One-shot. Movieverse. Enjoy!
Miss. Peregrine watched her children as they ate supper. They were all talking about what they had done that day. Emma had saved a baby squirrel from falling out of a tree, with Abe's help. They tried to make the story interesting, but everyone knew the story by heart because it happened every day. Claire had played with the twins on the swing set out in the front yard. Hugh and Millard had played soccer. Fiona, as usual, had been in the woods, trying to find plants to discover. Horace had finished his book and was talking about what he should read next. Miss. Peregrine smiled at her children, until one of them spoke up. Everyone's attention retreated to Carolyn. Carolyn, oh sweet Carolyn.
Carolyn Eve had the most tragic past out of all the children in Miss. Peregrine's home. She was one of the oldest, but also one of the newest. She had arrived about a year after the loop had begun. Miss. Peregrine brought her in with all of the children following, curious as to who the new one was. They were told at the time, that she was 16 years old and that her peculiarty was the ability to talk to animals. She was barely alive and took almost three-weeks to regain all of her strength. Since she was still new, no one really knew about her or what she was like. They kept their distance most of the time, and if Carolyn were honest with herself, she preferred it that way. Before she was rescued by the bird, she was beat, abused and almost fed to the wolves. Her past made everyone shiver, which may have been why no one really talked to her. Miss. Peregrine always noticed her in the library by herself. She knew the girl didn't mind, but she still felt sorry for the girl.
"There's an old book in the library that I enjoyed very much, Horace. I could show you, if you'd like." Horace smiled at the Carolyn.
"Get a room!" Millard called from his seat.
"Shut up, Millard." Horace said throwing at carrot at the invisible boy. "We're not even together."
"Horace!" Miss. Peregrine exclaimed from her seat. "Polite persons do not waste food!"
"Sorry, Miss. P." Horace said looking down at his plate.
"May I be excused?" Enoch asked getting up. He didn't really enjoy being with the family for too long. He spent most of his time in his room working on his creations.
"Do you have important business to attend to?" Miss. Peregrine asked glaring at the boy. Enoch sat back down, knowing not to argue. "Fiona is not done eating." She continued. "Polite persons until everyone has finished." After Fiona had finished, Miss. Peregrine began collecting the dishes.
"Who is helping you with the chores tonight?" Olive asked. Miss. Peregrine looked around the table.
"Carolyn, you haven't helped in awhile." Carolyn sighed.
"Don't you dare argue with the bird." Millard said standing up.
"I didn't argue!" Carolyn exclaimed standing up. "The sigh could have meant anything! And for your information, it was a sigh of relief. I have not spent much time with the headmistress lately because I've had to take care of you and Hugh this week, as you two never seem to stop bickering over the-"
"Carolyn!" Miss. Peregrine warned. She started walking toward the kitchen. "That's enough." Carolyn stopped shouting and grabbed the stack of plates beside her.
"You're not even peculiar enough to be here." Millard hissed as he shoved into her shoulder causing the plates to wobble in her arms. Carolyn could feel the tears weld up in her eyes as she walked into the kitchen. She set the plates down by the sink and started to wash them. She tried to avoid Miss. Peregrine as she washed.
"Carolyn, let me help you!" Miss. Peregrine said walking over. She began drying the dishes and putting them away. "Are you alright?" She asked. Carolyn looked up at the older woman and smiled.
"Of course, Miss. Peregrine." She said. "I'm fine!" After all the dishes, were put away, Carolyn excused herself. She walked outside to the big oak tree. It seemed to be the only one on the property. She climbed the the top of the tree and sprawled herself out so she was straddling one of the branches. She folded her arms together, and closed her eyes.
"Carolyn!" A voice called. Carolyn jerked herself awake. "Carolyn, it's almost time for reset. Are you coming?" It was Emma, one of Miss. Peregrine's first children at the home.
"I'm coming!" Carolyn called as she started to climb down. Once she stepped down on the ground, she ran after Emma, who was already walking to the house.
"There you two are!" Miss. Peregrine said opening up the door for them before they could even think about opening it. "Miss. Eve, you're a mess!"
"Sorry, Miss. Peregrine. I'll go wash up." She said as she rushed past the older woman.
"Miss. Peregrine," Emma said watching the girl go. "She needs our help." Miss. Peregrine looked at Emma.
"I know." She said. "Why is she a mess?"
"She was the oak tree. She must have fallen asleep." Emma said rushing into the house as well.
Carolyn woke up from a dead sleep. She sat straight up in bed as she felt the hot tears streaming down her face. She brought her knees to her face as she remembered the nightmare she had. Ever since she had been rescued, she had the same nightmare. She could almost feel the stinging pain across her back and the slaps across her face. She could hear them shouting at her. She soon found her eyes start to close as she drifted into another sleep.
The next morning, there was a knock at the door. Miss. Peregrine let herself into the girl's bedroom. She saw the girl sleeping, and smiled. She walked over and shook the girl lightly.
"Miss. Eve," She called quietly. The girl groaned underneath her. "Carolyn," Carolyn opened her eyes and saw Miss. Peregrine standing over her. She groaned knowing it must have been time to get up.
"Just five more minutes, please." She said rolling over. Miss. Peregrine chuckled to herself.
"I was hoping you'd like to join me in going into town before the others wake up." Carolyn's eyes shot open and she sat up.
"Really?" She asked smiling.
"Meet me downstairs in five minutes." The girl nodded quickly as she got out of bed. She walked to her wardrobe and grabbed something to wear. Once she was satisfied with her appearance, she walked down the stairs quietly, making sure she didn't wake any other children. "Ready?" Miss. Peregrine asked as she opened the door. They walked out and were greeted by the fresh, brisk. morning air. Carolyn smiled as she took it all in. She walked alongside her headmistress to the horse carriage that awaited them. Miss. Peregrine helped the girl get into the front, and followed. She clucked to the horse, causing him to move at a steady pace. "Do you need anything, dear?" Miss. Peregrine asked. Carolyn shook her head as she opened her book. They both didn't say anything until they got into town. Carolyn looked up from her book as she heard the early morning commotion of town. She smiled. She loved early morning outings with the headmistress.
"Have you read all of the books in your library?" Carolyn asked as Miss. Peregrine stopped the horse.
"Most of them." She said as she got down. She held her hand out, helping the girl get down from the carriage. "Would you like to go to the library?" She asked. Carolyn's face lit up.
"You mean the local one?" She asked. "There's a new book, I've been dying to read. Do you think they have it?" She asked.
"There's only one way to find out." Miss. Peregrine said giving the girl a twenty-dollar bill. "I'll be in the food market. I also think it's time everyone gets a new nightgown, so I might be in the shop looking around for fabric." Carolyn nodded. "The library is that way." Miss. Peregrine said pointing to a small building that said, 'Library', on top. "If you need more money, come find me."
"This should be plenty." The girl said smiling a 'thank you'.
"Meet me here in thirty minutes. Will that be enough time?" Carolyn nodded.
Pain. That's all she felt as she felt another lash slap her. She cried out hoping someone would hear her.
"Witch!" A voice jeered in her face.
"I'm not a witch!" The girl exclaimed, which earned her another lash. She felt herself drop to her knees as she cried out. She didn't know how much more she could take. She heard someone walk over to her. They pulled her up and slapped her across the face, causing the girl to fall back down.
"Feed her to the wolves." A voice yelled. It was her father. "They'll eat anything they can sink their paws into." Everyone was leaving but they left her there. She screamed for help.
A blood-curdling scream is what woke up Miss. Peregrine. She was sure it had woken up the whole town. Doors were opening and lights were being turned on. Miss. Peregrine rushed out of her room.
"Children!" She called. "Back to bed!"
"Miss. Peregrine, it's Carolyn. She's crying out for you." Emma said coming out of one of the bedrooms. She walked toward the headmistress and talked in a low voice. "She won't let me go near her, but she's in really bad shape." The older woman thanked Emma as she made her way to Carolyn's room. She shut the door behind her noticing that Carolyn was pacing the room muttering something.
"Carolyn," Miss. Peregrine said softly. The girl stopped pacing and looked up. "What can I do?"
"I could feel everything." Carolyn said. Panic arouse in her voice. "And...and my father. I just want it to go away! Please! Make it go away." The girl was sobbing now, obviously petrified by her dreams.
"I can't make it go away, Carolyn. That is your past. But I can promise you one thing, it will never happen again." Miss. Peregrine walked up to the girl and took her arms lightly. "I promise to hold you every single night until the memories are gone. And I promise to wipe every single tear away. But I need you to do something for me." Carolyn nodded in understanding. "I need you to trust me. I need you to open up to me. I want to help you, but I can't if you're not welling to let me in." The girl moved uncomfortably as Miss. Peregrine brought her one hand up to the girl's face. "You're safe." The girl's sobs became louder as she tried to get away. Miss. Peregrine let her, knowing exactly how she felt. Trapped. No matter how good someone may be, the memories are still there. The headmistress could hear the girl breathing heavily. She knew she was having an anxiety attack, but the more the older woman helped, the more anxious she would get.
"I can't breathe." Carolyn said.
"Carolyn, just take deep breaths." Miss. Peregrine called. "Walk over to me." Carolyn slowly made her way to the headmistress. "Take my hand." The girl hesitated before taking her hand. She smiled at the warmth. Miss. Peregrine bent down so she could see her. "It's okay. I'm here." Carolyn's sobbing slowed. "Good girl, Carolyn. Just take a few deep breaths." Miss. Peregrine led them to the bed and sat the girl down.
"Thank you." Carolyn said. She leaned her body into the headmistress, who slowly wrapped an arm around her. The girl flinched at the sudden touch, but soon relaxed in her arms.
"I will never hurt you, Carolyn."
"Miss. Peregrine, I'm going to show you something." Carolyn said standing up. She went to turn on the light and came back. She turned her back to the headmistress and lifted up her shirt. Miss. Peregrine gasped. "They told me I was a witch. And then they tied me up and beat me. This went on for weeks, before finally, my father left me to the wolves." Carolyn turned to look at the headmistress. There were tears in her eyes.
"I'm so sorry." Miss. Peregrine said as the girl pulled down her shirt. "If I could have rescued you earlier, I would have in a heartbeat." Carolyn smiled and nodded in understandment as she sat back down next to the headmistress. "Carolyn, can I ask you something?" Miss. Peregrine asked. The girl nodded. "Are you happy here?" She looked at the girl with concern.
"Yes, Headmistress. I'm very happy."
"So you like being here?" The girl nodded.
"Why?"
"I was just worried you didn't like it here. I know there's a lot of children and it can get overwhelming."
"But I love every one of them to pieces, just like I'm sure you do." Miss. Peregrine smiled at the girl.
"Yes, I do." She said. "Now, I think it's time you try to go back to sleep."
"Can you stay here until I fall asleep?" Miss. Peregrine smiled and nodded. "Thank you." The girl said as she laid back down on her pillow. "I love you, Miss. Peregrine. Thank you for rescuing me." The older woman smiled as she watched the girl close her eyes.
"You are a treasure." She said queitly as she leaned down to kiss the girl's forehead. "And I promise, nothing can hurt you while you are here."