Facade [h.s]

forty-nine

"Harry!" I exclaimed, running towards him.

I put my hand on his arm and looked at him, seeing the same fear in his eyes that I knew was in mine. They were dark in the night but wider than ever, his body slightly shaky next to mine.

"Oh my god, sit down," I told him, my voice trembling as panicked tears welled up in my eyes, trying to encourage him to get on the floor.

He put his hand on my arm, squeezing it harder than he normally would've but not enough to hurt me, as tense as a marble statue, hurried breaths coming out of his throat and reaching my ears in quiet gasps. "I don't have to," he murmured, his voice so low that for an instant I feared it would've been blown away by the wind.

"I won't be able to catch you if you fall Harry, so sit down and do it now," I told him sharply, anxiousness washing over me at his initial refusal. How could he not understand how dramatic the situation he was in was?

He sent me a glare when he took in the tone of my voice, but listened to me anyway and let me help him to get down to the floor, his back against the wall of the wooden cabin.

"Shit, Harry," I whispered when I took in the state of his clothes again, pressing my hand over the dark stain, his collarbone under my thumb, and instantly feeling like puking when the warm liquid hit my fingers.

He let out a choked sound as I applied pressure to his wound and I grazed his cheek with my free hand, muttering a thousand sorry's to him.

"Indie! Call 911!" I screamed, turning my head to look at her just to discover she hadn't moved from her position and was still standing over Joel's body, paralysed by shock, staring down at it. "Indigo!"

Her head snapped in my direction when I called her name louder, and she seemed to realise just then what was going on. "Is he okay?" She asked, taking a step towards us.

"He's not! Call 911 now!"

She gave me a quick nod, pulling out her phone, and I focused my attention on Harry again.

"Breathe, okay?" I told him, the reality of what was going on striking me again and bringing water to my eyes. "I need you to breathe, okay baby?"

He leaned his head against the wall, a little smile curving his lips. "You've never called me that before."

"I'm pretty sure I've called you pet names before," I replied, unable not to smile back at him even in that fucked situation, and he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah but it was salty, it doesn't count."

I let out a watery laugh, shaking my head at his antics, and brushed back his brunette curls, inadvertently leaving a bloody line on the side of his forehead.

"Don't cry," he murmured, resting his hand on my cheek and wiping my tears away with his thumb, and I took it before it could fall, kissing his palm and keeping it close to my face. "It's fine."

"It isn't fucking fine," I cried out, "this shouldn't have happened. This should've never happened." We should've been able to run away to safety and then go to the police about Joel. We should've been at home eating french fries in front of the television or tangled in the bedsheets with the white light of the moon reflecting on our naked bodies, but all the moon was shining on was that pitiful scene of death instead.

He sighed but was taken over by a fit of coughs, the same crimson that was on his shirt staining his lips. "I'll be okay, Raine," he said lowly when he calmed down, searching for my eyes while his hand held mine weakly. "I'll be just fine."

"I don't know," I replied, my words trembling out of my throat, "I just don't know."

I looked at Indigo pleadingly, feeling an instant wave of nervousness wash over me when I saw she was still on the phone, pacing back and forth some feet away from us, and I suddenly felt like screaming.