Kai stood in an empty room, though she couldn't tell if it was empty. It was pitch black all around her, with no walls or doors or windows. She spun around and stared into the emptiness, hoping some light would emerge from it.
Her breathing accelerated as she felt little itches beginning to crawl from her feet, up to her calves, her thighs, torso, chest, neck, face...
They were everywhere; tiny spiders crawled anywhere and everywhere. Her skin burned with the itch, yet she couldn't bring herself to scratch. Something wasn't letting her. It almost felt suffocating.
Run, it seemed to echo around her. She couldn't tell if the echo was in her head or out in the void. It didn't matter; she listened. She ran as fast as she could. Rather, it felt like she was running, but there was no ground beneath her feet.
She turned around and saw a corridor, long and narrow. The void simply disappeared.
Mirrors and family portraits lined the walls. Lamps hung from the ceiling and gave the hallway an eerie look.
She turned back around a little too fast and ran face-first into a full-length mirror.
Kai fell backward, almost cartoonish, and laid on the floor as pain erupted in her nose and face. The dull ache throbbed and spread to her eyes, which then started watering.
Blood and tears trickled down the sides of her face.
Great, she thought. Broken nose.
She sat up and wiped the blood away, it smeared across her face like paint.
Under her eyes already started to look bruised and puffy, but the pain had stopped.
She stood up slowly, her vision wavering as the headrush made her want to lay back on the floor.
Once her eyesight focused on the mirror in front of her, Kai let out a curdling scream.
Everyone, Miss Peregrine, Jake, Emma... Enoch. Even herself. All the children stood behind her, their skin white like a ghost's. Their feet hovered above the ground. Their eyes were missing. Nothing but two black holes.
Kai whipped around to find herself alone... none of the children were there, not even Miss Peregrine.
She took ragged breaths and heard growling coming from the mirror. Kai closed her eyes tight and turned around fast, like ripping off a bandage.
She peeked through her fingers and saw the beings behind her. Eleven of them, surrounding her like wolves.
Their mouths opened and tentacle-like tongues slithered out, around her hair and face.
Wake up!
She knew that voice... she knew it. It was so close to her heart... but Kai was frozen. She couldn't move her fingers or even breathe. Her eyes plastered open; they burned from not being able to blink.
It's not real, Kai. Come on...
The tongues inched closer and closer to her eyes. It barely brushed against her skin when she was finally able to move again.
Kai sat upright on her bed with a violent gasp; throat raw from screaming. Both tears and blood covered her face as she covered her ears tightly with her hands.
"It's ok," A calming voice soothed her, "it's ok.
"Enoch," Kai pulled him into a hug. She buried her face into the crook of his neck and cried. "Don't leave..."
He sat on the bed now and maneuvered her so she laid half on his lap and half on her bed. His arms wrapped around her; he was so warm, and yet Kai still shivered from the cold.
"Ssshhh... go back to sleep," he held his hand to the back of her head, ruffling her hair as she cried.
"No," She pulled away, "no, no I got- I got blood on your shirt."
He brought his hands to her cheeks and wiped away some of the tears. "I have more clothes, m'eudail. Now please, sleep."
"I can't."
Enoch sighed. Their faces were so close; Kai felt his breath fan across her face. "I know. I know."
"Don't leave," Kai pleaded, "Please. I- I need..."
Enoch lifted her off of him and gestured for her to scoot over on the bed. It was just large enough for the two of them. He still wore his outfit from earlier; a knit sweater vest over a button-down shirt. He even still wore his shoes.
"I'll protect you," He whispered, kissing the top of her head softly. "I promise."
Despite her protests, Kai fell asleep fast. Perhaps she grew exhausted from thrashing around so much. She curled in the space he made for her; her head on his chest and the rest of her held by him.
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She felt his heart beat to a steady rhythm; her heart beat fast, which made her even more anxious.
But she couldn't help but think; The Dead- Riser has a heart
Her eyes closed as he fell limp against him and gave up resisting sleep.
Enoch looked down at her; she looked so peaceful. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of unimaginable evil went on in her nightmares. How they suffocated her so much that she woke up covered in her blood, sweat, and tears.
Her dark hair blended with the shadows of her room. It looked like she was a shadow, with how much life the nightmares took from her.
The sun barely peaked in through the planets that covered the window; the early morning sun had just begun to rise.
In all the panic, she hadn't noticed it was so early.
Kai's eyebrows furrowed together and she let out some sort of terrified whine. Enoch tightened his arms around her, attempting to make her feel more secure.
The longer he looked at her sleeping face, the more he grew frustrated. His heart beat fast now, from the sudden rush of emotion. He groaned and whispered, "You... you make me feel... everything. What are you doing?"
Kai didn't answer, of course, and Enoch was sort of glad for that.
He leaned his head back against the headboard and closed his eyes, allowing himself to enjoy the moment after so long of avoiding it.
