Arcane | Enoch O'Connor

Four - "We are going into 2019 and not the jungle."

Last night, just after I had left the house, Enoch ran out behind me and grabbed my wrist, spinning me around. Dad had already left the loop, so just as I was about to enter the cairn. He rested his hands on his knees, panting. It was dark outside so I could barely make out his facial features, yet his eyes still gleamed with excitement. The moon drowned us in a pool of white as we stood in the coldness of a September night. Enoch released my wrist, letting it drop to my side as his did the same. His touch left my skin tingling making me realize how much I liked his presence.

"Er, what are you plans for tomorrow?" He said, looking down at the deep aromatic, green blades. I instantly responded with "nothing", clearing everything off my calendar in a heartbeat. Enoch nodded, eyes still glued on the grass. Dark curls reached down to his eyebrows but he ran a hand through his hair and pushed it away. "I was wondering if you would like to go out to New York with me, Bronwyn, Millard, Horace and Claire. Only if you're up to it though."

"I'd love to." I grinned sheepishly. I wondered how, considering peculiars can't really leave their loops for long periods of time. Relief flashed through his eyes as Enoch began to walk backwards towards his home.

"I'll see you tomorrow, I guess."

I was met by my dad at the other side of the loop, however he was zoned out. I just left him in his little world as we walked to the Priest Hole. The details were barely visible, only the building's outline, standing proudly in front of the alloy-silver orb. Even as we went upstairs to our rooms, Dad was silent. I considered asking him what was wrong but I assumed he wouldn't really want to talk about his worries this late at night; he wanted to rest.

I had got out of bed this morning as soon as the sun rose, the chirping of birds through the single glazed glass reminding me of the surrealness of being here. The same chirrup covered the island, considering it was the biggest bird colony in Wales. Even though the vocals of nature's song were beautiful, I tried blocking it out with the acoustic version of 'Shake it out' by Florence and the Machine. The beautiful chords made me feel at ease.

The walk was only about twenty minutes long and I had made it to the loop. I no longer could feel the pressure build up in my ears, Enoch did say I would get used to it after all. In 1940, I saw Enoch leaning against the nearest tree yet he shot up when he saw me. In one hand, he held a vintage bag and the other held a clay model; it's heart beating ever so slightly. He pulled out packaged toast with jam, ripping open the packet and giving me a slice.

"Hey. How are you? Does Jake know you're here?" He rushed, accompanying me on the short walk to the house. The children's home was the quietest I had ever seen it on the outside, however the inside was blooming with activity and life. Millard saw me first so he tipped his jungle hat forwards, which was returned with a small wave. He gathered his things and made his way to us, ready to leave the loop.

"I'm good and no, he's been quiet so I just left him."

"It's hard for him, this place would just remind him of Abe," Miss Peregrine interrupted, "you have to try and understand and look from his perspective." She smiled, thrusting sandwiches into Enoch's bag. "Now, be careful and stay together. New York is a busy place and we don't want you getting lost now, do we?"

"Millard, you do realize that we are going into 2019 and not the jungle." Enoch rolled his eyes in an unemotional and practical manner. The invisible peculiar ran up the stairs to change into more suitable clothes. Once Millard returned, we said our goodbyes and made our way into the Panloopticon. Enoch, Millard, Claire, Bronwyn and Horace piled through the door to the New York, 2019 loop, with me in tow.

I think all of us were gobsmacked by the view, or what we got of it. Buildings that reached the skies towered over us. I was used to the contemporary design, the others were stuck to the idea of older houses and technology. The children were quiet, taking the view in. I pulled my eyes away to see the children talking in hush voices to one another.

"We have decided to split up, even if the Bird said stay together. The boys and the girls." Enoch nodded. I had more knowledge shops and landmarks so I told Emma, Bronwyn and Claire I'd be taking them clothes shopping with the little money I had. Once Horace heard the word clothes, he instantly joined the girls sight-seeing shopping trip.

"How much money do we all have?" I asked quietly.

"Miss Peregrine gave us fifty dollars. Each. We need future clothes." Claire laughed, piling her money into my hands with the other three followed suit. We made our way to a clothes store that Horace liked the look of and we rushed in unlinking arms.

We had spent half an hour before walking out with new outfits. Emma wore blue jeans with an oversized pink jumper whilst Horace wore jeans and a pink button up shirt. Claire refused to swap out her dress for modernised clothes, exclaiming that she can get away with dress up because of her young age.

"Did anyone see where Millard and Enoch went?" Bronwyn sighed whilst the rest of us chuckled. We headed towards the McDonalds we passed near the loop after spending hours wandering the streets of New York.

Several minutes after we sat down at a booth, Enoch and Millard run in, out of breathe with doctors uniforms on. They smelled disgustingly of ethanol, sliding the closer to us along the shiny chairs.

"Why have you been into a hospital?" Bronwyn whisper shouted. Her expression had no hints of amusement as she tried to stare at Millard, then at Enoch. "Well do you want to answer my question?"

"No." And that was the end of the conversation. The children had and enjoy their meals, devouring the greasiness of future food. I felt Enoch's hand brush past mine before he clasped it tight.

It was reaching four o'clock as we discovered by an alerting text message off Dad. Where are you? I thought it was best to leave now so that we were in time for supper so we gathered our things and walked through the loop, back to the peculiars old time. Emma and I walked behind the rest, talking about the future, clothes styles, food and technology.

"Wait so if McDonald's isn't your favourite food, what is?"

"I love macaroons. Even though they were invented in 1792, I think." Emma raised her eyebrows, inquisitively about my era. This was new to her, the 'magic' of the future was overwhelming, or so she quoted. I just smiled in response, one reason because of her curiosity and another because I saw Enoch holding Claire as if she was his little sister.

"Come on slow coaches!" She beamed as we finally caught up with the others. "We don't have all day!"

"But we do."