Wenclair - hate to love

7.

She'd fought against a Hyde and survived.

And, by the gods, had she fought. Tooth and fang against that thing. She gave it everything she had and more. Just as Enid was reaching her limit. A shot was heard through the forest, and Tyler was down.

While Tyler's dad cuffed him and dragged his unconscious body away. Enid felt her body folding into itself. She was tired from the fight, so she stumbled around the forest, panting and grunting in pain as her body changed back, tightening itself up into the flesh she was more used to wearing.

It wasn't any better than the last time. But Thing held her hand as she was recovering her breath from the transformation. He carried some clothes over to where she stood on shaky legs. She wasn't sure what she would've done without him.

She'd done her part. Now she had to make it back and see how Wednesday was doing.

It took her a moment to make her legs move. Each step burning with the effort it took to walk in her state. She considered just passing out for a quick nap near one of the trees, Thing would look after her.

But she couldn't rest until she'd seen for herself that Wednesday was still alive. She remembered how the girl looked earlier that night. Enid could still smell the blood, that was way too much blood, and it was Wednesday's.

Slowly, Enid went back the way she had come. One foot after the other.

—

She was unaware of how long it took her to walk all the way back to Nevermore. At some point her ears picked up the sounds of people. She could hear the rustle of clothes and the quiet murmurs of her classmates. It gave her hope. She thought, if they were alive, maybe everything turned out well in the end.

She could feel Thing tapping at her shoulder, alerting her of something. She tilted her head to look ahead, and saw someone waiting for her.

It was Ajax, of course it was him. Enid wasn't sure of how to feel, she was surprised to see him there, but it's not like she was hoping to see someone else.

It's not like she had thought of him at all that night either.

Ajax quickly made his way towards her. The worry in his face morphing to relief once he got close enough. He put his arm around her shoulders before gently helping her move closer to where everyone else was gathered, right outside the school's entrance. He whispered to her, asking what happened, if she was okay. But Enid didn't feel like talking. She said nothing, and Ajax understood.

Enid thought of how she didn't find comfort in his arms the way she thought she would.

Once they had reached the rest, Enid freed herself from Ajax's hold on her. She kept going, walking around, asking if anyone had seen Wednesday yet.

Be it by the look in her eyes, or the fact that she was covered in blood. Blood that was clearly not her own, that is. For one reason or another, people let her through.

Heads started turning as they were alerted of a presence emerging from the school. Two or three people, Enid couldn't tell. As soon as she saw the short silhouette of her roomie, she commanded her exhausted body to move faster.

She didn't plan on stopping, letting Wednesday's body stop her by crashing into her, holding her.

Enid was immediately pushed back by the other girl. She was not surprised, honestly, this was kind of their thing. She looked at Wednesday, who was looking back at her, examining her face and her hair and her clothes, like she couldn't believe her own eyes.

Then, something unthinkable happened.

Wednesday pulled Enid back in. She let her wrap her arms around her and did the same to her. They were hugging. And Wednesday hid her face in the crook of Enid's shoulder. Enid was glad to be exhausted at this point, because she was holding on to Wednesday with all the strength she had left, and if she hadn't been on the edge of unconsciousness, she would have cracked a few ribs. She could still smell Wednesday's blood all over her, but she didn't feel anything broken. There was the smell of fresher blood on her shoulder, but that was about it.