A strange peculiarity || Enoch O'Connor

Chapter twelve

Jeanette sat with Horace as Melanie examined Josef, as the resident healer, she had been called at once to inspect the boy and try to find out what had happened to him. Horace looked distinctly worried, and Jeanette too was concerned. She'd never seen this happen before.

"Horace, are you alright?" She asked him, he looked from Josef's unconscious body to the girl sat beside him.

"I'm fine, it's him I'm worried about, I'm annoyed that I didn't see this coming." He sighed.

"Don't worry Horace, you can't foresee everything that is to happen, and you've helped us a lot, the fact that you are sat here shows that you care, and I think he'll be glad to see you here when he wakes up." She told him gently, he nodded.

"I wish I'd figured out what was happening to him, it's been happening since the fight with Ethan and the wights, he just brushed it off, but I should have done something." Horace said.

"It isn't your fault Horace, we've all seen him around, we all saw it happen, we all could have done something." Jeanette told him.

"I'm not sure what is wrong with him." Melanie sighed.

"What do you mean?" Horace asked.

"I have the suspicion that it is his peculiarity itself that did this to him, in any case, I can't give a diagnosis until he wakes up. You two had better get some rest." Melanie explained, her wings stretched and retracted restlessly. She looked embarrassed at it, and when her wings stopped moving she laughed awkwardly. "Sorry about that, I can't help it." She added.

"Don't worry Mel, your peculiarity is nothing to worry about." Jeanette smiled at her, before nodding at both Melanie and Horace. "anyway, I'm going to get some sleep, see you in the morning."

With that, Jeanette left Josef's room and walked towards her own, which was on one side of the workshop, Enoch's room was on the other side of the workshop. She sighed happily and got ready for bed, before promptly falling asleep, curled up under the warm blanket she had brought with her from the loop.

She was woken up later that night by someone frantically shaking her shoulder, she opened her eyes, and found Stephan stood beside her, looking terrified. She frowned and created a dim light so she could see him.

"Stephan! What ever is the matter?" She asked him in surprise, he sighed and gestured to her bed, asking if he could sit down, she nodded and sat up.

"I'm scared." He murmured.

"Why? There is no reason to be frightened Stephan, we are safe here." She told him, he nodded, but his hands were shaking.

"It's not that Jenny." He told her. She frowned at him.

"Then what's scaring you?" She asked him.

"The shadows Jenny, they're getting stronger, I don't know how to control it, I don't know what to do!" Stephan was crying, which caught Jeanette off guard, she had never seen him cry before.

"It's okay Stephan, It'll be okay, you can control them, you've done it before." Jeanette told him, he nodded, but didn't look even remotely convinced.

"It's different this time, it's like they know evil is growing stronger." He said.

"So evil is really growing stronger? This won't just be a onetime thing?" Jeanette asked, she hoped to be wrong, but she knew there was a slim chance at that.

"It's really happening, again." He confirmed.

"I was afraid of that." She muttered, Stephan just nodded, before jumping as shadows loomed closer to them.

"Stephan, you must calm down, the more emotional you are, the less control you will have." She advised him, he nodded and tried to control his breathing, his tears had stopped and he seemed calmer, which made Jeanette incredibly relieved.

"Thanks Jenny." He murmured, she smiled and nodded, glad to have helped him with his problems, even if she had barely done anything.

"It's no problem." She told him.

Suddenly, the door swung open and Melanie and Aimee walked in.

"Stephan? What's wrong?" Melanie asked gently, but Aimee shoved passed her and hugged Stephan with all her might.

"Stephan, it's okay." Aimee muttered, before taking his hand in hers and leaning her head on his shoulder. "I'll help you through this, just like last time." She was of course talking about the last time he had almost lost control of the shadows, the feat that had brought them together in the first place.

Stephan kissed her cheek, and Jeanette was sure she could see a glimmer of Jealousy in Melanie's eyes. She coughed loudly.

They all looked at her. "Do you mind taking this somewhere else? Only, if you do not require my assistance, I would like to get some sleep." Jeanette said.

"Of course, thanks Jenny." Stephan smiled and nodded, and as the trio was leaving, Stephan hugged the older girl, the two were old friends, having met several times throughout their lives, before Stephan joined the loop.

"Good luck Stephan, and stay safe." She smiled at him as he left, and when they were gone, she let out a sigh and lay down again. She fell asleep soon after.

Jeanette was woken up only a few hours later, by a rather nervous Horace.

"Horace? Whatever is the matter?" She asked him in concern, before deciding on getting a lock for her door, to deter any further late night interruptions to her slumber.

"Melanie said Josef is awake." Horace said. Jeanette nodded.

"That's brilliant news, is it not?" She asked him, he nodded.

"Will you come with me to see him?" Horace asked, she frowned at him.

"Why do you want me to go with you?" She asked, he shrugged.

"I don't know." He answered, she sighed and nodded.

"Alright then." She got up and followed him out of the room.

They reached Josef's room within five minutes, the door was open, and Melanie was sat with him, she beckoned them in. Josef's eyes lit up when Horace walked in.

"Hey Joe, how do you feel?" Horace asked, taking Melanie's seat as she got up and left the room.

"I'm okay." Josef nodded, before looking up to see Jeanette in the doorway. "Hey Jenny."

"Morning Josef." She smiled at him, before sitting beside Horace.

"It's stopped now, I think." Josef informed them. "Mel still doesn't know what caused it, she just said I should rest."

"Are you sure you don't know what happened Joe?" Horace asked, Josef shook his head.

"No, do you?" He asked back.

It was Horace's turn to shake his head. "No, I didn't see anything."

"I'll be going now." Jeanette said, leaving the room quietly.

The last thing she heard before walking out of earshot, was Josef saying: "We'll be okay."