Clay and Blood | Enoch O'Connor

Chapter 6

"Yours has extra marshmallows Jake" Dalila entered the room where everyone was already seated comfortably in their assigned spots.
"Millard, put some pajamas on" Dalila said from across the room as she helped Clair get on the couch.

"It's too hot in here" he said as he took his seat next to Emma. Dalila dreaded movie night for two main reasons. Reason number 1: As much as she loved Horace, his dreams were always about him buying clothes and they were really boring.

Reason number 2: they chose their assigned seats when they first came to the loop, meaning that she had to be seated next to Enoch, having only the twins and Clair to separate them on the small couch. The projection began, and the movie was about Horace buying clothes. It became so boring that even Enoch, who usually endured these 'movies' pretty well, threw his head back, exposing his neck.

For a few seconds Dalila's gaze didn't leave Enoch, she felt confused, conflicted, in pain. Because as much as she absolutely dreaded to admit it, it wasn't always like this. They used to be friends, they used to console each other, they taught each other. As much as she hated him, he was the reason why she can't just like anyone anymore.

They were the inseparable duo and Dalila's heart once used to beat for Enoch O'Connor. She likes to keep that door closed, so in reality, even tho she hates him, she couldn't tell you if she still had feelings for him, she refused to open that door long ago...and she definitely won't open it now.

At a certain point the scene changes and Emma and Jake were projected in the screen "are they-" "about to kiss?" The smaller children began whispering with little grins on their faces while Dalila couldn't help but send a knowing smile towards Emma who simply became more red.

"Why is Dalila sitting on the library ladder?" Bronwyn asked, making Dalila snap her head back towards the projected image and indeed that was her, and she was sitting on one of the old fashioned ladders used to reach the higher shelves. She's talking to someone?

"All I'm saying is that you could have been a bit more delicate, that's all" yes that was definitely Dalila but who was she scolding. "It's not my fault, the bird was following us everywhere" Enoch suddenly appeared in the frame walking slowly right in front of the ladder. He placed a hand on each of her thighs "Enoch! The bird will kill us if she ever knew" "Then we should simply not tell her" and the images slowly became more and more blurry but you could still make out the sounds of faint moans. Dalila wanted to beg Horace to stop the projection but her voice wouldn't budge out of her throat.

"Turn it off..." she was able to whispered, her face getting a deeper shade of red, she didn't even want look Enoch in the eyes. "Turn it off" she said again in a speaking voice.
"She said turn it off!" Enoch screamed and the projection stopped.

The room remained quiet for a few seconds, Dalila slowly and steadily met Enoch's gaze, seeing the same expression she had. Confusion, Embarrassment, and Anger, but there was something else in his face, perhaps a hint of disgust? Dalila couldn't understand if it was due to the fact that this dream had just been projected in front of everyone in the house or simply because she was in it. She realized that she didn't want to know the answer to that and stormed off in embarrassment. Once she reached her room she distinctly heard the door of the basement also closing shut, meaning that Enoch also didn't feel like watching the re-set.

Hours and hours passed, and Dalila still couldn't bring herself to a sleeping point. She got up from her bed, tied her baby blue ribbon around her nightgown and decided to head to the kitchen to get a couple of ice cubes. She tiptoed down the stairs finally arriving to the kitchen, she took a glass from the cabinet and filled it with ice.

—
"COME CHILDREN! COME AND SEE!"
That voice...that stupid voice....the circus....the children.
"OH THAT DIDNT END WELL LADIES AND GENTLEMEN" the crowd erupted in laughter as the children still trapped in cages screamed in fear at the sight of the dismembered girl in front of them. They grew up together, they lived together in this circus for years and years, they were family.
"BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER CHALLENGE HERE LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR LEO STINSON!" "No..no,no! No! No!" Dalila screamed as the blonde little boy was taken by the arm and placed in the center. "THIS BOY LADIES IN GENTLEMAN ABSORBS ELECTRICITY! BUT HOW MUCH CAN HE ENDURE?!?" The crowd cheered again. "IT WILL ALL BE OKAY LEO!" Screamed Ron, one of the older kids. "They are gonna kill him" Dalila panicked "Dalila! Look at me!" Ron said as they were bringing an electric chair strapping Leo in.
"No, no!" She screamed as Leo's sad eyes met hers for the last time. And after 5 complete rounds of electrical shocks...he died. The music got louder and louder.

"Are you okay?" She noticed Hugh standing near the doorway. Dalila always thought that Hugh looked very much like Leo, and tonight she thought that more than ever.

She wiped her tears on the back of her hand "I-I'm fine, are you okay? Why aren't you in bed" she asked now worried for him. "You know I may look 9 but I'm not actually 9" he laughed making Dalila smile as tears still ran down her face. Hugh noticed it and walked towards her, placing his cup of water on the counter and hugging her tight. Hugh knew that sometimes he had this effect on her, he knew about Leo Stinson and how she thought they looked alike. He didn't know the specific details but he knew that Leo was no longer with them and it made Dalila really sad.

"I am really sorry I can't be him Dalila, I owe you a lot for taking care of me when I was really just a boy" he said in his adorable voice. "What? No...no, no, no, Hugh" she said cupping his small face gently "Love is never something that it is ever owed to a person" Dalila slightly kneeled on the ground to be more eye-leveled with the small boy "You came into my life, as a brother and I never saw you as anything less" she said wiping his tears. "And I don't want to hear you say that you wish to be someone other than who you are because Hugh is just as important as anybody else okay?" He nodded smiling as he stopped crying. "Now, go to bed so tomorrow you can play soccer with Jake and Millard okay?" He grinned widely running back up the stairs to his room.

"Touching to say the least" Dalila didn't need to turn around to know who it was. "What do you want Enoch" she sighted, still not looking at him. "From you? Nothing, from the kitchen...just some uh tea" he said moving to the kettle. "Tea?" she asked as she turned around "you never drink tea unless- Oh my god Enoch! Your shirt" She yelled as she turned back around trying to avoid looking at him. "Jesus, Dalila, you will wake the whole house up, and yeah these are some of the warmest nights so excuse me if I don't wear a shirt as I'm making tea, you should try it sometimes" he said "What? making tea or not wear a shirt?" she asked sarcastically now fully facing him. "I think they would both make you less uptight, so be my guest and choose one" he said as he poured 2 teaspoon of sugar in his tea.

She clenched her gloved fists in annoyance. "I'm going to go work" he announced as he headed downstairs "Its 3 in the morning" she called after him, but the basement door was already shut so there was no way he could hear her. Memories began to come back, he always used to make tea and not sleep when he- "oh no" Dalila whispered in annoyance, 'Should I confort him?' She felt completely lost, because when she looked straight into his eyes after the movie night disaster she saw the boy he once was, the boy who owned her heart and could play baseball with it and she wouldn't even be mad. She made whining noise as she forcefully made her way towards the basement.