously when he notices the familiar mop of curls in silhouette. His happiness is cut short when he remembers the other figure, standing near Harry, waiting to make its move.
“Wait here” he says to Ellie, placing her back down on the ground and grabbing his bat. She nods her head, not sure who the other person is but recognising Louis’ need to help him.
“Louis!” Harry calls again, spitting out water from the puddle he had landed in. He laughs and clambers onto his knees as he watches Louis run towards him, wanting nothing more than to reach up and pull Louis down into him. He feels a heavy weight on top of his back and stops laughing, hearing Louis shout out in panic and a loud cracking sound before he falls once more onto the grimy street.
//
part three
Characters: All the boys and others.
Rating: NC-17 I suppose for violence and language
Summary: Harry wakes up post infection/zombie apocalypse and Louis is nowhere to be found.
Word count: This chapter 5, 061
++ the italics are flashbacks by the way
Day 10
The city is not too far away from Harry. He has not stopped for food in a long time and he has been out of water since the night before. He finally reaches his exhaustion point and stops a mile or two outside the city, a road bridge leading into the skyscrapers looming overhead. He feels too out in the open but realises he will have to get used to that now in his new haven.
He slides a finger over his lips and feels some dry skin peel off. He gazes up at the sun rising high in the sky and feels beads of sweat trickle down his back. He scans the ground for even a puddle to drink out of. He finds nothing and reaches inside his bag. He takes out his last can of peaches and opens it, drinking the juice and letting the peaches slide down his throat without chewing them. He fights the urge to vomit and the sudden hydration makes him feel much better.
He stands up in order to walk across the road and make his way up to the bridge. He hears no sounds which makes him feel uneasy what with being so close to a city. His mind wanders as he walks and he thinks about his friends, what are they doing now, what he wants them to be doing now and walks on with a small hopeful smile on his face.
~~
Niall is pacing the land dying to scratch his eye behind the bandage but resisting, knowing he will only infect the cut.
“Niall!” he hears Zayn call from the bunker and he rushes over. The radio is crackling, the sound of static filling the usually quiet air. Liam looks up at them, a large smile spreading across his face. Zayn and Niall hold their breath as they watch Liam turn the buttons, waiting for anything to come across the sound waves. The static catches every few minutes and they startle, thinking it is a voice coming to them.
“Fucking hell” Zayn grumbles after a few hours, all of their heads sore from the sound of the unresponsive radio.
“Sorry guys” Liam says and switches the radio off, lying down on the hard ground and kicking his legs in frustration.
They sit in silence, something they have been doing more frequently since Harry left. All of them worrying, all of them waiting to leave this confined space themselves.
~~
Ellie is crouched over, her hands covering her ears, terrified and shaking. She hears Louis shout “HEY” and peers over the rock only to see the larger teen run toward him. Louis is standing his ground, his bat in hand, looking just as small as she feels.
She watches as the teenager reaches Louis and hears a loud crack fill the air as Louis’ bat swings around and hits the teenager across his skull. She winces as he falls to the floor and watches as Louis stares with an open mouth at the blood spilling out onto the grass. She can tell he is trying to remain calm and brave but notices the little twitch in his hands, the way he bites the corner of his lip.
“You arsehole” the female teenager screams and runs at Louis, a large stick in her hand. When she reaches him she swings her stick in the air and Louis dodges it, clearly not wanting to hit the girl.
The remaining teenager rushes to join his friend and Ellie panics as she watches the two of them circle Louis. He is trying his best to hit the male teen but he is small and dodges each swing swiftly, taunting Louis by sneering at him whilst the girl repeatedly hits him with the stick.
Ellie’s temper flares and she scans the ground around her. She spots a fairly large rock and picks it up. She takes aim and flings the rock in the air, feeling sickly satisfied as it hits the girl square on the nose. She falls to the ground and the male teenager turns around in shock to face Ellie. Louis takes this opportunity and whacks him on the back of the head, he spits out a mouthful of blood before falling to his knees beside his friends.
Ellie and Louis are both frozen to the spot. After a few seconds they both look at each other and rush across the grass, Louis picking Ellie up and squeezing her.
“Let’s get the heck out of here” she says and Louis tells her not to curse before they both turn and run towards the city.
Day 11
Harry has now reached the outer ring of the city. If he felt uneasy by the silence before he got here, he can’t begin to decipher his feelings on the sudden noise that now reverberates throughout the concrete jungle.
He keeps his eyes and ears open as he ducks past blown out cars and buses on the road, he tiptoes past sleeping dogs, not sure if they are also infected or not.
He can hear babies crying, women screaming and men roaring. He listens in vain for Louis’ voice but gives up as he moves further into the city.
It is growing dark and he is in what he assumes was an already dodgy area. His fear levels are at an all-time high and he can hear his own heart and his own short breaths as he dives into black doorways, hoping to keep out of trouble.
“Pssst” he hears and stays as still as he can. “Psssst”
He looks up at the nearest window and sees a boy around his age peering out at him. The boy waves at Harry to join him. Unwilling to trust, Harry shrugs at the boy before ducking back under the doorway. He hears an angry curse word from above him and moments later the door he is standing against opens and Harry nearly falls in. Startled, he takes several steps back and faces the young boy who is waiting impatiently for Harry to come in.
“I don’t have all day and if you stay out here you are going to be eaten alive” the boy snaps and Harry looks over his shoulder and hears a faint cry in the distance. He gulps and steps forward into the doorway.
The house is as dreary as the bunker he was confined in, it looks dilapidated, wood being eaten away by mould and the damp Harry can smell in the air.
“What are you doing hiding in my doorway anyway?” the boy asks as he leads Harry up the very unstable staircase.
Harry remains silent trying to listen out for any sign of danger. He takes in the boy’s size and shape. He is very small, about a foot smaller than Harry but Harry can see the outline of muscle on the boy’s arms under his long sleeved top.
I may appear to be skinny but check these abs out; I can take you out anytime, anyplace go ahead and try me. Ouch Harry, that hurt.
“I’m looking for a friend of mine” Harry finally speaks up.
“A fellow band mate?” the boy asks and Harry groans internally as he realises that the boy must know who he is. The boy turns to look at Harry and grins at him. Harry nods his head and the boy asks which one.
“Louis” Harry says and feels his stomach drop having said his name out loud.
“Stripes?” the boy asks with a raised eyebrow. Harry nods his head again, his mouth feeling more and drier by the second.
“I have not seen him around, sorry mate” the boy says and shoots Harry an apologetic look. Harry waves him off and joins him in what looks like an abandoned bedroom.
“The name is Chris by the way” the boy introduces himself but does not hold out a hand for Harry to shake. He keeps them stuffed in his pockets.
“I would introduce myself but I think you already know me” Harry jokes and accepts a glass of water from Chris.
“Well my sister absolutely loves- loved you” the boy says, falling silent toward the end of his sentence. Harry reaches out to squeeze his shoulder but Chris flinches away and jumps over to window to look out. Harry feels confused but joins him and looks out on the night.
“What do they look like? The Infected?” he asks Chris, staring out at the empty streets blow him.
“They almost look normal, just more haggard. Some of them have red eyes, some froth at the mouth. It is not hard to spot them really; you just have to be careful” Chris whispers and points at a corner not too far from the house.
“There” he nudges Harry and Harry squints out. He sees a woman probably around Harry’s Mum’s age rooting through a forgotten bin. She stops every few seconds to sniff the air and lets out short squeaks. Harry feels his stomach twisting with pity as she crawls around the litter, trying to find any food. The pitiful feelings stop however when he watches as the woman spots something in a shadowy doorway, just like the one Harry had been hiding in. A young girl runs out, screaming for help as the woman chases her, drool falling heavily from her hungry mouth.
“Can’t we help her?” Harry asks, watching as the girl nearly falls in her effort to escape the infected woman. Chris shakes his head solemnly and they walk away from the window when the girl’s screams are cut short by a vicious hand gripping her throat.
Harry swallows the feeling of sickness and sits down on the edge of Chris’s bed.
“You look like you need some sleep. Why don’t you catch a few hours, I’ll keep watch” Chris offers. Harry doesn’t want to take up his offer but his eyelids are drooping and his head is thumping. He smiles gratefully at Chris and lies down on the bed, falling asleep almost as soon as his head hits the pillow.
Day 12
Unfortunately for Zayn and Liam, Niall has found a small bouncing ball somewhere along his patrolling. After the ball hits the wall for what feels like the millionth time, Zayn reaches his hand out in front of Niall’s and catches it.
“Enough” he snaps and Niall does not even try and get it back. “I’m leaving” Zayn says and stands up, looking down at Liam who is fiddling with the radio, ignoring the two of them. “I said I am leaving” Zayn announces even louder. Liam does not look up and Niall sniggers as we watches Zayn’s expression turn stormy.
Zayn moves towards the door, louder than necessary and when he flings it open he looks back at the two of them. Niall raises his eyebrows, doubting Zayn is actually going to leave and Liam blocks his eyes from the light but remains focused on the radio. Zayn lets out a frustrated grumble.
“Zayn for God sake, if you are leaving leave, stop making a big deal” Liam mutters, and taps the side of the radio with his hand. Zayn looks at Niall with a shocked expression and Niall looks at Liam with the same expression on his face. Liam finally looks up at the two of them and stands up. He crosses the floor until he is standing inches from Zayn.
“I know you are not actually going to leave, you’re impatient- we all are, as soon as I try and get a signal on this damn radio we will go find them ok?”
Zayn’s eyes scan Liam’s face and his expression remains neutral. They stand like that until Niall coughs uncomfortably. They look away from each other, embarrassed and Liam’s head snaps over to the radio when a sudden noise emits from the constant stream of static. He runs over and holds it in his hands and raises it to his ear. His eyes shine brightly and he turns the volume up so the others can hear.
“If anyone can hear this, there is city-wide evacuation in two days. There is a walled site in the centre of the city, we will be evacuating any non-infected citizens for half an hour only, I repeat half an hour only. The evacuation begins at 2pm precisely, ending at half two. We hope to see you there” the message crackles over the radio. It is on repeat and they hear it numerous times before Liam switches the radio off.
The three of them share a glance.
“Harry and Louis” Zayn mutters before the three of them rush around the bunker, gathering as much provisions as they can.
~~
Louis and Ellie are under a mound of discarded boxes somewhere on the edge of the city. Louis can no longer lift Ellie, the ribs on his left side severely bruised and his arm sore from the sharp hits of the stick he had received.
“You are such a baby” Ellie mumbles as she ties the brace from her dungarees around Louis’ neck as a make-shift sling for his arm. He is wincing and being as dramatic as possible.
“I’m only trying to make you laugh” he says through gritted teeth. She raises her eyes and pokes him in the ribs, making him yell with pain.
“Get some sleep” he tells her as she yawns widely. She rests her head against Louis right side and snuggles down, falling asleep almost straight away. He looks at her and tries to get her to stop cuddling so close into him but no matter what he does, she finds a way. He curses and fights the sleep but eventually caves in and rests his head atop of hers and they sleep throughout the night.
Day 13
Harry wakes up and Chris is resting his head on the windowsill, snoring lightly.
“Oi” he whispers and Chris stirs, glancing over at Harry with a tired smile.
“Sleep well?” he asks, stretching his arms above his head letting out a tremendous yawn.
“Yeah actually, I didn’t think I would but all that walking must have worn me out” Harry replies, looking around the room for something to eat. Chris seems to know what Harry is looking for and throws over a packet of biscuits. Harry rips the packet open and tried to fit five in his mouth at the same time. Chris laughs and catches a biscuit Harry throws his way.
As they sit in silence Chris starts to scratch fervently at his hands. Harry watches him, concern creeping into his eyes. Before Harry can open his mouth to ask Chris if he is OK, there is a disturbance downstairs. They hear the front door fly open and bang against the dilapidated wall. Chris hops off the windowsill and Harry off the bed. Chris reaches under the bed and pulls out a shotgun.
“Holy shit” Harry blurts out, eyeing the weapon nervously. Chris’s worried expression twists into a slight smile and he winks at Harry before lifting the gun and hovering his index finger over the trigger. Harry holds in a breath as he hears a dull thudding sound inching closer to the room they are stationed in.
The door bursts open and what Harry assumes is an Infected looks at them momentarily before letting out a loud shriek and lunging towards Chris. It is an elderly man, grey hair visible through the clumps of blood all over the man’s face and skull, his teeth have shreds of meat in between each incisor and his fingernails are longer than any Harry has ever seen before in his life.
Chris does not hesitate before pulling the trigger, blasting the man’s brains out the back of his skull, decorating the door with a stark, bloody design. Harry gasps as a speck of blood lands on his hand which he wipes off hurriedly, afraid he will somehow contract the disease. Chris is breathing heavily and lowers his gun, glancing at Harry to make sure he is ok.
“Close one” he laughs and plonks down on the bed, hands shaking, making the odd parts inside the gun tinkle. Harry can’t reply, feeling horrified at what he just witnessed
“Harry, you have to get out of here, go find Louis and the others” Chris says, placing his gun down on the ground and leaning back on his elbows.
“Well let’s go then” Harry makes towards the door eagerly but Chris remains on his perch on the bed.
“I’m just going to wait here for a while” Chris mutters and scratches his neck vigorously.
“I’m not just going to leave you here” Harry tells him and waits for Chris to get off the bed and join him.
“Harry I- I was scratched by one of them a few days ago, I don’t think I am safe” Chris confesses and lifts his t-shirt, revealing a large scrape from his armpit to his hipbone which is jutting out from above his trousers. Harry gapes at it, the scrape turning a putrid yellow colour and oozing pus. Chris drops the fabric over the scrape, avoiding Harry’s worried gaze.
“Chris I am sure we can find something to help, we just-“
Chris waves his hand abruptly, cutting Harry short. “Please just…just go, your friends need you more than I do. I might change, I might…I might try and kill you” Chris swallows past a lump in his throat and hands Harry the shotgun. His eyes read more than he can probably say and Harry just nods at him and tries to convey his gratitude and fondness for his new friend through his own eyes. Harry makes for the door and hears Chris let out a small sigh and Harry prays for his safety before rushing out the open door.
~~
“Louis wake up” Ellie is whispering, shaking Louis’s arm, stirring him from his restless sleep.
“What is it?” he shoots up, grasping for his bat, on high alert.
“Nothing, I just think we should get a move on” she says, peering over their shelter for any sign of life. Louis winces as his left shoulder twinges with sharp pain. He slaps himself across the face in an effort to spring to life but ends up hurting himself and giggling helplessly with the amused child.
He nudges her to move and they spring silently out from the boxes, sticking close to the walls of the buildings looming high overhead. They are passing by an abandoned shop when they hear a voice crackling out of the smashed window. They freeze and listen and hear a man’s voice calling for attention.
“It’s a radio” Ellie gasps and rushes inside the dark shop. “Ellie!” Louis snaps and runs after her, panic rising in his throat. The shop is thankfully empty and there is a radio perched on the counter, the noise an eerie change from the never ending silence of this isolated part of the city.
“If anyone can hear this, there is city-wide evacuation tomorrow. There is a walled site in the centre of the city, we will be evacuating any non-infected citizens for half an hour only, I repeat half an hour only. The evacuation begins at 2pm precisely, ending at half two. We hope to see you there”
Ellie and Louis stare at each other with excited grins on their faces and they duck out of the shop. Ellie stops to pet a stray cat but Louis drags her away, unsure if it is infected or not and unwilling to take the risk. He can’t stop the hopeful feeling creeping on his skin. What if Harry and the others are there, waiting for him? He grins to himself when he thinks of them standing around, play fighting and turning to face him moaning about how late he was.
“What are you thinking about?” Ellie asks, noticing the sudden change. Louis weighs out the pros and cons of telling Ellie anything about himself. He ignores any con for now and starts telling her all about his friends, from the day they met until the day they were separated.
“I think you fancy Harry” she states when he is done and they are huddled against a petrol pump at a blown out gas station.
Louis splutters and stares at her. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me” she says and walks off, whistling a merry tune with a cheeky smile on her face. Louis feels his heart racing and tries to fight off the urge to both laugh and cry.
Louis, your boner for Harry is showing again. You know, you really should either tell him or just surprise him one day by shoving your- ok, ok I’ll shut up now.
“I’m going to punch you” he calls after Ellie who squeals and runs away from him.
~~
Zayn, Liam and Niall are gathered under the same bridge Harry had been only days ago. All three of them are dehydrated and Niall has not stopped complaining about his hunger pains since the day before. Liam is observing the bridge and the city in the distance in silence. The furrow in his brow implies that he is coming up with a plan for them.
Niall is about to open his mouth to grumble again when Zayn abruptly clamps a hand over his lips. Niall’s eyes flash with confusion when he takes in Zayn’s worried expression. Zayn cups his free hand around his ear, listening for something Niall cannot hear. He suddenly drags Niall behind an abandoned blown-out washing machine and they watch as Liam notices their sudden absence and ducks behind a pillar holding the bridge up.
They sit in suspenseful silence when suddenly two people come rounding the corner. They are dragging something between the two of them.
“This will keep us going for at least a week, maybe even two” they hear a female voice cackle. Niall pops his head over the washing machine to get a good look. Zayn drags him back down and Niall falls against the washing machine on his way, knocking it over on his side, completely revealing him and Zayn to the passing strangers.
They both freeze and look towards the two passers-by who whip around to the sound of the washing machine falling over. Liam’s head edges out from behind his pillar and he groans inwardly at the sight of his two crouching friends staring at the two strangers. He looks at their bags on the ground under the bridge and calculates the distance he is from them and the speed he will need to get them before the two people notice him.
“Hello” Niall says cheerfully, hoping these two people will be just as enthusiastic as he is.
The two glance at each other and share a wicked smile before dropping what Zayn realises is a dead body and making their way over to the two of them. Zayn grabs Niall by the collar of his once white but now brown t-shirt and hauls him up off the ground. He steps in front of Niall, protecting him from the dangerous cannibals.
“Back off” he snarls at the strangers who only laugh cruelly at him and Niall.
Liam takes this opportunity to sneak over to their bags and rifles through as quickly but as silently as he can. He spots the crowbar Harry had left behind but shakes the idea of impaling another human and throws it back in the bag. He fights his panic as he sees the two people move closer to Zayn and Niall.
“I said back off” Zayn repeats, pushing Niall further back and standing his ground, trying to assert as much authority as he can.
They laugh again and the male of the two grasps Zayn’s hair and fires him to the ground, leaving Niall completely at mercy to them both.
Liam looks up at the sound of Zayn’s shout and watches as he is thrown to the ground by the man. He forgets any morals he was once clinging onto and thrusts his hand inside the bag and withdraws the crowbar in his hand.
“Ha, nice strength you have there” Niall stutters, backing away from the man who is rounding on Niall with a vicious look in his eyes. The female stands over Zayn, keeping her foot pressed onto his cheek, driving him further into the dirt. The man grabs Niall by the throat and throws him down onto the washing machine, holding him down and laughing as Niall tries to struggle out of his grip.
“Struggling will only make it worse” the female whoops, watching with malicious glee as Niall’s face turns a bright red colour and stamps on Zayn who is trying his best to get away from her and help his friend.
There is a sudden roar and Niall’s eyes spring open when a sudden spurt of blood from the man’s mouth lands in his face, his hands releasing their tight grip from around his throat. He slumps forward and lands on Niall, revealing Liam standing over the two of them a crowbar raised high above his head and a terrified look in his eyes. Niall shudders and although his vision is growing blurry, he flings the man off him and tries to sit up. The woman standing on Zayn screams in anger and runs towards Liam, clearly intent on hurting him. Liam stands frozen to the spot, his arms shaking violently as he watches the woman come toward him. Zayn springs off the ground and chases her, tackling her to the ground before she can reach Liam.
“Get off me!” she screams repeatedly and Zayn holds her to the ground, barking at Liam and Niall to run. They don’t argue and sprint away, up towards the bridge, Niall clutching his neck, struggling to breathe. The sit down on the deserted road on top of the bridge and catch their breath. They hear a sharp screech and moments later Zayn appears with a dark look on his face. He rushes over to Niall and reaches out to touch his neck, but Niall flinches out of his grip and rubs his bruised skin, panting slightly. Zayn then turns to Liam who is staring at his hands, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. Zayn sighs and flops down beside them and they remain in a horrified silence until the night falls.
~~
As the sky darkens, Ellie and Louis are doing their best to find a safe place to hide and also find the evacuation sight. They are failing miserably at both and Louis feels a pang of guilt as he watches Ellie struggle to walk, her legs tired and her eyes heavy.
“I’m sorry I can’t carry you” he murmurs, inspecting his nails when she turns to look at him.
“Don’t be silly” she replies and stops outside a wire fence on a dark street. “Why don’t we stop here for a while and catch some sleep?” she offers, glancing around and looking back at Louis who is biting his lip uncertainly. He takes in her appearance and tries to picture what he himself looks like and nods his head. They lie against the fence and Louis allows her to lie against his right side until she falls asleep. He fights it as long as he can but soon Louis succumbs to slumber.
~~
Harry is creeping around the dark streets of the city, his thoughts creating the noise absent from the area. He can’t stop thinking about his friends, his family, Chris and most of all Louis. Where are they all? Are they safe? He can’t stop, no matter how hard he tries, they are all he can see and hear.
You’re always worrying Haz, stop worrying about me, I should be the one worrying about you, I am your elder you know.
“Shut up Louis” Harry hears himself say out loud and stops in his tracks as he rounds a corner leading into a dimly lit alley. There is a figure lying on the ground by a fence. As he squints his eyes in an effort to see if they are dangerous or not, he sees another person tucked in by their side. Harry is about to tiptoe past until he sees a familiar flick of hair, poking out against the fence.
“No” he whispers, shock surging through his veins. He dares to smile, the widest smile he has felt since this whole thing started. He starts to jog towards the sleeping figures when he feels a sharp pain in his right leg. He lets out a cry as he trips to the ground.
~~
Louis jumps from his sleep when he hears a shout in the street where he and Ellie are lying. He looks over and sees a person lying on the ground and what he fears is an Infected standing not too far from them, looking upon the fallen person with hunger. Louis shakes Ellie lightly and she opens her eyes and Louis presses a finger to her lips. He picks her up, forgetting about the pain in his arm and goes to sneak in the opposite direction to the other people. He is nearly out of their sight when he hears a strangled voice call out into the dark.
“Louis!”
Louis freezes, almost dropping Ellie and turns around. The boy on the ground has lifted his head and Louis almost cheers and cries simultaneously when he notices the familiar mop of curls in silhouette. His happiness is cut short when he remembers the other figure, standing near Harry, waiting to make its move.
“Wait here” he says to Ellie, placing her back down on the ground and grabbing his bat. She nods her head, not sure who the other person is but recognising Louis’ need to help him.
“Louis!” Harry calls again, spitting out water from the puddle he had landed in. He laughs and clambers onto his knees as he watches Louis run towards him, wanting nothing more than to reach up and pull Louis down into him. He feels a heavy weight on top of his back and stops laughing, hearing Louis shout out in panic and a loud cracking sound before he falls once more onto the grimy street.
//
part three