Outsiders (Enoch O'Connor X Reader)

Chapter 1

You patiently waited for your phone to buzz. You haven't heard a word from your brother since morning. He usually got off work a couple hours earlier. You turned your phone back on and sent another text. "Jake, what's going on?" No response.

You rolled your eyes and faceplanted into your pillow. The room was dead silent. You forced yourself to stay awake in case Jake texted back. You gradually let your eyelids close.

***

Your ringtone sounded. Your head shot up and turned to your phone. Jake didn't text back, it was one of your friends from school. You stood and stormed out of the room and into the living room. "What's going on with Jake?" you shouted at your parents.

"He hasn't come home yet?" your dad looked away from the TV, "I thought he must've come through the back!"

"He isn't here and hasn't responded to my texts," you said.

The phone rang. Your mom picked it up. "Hello? Jake? Is that you? Where've you been?" There was a long pause. Your mom's eyes widened. "What happened?" she could barely whisper. Another pause. "Jake, I'm so sorry. We'll be there in a bit. It's going to be okay." She slowly put down the phone.

"What's going on?" your dad asked.

Your mom took a long breath. "Grandpa... passed away."

Your heart nearly stopped. A couple of tears escaped your eyes. You shook your head. "He called here a few hours ago and you didn't have time to go help him and he was dying?!" you yelled, "what's your excuse? Why did you let it happen?"

"(Y/N)..." your mom said.

"I can't believe you!" you ran to your bedroom and slammed the door behind you. The tears came more frequently. You started shaking. You climbed back in bed and cried into your pillow.

A door was shut. Your parents left you alone. You rolled over and stared at the ceiling. All was silent until something growled. You nearly jumped out of bed at the sound. You scanned the room for the growl. You pulled back the curtains on your window. Above your head was a set of pale pink tentacles. You screamed and ran out of your room. You went through the kitchen and grabbed the largest knife you could find and ran through the backdoor.

Night cloaked the house. A light wind blew through your hair. You scanned the yard for the tentacles, but none were there.

I've gone crazy, you thought. You turned around and went inside.

Your phone went off from your room. Jake finally texted back. "Sorry for staying out so late," he wrote, "Mom and Dad just picked me up and told me you weren't doing so well. We're on our way home right now. Are you okay?"

"I stopped freaking out if that's what you mean," you responded, "but I think I really am crazy."

He texted right back. "What do you mean?"

"I was crying in my room and I heard this growling noise. I opened the curtains and there were these tentacles coming towards me from the outside. I freaked and ran outside to see what it was and nothing was there. I think I'm having hallucinations."

"We need to talk when we get home. We're almost there. You in your room?"

"Yeah."

"Shut the door and act like you don't wanna see anyone. Mom won't try to butt in on our conversation."

"Ok."

"See you in a few minutes."

You put your phone down and did exactly as Jake said. They eventually got home, as he said. Footsteps came from the hall, then a soft knock. "(Y/N), it's Jake. Can I come in?"

"Yes," you answered.

Your brother slipped past the door and shut it right behind him. His bright blue eyes were bloodshot and he still had streaks from the tears running down his face.

You got out of bed and pulled him into a hug. You couldn't help but cry. Jake started shaking. "I’m sorry this had to happen," you whispered.

"It wasn't your fault," he said.

You let go of him and sat on the bed. "What did you want to talk about?" you asked.

"That hallucination you said you had," he replied, "almost the same thing happened to me when Grandpa died. He was going to tell me something, but he passed before he could say anything. I heard a growl from behind me and standing there was a giant monster with tentacles coming out of its mouth. My boss drove me there and she was standing right there in front of it. I yelled and she turned around and shot a couple times, it fell down, but she said she didn't see anything."

"Have we both gone insane or something?"

"I don't know. The only thing I can think of are those monsters Grandpa used to tell us about when we were younger."

Someone knocked. "(Y/N)?" your mom said.

You looked at Jake. He nodded.

"You can come in," you said.

Your mom opened the door and stood in the doorway. "Are you two feeling alright?" she asked.

"I calmed down a bit," you said, "I don't know what got into me earlier. I'm sorry for yelling you, it was just too much for me to take."

"You okay, Jake?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Dad's on the phone with a psychiatrist right now," your mom said.

"What?" you raised an eyebrow.

"Jake's going in to see a psychiatrist because he's been... seeing things."

Jake gave you a look that said don't tell them anything.

You slowly nodded.

***

You sat in the waiting room with your parents. This was the third time Jake had seen Dr. Golan. You managed to dodge psychiatrist visits by being extra nice around your parents and otherwise acting normal. Jake had been having endless nightmares and your parents were catching on. You didn't dare tell anyone else about the tentacles above your window.

Jake came out of Dr. Golan's office, a smile narrowly escaping his lips. You stood up and stretched.

"Any of you want to go to Wales?" Jake asked.

"What?" your mom's eyes widened.

"To see the children's home Grandpa used to live in," he explained.

"I'd like to go," you said.

"I don't have time to go on a trip," your mom said.

"Dad could take us," you suggested.

"Yeah," Jake nodded, "and birdwatch or whatever."

Your dad looked up and nodded. Soon enough, you were heading to Cairholm to visit the children's home.