The clock on the wall seemed to have stopped, the second hand sticking between ten to and nine to, sporadically twitching like a stick insect taking an inordinate amount of time to die.

Lilly gripped her palms together harder, trying to ignore the slick, sticky feeling of sweat squishing between flesh.

‘Is this what you’re life is like then?’ she asked. She didn’t look up but she felt Henry shift slightly in the hard plastic seat next to him, his back poker straight as they waited. Did it hurt? she wondered. What was it like getting shot if you knew you couldn’t die? 

‘No,’ he replied. ‘My life isn’t usually this… chaotic.’ He lapsed into silence again and Lilly went back to watching the second hand on the clock fighting to break free.

Chaos, that’s what this was, no that was what Philip was, a walking talking ball of chaos. 

‘Did he kiss you?’

Lilly looked up this time. She could just about make out the blood stain steadily seeping out from beneath the cover of Henry’s jacket, his one hand clamped over the wound while the other sat in his lap.

‘Pardon?’ Her mouth was dry. How did he know?

‘It’s what he does,’ said Henry quietly. ‘He’s very good at making people fall in love with him.’

Henry Granger by Antonia Brennan

It’s been ages since I wrote anything based around these characters. Henry and Lilly are from a story idea that I had years back called The Terrifying Life Of Henry Granger. The story got shelved when I decided to work on Dawn Shadows but I thought it would be nice to have a go at an old favourite, especially as I wanted to write something for today’s Daily Prompt: Chaos.

The images above of Henry are by the lovely Antonia Brennan, a wonderful friend who’s an amazing art as well. You can find more about her under the Artists’ section right here.