Chapter 2
Enid had just managed to push the door open when the overwhelming odor of decay attacked her nose making her gag. There was an unnatural chill in the air that made Enid shiver. The wolf’s claws extended from her hands reflexively. Stealing herself with a final breath, the wolf walked further into the crypt.
“γαμώ αυτό το μέρος είναι ανατριχιαστικό”
The tomb had barely been touched since the police had done their investigation, caution tape and evidence numbers still strewn about. One thing that caught the werewolf’s eye was a small projector sitting on top of a blanket, curiosity prompting her to examine it closer.
Enid picked up the projector, blowing off the layer of dust that had collected on it. The machine was worn, definitely an older model that had gotten a lot of use throughout the years. Its lens was cracked and the top plate that covered the plug ports was missing, but most interesting about it was the Jericho PD stamp inked into the side.
Enid’s eyebrows pulled together in confusion.
Why would the police bring a projector in here ?
The sound of something falling made Enid jump, dropping the projector, as she turned around, claws and teeth bared. There was no need for alarm however as Fluffy slithered towards the girl.
“Fluffy.” Enid sighed, retracting her claws and picking up the snake.
Fluffy eagerly slithered up the wolf’s outstretched hand, coiling herself around the blonde’s arm. The snake nuzzled her head into her shoulder, as she tapped out a series of words with her tail on Enid’s palm.
S-c-a-r-e-d
D-a-r-k
W-a-n-t
H-o-m-e
Enid smiled sympathetically at the snake and rubbed underneath the reptile's chin.
“Alright girl let’s get out of here,”
And with that and one last look the two headed out of the crypt.
————————————
Enid jogged through the woods at an impressive pace towards the school. Mostly because the wolf doubted that Wednesday wouldn’t venture back into the woods after finding Fluffy’s cage, the goth’s pride often being her biggest enemy, but also because, well in all honesty, she was worried.
Enid had never seen Wednesday so scared. So small….vulnerable. It was unnerving to say the very least, and Enid was concerned. The wolf had always assumed that Wednesday had a sort of detachment towards that night, a macabre sort of appreciation for the events that unfolded. But the wolf guessed a brush with death would have an effect on everyone, even an Addams. The realization made her feel stupid. She should have realized, should have known, but then again, how could she ? The two had hardly talked about that night outside of Enid being able to wolf out now, and the conversation they had the night they found Fluffy. Hell they hadn’t even addressed the hug. Hadn’t really talked about Tyler either.
A low growl reverberates in the wolf’s throat at the thought of the boy, the Hyde. He had manipulated Wednesday into a relationship—after multiple rejections— just to kill her. Enid couldn’t even comprehend how warped someone had to be to do that. It made her angry, almost feral. She should have done more damage to the boy when she had the chance, if it weren’t for the sheriff showing up then she probably would have. Alas Tyler was locked up in a high security prison, and the sheriff was the only one allowed to see him due to the family relation.
Fluffy licked at her hand quizzically, a low hissing sound made to mimic Enid’s growling coming out of her mouth when Enid looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
“Ah sorry girl,” she sighs, stopping the rumble in her chest. “Just thinking.” She said looking back up at the path ahead.
She felt another lick at her knuckles, and sighed.
“You shouldn’t go into the crypt anymore.”
Another lick.
“Wednesday doesn’t like the place.”
Another.
“It makes her feel bad, some bad stuff happened to her there.”
Fluffy pauses, and Enid looks down again, seeing the snake mull over her words, then another lick.
“I… look, just some bad stuff, trust me, you wouldn’t wanna know.”
Enid watched as Fluffy scanned over the blonde’s face, stopping a while on her scars before finally rubbing her head against Enid’s hand—an apology.
“Thanks girl but I’m not the one you should apologize to χνούδι.”
Enid picked up her pace as she got closer to the school. Finally making it to the dorm, the wolf took in a deep inhale. The smell of Ash and almonds greeted her, and Enid’s shoulders sagged a bit in relief. The wolf knocked on the door to announce her presence, waiting a few seconds before walking in. It has become a habit that Enid would announce herself with a knock before walking into the dorm, one too many faintings at pictures of gore—and Wednesday’s collection of smelling salts quickly depleting— had prompted the roommates to set the precedent.
When Enid opened the door, she was greeted with Wednesday standing by her desk searching for the cage, the rest of her side of the room a tad bit messier than it was when they had left, the usual tidiness being disrupted by the searching. Thing sat at attention on the bed, a nervous energy showing in his stance, as he “looked” at Enid then back towards Wednesday.
The girl in question was muttering something that the wolf had to strain her ears to hear but sounded an awful lot like a mantra of “where is it”s. Enid’s brows pulled together as she watched the goth search before a wave pulled her eyes back to Thing.
When she looked back over to the hand, she saw he was pointing at something. Turning her head to where he was pointing Enid saw Fluffy’s cage sitting on her bed. Her brows pulled together sympathetically as she looked back towards the psychic.
Enid set Fluffy down on the floor, smiling reassuringly when her tail lingered around her pinky, and walked over towards Wednesday.
“Wends ?”
Enid spoke softly as she moved into the other girl’s line of sight. There was a frantic glint in the goth’s eyes as she continued searching, not acknowledging Enid’s presence.
“Willa ?,” Enid said a bit louder this time.
Again no response.
“Wednesday ?” Enid repeated, this time chancing a gentle tug of the girl’s blazer hem.
That got her attention. Wednesday looked at Enid with distant eyes. After a moment though, they came back into focus, confusion replacing the fog.
“Hey roomie,” the blonde said softly, bringing her hands up to tentatively grasp at Wednesday’s sleeves.
“You’re here,” Wednesday said, turning her palms down and grasping at Enid’s hands.
“Yep,” Enid hummed, wrapping Wednesday’s hands in her own.
“You’re not…I was…” The psychic said scrunching her brows, eyes searching for an answer. “ Cage” Wednesday muttered mostly to herself. “I couldn’t find the cage.”
“That’s okay” Enid reassured, gingerly rubbing the girl's hands. “I ended up not needing it.”
Wednesday let out a noncommittal hum, the fog slowly beginning to return to her eyes.
“Hey,” Enid said gently, squeezing the goth's hands. “Why don’t we move to the bed ?” The wolf asked when Wednesday looked at her again.
The girl nodded and Enid led them over to Wednesday’s bed. Thing scuttled over as Enid sat Wednesday down and kneeled in front of her, Fluffy not too far behind him, slithered into the goth’s lap.
“Hey Wednesday,” the wolf waited till the girl met her eyes. “ I need you to list a few things for me, do you think you can do that for me ?”
Wednesday nodded.
“Good, good.” Enid smiled. “ can you name five things you can see ?”
Wednesday swallowed, and searched around the room.
“I see you…”
Enid nodded in affirmation.
“ umm there’s my cello….there’s a uhh…there’s your bed…and Fluffy’s…cage”
Wednesday scrunched her brows in confusion.
“I thought I looked there…”
Enid squeezed the goth’s hands prompting Wednesday to look at her again.
“It’s ok just keep listing.”
“There’s the window……
and my typewriter.” Wednesday finished.
“Good,” Enid encouraged. “Now four things you can touch.”
“ Your hands…” Wednesday said her fingers twitching around the wolf’s hands.
Enid smiled. Little by little the fog was fading from Wednesday’s eyes.
“ my bed sheets… Fluffy on my lap….and…and my bangs on my forehead.”
“You’re doing great,” the wolf assured. “What about three things you can hear ?”
“ I can hear my heart beat…. and Fluffy tapping on the bed.” Wednesday blinked, then her lips quirked up a bit at the corners. “And your abhorrent CD playing lowly on your speaker.”
Enid smiled, her shoulders sagging with relief as she could no longer see the haze Wednesday was trapped in.
“First of all,” Enid said deciding to forgo the rest of the questions. “It’s a vinyl”
The goth rolled her eyes.
“And second,” The wolf continued. “Don’t you dare disrespect Taylor’s Red album like that ever again, or I’ll be forced to use drastic measures.”
Enid watched as Wednesday huffed, and looked down at their entertained hands.
“I apologize,” Wednesday muttered.
Enid jolted at that, ducking her head down so that Wednesday was forced to look at her.
“Don’t apologize, you did nothing wrong.” The wolf squeezed her hands. “This is completely normal.”
Wednesday scoffed and scrunched her brows. Enid watched as the psychic cycled through her emotions.
“It is a building…” Wednesday spat. “ I should not be so dehibilited by it.”
“You almost died in there, this is a perfectly valid reaction.” Enid reassured.
“Not for me .” Wednesday muttered. “Not when it was my fault.”
And Enid’s heart broke. It was so quiet, so small, and if it weren’t for her enhanced hearing Enid wouldn’t have heard it. But it was there, a broken, pitiful little sob.
“Hey” Enid squeezed the psychic’s hand. “What happened that night was not your fault.” The wolf let out a shaky breath. “It was Thronhill’s and Tyler’s fault.”
Wednesday’s shoulders slumped forward, as her head tilted further down, her eyes being covered by her bangs.
“Wednesday I need you to look at me,” Enid pleaded.
Wednesday dragged her eyes over to meet the blonde’s.
“None of what happened was your fault, it’s just fucked up circumstances that put you in the center of it.”
The goth scanned Enid’s face searching for any uncertainty, any sign of disbelief she could use to argue with, when she didn’t find anything she released a shaky breath and leaned into Enid, wrapping her arms loosely around her waist.
The wolf wrapped one arm around Wednesday’s head while the other began gently rubbing the goth’s shoulder.
The two stayed like that for a while, just listening to each other breathe. And for a while they were ok.