Muddy Waters / enoch o'connor {Slow Updates}

act one | part nine

act one | part two - twenty-first century breakdown

It would be October 21st, 2013. Living in loops, we didn't need to keep track of the outside, but hearing it from Miss Peregrine was something else. Time had moved on without us, a new millennium had come and gone, and we weren't there to witness it. In the years we had been absent, the world changed, entirely. 

"You think he went outside the loop?" Hugh asked, sitting forward. 

"I do," Miss Peregrine acknowledged, frowning, "I think he's been going out there for awhile." 

We all sat, a harrowing atmosphere clinging the air. Sullen glances were exchanged and Enoch shifted, uncomfortable beside me. Olive was comforting Bronwyn and Claire, holding the both of them against her sides. She hadn't acknowledged us since we got back, but I could tell she wanted too. 

"We don't know if he went outside the loop yet," Enoch said, shaking his head, "he could just be taking a walk." 

Though we were all open to possibilities, we all knew, logically, that Victor had not gone out and was no longer in the loop. Miss Peregrine took a deep breath, pulling out her watch from her coat. 

"Let us help look!" Millard said, "we'll find him faster if we're all looking!" 

"No," She said quickly, shaking her head, "it is my duty to protect you, I shall not have all of you running around." 

Enoch stood up beside me and left the room, much to Miss Peregrine's dismay.

"Where are you going, Enoch?" She asked. 
"My room."

I debated whether or not to follow him, but ultimately decided not too. It would like bad, right after our 'falling out' for me to run after him. I let him walk out, but not before he cast a deep brooding glance my way. It wasn't me, I told myself, it was the situation. 

Miss Peregrine's eyes had never left mine as she took a deep breath. I felt small beneath her gaze, cowering into the cushions of the parlor couch, as if doing so would make me invisible. 

"Where were the two of you this morning?" She asked me. 

"On the beach," I replied. 

"Did you see anything?" 

I shook my head. I probably did, but everything with Enoch had overlapped the normal bits. If I had seen someone unfamiliar, I doubt I would have remembered it. But I do believe I would have noticed Victor if I had seen him. 

"All of you are to remain in this house," Miss Peregrine announced, holding her head high, "until Victor is found, we cannot risk loosing another one of you."

Her eyebrows were knitted together in worry as she glanced around at all of us. 

"That means you too Millard." 

She glanced at the empty side of the couch, and the leather shifted in response. 

"I won't," Millard sighed, "but don't you think that-"

"No," She interrupted, "this is not your business children." 

---

I sat against Enoch's foot board, watching him work. He was focused even more than usual on his work today, but I knew it was because he wanted to keep occupied. I'd told him that we weren't allowed to leave anymore, but he only rolled his eyes and scoffed lowly. 

"Enoch?" I asked quietly, getting up to stand beside him. 

He looked up at me, setting his down his tools. I watched his face soften and fall slightly from the almost angry concentration I'd been seeing for the last hour.