sign of the times | h.s.

chapter eleven

MADILYN HOLLEY

"Madi wake up!"

The flames around me were getting bigger by the second and I screamed out in pain as the leg of my pants began to catch fire. I could feel it burning my skin as I tried to find a way out.

"Madilyn! Hey! You're okay, wake up!"

Tears poured from my eyes as I searched for a way out. "Alex!" I cried out, trying to find him. "Alex where are you?" The heat from the flames was scorching my skin as I let out another scream.

"What's going on out here? Oh my gosh Mads!"

I sank down to the ground with tears pouring from my eyes and screams piercing through the night as I looked around me, the flames leaving me no way out and approaching my body quickly. This was it. This was the end.

"You're okay Mads. I'm right here, you're okay. Nothing can hurt you darling, I'm right here."

My eyes shot open as I gasped for air, trying desperately to calm down and catch my breath.

"You're alright, you're okay, everything is fine Mads." Harry reassured me as he gently rubbed my back.

I looked around to see that I was still in Harry's bed, but now Harry was here sitting on the bed with me pulled into his lap, Niall watching everything in shock from the doorway. I was so embarrassed that this was happening in front of two of my newest friends, but Harry especially.

"I'm- I" I stuttered, still not fully having caught my breath. I reached up and wiped the sweat from my forehead and looked down at the bed as the tears formed in my eyes and blurred my vision.

"I'm so sorry you guys." I whispered as a few tears slid down my cheeks.

"Are you kidding? You haven't got a thing to be sorry for." Niall said as his face softened and he moved to sit down on the bed. "You can't control this Madi. This isn't your fault, and we would be shit friends if we didn't want to help you. Don't apologize for a thing."

"You guys shouldn't have to take care of me. I'm-"

"Don't you say it. No apologies." Niall said sternly but with a smile as he patted me on the knee.

Harry reaches his arm around me and placed his hand on the back of my head, pulling me in to hug me. His other hand never once left my back as he continued running his hand up and down my spine in an effort to calm me down. I leaned forward and rested my head in the crook of his neck and sighed as another tear ran down his face.

"You're okay Mads, everything is fine." Harry reassured me. But it wasn't fine. Alex was gone and things would never be okay or fine. How was I supposed to live my life and carry on without my best friend? My body shook as I began crying and I felt the bed shift as Niall stood up and said he'd be right back. I felt Harry nod in response but I couldn't get any words out. I wrapped my arms around Harry's torso and gripped the back of his shirt tightly as I cried. He continued rubbing my back and whispering to me that everything would be okay, but it only made me more upset because I'd never see my brother again. I heard footsteps coming down the hall before hearing a shocked gasp from the doorway.

"Oh no Madi." Liam mumbled as he entered the room.

My head snapped up as I lessened the grip I had on Harry's shirt. "Lee." I whispered as I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes.

"Come here." He responded, opening his arms and gesturing for me to come hug him. I could see the tears forming in his eyes as well. He knew why I was upset, and he was upset too. I was thankful to have my piece of Alex in Liam, it was like I'd never truly lose him.