Enoch walked slowly through the abandoned house, one that was all too familiar. It sent chills down his spine to be back in this place, but he couldn't escape no matter how hard he tried. It was always in the back of his mind, always nagging at him. As Enoch studied the place he used to call home, he heard soft hissing come from behind him. He whirled around to see a small flock of children, eyes glowing white, teeth gagged and sharp, and their bodies mangled slowly making their way towards him. His heart leaped into his throat and he backed away, trying to get away. He had to get away.
"You left us to die. Look what you have done to us," one gargled, his head making a 360 turn before coming back to face him. Enoch's face paled and he started to tremble, shaking his head. "N-No... I went to find our ymbre... I-I never..." His voice trailed off as a sickening smile spread across each of the children's torn faces. He found himself pressed against a wall, breathing raggedly as the children from his old loop, the ones he had once cared for and loved, approached them in their death like state.
"You let the hollows get us. You let them kill us!" another child shrieked, their white eyes widening to the max and their jaw falling off from the lack of flesh holding it together. Enoch screamed, his eyes wide in terror as the children circled him, their hands in claws as they reached out towards him.
"It's time for you to sleep now," a boy said, smiling to show each of his rotting and sharp teeth. Enoch screamed again and curled up on himself. "No! No, please, I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!" he yelled, hoping that these demons would leave him alone. The children let out a harsh laugh, a sound that resembled the shrieking of bats. Enoch was shaking violently as one wrapped a decaying hand around his wrist, it's claws piercing deep into his flesh and drawing blood.
"Good night Enoch!" another child cooed gleefully. Enoch let out a strangled cry as they pounced on him. They ripped at his flesh, eating away at him and shredding him to pieces, just like the hollows had done to them, just like he'd seen them. Pain roared through Enoch's body and he sobbed and screamed. He wanted the torment to end, but he knew he deserved this. He had stood by as the hollows ripped his friends to shreds one by one, despite their screams and wails for someone, anyone to help. He'd watched as they died a horrible death. Enoch let out one more pained scream before his world was swallowed by darkness.
"No! Stop, please stop!" Enoch sobbed, thrashing around in his bed wildly. Miss Peregrine was at her oldest ward's bedside in the basement, gripping him tightly and trying to shake him awake. "Stop, it hurts! IT HURTS!" Enoch screamed, arching of the bed and screaming so loudly Miss Peregrine almost let go of him and covered her ears. The twins and Horace, the ones who had alerted Miss Peregrine of Enoch's nightmare bound, watched in horror as the usually stoic boy was dissolving into tears.
"Enoch, wake up! You're just dreaming, wake up!" Miss Peregrine said gently, bending down over Enoch's trembling body and smoothing his hair away from his sweaty forehead. Enoch gasped and his eyes shot open in terror. He tried to scramble away from Miss Peregrine, pressing himself against the wall and clenching his eyes shut. Tears were streaming down his pale face and he was sobbing, his entire body shaking with fear. Miss Peregrine moved beside him and took his head in her arms, gently moving him so he was resting against her.
"M-Miss P?" Enoch said weakly, opening his eyes to look up at his mentor. Miss Peregrine brushed his tears away with her thumb and embraced him, kissing his forehead softly and pulling him closer. Enoch whimpered and clung to Miss Peregrine tightly, burying his face in her shoulder and sobbing softly. Horace gave Miss Peregrine a questioning gaze, but she shook her head and shooed him and the twins away. Enoch's past was not something to be shared with the young children in her care.
"It's all my fault," Enoch said softly when the three children left, his eyes staring ahead blankly. "I-I stood by. I watched them get killed. It's all my fault..." Enoch choked out, his voice trailing off. He choked back a sob and buried his head in the crook of his ymbre's neck, tears still streaming steadily down his face. Miss Peregrine felt tears of her own beginning to brim and she wanted to tell Enoch that nothing was his fault, that he did his best and tried to help, but it would do no good. What happened in Enoch's last loop would stay with him forever, haunting him until death.
Well, I seem to be writing a lot of depressing stuff lately. But yeah! I hope you guys enjoyed my little take on Enoch's past! Don't forget to F&R!