The sound of a gunshot rang throughout the alley. I screamed as it whizzed by my arm, missing me by mere millimeters.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Harry roared, storming over to me, gun at his side. "I could have shot you, stupid girl!"

I closed my eyes, unable to look at him as the knot in my stomach became unbearable, and my sobbing worsened. I was barely coherent as I answered him.

"Please. Please, mister. P- please d-don't hurt him. I'll do anything, just please let him go."

The man behind me blinked lazily. I could tell he was fading fast. He had lost too much blood. The bullet would have surely killed him instantly. Bringing my eyes forward again, I bravely raised my head to meet Harry's.

I flinched and looked away when I realized he was only inches away from my face. Shrinking back, I pushed myself into the wall as much as I could without crushing the body behind me. My arms rested protectively on both sides of the man and I willed myself not to move any further, despite my shaking nearly causing me to fall over.

"Little girl, look at me when I talk to you." Harry hissed grabbing a handful of my hair and yanking it back so my eyes met his. I shivered, my whole body trembling with fear. I worried that my heart might beat right out of my chest. "Do you know who you just saved?" Harry questioned, his voice eerily calm. I didn't answer, and he took that as a sign to continue. "See that pathetic pile of filth behind you? The one you just risked your life for?" he paused, his grip tightening on my hair as he pulled my head further back. I grit my teeth and whined in pain. Harry leaned forward, his next words coming out as a whisper as I felt his breath against my ear. "He murdered my friend."

I groaned, an animal sound escaping me as my entire body broke down. My arms collapsed, and I almost fell on top of the beaten murderer behind me. Harry caught me, arms snaking around my back, his hands feeling like they were capable of searing my skin. I wiggled feebly, my tiny hands pushing against his chest as I tried to stop him from pulling me away from the murderer.

Harry's face twisted in confusion as I continued to struggle. "Why are you still trying to stay with him? Stop moving!" The more I squirmed, the more frustrated Harry became. "Liam!" he yelled, directing his attention to the man who the man who, I supposed, had been holding me before. "For Christ's sake, would you give me a hand here?"

Liam had short brown hair, and was heavily muscled. He was dressed the same way as his other two friends, but I noticed him rubbing his ribs and his face contorted in pain as he glared at me and walked over reluctantly to help Harry. I felt a pang of guilt, and I stopped struggling.

"S- Sorry mister… um… Liam," I stuttered, feeling badly about hitting him too hard.

Laughter erupted from the other side of the alley, and I looked over to see Zayn in stitches, holding his stomach as he chuckled. I temporarily forgot about my position in Harry's arms as I glanced over to Zayn in shock.

"Did… did you just…" he wheezed, struggling to get his words out. "Did you just apologize for trying to escape?"

I blushed and sniffled. "I guess I did…" I murmured, embarrassed. Looking back to the other two boys, I saw Liam had a look of utter confusion strewn across his face, and had lowered his hand to his side, whereas Harry looked at me, amused.

I remembered where I was and a sudden wave of panic washed over me and I gasped, continuing to struggle against Harry's arms. He grunted and held me tighter.

"Oh for crying out loud… Liam, take her while I deal with him."

I screeched as Liam scooped me up easily from Harry's arms, and Harry himself rose to finish what he started.

"NO! No! Please! God, no." I had started crying again, writhing as much as I could, trying to get away from Liam.

Harry whirled on me. "Why are you defending him?" he shouted, his face red with anger. "I just told you he killed someone! He's a murderer! You can't defend him!"

"Nobody deserves to be killed!" I screamed back through my tears. "No matter what he's done… he doesn't deserve to die like this." I went limp in Liam's arms, practically drowning in my own tears.

Harry snorted, then relaxed as he turned and trained his gun back on the defenseless stranger.

In a last ditch effort to stop him, I gathered the remaining bits of courage I had as I cried out. "I'll do anything! Please! Just stop. I'll do anything." I hung my head as my tears splashed down onto the pavement.

Harry turned slowly. "Anything?" he questioned, a deadly curiosity lacing his tone.

I shivered as a thick silence covered the alley, and all of us stood, frozen in place. Ellie had stood up, and was leaning with her back against the wall next to Zayn. My gaze drifted from her, back to Harry.

"Anything." I said, my voice ringing with finality, coming out stronger than I expected it to.

"I'll make you a deal," Harry started, sauntering over to where Liam held me captive, swinging the pistol around his finger as he walked. "I'll let your little girlfriend, and the pathetic rat on the ground over there go free. If," he paused, and my breath caught in my throat. "You take his place."

My stomach dropped, and I stood, open mouthed, my mind hanging on the words he spoke that were filled with malice.

I heard Ellie sob from the wall turned as she jumped forward. "No! Annabelle! Please, no. Don't do this!"

She knew me too well. I had already made up my mind the moment the words left Harry's mouth. I grabbed Liam's hands, slowly prying them off my body. He let me, and I stepped forward to face Harry. My voice shook.

"Okay."

Harry smirked, then gestured to the wall. I moved slowly, my mind blank. Tears continued to fall from my eyes, blurring my vision to the point where I could barely see. I stopped when I reached the wall, and turned to shoot Ellie an apologetic glance. She looked at me, hunched over and broken.

"Annabelle…" she sobbed. Her voice breaking down the last of my composure.

"So selfless," Harry muttered. "So foolish." His words dripping with disgust as he aimed the cocked the gun at my head.

"Wait!" my voice sounded far away and foreign to me.

Harry obliged.

"I- I need to know you're going to keep your promise." I swallowed thickly, waiting for Harry's response. I got nothing. "Let them go before you shoot me. I- I have to see them leave."

He smiled. "Of course." Nodding to Zayn, Ellie was set free. She paused, starting to walk towards me.

Horror washed over me in a way I never thought possible. "Run, Ellie!" she froze in place, hand outstretched to me in disbelief at my ferocity. "Run, you idiot!" I screeched. "Run!"

With a shaky intake of breath, I watched as a new influx of tears trailed down her cheeks, and she shook her head as she sprinted out of the alley to freedom.

"I'm so sorry, Ellie. I'm so sorry." I sobbed to myself as the gravity of what I had just agreed to do came crashing down on me. The injured murderer pulled himself along the ground, making his way out of the alley without another glance in my direction.

Now, the only sound that could be heard in the dark alley was my own crying. Harry took aim, and I prepared myself for what was to come as I resigned myself to my fate.