Preserve (An Enoch O'Connor story)

I Want to Stay

Ren and Jake did stay to watch the reset that night. Ren was standing in between Olive and Enoch. When the bomb was about to hit the house, Ren instinctually reached down and grabbed both Enoch and Olive's hands. "It's alright, Ren," Olive whispered. Enoch didn't say anything and he was grateful no one could see his discomfort under his mask. Ren's hand was pleasantly warm.

When the reset was done, Ren noticed she was still holding Enoch's hand. Before anyone else could see it, she wrenched her hand away, a deep red painting her cheeks. She hadn't meant to do that. She was trying to help Olive to tell Enoch how she felt after all. "Ren, we have to go. Dad is going to freak." Ren sighed and nodded. "Alright, fine. See you guys!" To her surprise, everyone came over and hugged her except Enoch of course.

For the next couple of days, Ren and Jake kept going to visit the children. Jake was more interested in unraveling their grandfather's mysteries while Ren was simply enjoying the company of the other children like her and seeing just how far she could push her peculiarity. She was getting closest with Olive. Ren had never had a best friend other than Jake and she was definitely enjoying the girl time. She was really trying to help Olive with her confidence so she could tell Enoch how she felt. She also tried to get to know Enoch better, but Jake just kept making it more and more difficult until the day Enoch finally decided he'd had enough.

"I know someone who can get away with breaking a few rules," he told Jake and Olive immediately started to protest. "Enoch, you can't." Enoch brushed her off. Jake eagerly agreed and, before she could argue, Jake pulled Ren after him. As the three approached a room, Olive got in front of them, arms out and an uncharacteristic look of defiance on her face. "Move Olive."

"If you're going to be like that, I'm not sure I want to be your friend," Olive replied and left in a huff. Fiona came out next to try and argue with Enoch. The teen simply placed his hands on the girl's shoulders and gave her a tight smile. "Don't you think Jake and Ren should meet everyone?" Fiona looked over at the cousins and ran off. Ren's brows furrowed. What the heck was Enoch about to do that had everyone so upset?

Curiosity got the better of her and Ren followed Jake and Enoch into a room she'd never been in before. She stopped short when she saw a boy lying on the bed. He wasn't moving, but Jake was trying to talk to him. "J-Jake? I think he's dead," Ren whispered and Enoch looked over at her. "You would be correct." Enoch moved over to a drawer and pulled out a heart. Ren was shaking as Enoch put the heart into the dead boy.

Enoch whispered something and the boy sat up. Ren nearly screamed at the sight of the holes where his eyes should have been. Just like grandpa. "Hello, Jake. I'm Victor. Would you like to know what killed me?" Jake ran from the room, but Ren was frozen in place. Her eyes went to Enoch. He was glaring after Jake, but when Victor collapsed back on the bed and Enoch turned to look at Ren, she could see the pain in his eyes.

"Why would you do that?" Enoch shrugged. "It keeps people who don't belong here away." Ren shook her head. "No, I mean why would you do that when it hurts you to do it? I can see how much it hurts." Enoch shook his head. "You don't know anything." Ren gave him a sad smile. "I know you're very protective of the others here. I know that you would do anything to keep them safe. But you don't have to do that at the expense of making new friends."

"Why do you care? You'll leave. Jake will leave. Just like Abe did. You'll hurt them all." Enoch got up and started to storm out of the room. "Enoch, believe me when I say, I won't hurt anyone on purpose. Honestly, I'm not even sure I want to leave." Before Enoch could respond, Miss Peregrine's voice drifted upstairs. "Jake, are Enoch and Ren with you? It's time for our daily walk." Ren swept by Enoch, briefly reaching out and giving his arm a squeeze on her way out of the room.

Enoch followed her out in a daze. Once again, her reaction had confused him. She wasn't seeing the darkness of what he did, only what was deeper. Ren practically skipped to walk next to Claire who was walking next to Olive. Enoch walked on Olive's other side while Emma and Jake walked at the back of the pack. Claire was chatting away to Ren, making her smile. Olive was trying to talk to Enoch at first, but it seemed as though he wasn't listening. And he really wasn't.

Olive glanced over at Ren who smiled encouragingly. "Go on," she mouthed. Olive shook her head and Ren sighed. She had really been hoping Olive would break out of her shell, but after so many years living the same way, it seemed to be harder than Ren originally thought.

When the children returned from their walk, Ren and Jake stood off by themselves to talk. Ren had been thinking the whole morning and had come to a decision. "I want to stay, Jake." Jake stared at her in disbelief. "Are you serious? What about you parents? And my dad?" Ren shook her head. "Tomorrow is my 18th birthday, Jake. I'll be leaving home soon anyway. I like it here. I like being around people who are like me. People who understand me. Don't you?" Jake sighed. "Of course I do. But we can't stay. There's still too much to figure out, especially after what Enoch showed us today. Victor's eyes were just like Grandpa's."

"Jake...I miss him too, but his search for whatever it was that killed Victor is likely what got him killed. We would be safe here. Please." Jake shook his head. "No, Ren. You stay if you want, but I'm leaving." Ren felt tears welling up in her eyes. "You know what, just go. Break Emma's heart just like Grandpa did. Forget that you mean something to the people here." With that, Ren turned on her heel and stalked back into the house, in search of Miss Peregrine.

She found her nursing the Ymbryne that Emma had found a couple days before. "Miss Peregrine?" The mistress of the manor looked up with a soft smile. "How is she?" Ren asked and Miss Peregrine glanced back down at the bird. "Miss Avocet is doing well. She will survive and become stronger than ever." Ren nodded and started to wring her hands. "Is there something else, Ren?" Ren bit her lip and nodded once more.

"I was wondering if I could stay here. For good." Miss Peregrine's head snapped up to meet Ren's green gaze. "Are you certain this is what you want?" Ren assured her it was and the older woman beamed. "Then of course there is room for you here. I am certain you will adapt well." Ren grinned. If Miss Peregrine hadn't been holding Miss Avocet, Ren would have hugged her. "Thank you , Miss Peregrine." Miss Peregrine nodded and told Ren she'd have Olive help her get settled.

Ren skipped through the house and back outside to hang out with the other children. She played soccer with Hugh and Millard, read some poetry with Horace, and even played hide and seek with the younger children. The longer the day went on, the more at home Ren felt. She felt like she was wanted. Not that she wasn't back home, but with her twin brothers, it was hard to stand out. Now, she was withothers like her. She felt like she belonged and nothing could bring down her mood. Or so she thought.