Souls// Enoch O'Connor {1}•••

Chapter Nine-- Taken

Enoch's POV

I can't believe she's actually doing this. Four hundred years of running, and she never once gave in to the wights. What changed?

I waited in the line as Miss Peregrine and Aspen herded the children into the sitting room, hugging and bidding goodbye to each one. I was at the back of the line, watching as Claire latched herself onto Aspen's legs, bawling. I pried her away, ushering her through the door. It was only me, Jacob, Aspen and Miss Peregrine left, and Miss Peregrine took Jacob by the shoulders. She started to speak quietly, giving me the chance to talk to Aspen.

She looked at me, her eyes fearful. I hugged her, hoping that this wasn't the last one I would get. She hugged back tightly, and a tear hit my shoulder.

Aspen's POV

I don't know why I started crying, I think that it's just the fact that I had finally given up. I was tired of running from them. Maybe if I let them take me, things would be better off. No one else would have to worry about me, or the hollowgast constantly searching for me.

Enoch pulled out of the hug and wiped away the stray tear that had fell. Miss Peregrine was done talking to Jacob now, and she stood patiently behind us. He took one last glace at me, then leaned in. He kissed my cheek. "Be careful. I don't want to have to see you like Victor." He whispered in my ear. He then followed Jacob into the sitting room and closed the door.

Once he was done, I turned around and faced the wight. The strange boy was now tied to a rope, which the wight was holding in one hand. In the other was a large bird cage, which he looked at Miss Peregrine and gestured towards it.

She glanced over at me, then stepped forward and turned into a bird. That left me with the wight, his blank eyes staring at me. He grabbed my arms and tied me to the other end of the rope, and picked up Miss Peregrine.

"C'mon, we have a ship to catch." He said and dragged us outside. As I passed a window, I saw Enoch looking at me. He gritted his teeth as he watched the wight drag us along. I caught his eye, and I gave him a small smile, just to let him know that in was okay.

He didn't smile back, but I saw a determined look in his eyes. He picked Olive up, and she waved a sad goodbye to me, her silver tiara glittering. I waved back-- or as much as I could anyway, the ropes were way too tight.

We kept walking towards the beach, and the house soon became out of sight. We were heading towards the lighthouse. Miss Peregrine squealed in her cage, but the hazel-eyed boy didn't say a word.

I didn't know who he was, or what his peculiarity was, or why the wight wanted him with us. He did look kind of familiar though. We reached the lighthouse, and sat at the bottom, no doubt waiting for the 'ship' the wight had referred to earlier.