Chapter 25: Chapter twenty-four

This chapter took a long time to write for some reason, it isn't as 'action-packed' as the others but I hope it isn't horrifically boring to read haha. Next chapter is probably going to be the last chapter before the epilogue but I'm not 100% sure yet. Thanks again for the lovely comments and votes, hope you like. :)

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‘Stop moving or I swear, princess, you’ll lose a limb!’

Reluctantly I let my body fall limp , the bathroom blurring and focusing as more tears pooled in my eyes and then fell onto the perfect, tiled floor.

‘Bruce, for fuck sake!’ Keith growled at the man whose hands were leaving grooves in my shoulders.

‘What you gonna do pretty boy, come over here?’

‘This door can hold without me’ He said but the uncertainty in his voice rang out, clear to my ears. I didn’t know, I was so unsure of anything. Was Bruce really going to try and hurt these boys? Was he going to save my brother and then kill Percy and Keith?

Could I live with that?

No. The answer sprung to my head without a second of hesitation. Weeks ago, he would have been my only saving grace if I’d lost my parents and all of my friends. Now? We were all a stack of cards. If one of us fell, we’d all fall.

It was beautiful and devastating all at the same time.

‘Lucas, out here, now’

‘Let her go’ he narrowed his eyes.

‘Now’.

‘Can you hold this thing without me?’ Lucas turned to the boys and I didn’t miss the fact he still sent an accusatory glare towards Keith.

‘Keith is the strong one, we’ll struggle’ he looked pleadingly towards Bruce, ‘Oh please, sir, leave us be. Poor Harley, let go of her will you?’

‘Shut up, glasses’ Bruce replied in a bored voice, ‘Now I think that if pretty boy lets go of the door, the freaks will get in so I wouldn’t recommend that. Lucas, if you come over here like a good little bitch the door will be just fine, a little strained but all dandy. And four eyes’ he snorted with laughter, ‘Well, you’ll be just fine without four eyes’.

‘Don’t be such a…’

‘A what, princess?’ Bruce bites out, amused.

‘Just stop it’ Lucas said in a resigned voice, ‘I’m coming, alright?’

He stepped away from the door very slowly and there wasn’t a sound in the room as we all held our breaths. First his leg left, then his lower body, torso, shoulders until he removed his hand from the door and I saw Percy and Keith tense their faces, under strain.

‘Struggling?’ Bruce asked, frowning.

‘Yeah, just a bit’ Keith said sarcastically, ‘If we let go, we don’t just die, you die too’.

‘I’d better hurry up then’ he cackled before grabbing my brother with his free arm and shoving him towards the vent. He protested and fought but after a look at all of us, he knew, like we did, that there was no getting out of this one. We just had to do as he said and hope he’d take some kind of mercy.

‘I’m up’ Lucas’ impatient voice echoed as he heaved his way up to the vent, staring down at us. It was now creaking horribly and I thanked whoever that the material was strong enough to hold all of these people.

‘What now?’ Percy asked meekly and I wanted to hold his hand.

‘You tell me, Keith’ Bruce used Keith’s name and for some reason, that made me feel uneasy, ‘You choose’.

‘I say get Harley up that vent, then Percy and then we’ll just let fate take over’ he bit at Bruce, the anger laced in his voice clear.

‘A regular hero, aint he?’ Bruce gushed, ‘Cute. Alright kid, take your pick. Remembering you’re struggling to hold that door second by second, pretty boy, who will be the last person you want to save, the one to go up into the land of the living? Miss Sawyer, four eyes, or you? Bear in mind, the people you leave will die a gruesome, grisly death'.

Oh, how he was an evil man. The decisions he’d put us through, the ultimatums. He loved this, he thrived on it. My heart still beat out of time though because second by second, I was realising that our miracle wasn’t going to come, that Bruce really was intent on helping one of us. Oh god, it was true, wasn’t it? Were the remaining two going to die? After all of this?

‘Bru-‘

‘Decide’ he growled, pointing at the door which was splintering much like the other one had before it caved in.

‘I do-‘

‘Keith, you know what you want’ Percy whispered bravely, a quiver in his lip, ‘I want her saved too. I don’t really know how much I have to live for without you three, you’ve saved my life. I’m happy just having known you, thank you so much’.

I couldn’t help it - I bit my lips to stop myself crying too obviously, hugging myself within Bruce’s arms to comfort myself, Percy, Keith.

‘Oh god’ I breathed out, letting the words crack as they fell from my lips, ‘Oh no’.

‘Time’s running out, pretty boy’.

‘It wasn’t supposed to be like this’ he sounded desperate but at peace in the strangest way, ‘Percy, I can’t let you get hurt but I can’-‘

‘I understand’ he nodded vigorously, ‘Of course I do’.

‘No!’ I cried out, ‘I’m not letting this happen!’

‘Good choice boys, come on princess, to your brother’.

I struggled and yelled, kicked him as hard as was physically possible but it was like throwing a pebble at a rock, didn’t even dent him.

‘No’ Percy’s voice rang out, ‘No, this isn’t right’.

‘To hell it isn’t, Harley, I am not fucking living or dying without you. Bruce, here, now, we’re settling this’.

‘I’d shoot him but we lost the guns’ a bitter voice sounded from the vents.

‘Aw, pretty boy scared of death?’ Bruce taunted.

‘No, I’m not. But I am not leaving this girl and even though her brother hates me right now, he needs a friend. And Percy? Bruce, he’s just too important for the world to lose, alright, mate?’

‘Shame you don’t really have a choice’ he said in a bored voice.

‘Harley, can you hold the door?’ Keith asked me calmly and before I could even give in to how confused I was by his statement, he’d stepped away from the door and punched Bruce so hard in the face that he released me in shock.

‘Come down and hold the door!’ he yelled up into the vents and as I threw myself to the entrance which was being pushed open, several people dropped from above and shoved their weight against it too. It was narrow but after an infected was shoved back through the crack, the door was held firmly closed again and Bruce lay on the floor, cursing loudly, furiously. It turned out we didn’t need a miracle, just some self-belief would suffice.

‘You sucker punching little sh-‘

‘Shut up’ Keith said bluntly and I restrained from throwing my arms around him with a grin. As ever, the moment was short lived and crowded with flashing images in my head of my Dad smiling at me, my Mum tucking my hair behind my ears with a short chuckle. Would I ever feel truly complete? I missed them so much, it hurt, it hurt so mu-

‘Go on, Lee Lee’ Lucas flicked my arm lightly and his beaming smile was contagious, ‘Up the vent, we aren’t gonna get many more chances like this!’

‘Don’t we have the same problem as before?’ I frowned, jolting when the door heaved forward.

‘Worry about that later, come on’ Keith sent me a warm, boyish smile as he grabbed onto my hand and lifted me high into the air.

‘I’m sorry about earlier’ he whispered discreetly into my ear, ‘Momentary lapse of judgement, I didn’t even think about your brother getting so mad’.

‘I don’t mind’ I shook my head slowly, only one question on my lips, ‘Keith, did you mean it when you said you lov-‘

‘Run, run, run, run!’ a battle-cry sounded from the door and I flew into the vent as Keith shoved me upwards, making sure I landed safely into the confines.

‘This can’t hold anymore!’

I was joined instantly by Percy, then the two scientists and finally I couldn’t see anymore as I was pushed further and further into the vent. I felt claustrophobic, terrified and out of control but I stayed stock-still, trying hard to breathe evenly, thankful at least that the ventilation system wasn’t working.

‘Are Lucas and Keith up here yet?’ I asked Percy calmly after being pushed violently into the dark confines, unsure exactly of what was happening.

‘I can’t see’ he sounded more nervous than me, ‘Oh! I see Sam and Darren though, and, an-‘

‘No!’ A rip resonated around our heads and the sound of a door smashing echoed and crashed, mingled in with my own gasp. I didn’t need to see, the sounds of growling, roaring and ripping flesh was enough to tell me the infected were below us, feet underneath our bodies, swarming the bathroom.

‘Percy, tell me they’re up here’ I choked out, beginning to hyperventilate and frantically try and claw my way along the vent towards them..

‘Oh Harley, I don’t know, I don’t know!’

‘Lucas! Keith’ I yelled their names into the chaos and returned with nothing, ‘Please!’ I broke down in sobs, shaking violently and comforted only by the hands of Percy.

‘They’ll be here, they’ll be here’ he soothed me quietly.

‘Alright chaps?’ My blood ran cold.

‘What are you doing here?’ I hissed furiously at Bruce, surprised at his presence - it’s like I’d forgotten he even existed. He was only a bald head behind a sea of faces but I’d recognise him anywhere, even in a cramped tunnel.

‘Your delightful chums helped me up, cute, eh?’

‘They’re okay?’ I pleaded. He shrugged.

‘Well they helped me up and then… oh, wait, no they’re dead. Whoops’.

For a second my world imploded around me until I remembered exactly who I was talking to.

‘Don’t listen to him’ Percy shook his head distastefully.

‘Don’t get your knickers in a twist, they came up after me’ Bruce nodded in a way which seemed almost human as he muttered so quietly to himself, he seemed to think nobody could hear in a echoing ventilation shaft, ‘Owe them my goddamn life’.

‘Ice queen thaws’ Percy muttered to me and I let out a short, surprised laugh.

‘Let us through’ I heard a familiar grumble and my heart soared.

‘Will you stop bloody doing that!’ I scolded Lucas as he twisted past all of the disgruntled people crammed next to us followed closely by Keith who I couldn’t help but stare at with his tousled hair and sweating brow. He’d just declared his love for me in front of everyone, han’t he? Could he really love me? Was it possible?

‘Doing what?’ Lucas asked.

‘Making me think you’re…’ I couldn’t say ‘dead’.

‘Sorry’ he replied sincerely and Keith sent me a sweet smile from behind his head.

‘Hey, sunshine. Percy’.

‘Hey’ And suddenly for the first time, I was shy and blushing despite the circumstances. He made me feel something other than distraught.

‘I need to talk to you when it’s…’ Lucas trailed off, mumbling the last part of his sentence until he was opening and closing his mouth and only air left his lips.

I panicked instantly.

‘Lucas?’

‘I’m fine, I’m fine’ he waved a hand, blinking rapidly, ‘Just a bit light headed. I nee-‘

‘No, what’s wrong?’ I pressed him, scooting closer to feel his forehead, ‘You’re scalding!’ I cried.

Percy reached out to touch my brother and retracted his hand with a hiss.

‘Furnace!’ he cried and when Keith did the same, Lucas swatted him away with irritation.

‘Stop it!’ he snapped and I flinched back, causing his eyes to fill with regret.

‘Sorry’ he shook his head sadly, ‘I just…’

‘Are you in pain?’ I whispered and I’d have been lying if I said that I didn’t want to ask him question after question now everything was quiet for a minute. I wanted to know if he remembered death, if he saw our parents, what he knew, what it felt like, if he was even awake, if there was an afterlife or something to look forward to. But he’d said he didn’t remember being infected and I assumed he remembered nothing else - I’d also be lying if I said I wanted to know. I didn’t even want to ask if he was in pain because if he said yes, all my fears that he was still in danger would come true.

He was their lab rat.

‘Kind of’ he replied an my heart sunk, ‘But I’m just a bit drowsy and my head  is sore. Don’t get mad Lee Lee, I was dead, I’m allowed a headache’ he joked but I stayed straight faced.

‘Fucking hurry up, if you didn’t know there are freaks underneath us!’ Bruce yelled, clearly over his moment of appreciation. I was suddenly angry.

‘Why the hell did you save his life?’ I growled.

‘I couldn’t leave him to die’ Lucas shrugged and I let out a steady breath.

‘He shot you’.

‘And I’m alive, I’m not taking somebody’s life’.

‘You wouldn’t have been!’ I cried, exasperated.

‘Sunshine, we know best that he is… awful’ Keith spat the last word out of his mouth like it was poison, ‘He has no regard for our lives, morals, family, the world… but you can’t just leave a man behind’.

‘I know’ I sighed, defeated. Hadn’t I had to opportunity to kill him? And hadn’t I just seen a little bit of human in him? That was so secondary. Lucas was here again, my prayers had been answered. We were all safe and Keith… oh, well he was sat in front of me with that boyish, secretive smile and all I kept thinking was that we hadn’t gotten to finish that conversation.

‘Sorry’ I sent Lucas a small smile after a few seconds of thought, feeling ashamed.

‘It’s okay. I know you must hate him more than me, I haven’t been here’ he ran a hand through his hair, frustrated, ‘I think about leaving you an-‘

‘We’ve looked after her, like you asked’ Keith tried to be reassuring but Lucas’ cold reply was instantaneous.

‘Clearly’.

‘Uh’… Percy looked between the two boys, ‘Have you ever crawled through a vent before? I haven’t, I’ve never eve-‘

‘Lucas, I’ve explained this, alright?’

‘I know’ my brother seemed to relent, ‘But she just lost everyone, Keith.’.

I let my head lull against the cold metal, pretending they weren’t talking about me.

‘She lost her parents’ he continued, ‘And me, and her best friend. She’s vulnerable’ I could see him getting angry again, ‘I said look after her, I didn’t say take advantage of her!’

‘I fucking haven’t!’ Keith was instantly furious and I looked to Percy who’s eyes were wide as saucers, ‘You were the one who told me to love her like I’m trying not to, don’t you remember? I took your advice! I know she’s vulnerable, she’s lost her parents and so have I, we do-‘

‘Wait, what?’ Lucas asked quietly, taken aback. It was then I remembered when this had come to light, he’d been dead, gone, away from all of this. Raw hurt appeared of Keith’s face and I wanted to run my fingers along those frowns, make them go away. I wanted him to keep telling me that he loved me and damn  it, I wanted to tell him that I loved him too.

‘They died’ He murmured, ‘My whole family’.

‘Oh, shit’ Lucas looked like Lucas again, anger gone, ‘I’m so sorry man, I’m so sorry…’

‘Don’t be. But shit Lucas, I have so much respect for you, for your sister. You think I’d take advantage?’

‘No’ he shook his head instantly, ‘No, I never really thought that.  But I don’t know what to think, everything you said out there… I know what I said to you, I know I told you to love her but I meant… I meant look after her. God, even I could see how much you cared about her and I just didn’t want you to turn your back on her, man.’

He didn’t know what to think? If he was confused, I was in complete chaos. Or maybe I wasn’t. He loved me and I loved him; maybe with death chasing us, it really was as simple as that. And with Lucas back… could anything ever go wrong again if we all made it out?

‘Meant every word. I haven’t… touched her mate, I wouldn’t. But god, if I die…’ he turned to me again, ‘If I die, I have a reason again, okay? I love you’.

‘I…’ didn’t know what to say, I was overwhelmed.

‘Harley?’ Lucas pressed me, looking wary.

‘I love you too’ I whispered and the way Keith lost his composure in a millisecond almost made me laugh. His moth dropped open just a little bit and his body tensed.

‘You… seriously?’ he looked about eight years old and I wanted to throw my arms around him and walk down the street holding hands. I wanted to sit in a coffee shop and smear cream across his nose, I wanted Mum to like him and I wanted everything I couldn’t have.

‘Seriously’ my voice was tiny as my emotions got too much and my eyes burned until they were brimming with tears.

‘Harley?’ I braved a blurred look at Lucas who was shaking his head with a somewhat bemused expression, etched with concern, ‘Are you alright?’

‘I want this to be normal’ I whispered and Keith bit his lip, looking as though his heart was as broken as mine before he shimmied right over and cradled me as I cried quietly into his t-shirt.

‘Dad so would have ripped you to shit’ Lucas laughed quietly and we both tensed up.

‘He would’ve’ I agreed with a shaky laugh, ‘Remember that time you introduced Rebecca and he asked if it were nessecary that her skirt be microscopic?’.

‘She was so freaked out but he was only looking out for me, bless him’ he sighed and let a pause lull between us as I buried myself in Keith till he held me even tighter, I felt so safe, ‘Keith, man… Mum loved you, she really loved you mate… she saw something with you two and me… well, I’m a guy’.

I held my breath.

‘Look after her’ he said the last part quietly and I couldn’t believe I’d heard him right, ‘And the weirdest thing is that I know you will. Sorry about giving you a hard time but she’s my sister and I think you’re pretty cool and… I can see you care. You a great guy, Keith,  and she’s my baby sister, always will be. Just look after her’.

‘Till my dying breath’ he whispered and I so wanted my parents to be here, I wanted them to love this wonderful boy as much as I did.

‘For fuck sake can we go now?’ Bruce yelled and we rolled our eyes simultaneously.

‘Douche’ Percy muttered, ‘He knows how to ruin a moment’.

‘Nah’ Keith shook his head, ‘Nothing could ruin this’.

***

‘Will you get your knee out of my back!’

‘There’s mould everywhere, this vent is disgusting!’

‘How did a McDonalds bag get up here?’

‘How the hell do we shimmy up this thing?’

‘Shut up!’

We were creating noise across the several metres we had crawled, banging our knees every step of the way. Curses were heard every few minutes, usually following a loud thump. I just concentrated on moving steadily behind Lucas and Percy in single file, snorting with secret laughter every time Keith behind me made a sly comment about his vantage point.

‘Bugger off’ I hissed playfully over my shoulder after yet another comment.

‘Can’t help it’ he winked before I turned my head so he was behind again.

I felt… strange. Like the grief I was blocking out so well, the memories I was supressing were lifting. It felt like what was weighing down on me had been lifted just the slightest and with it came a sense of… confrontation. I’d blocked thoughts of my family while I survived, tried to forget they weren’t here.

My heart doubled in speed.

But now - I felt as though I was finally ready. I had opened up about Lucas to Keith but I had done it when I was still so numb, still so shocked. Now I had him back and it was… indescribable. Now there was nothing to numb the pain, time had passed, things had happened - I felt ready for something more. I felt ready to smash down my walls and feel everything, I felt ready to close my eyes and talk to my Mum and Dad, I felt ready to look at the pictures on my phone of myself and Skylar. I was still terrified but for some reason, I felt like I was there. I just couldn’t do it alone.

‘Alright, we’re here’ a man from the front of the pack announced and when I tilted my head, I could see what he meant. We’d crawled across and now we were at the part of the vent where we needed to move upwards but of course, it was a piece of the vent which pointed straight up and right below it was a sheer drop which would either break our legs or kill us; I wasn’t interested in finding out which fate we would come to.

‘How?’ I whispered.

‘I’ll be right here to grab you, Lee Lee’ Lucas smiled back at me and my heart soared, ‘And Keith is right there behind you’.

‘I don’t really have much strength’ I heard Percy say nervously ahead of us and I was suddenly terrified for him. He would have to brave this before us and it was clear physically, he wasn’t where Keith and Lucas were. But then again, nor was I.

We watched nervously as the first man disappeared upwards and heard the slam of each of his boots as he balanced himself, shimmying upwards. One part of his boot that didn’t grip, one little slip and he would tumble to his death. We heard a triumphant cry though and with a sigh of relief, I realised he’d made it. Around four more people successfully made their way upwards before the fifth man went who was skinnier than the others, weaker. Closer to mine and Percy’s slight frames.

‘Oh god’ his voice echoed as it became more and more distant, the slam of his boots against the sides of the vent were clear again.

I almost let myself relax.

‘I can’t hold on!’ he cried and my body froze, ‘My legs are too weak, my le-‘

There was the loudest squeak, a blood curdling scream and then a whoosh of air as a body flew past my peripheral vision and a few seconds later, a slam sounded which shook the vent enough to make us all fall off balance.

‘Oh… oh…’ Percy opened and closed his mouth while I just stared open mouthed at the hole where the body had just fallen. Panic erupted as everyone crawled to the gap to look down and when somebody retracted, gagging, I let myself fall into the shaking arms of my brother.

‘Hey, it’s fine’ he soothed me as he stroked my hair and I was more thankful than words could ever describe that he was alive.

‘Don’t leave, don’t leave’ I pleaded breathlessly as I clung onto him, ‘We’ll find a different way out but I’m not losing you again, I’m not’. I wasn’t. It still hadn’t quite sunk in yet that he was here, it seemed nothing could ever be sat back and enjoyed in the wake of an apocalypse but now, oh god, now I felt him here, I felt him alive. My prayers had been answered and we were risking our lives again, risking his life. Imagine getting him back, looking forward to this life together I thought we’d lost and then him tumbling down the shaft…

‘It’s gonna be totally fine’ he muttered into my hair and I didn’t believe him.

‘You’re still unsteady on your feet, how on earth can you balance your whole body weight on your ankles and hands, Lucas?’

‘Because there is no way in this whole world I will let myself fall when I know you are waiting for me, I let myself go once and left you alone but you and me, sis, we’re gonna go grab our little brother together, not alone’.

‘Promise me’ I whispered.

‘I promise’.

‘Thank you for coming back’ I choked out, overwhelmed again.

‘Thank you for waiting’ he kissed my head, ‘And thank you for looking after her’.

‘She looked after us’ Percy guffawed and we all laughed.

‘Ready?’

‘Ready’.

Climb, climb, climb.

My legs shook uncontrollably under the strain of my body as I pushed myself up, leaning my back up against the side of the vent with my legs and hands as support as I sruggled to push myself upwards.

‘Come on, bit more’ I heard Lucas call from above me, ‘You’re stronger than I thought, Lee Lee. Keep goin’.

‘Trying’ I ground my teeth together.

‘Come on!’ Percy sounded desperate from above my head also. He’d been so scared as he shimmied upwards but it turned out fear had given him strength. Only Keith was below us now, adamant he wasn’t going up till he knew there was someone to lift and someone to catch. But who could catch him?

‘Shit!’ I cried out as my hands sqeaked across the metal, slipping until I threw my other hand up with a stomach which had turned inside out.

‘Come on, faster!’ The panic was evident in Lucas’ voice but I couldn’t move until the stirring in my stomach would stop.

‘Harley’ I heard Keith speak from below us, I’m coming up behind you now and it’s gonna shake a bit but stay steady, alright?’

‘Keith, you might wanna wait a sec’ Lucas suggested, confused.

‘I can’t’ he sounded as though he was in some kind of discomfort.

‘’What’s wrong?’ I asked, still balancing precariously.

‘It’s not important’.

‘Keith?’ Percy pressed.

‘Infected’.

I almost fell, only slamming my feet on the vent as my own support. I heard Lucas choke from above me too while several of the men began to shout.

‘Where?’ I could barely get the words out.

‘Just coming behind me on the vent’ his voice sounded so calm that I almost didn’t believe him until a wail sounded and goose-bumps erupted on my arms. I wasn’t scared for me, god no. Keith was right there. My blood ran cold instantly.

‘Keith, get up here, now!’ I yelled  to him frantically, ‘Now!’.

Couldn’t lose him. Couldn’t. Panic, panic, panic.

‘Fuck’I heard him curse and looked down in time to see him glancing behind him. The wails and growls were coming closer, I could hear the infected frantically scratching along the vents and wondered how the hell they’d managed to get up here.

‘Keith, you get up here right now!’ I screamed with all of my might.

He did. He threw himself straight into the drop, clinging on for dear life and throwing himself upwards with insane strength as infected after infected threw themselves out after him, hurtling to their deaths. We both clung on, watching in disbelief as a small army fell and died, the bodies slowly piling up below us.

‘Hold on, sunshine, hold on’ he said sadly and I did, as did he.

‘Are you alright?’ I asked this brave boy in awe.

‘I’m just fine. How you holding up?’

‘Strained’.

‘Then let’s get a move on’

We made our way up the vent and I was scolded when I kept looking behind me to see if he was alright. When we made it up, we were both enveloped in hugs from the boys.

‘I’m sorry mate, sorry for getting so angry earlier’ Lucas was near tears as he clung onto all of us, ‘I’m sorry’.

‘Don’t be stupid’ he clung back just as hard, ‘I’m just glad we’re all alright’.

‘I’m so glad I got in your car, against my better judgement’ Percy addd the last part quietly and we all laughed, not letting the embrace end.

We eventually followed all the men, including Bruce, along the shafts until we found another small drop which when broken into, opened way to a bathroom. We all fell in, gracefully and ungracefully and sat tight with the scientists, a captive Bruce and a couple of men while the other scouted the entire floor out to make sure it was free of infected.

‘Clear’ a blonde man announced when he re-entered the room and I exhaled, not quite believing we were in the clear again.

‘We’re staying for one night’ Another man announced, not wanting to be argued with, ‘Helicopter on the roof needs a bit of attention so get some sleep and be ready to get out of here in the morning’.

‘What about me?’ Bruce shot back in a fury.

‘Fuck knows, lock him in the room down the hall’ the blonde guy narrowed his eyes and I knew that somewhere, they had a grudge which ran deep. We watched as he was dragged from the room and strangely, I felt no sympathy.

‘Are we all sharing a room?’ Percy asked quietly.

‘There are enough rooms for one each but we should all double up to be on the safe side, we’re low on ammo but there’ll be a gun in each room’.

I looked at all three of the boys with a smile, exhausted, needing a wash, needing the loo, just needing to lay down.

‘So who goes where?’ Percy asked, looking between the three of us.

‘Me and you’ Lucas pointed at Percy, ‘And Harley and Keith. Unless there’s a problem with that?’

I stood totally shocked, disbelieving he’d volunteered to put us both in the same room for the night.

‘Uh… Lucas, you don’t have to do that…’ Keith was as perplexed as me, looking at Lucas as though he’d grown a second head. He laughed quietly, reaching to pull me into a hug.

‘Trust me, I’m going to spend the next years of my life not letting Harley out of my sight. Tonight, I trust you to look after her - you’ve done such a good job so far, it’d be unfair of me to step in now’.

‘Lucas…’

‘Stick with it, before I change my mind’.

‘Thank you’ Keith nodded, a smile tugging at his lips.

‘But if you hurt her…’

‘I wont’ he held his hands up, ‘I swear that to you. She’s in safe hands’.

‘I love you, man’ Lucas grinned, carefree as he yanked Keith into a brotherly hug. I moved over next to Percy and tucked myself under his arm as we watched with grins on our own faces. I had a feeling that the night was going to be the longest of my life but in a morning where we’d get to leave this nightmare, I wasn’t sure that mattered.

I just wondered if I’d ever be able to let go of the ones we’d be leaving behind.