A Dead-Risers Soulmate

Chapter 4

Enoch POV

I heard Emma come up and talk to someone, must be the new girl. The one everyone is gossiping about me and her together... I was working on my newest homunculi when I heard Emma stop and I could feel someone's eyes on me. Looking up, there was a girl close to my age standing at my door frame, staring at me. I got up almost instinctively and when I realized what I was doing; I closed the door in her face. I heard a small sigh before Emma told her something before walking downstairs. Don't bother trying to like her. Remember what you told yourself.

It was a normal day. A normal dinner. And the start to a normal night. In the past few months, Olive and I haven't had the best times in our relationship, but we never knew what to do about it. The Bird said it will fix itself, whatever that means. Once Horace got into his seat and started the movie, I started to zone out. Clothes. Suits. All so great. Only through the Sudden gasps did I focus back on what was happening.

I was standing under the oak tree in our yard, waiting nervously, holding onto one of my little dolls.

"Enoch you wanted to see me?'' a female voice, one I didn't recognize, stepped towards me. Everyone in the room practically leaned forward, trying to see who that could be. I even leaned in, slight curiosity getting the better of me.

"I know I haven't been the most kind to you, and I wanted to say I'm sorry." I looked sideways, making it hard to see the girl's face. Come on, let me see her face. A chuckle could be heard before she stepped forward.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. You forget I can see your emotions, Enoch. There's something else troubling you, though." She seemed unsure, and I nodded, looking up at her before grabbing her so gently. All I could see were these beautiful gray eyes.

After the Show, Olive and I stayed behind arguing about a girl I didn't even know!

"Olive, you can't be serious!" I shouted, getting angrier by the minute.

"You know, just as much as I do, Horace's dreams come true. It's been years since our relationship was anything magical anyway! You probably only dated me because I was dying." Olive snapped. I don't want to be alone...

"So you're breaking up with me Olive? Over a girl that might not even show up for years..." I whispered while looking at her.

"You look happier with her. Maybe she's who you need. Because I know that 'us' were not happy." Olive touched my cheek.

I felt so defeated after that I ran to my room and trashed it. FREAK. LONER. That's all I ever was. Ever will be. That day forward I told myself no matter what, I wasn't going to fall for this girl in Horace's dreams just to get my heart broken again.

Soon after each time, it was time to watch Horace's Dreams. I would stand in the doorway, arms folded. If he dreamt about us again, I would try to ignore the twitch in my chest, seeing those gray eyes.

I shuddered at the painful memory. I wasn't going to accept it. I wasn't going to put myself out there again just to be hurt.

~

I paced around my room, hearing Elizabeth's door open and close behind her, her footsteps heading towards the dinner table. Focus Enoch. You're going to make sure she doesn't like you. I stared into the mirror in my room composing my thoughts, and you have to make sure you don't fall in love either. After a few minutes, I threw on a sweater over my button-down and headed toward the table to eat. Right as I entered the dining room, I slowly sat down, being the last one. I looked over at Elizabeth closely for the first time since she had gotten here. She does look quite pleasing to the eye. Beautiful fair skin, long dark brown hair, and those piercing gray eyes I saw in the visions.

"Right now that we're all here, dig in!" Everyone was making small chats and most of them were asking her questions about her peculiarities. Wasn't it something with emotions? I looked up just long enough to show her my interest and see her flash her eyes at me. Oh, those eyes...

"Well..." She took a moment, unsure, "It's nothing too exciting. First, it started as just seeing someone's aura, their emotions. Normal people it was a silhouette around their figure, Peculiars though I see it confused on a specific part most likely where their peculiar presides. Over the two years, Mrs. Woodpecker and some of the other children helped me understand what I can do, and I could learn new tricks."

I was more impressed than I thought would have been. My brain started zoning everyone else out and I was looking at her. Not just a glance, but taking her in. Maybe... Then she looked at me, breaking my distraction and I looked back down. No. I can't.

After Dinner, I walked into the living room and decided to sit down next to Elizabeth. Of course, everyone else had the same idea, so I stood behind the chair she sat in and grasped the cushion, looking down at her shifting. Was she just as unsure as I was?

It started with Horace at a suit shop trying on many outfits and loving each one. It then started to shift to what looked to be an old room and Two boys grinning and laughing maniacally. It shifted to Elizabeth staring out a window, crying, holding a rose, and then finally the last was me strapped down to a table, yelling not a single sound coming out, fighting for dear life as a shadow loomed over me.

I had zoned out of all of Horace's dreams before, so jumping into this I didn't know what to think, only that it wasn't good. Mrs. P realized the seriousness of this dream and cut it off shortly after, making sure everyone knew we would be ok. Suddenly, a rush of anxiety came over me and my thoughts. What does this mean? Why am I scared? You need to save her. My thoughts overcame me and for a minute, instead of trying to scare Elizabeth off or ignore her. I wanted her in my arms. I wanted to protect her...I wanted-

"Enoch I believe this is one ability Miss. Elizabeth had mentioned that you must have been affected as you touched her. Her previous caretaker had written a letter for me, catching me up to speed. Would you be a dear and get her back here with us?" Mrs. P asked, and it took a minute for my thoughts to become my own. I realized everyone was staring at the two of us, Elizabeth frozen in fear and my hand on her shoulder.

"Elizabeth... Elizabeth!" I shook her gently enough to gain her composure before seeing everyone watching us.

"I-I'm So-" She blushed, stumbling for words and Mrs. P nodded.

"I read the letter you gave me with helpful note comparisons from Mrs. Woodpecker. Don't fret, child, you saw something that scared us all and let your peculiar shine through. I will say it amazes me though about what you can do." Mrs. P's words seem to cheer her up and lead everyone else outside for the rest. She decided not to stay for the Reset and started to head up to her room. I looked down, needing to gather my thoughts before I barely heard her whisper Thank you. Once they had finished the reset, everyone went to sleep, and I walked into my room, unsure. I lay in bed trying to fall asleep, ignoring the haunted look in those gray eyes. I heard shuffling in the room next to mine and I put my ear up against the wall; what sounded like Elizabeth tossing and turning. I fought with myself for a minute before getting up and knocking on her door.

"Oh, Enoch! I'm sorry, did I wake you?" She bit her lip, and I shook my head.

"No. I usually stay up late working on my creatures, I just heard you through the walls." I tried my best to look unconcerned.

"Your creatures? Oh, right, you're a dead riser, aren't you?" She looked focused on her thoughts and then smiled, making me nod. I decided to bring her into my room and I gave her the tour. Then the tour turned into us just chatting about each other for a few hours.

"So you can see my Aura?" I asked. She nodded, looking down. Was it bad? "So tell me about me." She looked at me with uncertainty before staring intensely.

"Your hands are black, most likely because of your peculiar. The same goes for over your heart; Black, there are a few spots of a lighter gray and a very faint white line around it all. I would say that you don't like to express much. You loved and then you lost. And now you're afraid to love again. Your conscious is telling you not to love, but your subconscious is telling you to go for it.'' She looked at me and all I could do was stare.

"Yeah..." was all I could muster. I was right. I can't do this. It's better off this way. She nodded, knowing somehow I wanted to be alone, and said goodnight and left. As I lay on my bed, all I could envision were those eyes of hers.