manipulate // enoch o'connor

20 // young love

  EMMA WAS STOPPING BARRON FROM ENTERING THE ROOM WHERE HE KEPT THE YMBRYNES. She was running out of breath, and she heard him say, "You don't even know if I'm the right Barron." He laughed. Emma finally ran out of breath, and Barron turned into an unfamiliar face, "Surprise, dear."

Emma moved backwards, as the wight continued to move closer to her. All of the sudden, A knife flew and hit him right in the head. Emma looked behind her; it was Clara, she was filled with bruises and she looked weak. Her hands were bloody, and her left cheek was swollen.

"Emma, where is Enoch?" She asked, "The real Barron is pretending to be me. He's going to kill him, I need to save him."

"How do I know you're not lying?" Emma said, still suspicious about her.

"I saved you from him, didn't I? I turned against Barron, but he caught me, imprisoned me again and pretends to be me up until this hour, we need to find Enoch, he's going to kill him!" Emma believed her, for the first time ever. "They're upstairs, Go! I can't leave Jake here!"

Clara ran upstairs, hoping Enoch was safe and far from her replica.

✧ ✧ ✧

  WHEN ENOCH LEANED TO KISS CLARA, She refused and told him, "Not now. We have to save Jake and Emma from Barron!" Enoch was happy she was beside him again, but she seemed different-- too different; as if she was somebody else. She didn't hold his hand or smile at him, she was very serious. He started to think he might have done something wrong, or if she finally realized that he wasn't deserving of her love.

It wasn't the time to be suspicious of her, but she didn't seem like herself. While walking through an isle, he grabbed her wrist and asked, "Clara, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Clara said, "Let go of me, and let's go." She added, annoyance in her tone.

"What's wrong with you?" His grip tighten, "We saw each other after a few hours and you've changed? I don't even recognize you." Clara continued to avoid his gaze and shook of his grip.

"Now is not the best time!" She exclaimed, trying to pull away from him. She didn't even call him Enoch again after that one time. His confusion was starting to turn into anger, "No! You tell me. What happened to you?" 

Clara's other hand turned into a knife, and she pointed it on his throat. "If you don't let go, I'll slit your throat." Anger filled her eyes, and with that he knew, it wasn't her.

"You're not tricking me anymore." Enoch said, "Did I do something? Did something happen? Tell me, Clara! I want to help!" Clara looked behind him, and he looked too. There was a replica of Clara; but this one was filled with bruises and cuts, and she had a swollen cheek.

"That's not me, Enoch." The messier Clara said, "You know I wouldn't do that to you." She's right. Enoch faced the Clara he was with. Her hand turned back to normal, and he looked at her with much more confusion. He gripped her wrist even more.

Clara looked at her replica, and back to him, "I swear.. I'm the real one," She said and glanced over her copy again, "Who would you think would do this?" 

"If you're the real one, why are you so different?" Enoch asked her.

"It's been a tough day, I've been through a lot." The Clara in front of him told him. Somewhat, she did not look she has been through a tough time. She wore an red, ankle-length dress and her brown hair was curled neatly.

"Liar! Enoch, you have to stay away from that bitch!" The other Clara said, "Enoch, keep your promise to me, especially right now!" Enoch, keep your promise to me, especially right now! It repeated in his head. His eyes widened, and he let go of his grip of the Clara he was with and ran to the Clara across him. 

He was held by his cardigan and was pulled away from the real Clara. "NO!" She screamed.

Enoch felt a sharp knife pointed on his throat. "I didn't know you were so smart..." It was Barron all along, pretending to be the girl he loved. He could only look at Clara, whose eyes were filled with panic and fear. "Now, now Prescott. Didn't you like Jerry?" 

"That wight you left for me? No! I killed him as good as the other wight you used to pretend as you." Clara glared at him, "Barron, let Enoch go and take me instead."  She said much calmly this time. 

"No!" Enoch shouted, "Don't touch her, please. Just take me." 

Barron laughed, "This, sweet, young love of yours," He mocked them, staying quite for a few minutes. "Will die young too." 

✧ ✧ ✧

  CLARA SAW CLEARLY, HOW BARRON STABBED ENOCH BY HIS CHEST. Enoch's eyes widened, but he did not speak; Barron let him go, and he helplessly fell onto the ground. His blood rushed out of his body, and he had his hand over the wound to try and stop the bleeding.

"NO!" She screamed as she ran to Enoch, who was still  in shock and in pain of the attack. Barron grinned at her, "I told you, Clara. I was gonna kill him." He ran away after, laughing maniacally as he did. 

Clara had Enoch in her arms, and he laid on her lap. What happened to the guy she used to love is happening again, Clara thought, tears rushing through her eyes. She wanted to badly kill Barron but she couldn't leave him. "No, no, no.." Clara was holding back her sobbing, "Come on, Enoch, stay with me.." 

She could feel Enoch's heavy breathing, but he looked at her, and her only. Enoch leaned forward to kiss her and she cupped his cheek and kissed him first. How she missed his lips. She pulled away, "Just stay with me okay?" Enoch nodded.

Clara examined the wound, and tried to touch it, but Enoch winced in pain. Clara cut off the lower part of her dress and placed it over his chest. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She said, tears still rushing onto her cheeks. She looked at Enoch, "I'm sorry this happened. I don't want to lose you. Not now, not ever.." 

Enoch, despite being in pain, smiled at her, and brushed his fingertips onto her swollen cheek. She winced but she didn't care of the pain she felt, she only cared about the pain Enoch was feeling. "It's nice seeing the real you, Clara." He said almost weakly, "I missed you." 

Clara placed a hand over his, "I've missed you too, Enoch." She couldn't help but cry, "I've missed you so much," Enoch was starting to close his eyes, "No!" Clara exclaimed, "Look at me, my love." She said, and he did as he were told. 

"You're the only girl I've loved my whole heart," He told her quietly, "I love you, Prescott. More than you ever know."