Stockholm Syndrome ✔

Chapter 21 - Ravaged Body

Slowly Louis started to sense the world around him. It had been such a long time since the last time he had been unconscious that it took him a while to realize what the hell was going on and why did he felt so weird.

First he realised that he was lying on a cold and hard concrete floor. But it wasn't just the floor that was cold. It was the air too. It was cold and dank. When he tried to move his arm, a vicious pain shot through his whole body.

Okay, so not moving, Louis thought, even though he felt the throbbing pain in his body all the time, it was a lot of easier to deal with when he stayed still. So instead of trying to move he calmed down his breathing rhythm and listened his environment. At first he couldn't hear anything but his own heartbeats and throbbing pain in the back of his head. But then, slowly he started hearing other voices. Someone was there, close to Louis. The more Louis thought about it, the more convinced he was that someone was standing somewhere close, watching him, wiggling their fingers... nervously? Impatiently? Louis couldn't tell, he was too afraid to open his eyes because he didn't want to feel the pain that it might cause since he was rather sure that half of his face was swollen and deformed at the moment.

The images came back slowly. Malik hitting his fist over and over again on Louis' face while Aleksei held him in place. The kicks on his ribs, face, knees. The mean, ruthless words. It had felt never ending. And Louis had kind of hoped he would die.

But of course Malik and Aleksei didn't finish it. They didn't dare since Troy had still unsettled things with Louis. Louis realised that technically he was still alive because of Troy. It was not a pleasent thing to realise.

"I know you're awake."

Even though Harry's voice was cold and somewhat distant, Louis still recognized it. He wanted to say something back but he didn't dare to open his mouth. Instead he decided to be a man and at least open his eyes. Slowly he lifted his eyelids and stared at the cellar's ceiling. It was rather dark, only a few fucking candles bringing light to the space.

Though Louis had known to expect it, this cellar wasn't a new place to him.

Since Louis didn't dare to move his head, he just stared at the ceiling and tried to assess the damage done to his body through the pain. Fucked-up face, he thought, definitely bruises, sprained ankle of course, undoubtedly a few broken ribs, a possible concussion... And just like that he didn't want to continue anymore because God knows what else he'd find wrong with his body.

Harry's head popped into Louis' view. "So you're alive."

Louis narrowed his eyes. Of course I am.

Harry stared at Louis in silence and all Louis could do was stare back. He wondered what Harry was doing in the cellar. Maybe he had had a change of heart? Maybe he cared about Louis and wasn't completely ruined by Troy? Or maybe he just wanted to make sure that Louis wouldn't die before Troy has had a chance to 'deal with him'.

"What are you thinking, stepbrother?" Harry suddenly asked, startling Louis. "You're like paralyzed and your eyes are just full of pain— I can't read your body language."

Louis closed his eyes. Pain. I'm thinking of the pain. Louis' subconscious gave him a silent pep talk about how he needs to open his mouth and bring the old Harry back because that Harry was his only hope, so slowly and painfully Louis uttered out, "Anne's... sick..."

It was a lot harder to talk than what Louis had expected but even harder was to try open his eyes again. He wanted to see Harry's face and his reaction but he couldn't open his eyes anymore. He was too tired.

But he was also too curious.

With all his power that was left he opened his eyes and saw Harry staring at him, deadpanned. Louis hoped Harry 'd want to know more because Louis was his only source but he didn't really know what was going on inside Harry's head. So Louis only choice was to push him harder.