Song of the Peculiars

Chapter 8

"Ah, this looks lovely," Miss Peregrine commented. I nodded and stood up from my place on the floor.
"I truly love it here. I'm glad to have met everyone." I smiled brightly.
"I've given Enoch some money. The both of you are going to town and you can pick out a birthday cake for dessert tonight," Miss Peregrine explained. "You have precisely two hours and forty-six minutes. Run along, now."
I sprinted excitedly out of the room. It's been a while since I got to pick my cake. I figured that the high-waisted corduroy skirt and white blouse would blend in well enough with the 40s style.
"Enoch! Are you ready to go?" I shouted down the basement door.
"Yes, let's get this over with," he answered from behind me. I spun around, nearly elbowing him in the gut. He glared and pulled me toward the door. The walk to the town was uneventful.
"So, where is the baker- Agh!" I was grabbed and roughly dragged into an alleyway. A large hand held my arms painfully against my back.
"Cassidy! Let her go, you bastard," Enoch growled at the man holding me. Somehow he managed to laugh, even with Enoch's darkest glare pointed at him.
"Oh and what are you gonna do?! You're outnumbered, kid!" The guy laughed maniacally. My eyes widened as three more guys emerged from the shadows. They were ganging up on Enoch.
"Don't hurt him! Stop it!" I shouted. I flailed around helplessly as the first hit was made. It knocked him to the ground, a sickening crack filled my ears. All three of the thugs kicked Enoch in the ribs and back.
"I told ya, kid! This girl is ours now," the guy holding me purred into my ear. I felt bile rise in my throat.
"Stop it! Stop it! STOP IT!" A piercing scream ripped out of my throat. The thugs all grabbed their heads in pain. The guy behind me released my arms. I didn't stop until the thugs were unconscious.
"Enoch, are you alright?" I knelt next to him and held his face in my hands. He groaned in pain.
"I... I'm fine," he grunted.
"I'm taking you back to the house," I said and began helping Enoch to his feet. He tried to protest but a pointed look shut him up. And so we began the slow trudge back home. I had Enoch's arm around my shoulder and my hands on his stomach and back to support his weight.
"You are back far too early, what happened?" Miss Peregrine demanded the second we stepped in the door.
"Some thugs were going to do something bad to me, and when Enoch tried to protect me they ganged up on him." I explained.
"How did you get away?" I shrugged. Miss P stared at me hard.
"I, I think it was my peculiarity." She motioned for me to continue. "I was screaming and it seemed to affect them."
"Alright. Take Enoch downstairs and start looking him over. I'll send Millard down with the medical kit." I nodded and did as I was told. I was already planning on doing that anyway.
I put Enoch down on his workbench. Millard set the med kit down on the table and left me to check him over. I gently took his face in my hands again. There was a large patch of blood on his forehead and a busted lip.
"Why did you do it?" I asked. I cleaned the blood from his forehead. The cut wasn't too large.
"I didn't want you to get hurt," he slurred. I patched up his forehead and took a step back to look at him.
"Enoch..." I trailed off. He had a softness in his eyes that I had never seen before. I half-smiled before placing my hands on my hips.
"Mr. O'Conner, I must ask you to remove your shirt," I ordered.
"Wha- why?" He sputtered, eyes widening. I rolled my eyes.
"You were kicked in the ribs and back quite hard. I need to make sure nothing is broken." I gestured for him to do as I said. He sighed and reluctantly pulled his sweater off. I cringed at the large bruise on his rib cage.
"Hey, I'm not that unattractive," Enoch teased. I avoided eye contact and I felt the heat in my face.
"Lift your arm up like this. Good. This is probably going to hurt." I pressed around on the bruise in small, circular motions. Enoch grunted and winced. I muttered an apology.
"Good news, no broken ribs. Let me see your back," I sighed in relief. He turned and there was another, slightly smaller bruise. I did the same thing and sighed yet again when I found nothing wrong.
"So am I gonna live?" Enoch asked. I nodded and sat next to him. I hung my head and played with the hem of my skirt.
"I'm sorry." Enoch turned to me. I stared at my lap.
"Why are you sorry? It's not your fault," he said. I finally looked up at him, and he could obviously see the regret in my eyes. Enoch wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side.
"I'm alright," he whispered. I gripped his torso, careful not to hurt him more, and nuzzled my head in the crook of his neck. I felt him rest his forehead on my head. He breathed in deeply and let out a noise that I assume was in content.
We sat like this in a comfortable silence until dinner time.