ᴀʟʟᴜʀɪɴɢ ──Enid Sinclair

ㅤㅤㅤᵉⁿᵛʸ

  The relief I had when the bus stopped, As much as I loved her voice I couldn't stand it anymore. Seeing Wednesday walk to Xavier I didn't want anything to do with him but I followed anyways, "Why are you staring at a blank wall?"

"It wasn't blank last outreach day," He said lowly "Are you still stewing because I rejected your invitation?" she asked "I mean, I did go out on a limb for you" "Oh please, I'm just cannon fodder in whatever cold war you're waging with Bianca. I have more pressing issues."

"Like what?" He asked staring at her for a little too long "Tracking down the monster that killed your roommate" "oh my god. for the last time, Rowan was expelled. everyone saw him leave"

"Have you spoken to him since?" I asked "I texted him a few times but never heard back, I just figured he wanted Nevermore in his rearview mirror" He shrugged "or dead" I smiled at him "Why do you care so much it's not like you ever knew the guy"

"I'm not sure why you care so little, people can try to dismiss me and make a million other excuses, but I'm not gonna stop" She reached out to her bag pulling out the book "Oh great, I guess you can add "thief" into your resumes, I don't know what the big deal is about nightshades journal anyways"

"You didn't seem surprised when I showed you this last night" Wednesday showed the book at him "You've seen it before haven't you" He sighed looking the other way "Yeah, a couple of days before the Harvest Festival"

"It was open on Rowan's desk, I assumed he stole it so we kicked him out of the Nightshades. Then I confronted him about it he kinda went ballistic on me" "Threw you against the wall with his telekinesis" My sister continued "Yeah, How did you know that" I shrugged

"It's really weird you're in this journal, it's like what, 30 years old" He pointed to the picture "And what the hell is crack stone doing in the picture with you" He looked at me "You know who he is?"

"Yeah, It's Joseph Crackstone he's like, Jericho's founding father" Xavier continued "He's a big deal around here, Look that's him" Nodding at the poster I turned around staring at the picture.

Snapping back Wednesday tugged me over to walk with her, She put me in the middle of her and Xavier so she wouldn't be in contact with him. As we were walking to the place the ceremony was happening the awkward silence made me smile.

"Okay everyone, We'll see you back here at 1 o'clock for lunch... ENJOY" I almost cringed. "Hey, I'm gonna switch with Enid," Wednesday said next to me "You sure she would? Come on"

"Ajax is there, of course, she would" His name made me wanna hurl "Right, Yeah," I said as we walked towards Enid "Hey, switch volunteer assignments" "ew, what no Uriah's Heap is definitely not my bag"

"She needs to check out pilgrim world," I nodded to Wednesday "But Claire, This isn't a fair trade. Why would I agree to spend the entire day at some dumpy emporium of crapola" She whined "Because Ajax is volunteering there" Wednesday pulled out her card "Thing sneaked peaked at his assignments"

"But if you're not interested-" She turned around "NO, oh my god thank you, You're the best" She shook her turning around to grab my hand and run to the store.

...

"I'm pretty sure it's dead" I muttered to enid "See the tire across its tail" Ajax cuts in "Locals Scopped that fella up right here at rout 22"

She turned towards the woman "You telling me someone actually goes out and collects roadkill?" Enid asked, "And turns them into that?" "Can't keep them on the shelves, got a whole section dedicated to these beauties" I love this woman already.

"Squirrels, Skunks, snakes, and my personal favorites" She pointed to the shelf "Family of ferrets at a clambake..." "Too cute" I smiled back as Enid gave me a weird look.

"You three wanna make yourself useful?" She grabbed three brushes "I reckon they could use a good brush with a tangle teezer, It freshens up the fur"

"Maybe we can do that after, like,... an extended coffee break" She smiled obsessively at Ajax "Right, Ajax" My stomach bubbled, and I felt sick. "uh, yeah we'll hit weathervane want us to pick you up something?"

"No need to pay for that overpriced hipster swill, I'm brewing Chaga" I smiled at her taking the comb from her hands, Turning the other way I brushed as Enid stared at my hands for way too long.

...

"Can I help you?" Enid smiled at the man as he gave her the look, "Enid, for the second time. No socializing with the customers" I said grabbing his arm, "Camera please" 

The man groaned taking the camera from his pocket "Woah," She smiled at me "You're amazing Claire" My hands went cold as she walked to Ajax "Ooh that gives me the heebie-jeebies" I heard her say as I walked to the desk in front of them.

It was a desk filled with busty old books it was mesmerizing "I don't know, You think squirrels and rats could ever work out?" I heard Ajax reply "I mean two different species"

"Well, Yeah" I felt eyes on the back of my head but didn't bother to look back "I mean, Why not? They have more in common than you think" I took a deep breath smiling at her words before turning around to watch them talk.

"Most people are scared of them So it would just be us..." for a split second I swear we made eye contact, "THEM- them against the world" She corrected "Woah, That was deep" He smiled at her 

"You know by the way I totally dug the way you scratched out the bottom of our boat at the Poe Cup, It was pretty badass" He smiled "Thanks, you're not mad you lost?" Looking at her eyes focusing on Ajax I wanted to punch him.

"I was just doing a solid for Xavier, I mean he's my boy. but he's super competitive" He shook his head "He seems so laid back" I leaned down on the table watching them talk although it felt like I was going to hurl any moment.

"I think his dad is, Well you know- Famous. All that pressure" She turned to me lowering her eyes as if she knew what she was doing, "You realize this is like, the longest conversation we've ever had" He smiled "Gorgons are thought not to engage, You know I don't wanna accidentally stone someone"

she looked at her making eye contact once again before putting her hand on his arm, having her eyes on me she continued "I'm not afraid of being stoned by you, It's just temporary" She eyed me down.

This girl

"Really? Do you mean that?" A swift look at me before she turned to face him with a bright smile "One hundo... So um I was thinking of sneaking behind the greenhouse tonight, Supposed to be a blue moon that only happens every 23 years or something. Crazy"

The grip on my book strengthen "Should get a killer view from there" He nodded "Cool, Hey have fun. You know a lot of kids go there and hook up right? I mean It could get awkward"

"Ajax-! I've spent all morning flirting and hinting and trying to act cute while brushing some roadkill just so you would ask me on a FRKIN DATE-" She blurted out "Oh... Um" He at me awkwardly "Oh that's what you were doing, I kinda just wondered when you spent so long brushing that opossums tail"

"Uh, hey wanna meet up behind the greenhouse tonight?" He reasked "YES, Yes, I do" Enid gave me a side eye before smiling back at him, And there it was the sudden pain in my chest again. This time more harshly "Ajax, Can you help me move the badger dentist to the front window?" He left.

"Did you hear that" She skipped her way to me with a smile still on her face, Was I confused or this girl knew exactly what she was doing? 

...

Walking towards the statue with my violin my sister told me the plans for what she was going to do, "I don't believe in heaven or hell. But I do believe in revenge" She muttered to me before sitting down and playing the rhythm we were given.

As the mayor made his speech we all turned to the statue, The mayor laughed forgetting to press the button. As he pressed water sprung from the statue whilst everyone clapped. I sat down waiting for the fire to burn the statue down.

as the fire ignited and the iron burned everyone ran away, We were still playing our rhythm and there was only one thing on my mind.

Envy.