Legendary // H.S

21.

'Corrupted by the simple sniff of riches blown

I know you have felt much more love than you've shown'

*

The darkness of evenings in London never scared me. In fact, I've always felt comfort in them. The tourists flood the streets for a taste of the famous nightlife while watching the city lights turn on and envelope the colours of the sky. Though many claim it's a terrifying place to be on your own as a woman, I've never felt it. Darkness has brought me a sense of peace. A silence that I need to focus and breathe. To quiet the business of the outside world. However, the lights that illuminate the people wake me up when I need it. They energise and invigorate me to see the beauty in the world when I frequently forget it. When I walk the streets of Hackney on my way from the tube station to my flat, I smile each night, seeing one life go to sleep and another come alive. There are two sides to the coin of London. I have always preferred the dusk. Until now.

Being in the car, watching the brightness of the streetlights zip across us, the skyline of the city blur past, I do not feel calm. I am scared. I am afraid. I want to run, but there's nowhere I can run to. I'm stuck in this mess, and I'm worried I'll never escape it. I'll fall victim to it just like Hugo Charles wants. While I've done nothing to the man, I'm associated with someone that has. That puts a target on my back.

I suppose I knew when the men mentioned my name that they were sent by him. It was the only logical answer to the thousands of questions overflowing in my brain. Hearing Harry mention his name on the phone to Zayn only confirmed my theory. Whatever Harry had done in the past was now being held against me. Even though I am nothing but a chess piece in this game, I am at risk. I wonder if the others are also being hunted down by Hugo, or whether he even knows enough about them to try. But he must, if he's known Harry for some time, then he must be aware of the work that Harry does, and who he associates himself with. There's never been any mention of an incident like this, though.

My hands are still shaking, just as uncontrollably as before. The tears falling from my eyes have stopped, but my cheeks are wet from the stream that came before. They're sticky and warm, slightly uncomfortable when paired with the heat of the car. It's blowing so intensely in my face, but I don't have the energy to tell Harry to turn it off. I don't even have the will power to do it myself. Instead, I let it heat me up, suffocating me as I struggle to breathe normally.

No words have been spoken on my end for the past thirty minutes. Harry has tried to make conversation, to check on me, but I've remained silent. There's not much I have to say, not when I'm still trying to process what happened.

I'm being hunted. I was almost killed. I am in danger.

I stare at the window, watching the world pass by in such a rush that all the colours blur together in a fluorescent yellow. It's blinding, but my gaze never falters. There's a pain behind my eyes at the intensity of it, not enough to break me from my stance. Without realising, my body has created as much distance as humanly possible between myself and Harry. It's not much, not when the car is so small, but it's enough to make me feel safer.

I'd felt safe around him up until tonight. Although he protected me in the store, it's clear that he's capable of things that are just as bad as what those men were planning on doing to me. The way he pulled out that gun so shamelessly and shot at the man without a second thought, not even reacting when the crimson blood pooled on the carpet and he screamed in pain. No, his expression was blank when he looked down at that scene. It was only when he saw me panicking that he responded and showed remorse. That should comfort me, knowing he's looking out for me. It's impossible to feel safe when he's the person that is responsible for this, though.