Run (One Direction) [Watty Awards 2012]

Chapter Sixteen

 Callin

“Callin Baines” says a woman's voice. My eyes shoot open.

“Niall” I say. “Where?”

“Operation” replies the woman in front of me. Then I realise where I am.

A hospital.

“What . . .” I say, but I don't know how to finish the question. The last thing I remember is seeing the gun in Niall's hand. And then nothing.

“Your friend, Louis, has a lot to tell you” the woman says, smiling kindly.

“Louis' here?” I ask. “I . . . am I . . . what happened?”

“You'll be fine” the woman says. It finally occurs to me that she may be a doctor. “You just have a few scrapes and cuts. You were lucky.”

Lucky?

Why am I lucky?

“You're free to go whenever” she continues. “Preston is here to take you home.” I look out the glass front wall to my room and Preston's standing out there, a slight smile on his face.

The woman helps me into a wheelchair and wheels me out of the room.

“Hello, Callin” Preston says warmly.

“The others?” I ask.

His face falls slightly.

“Louis' next door” he says. “I'll take you there.”

He takes my wheelchair from the woman, and pushes me to the next room in the hallway. Louis' sitting up in bed, knees to his chest, staring blankly at the wall.

I can't help but feel a rush of fear.

Preston leaves us alone.

“Louis?” I say softly. He turns to look at me. Our eyes meet.

His eyes scare me.

I can see so much pain in those eyes.

“Hi” he says hollowly. “At least I didn't kill you.”

“You didn't kill anyone” I say.

I can't help but wonder if that means someone's dead.

“Don't even try” Louis says.

“You didn't pull the trigger” I reply.