A Dead-Risers Soulmate

Chapter 12

Enoch POV

Sam and I had come back inside after he told me. Val was supposed to be watching Elizabeth at the table, keeping her calm while I...was outside. The feeling of the first soul started to fade, and I asked Sam for another one. I had already said yes, just turn me into the heartless monster already. Sam told me I would have to wait until we brought Elizabeth to the barn they kept me at. We walked inside; Sam swearing at the empty table. Val and Elizabeth were both gone. We sat down as Sam was telling me his plan; he thought of everything. After a while, we left, walking around the pub and calling out their names; you could tell Sam was not happy at all. Starting to storm off to the house, we heard the weak gasp in the alley behind the pub.

"Sam...help..." running over, we saw Val on the ground holding his stomach. I watched Sam as we walked over asking him 'what happened, where was she'. I started zoning, feeling myself thinking of Elizabeth. I knew this would break her heart. She wouldn't understand if I told her. I opened my eyes to see Sam fuming.

"Val had a change of heart. We wasted time speaking to his apparition. Let's just go back to the house and kill them all." I watched him march back to the house. Of course, it would be Elizabeth who could turn someone around. I stood in front of Sam, who looked at me, shocked.

"Hear me out. You promised me she would be safe if I said yes. Let's go back to the house, maybe they didn't even go there. You haven't even explained everything to me yet." Sam stopped and watched me before sighing and nodded sitting on the curb beginning his story; He had loved once, but she left the loop and turned to ash. She was like Elizabeth; an Aura-seer. They read the books we found and bonded. Intimacy is the key. They both grew stronger but both of their peculiars... changed. Their powers intertwined. He could read people more easily, learning about the souls. She could take away emotions. Puppet them just like he had. She left the loop one day once she realized he was nothing more than a monster. He murdered everyone in his loop that same day. He traveled alone and, like he told me when he had my captive, found Val's loop. He was happy for a time before another late bloom of his peculiarity. The corruption it had on himself and others. Coming here, he had one goal in mind; more murder. More souls. But when he saw Elizabeth and what she could do and then saw us in love. His vision changed. Elizabeth was stronger, more advanced in her skills than his love was. She could see the souls. I knew he was still hiding something from me but it was fine. It didn't bother me as it should have.

Opening the door, I saw Mrs. P standing in the hallway, observing us.

"Ah boys, back already? The children are all in there watching Horrace's picture show. You're more than welcome to join. May I ask where Val is, though?" Mrs. P turned slightly as I watched her look upstairs. Her duty was to protect us and so if that meant being the first to face, she wouldn't go down without a fight. I leaned against the front door and started to feel off. I looked in the mirror and could almost feel as if there was a fighting match in my head. In my heart. Good versus evil. Who will prevail? One side shows me and Elizabeth happily in love. I sat in a chair while she put her hand on the cushion, us both smiling for the picture. The other side shows us in bed being intimate. My hair and eyes were much darker than normal as she tilted her head back, smiling as her gray eyes stared at me. "Don't you want this Enoch?" My vision looked up at me with a spine-chilling chuckle.

"You haven't seen Val either, hmm? I was outside with Enoch, enjoying some fresh air. When we got back inside, Val and Elizabeth were gone. I was afraid Elizabeth did something to Val, so we rushed back here worried." Sam feigned worry as I took a deep breath. Keep it together.

"Well, I have seen Elizabeth. She's upstairs being tended to by Olive and Emma. She came home in tears a little ago. She won't say what's wrong though, I figured the three of you boys maybe drank a bit too much again and Enoch said something to her." Sam looked at me and nodded slowly.

"Y-Yes, you're right, Mrs. P," Sam nodded at me before turning to her. "I sincerely hope we didn't offend her too badly, you know how boys can be. Would it be alright if Enoch went up there to see how she is?" I watched Mrs. P narrow her eyes but didn't say anything as she nodded, looking at me. I turned away, feeling her disappointment as I slowly climbed the stairs. I saw her door cracked slowly pushing it open and stood there, the sight shaking me. Elizabeth looked up, her eyes looking hallow; as if not believing it was me. She glared pouting and I could feel a wave crash against me, "What do you want, Enoch?"

I could feel it, no longer being controlled by Val or Sam. The burning feeling of tasting the pure energy from the soul. But HER. It was as if my shackles were starting to lift. I looked around the room to see Emma and Olive staring at me, but not before I landed on the flower I had given her. I don't want to end up like Sam. I hallucinated hearing the darker version of me. Let me have her.

"I wanted to see you. To apologize for tonight." I slumped my shoulders, watching her quiver her lips, looking away from me. She lightly touched the flower, still yet to bloom, lost in thought.

"Yeah, well...go find your new friends." She glared at me.

"Sam is downstairs. We can't find Val at all. We thought he was with you." I took a step forward into the bedroom, looking around, watching Emma and Olive stand up, ready to protect her.

"I think you need to leave Enoch. Whatever you did; it broke Elizabeth's heart." Olive snapped at me, causing me to be startled. I hurt her... I whipped my head around, realizing she probably could read everything. I need her... Sighing, I headed back downstairs before I stopped at the edge. Looking back, I stared at her before leaving her, "I'm sorry Elizabeth." I came downstairs to see Mrs. P, still in a defensive position between the children and Sam. I could feel the tears on my face as the war raged in my head. Yes. No. Save her. Make her mine. Good. Evil. Heartless. Loved. Elizabeth... Sam nodded as we stepped outside and waited for me to speak. But I couldn't.