The Colour of Your Aura (Enoch O'Connor)

Chapter 12

Everything started off as it should have. Enoch and I went to one of the sweet stalls and bought as many gummy worms and liquorice laces that were available. I gave some money to Hugh and Fiona who went over to a few souvenir and toy stalls and bought some silly bands and flashing gel fish.

We poured all of our purchases into four buckets, that we had found on the boat, and lined them up along the top of the loop entrance. I helped the younger children up onto the top of the entrance and stood in the shadows, waiting quietly.

"How long do you think they'll be? They left half an hour ago," Enoch huffed impatiently and I rolled my eyes. I avoided his gaze, staring ahead.

I didn't want to let anyone else see how scared I actually was. I hadn't seen a hollow in two years and the last time that I had met one, my parents were killed and I was by myself.

This time, I wouldn't end up alone. I knew everything that I needed to know to fight those dreaded things and win. I wasn't going to let them kill anybody else that I cared about. They had already taken so much from me.

Enoch stared at the side of my face as I looked ahead, ignoring him. I was scared that if I turned to the side that he would see my fear in my eyes and wouldn't let me help. And I'd be damned if I let that happen.

"Everything is going to be fine. We have a plan." Enoch whispered to me, rubbing his thumb in circles over the back of my hand.

"Am I that transparent?" I asked, laughing slightly. Although inside I was cursing.

"I wouldn't say transparent. I just think that I knew you too well," He chuckled, eliciting a grin from me.

We stood in silence for a few more minutes, awaiting the arrival of my cousin and close friend who would bring a small army of Hollowgasts in their wake. I wouldn't be surprised if a few Wights came as well.

"There they are," I heard Hugh say from above me and I tensed. I looked out towards the end of the pier and I saw a light blue aura along with an orange one. They were dimmer than they normally would have been.

What I noticed though were the black auras that stood behind them, approaching them as a predator would approach their prey. Their long, tapered limbs moved jerkily and their tentacles waved out of their mouths.

It was the look on Emma's face made me back away, towards Enoch. She had a look of pure terror as she was caught on one of the telephone wires, and the hollows were catching up.

She was shouting something down to Jake who pulled on the rope, trying to get her away from the oncoming danger as fast as he could. A train was approaching them on the tracks and that only made the shrillness of their voices increase as they fought to be free and safe.

Emma reached down to the wire and pulled it up over her head as Jake pulled on the rope. I sighed in relief as they started running towards us. I leaned back against Enoch's arm as I felt the skeletons pulling more energy from me and I was a bit dizzy.

My vision blurred in front of me and I almost fell but two arms caught me and set me upright again.

"Are you sure you're okay to do this?" Enoch asked and I nodded slowly, trying to get my vision to return to normal.

"Remind me to practice first before we do this again," I giddily giggled and he rolled his eyes, a small smile on his face.

The hollows got closer and closer to us and we backed up, our backs hitting the wall. We needed to stay out of sight and let the others make the hollows visible by throwing the sweets and other things at them before Enoch and I set the skellies on them.