Sold // Harry Styles

Chapter 1

One loud boom! echoes throughout the entire building.  It bounces off the walls and sends chills up my spine.  Everything seems to happen all at once—the lights go out suddenly, the door slams shut, and a gunshot ricochets off the hollow walls.

Then it’s silent.

The only sounds I can hear are my own beating heart and my rugged breathes that I’m so desperately trying to control.  I’m left in the complete shadows and the darkness engulfs me, leaving only a sliver of light from the small cracks in the windows between the wood that’s nailed down.

My skin prickles with fright, and my hands feel clammy though I’m pretty sure no blood is reaching my fingertips.  There’s a painful flip in my stomach—almost as if someone were juggling knives that tear through skin.

My original intent of coming here suddenly seems silly and naïve now.  I can handle Uncle Jim, and I can handle living in a new place and meeting new people, but Dear God, if you’re listening to me right now, I can’t handle living with a bunch of murderers!

I race to the front door, nearly tripping over my own feet.  My legs feel far too weak—like a thousand weights are attached to my ankles and shoulders, slowly dragging me down by the Devil himself.  I yank and tug on the door handle but it doesn’t budge once.

My breathing hitches in my throat, but it isn't mine who I'm scared about.  It was the one that is felt on my neck—cold and airy as it cascades down my shoulders and makes my skin line with goose bumps.

Images flood through my mind of the murderer standing behind me.  Knife in his hand.  Blood oozing down his face.  Crazed eyes.  Blood stained t-shirt.  Sly smile.

I turn around slowly, expecting the worst—mentally preparing myself for my doom.  He’s going to be standing there, with a knife in his hand, ready to put me out of my misery.

But no one’s there.

I swallow hard on nothing but the dry air and humid heat.  My heart is pounding—the only sound I can decipher.

I fall to my knees, covering my ears with my hands as I slowly rock myself back and forth as another bang! goes off, closer to me.  I tug at my ears, practically ripping them off.

“Get out!” I hear a woman scream in a high pitched voice.  She squeals and she screeches as her nails dig against a wood door beside me.  “Out!” she squeals.

Bang!

More nails scratch along the wall and there’s a constant pounding on the door.  I bite my bottom lip hard, scrambling to my feet as my vision becomes blurry behind the tears.

“Get out!  Get out now!” the woman cries.  “He’s going to get you!”

My eyes rake the room, desperately trying to find the murderer.  Footsteps clomp against the floor and the creeks of the decaying wood seem so close to me, yet utter darkness is the only thing I can see.

I scurry away from the noise, tripping over the staircase before flying up them.  My pulse rips through my skin, breathing still rugged, eyes darting everywhere, heart knocking.

From the little light shining through the window, I see him—the murderer.  He’s only a shadow but I can faintly see him carrying something, though I can't make out what exactly that something is.  A sly smile covers his face and just the sight of it makes me nearly throw up right there.  I bite on my lip hard, causing blood to ooze out and the iron aroma and taste fill my senses almost immediately.  The murderer looks straight ahead, away from me.

He turns his head suddenly, looking directly at me and the smile broadens on his face—like he’s enjoying my fear, like he's enjoying my beating heart.

I immediately stand up, trying to run somewhere, anywhere, but someone knocks me back down again, pinning my arms behind my back as they dig around in their pockets.  I want to scream.  I want to cry.  I want to run away and forget this ever happened.  But mind can't fathom any of my surroundings and my body is limp as the man pulls something out from his jacket pocket.

I seal my eyes, not wanting to know how they're going to kill me.

~~~

Hi all you lovely readers!  I just wanted to thank you all for taking the time to read this! I feel like I'm kind of interrupting the flow of this story with this author's note, but I just wanted to warn you all that there will be violence in this story. There will be swearing, and anger, and guns, and drugs, and such.  Harry is a good guy in this story, it's just his surroundings and other characters that are bad. I'll put stars or a warning before the beginning of a chapter that may include something 'bad'.

Anyway, thank you all so much for reading! There's not going to be that many author's notes, but don't be afraid to comment or message me! I love talking to new people. <3

If you ever get confused with characters, you can check out my weebly! (www.briellarose.weebly.com)

Love,

Gabriella