Red Herring (Larry Stylinson)

013

Louis' heart sank deep into his chest, his eyes froze, not feeling the dry tears that were rolling down his cheeks.

Confused was an understatement in Louis' situation at this moment, as he didn't understand what was happening.

He looked at his friend in front of him with deep sorrow in his eyes. His dead friend, who didn't look at all dead to him, yet, here he was.

Then everything began to make sense to him.

"I don't eat these days."

"Louis?"

"Hmm?"

"You know I love you, right?"

"Yes?"

"What would you do if we weren't mates anymore?"

"What if you get another friend and forget about me?"

Then it made sense to him why Harry wanted the missing people found so bad; Harry was one of them.

It made sense why he would always appear randomly and out of nowhere.

It made sense why he was so down that day when playing chess.

It made sense how he got in his house that day as well, and realised he didn't even ask him how he got in, considering he always locks his door.

It even made sense why he said they can't be together, and why he refused to hug him that day he came back. He was dead.

So many things started to make sense, including Harry knowing he was at the police station.

Then the biggest realisation hit him even harder.

Oh Louis, you blind dog. It pains me to see you so.....unwell in the head.

He wasn't talking to anyone.

He was talking to himself this whole time.

Harry was there, talking to him, yet, he wasn't.

But he began to wonder how James knew he was talking to himself.

"Ask for the letters, Lou." Harry suddenly spoke, his eyes red with tears, the same as Louis.

"The letters?" He raised his brow, asking, voice cracking. Harry nodded.

He then remembered the news reporter saying something about James writing letters to the victims explaining why he killed them.

He then wondered why he killed Harry. He wondered what the reason for that was.

"The answers are in the letters, Lou."

Another realisation hit him.

"You can hear my thoughts?" Harry nodded.

No wonder he figured out what he was thinking the day he came up with the idea of helping out with the investigations so fast.

"But how?" Louis asked, confused, and wiped his eyes, even though he knew the tears would still fall.

He shrugged. "It's a ghost thing I guess."

Louis' lips curled, still trying to process everything.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Louis asked, hoping to find answers.

"I'll explain everything later, Lou, but right now, you need to know the truth. The Red Herring truth."

Louis furrowed his brows, confused. "Red what?"

"Just go, Louis. Before it's too late."

Louis nodded, even though he was slightly confused.

He wiped the new tears that rolled down his cheek, and wiped his face; but that didn't stop them from coming back as he broke down completely in the car, his chest hurting as he balled, body trembling.

___

Louis walked into the room, seeing Elizabeth looking through papers.

She looked up and smiled warmly at him. "Hello, Louis. What are you doing here?"

"Erm, I was wondering if you could show me the letters? From James to his victims." He answered.

"Sure! Let me just look for them." She said, standing up and walking to a tall filing cabinet, and opened a drawer full of files.

She searched through the one she knew they were in, and when she found them, she closed the drawer and walked back to sit down in her chair.

She handed them to him and he took them, saying, "Thank you."

He sat down across from her and took the papers out from the folder, and began reading them.

His breath hitched once he read one of them, but furrowed his brows in confusion.

Everyone has talents, but I will not let you outshine mine. That should've been me, not you. Have fun rotting, Danny boy.

"Daniel...." He whispered.

He looked through some more, and his mouth gaped open when he saw one that shocked him the most, making him gulp.

This will teach you not to mess with me. The next time you grab onto someone's arm, it will be in hell.

"Elizabeth?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you show me the list of missing persons that you have?" She nodded.

"Sure, just over there." She pointed behind him to a wall, which showed pictures of missing people.

He stood up from his chair and walked up to the wall. Immediately he spotted who he was looking for, making his mouth gape open.

NOAH TAYLOR.

"Oh no....."

Louis rushed back over to the letters and immediately found the letter he was looking for in front of him.

Who's the wanker now?

"Oh my god.....Charlie."