"We all are living in a dream, but life ain’t what it seems. Oh everything’s a mess."

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  Enoch glared at the cerulean-eyed boy from across the table, sipping at his tea nervously. Enoch's arms were crossed, his more intimidating side had come out. "So, I've met everyone?"Jacob inquired, looking at Olive.

  She nodded, but then looked at Enoch. She grinned a little."Oh, no. I nearly forgot! There's one more. However she's not allowed out of her room. But it's not impossible to see her. Would you like to visit this peculiar or are you okay staying down here?"Olive stated.

  Jacob stood immediately."I'd like to see her."

  Enoch knew Jacob couldn't stand being around him. He would've stayed downstairs if Enoch wasn't here. But Enoch was not going to stand for this. He would not allow Olive to expose Prism just to spite him. The elder boy stood, towering above Jacob as he glared down."You can't see her."He hissed, holding his ground.

  Abe hurt everyone by leaving. Abe never met Prism, obviously. But Enoch wasn't willing to allow Prism to see Jacob then experience the heartbreak for the first time. "Enoch, go help Emma."Miss Peregrine ordered.

  Olive led Jacob upstairs while Enoch stared, hoping Jacob could feel his searing glare.

°°°

  Prism heard footsteps coming towards her room. She sat up, wiggling in her straitjackets. She listened closely, noting there were two pairs of feet. Was Enoch bringing a friend?

  The two people who stopped in front of her door were unbeknownst to her. She knew Olive, the pale redhead who abhored her existence. But the other was foreign. Prism longed for Enoch at this moment, she wasn't ready for strangers staring at her through her now transparent door, as if she were a wild animal at a zoo, stuck to loathe their lives in captivity.

  The boy bent down to her level, offering a smile as he tilted his head with inquiry. "Hello. My name is Jacob. Jacob Portmann."He greeted, placing his hand on the glass."What's your name?"

  The tone of his voice was benign. She had never been addressed with such kindness. Had he not been briefed on the despicable things she had done? Had he not been informed of the silver-tongued dragon they saw? She pressed her forehead to the glass.

  "My name..is Prism."She replied, eyes shut tight.

  "That's not her real name. We just call her that.. No last name or anything. Just like a dog."Olive mumbled the last part under her breath. Prism heard.

  She didn't move. Naturally she would have become a living nightmare, but instead she laid against the door and cried silently. Wishing Enoch was the one looking at her and not this boy with the enchanting blue eyes. And soft beckoning lips. With a kind apparel and a glow about him that Enoch didn't have. The glow of..someone alive.

  Jacob instantly reeled on Olive."A dog?"

  "Oh, I meant-"

  "HEY!"Enoch's voice rattled the entire hallway, making Prism's door quiver.

  Jacob turned to glance at the terrifying elder boy, the dark rings around his eyes making him appear more creepily menacing.

  "Prism isn't taking any visitors today. In fact, I'm the only one who can visit her."Enoch barked, shoving his finger into Jacob's chest.

  "I don't ever want to see you near this door again, Jacob."Enoch spat his name as if it were a bitter taste he wanted off his tongue."If I do, it'll be the only thing you see in your nightmares. You don't have the authority to be here." The tone in his voice was very abasive.

  Enoch watched as they disappeared down the hall and quickly kneeled before the glass door, placing his large hand on the surface. Prism smiled at his hand, wishing she could put her hand on that area of the glass as well. She looked down at her restraints. She became despondent realizing how useless she was and how she couldn't even defend herself.

  "Hey, you know you're strong. I'll take care of you from this side of the glass, I promise."Enoch whispered. His voice had softened. She shrugged, feigning indifference to the matter at hand.

  Prism simply wanted to hear his voice but she couldn't tell him that. She did not want to express to Enoch such ghastly feelings that lurked within the depths of her aching soul. She didn't want him to think that she was irritable for doing more than simply revering him.

  "Thank you. But promising something so heavy, how can you possibly carry such weight around on your shoulders leisurely?"Prism questioned shakily, unable to meet gazes with Enoch.

  Her lack of eye contact devastated him so. But he knew she was still recovering. She was just beginning to crawl, he couldn't force Prism to jump on both of her feet and start running like there was no tomorrow.

  "I've no fear of swearing for your safety upon my grave."He chuckled."I put myself unto you when I asked Miss Peregrine to allow me to help you. Prism, I knew you weren't a monster the minute she turned on the light to keep you from killing us. You sat on your knees, hunched over, staring at the ground as if it were the sky."

  "I did so because I was ashamed of myself, Enoch. I knew better than to do that, but I couldn't do better. It's like an itch I can't scratch because I can't find it so I'm not sure if it's even there. Yet I can feel it, just irking my skin. Somewhere out of reach. Somewhere out of sight. And it drives me absolutely insane."Prism snapped.

  Her voice dipped and rose like the unflagging tide in summers. The waves that would ram themselves into the faces of cliffs, trying to get somewhere. Their brooding force wasn't enough, all it did was chip a hole in the rough exterior. Enoch wasn't about to give up. He meant what he said when he said he was going to stick at her side to help her. He was rooted tough into the ground beside her.

  "That's why we ask other people to help us scratch at the parts we can't reach."Enoch sung, sliding to sit down in front of the door.

  Prism met his eyes, his beautiful brown eyes that captured her breath every time she scanned their details. The smooth strokes of a brush dipped in a rich brown that she had never seen the shade of before.

  "I wonder how you'd look if I brushed your hair and braided it."He voiced, examining her unkempt features.

  After being kept for an uncounted time alone in a dark room unable to even touch herself, her hair was unbelievably tangled. It had lost its natural shine. Prism stared at Enoch with her iridescent eyes, her eyebrows furrowed.

  "Leave. I'd like to be alone for the rest of the day."She said blatantly.

  Enoch hesitated before standing. He sighed and put his hand on the door before turning and walking down the hallway.

  Now, it could've been his shot nerves messing with his mind, but he could have sworn he heard Prism mumble, "Love you, Nochy.."