Angelica Nightingale:Enoch O'Connor

Chapter one: Our home, our parents, our family, lost.

"Delilah! My daughter is dying, with your daughter's heart, she could live and spend her days living. Your daughter has lived long enough, for thousands of years at that, shouldn't it be time to let someone else live their life."

"Miss Williams, I understand that your daughter is sick, however, how can I trade my daughter's life for another. I understand that you believe that my daughter has lived long enough, however, your daughter was not born peculiar, mine was and her gift allows her to live as long as she has that heart, I'm sorry that dearest Abigail will be leaving us, however, I cannot simply give my own children's life away like that."

"One day your whole family will pay for not giving my daughter a chance of living. Mark my words."

With a door being closed shut and a sigh, I stepped out of my hiding hole and walked over to my mother. She stands holding her face with one hand and the other on her hip.

"Mother? Was that our neighbour again?"

"Oh, Angelica. Yes, Miss Williams came to visit us again. Don't fret, I understand how devastating it is to lose a loved one, however it would be cruel to take one life to give to another."

"I do wish I could help her."

"I understand that my angel, however, I would like you to promise me that you will stay away from that family for a while, just until we have things under control, ok?"

"Yes, mother."

I walk away to visit my younger brother in his crib, I'm so excited for him, as he has just developed his tail for the first time, I wonder if he'll have wings, then we could fly together around our estate as I do with my parents sometimes. Although as I was leaving I couldn't help but overhear our housemaid, Miss Dove and my mother speak.

"Delilah, you are going to have to do something about that lady sooner rather than later. Her threats to the lives of your children are getting worse. I'm afraid she'll act on those threats soon. I'm scared for Angelica and that woman taking her heart herself."

"I'm not sure what to do, I know something must be done, however since we are not living in a loop, it's hard to keep others' interests at bay. I'll have to confide in Lucifer to ask what actions we must take against our neighbours. We must not let our heirs be touched by those who drive for power."

"Understood mistress. I suggest for the time being we stop allowing Florence from entering our premises."

"I've already let Angelica know that she is to stay within a good distance from that household. These threats to my children's safety are going too far."

***

1 year later:

All of the adults have been frantically packing our things into shipping boxes and suitcases. My mother had instructed me this morning that I must pack only my necessary items, no pleasure just purely things I cannot survive without, such as clothes toiletries and cash.

"Father I don't understand why we are in such a hurry, I ask of you why we are in such a hurry."

"Angelica you must understand that whatever happens, you will look after your brother."

"Of course, I will always look after Alfie."

"We are making our way toward Alma Peregrine, you remember the mistress of the house that your dear cousins, Victor and Bronwyn live in."

"Yes, on the island."

"Yes, well, I understand that this will be a bit of a shock, however, the Wights have located us and they know that we are original peculiars. I'm not sure who, however, it appears that someone has tipped them off of our whereabouts."

"Oh dear, how long before they'll be here."

"Lucifer! Angelica! Can you come down the stairs please, we have some visitors!"

I look up to my father. "Were we expecting?"

"No. It's probably the neighbour again to ask for your help, come along we must give her our farewell."

"I do feel so terribly bad that her dearest Abigail will die in these few years."

"I too, my sweet daughter."

My father and I made our way down the stairs and descended toward the living room across from the entranceway.

"Mother?"

My mother was facing the window, that leads out to our front garden, holding young Alfie in her arms who was crying hysterically. She turned around and my jaw trembled, my eyes widened I covered my mouth to stop any cries from coming through.

"Hello, my dearest child. Your family is a very hard family to come upon. How lucky were we to come across your neighbour and she spilled her guts out on your family in return for something."

Who I thought was my mother turned out to be a copycat of her with pure white eyes. He changed back to his original form and smiled maliciously at my father and me. My father pushed me behind him for my protection.

"Where is my wife, Barron?!"

"I'm afraid your wife was a little bit of a handful, she wouldn't let uncle Barron hold her child." He laughed, whilst holding his arm out, to which a hollowgast came out carrying my now-dead mother, whose eyes were gouged out of their sockets.

Tears were now streaming down my face. "No!" My father went to move toward his wife, however, both my father and I were held in place by two Wights, one on each of our arms.

"Now, here's what's going to ha-ouch! My he can bite, why don't you young lady for now hold onto this young little creature."

He gave Alfie to me, to which I lullabied him to sleep. "It's okay Alfie, sh sh sh sh," I whispered into his small ears, whilst rocking him in my arms to soothe him.

"As I was saying. Here's what's going to go down. You three are going to come with us unless you wish to end up like the rest of this household."

He said that as our dearest friends Miss Dove and her husband's bodies were chucked to our feet. "Never. Whatever you wish from us we will never do it."

"You see, I thought you would say that Lucifer. Miss Edwards do you mind escorting our young guests to our carriage."

"Don't touch her, my children are going nowhere with you monsters."

"Well I guess your children can just witness me kill you then, I was going to be nice and allow them to not witness this, however you sir are just asking for it. Very well."

Before anything could be done to save my father, he was picked up from behind and his abdomen was pieced with a blade before his eyes were pulled from his head and eaten by the very monsters who killed my loved ones earlier.

I had no time to react as the Wight behind me pulled a cloth over, both mine and Alfie's mouths.