That Peculiar Feeling | Mphfpc ~Enoch O'Connor~

Chapter Twenty-four

I stared at the bowl of murky lake water in front of my crossed legs, as Olive babbled on. I added occasional 'mhm' to make it seem like I was paying full attention. Unfortunately I she wasn't buying it. So far, I'd discovered that by clenching my fist, the water in the bowl thrashed and sloshed around.

"I know you're not listening, so why don't you tell me what's on you're mind." I heard her say.

"Sorry Olive, it's just- um- Miss Avocet sent a letter to Miss P about me."

Olive sat up, looking intrigued. "What did she say?"

I sighed, I guess if I was going to tell someone, it would have to be Olive. "She said, that in three weeks, she's going to come here and see if I can control my peculiarity enough so that it's safe for me to stay here." I paused and swallowed the lump in my throat. "And if I can't, I'm being sent to 'Miss Magpies home for unstable peculiars'."

Olive gasped. "That's terrible!" She said, too loudly for my liking.

"Shh! You can't tell anybody. I can do it, I just have to work hard enough."

Olive nodded and did a zip motion across her lips. Then glanced at the bowl of lake water, which I was methodically making thrash like a tiny, stormy sea. "I know you'll do it." She reassured.

"I wish I was that sure."

...

Olive went inside to boil the kettle for Miss Peregrine, so I sat just staring at the algae covered lake. As I shook my hair out of it's plait, a movement in front of me caught my eye.

It had a dolls head, wheels for legs, and its two little claws were clutching a folded piece of paper. I shuffled onto my knees and reached for the paper, it let me take it and I unfolded it to see some scribbled handwriting.

Vague was an understatement. I chucked the water in the bowl back into the lake, and stood up, dusting off my dress. Olive probably wouldn't be surprised that I wasn't here, I'd done enough practicing for today anyway.

Enoch's P.O.V

Oh bird, I was actually doing this.

I was standing on the beach waiting. Desperately hoping my homunculus made it to its destination. I was in a fresh shirt and holding the instant camera Miss Peregrine had pushed into my hands as I exited the front door. I'd told her I was going for a walk, I just never specified with whom. She gave me the simple instruction 'take some photos for the album'. It had only been an hour or two since I'd seen Eden, but I'd never needed to see another human's face in the entire one hundred and twelve years I'd been alive.

Then she came into view. I swallowed the lump the in my throat. I looked over her smiling face as she saw me. She was so, perfect. I felt like I needed to constantly look at her, just in case she disappeared if I blinked.

"I got your note from this guy." She smiled, holding up the tiny homunculus I'd made earlier. I nodded and took it from her hands, pushing it into my pocket.

"So what's up? Something wrong?" She added.

"No! No... " I immediately answered. "I was just wondering- I was going to ask if, erm, you wanted to walk with me?"

I can't even talk to her without sounding like a scared hamster. I was so tough before, I never would've cared this much.

"I'd like that a lot." She replied. I breathed an internal sigh of relief.

We started to walk, our hands occasionally brushing against each other. She seemed to notice the camera in my hand.

"Nice camera." She smiled, so I handed it to her. She proceeded to hold it up and aim it at me.