Why Run rabbit run?

September 1, 1940

It's the very beautiful afternoon with warm sunlight and soft breeze. So, Little Claire, Bronwyn, and the twins decide to arrange a small tea party in the glasshouse, where they can open some windows and enjoy the chirping sound outside.

'Here, Miss Densmore, a tea and some biscuits for you and Miss Teddybear.' Bronwyn gives her friend a cup of tea with such a conservative posture that is identical to her guardian, Miss Peregrine.

'Thank you, Miss Bruntly. Do you enjoy the tea?' Claire asks the twins. They nod and drink their tea from the same cup using the straws.

Suddenly, Millard bursts in and he announces the news with such a confidence like he has just discovered a new land.

'Have you heard it? The radio said the army had reached the mainland already. It's not far from us at all.'

Little Claire looks at Millard and says,

'No, Millard. I don't want to listen to this.'

'But it's true, Claire. Actually, this morning, I think I saw something in the sky. Though it's quite far from here, I'm sure it's not a bird.' Millard insists.

'Please, Millard, stop this.' Claire cups her ears.

'And I heard the bomb as well. I'm quite sure I heard it last night.'

Little Claire can't stand him anymore. She grabs her teddy bear and runs out of the room.

'Millard!' Little Bronwyn looks at Millard dangerously. 'You scare her.'

'But it's true, Bron. It's true.'

Little Claire tries to find the only one in this house who can comforts her now in almost every room. She completely forgets that it's almost a dinner time, so, her Miss P must be in the dining room, setting the table. When the little girl's found her ymbryne, she runs as fast as she can to her and clutches her skirt tightly, burying her face into it.

'Miss Densmore, what happened?' Miss Peregrine's a little bit stunned, but she tries to compose herself so quickly. Her hands gently brush Little Claire's golden hair, careful not to touch her back mouth.

'It's Millard.' Claire whispers, but Miss P can hear her every word.

'Why, what did he do to you, my dear?'

'He...he said bad people are in the mainland now. They..they're coming, aren't they, Miss P?' The little girl gulps down her tears.

Miss Peregrine kneels down until her face is at Claire's level. She wipes out her tears gently and cups her face.

'Shhhh...It's going to be alright, my dear, I promise. I will not let any harm come to you, any of you.' Miss Peregrine pulls Little Claire into her arms and rocks her back and forth.

'Promise?'

'Yes, I do, my love.'

It's almost a midnight, but Claire still lies awake on her bed. She shares the room with the twins, and though they make no sound, the little girl knows that they are still awake, too. She cannot get rid of what Millard said. The picture of a dozen of planes, a pile of bodies, and blood haunt her mind.

She turns her head to another side and tries to close her eyes. Then, she heard it, the sound of something dropped from the sky faraway, burning every life on the land. It sounds like a lightning, but more scary, much more scary. She jumps up, shivering with fear from head to toe. So do the twins. They quickly climb out of their bed, hold each other's hand, and walk silently out off the room to the corridor. When they reach her room, Little Claire knocks the wooden door.

They hear the sound of their ymbryne climbing out of her bed, wearing the slippers, and walks to the door. When it opens, Miss Peregrine in her dark blue sleeping suit is there, staring at her children, not unpleasantly, but caringly.

'We're sorry to wake you up, Miss, but I heard that sound, a...a...b-bomb.' Claire tries not to cry, but when that word comes out of her lips, she just cannot hold her tears. The sound of a bomb is heard again. The children run to Miss Peregrine and hug her tightly.

'It's alright, my dear, it's alright.' Miss Peregrine said. She stops to think for a while before coming up with the idea.

'I think I know exactly how to deal with that horrible sound.'

The children look up at her.

'I have to get something downstairs for you. Why don't you go back to your room and wait there?'

They look at one another and Little Claire says,

'Can we go with you?'

Miss Peregrine chuckles softly.

'Yes, if you want to.'

She holds one of the twin's hand, and another clutches her suit, but when she reaches out for Claire, the girl just stands there, looking at her ymbryne with pleading eyes.

'Could you please hold me up, Miss?'

Miss Peregrine looks at the girl who seems to burst out into tears again. She always draws some line between her children and herself so that she can be respected and, if necessary, be fearful.

But now, now she can't refuse this pair of eyes, staring at hers, begging, asking to be protected. So, she bends down and carries the little girl up, holding Little Claire against her own chest with one hand, the girl's little head on her shoulder, while another hand holding the twin.

It's so hard to walk down the stairs, but she tries her best not to fall down and hurt her children. Thank the Bird that she can bring all of them to the living room safely.

'Claire, I'm afraid you have to walk now. Can you, my dear?'

She calls the little girl by her first name instead. She doesn't care the distance or any lines she's created anymore. Nothing is as painful as seeing her children's tears.

Claire nods silently, so Miss P puts her down. She goes through her records and picks one up.

'Could you please hold this for me?' She gives the twins what she's chosen and she herself carries the gramophone.

'Let's go upstairs, shall we?'

The children nod and each of them grabs her sleeping suit instead. They just want to be connected to her in some way, to feel her protection, to feel safe.

When they are in their bedroom, Miss P places the gramophone on a nightstand and tucks them to bed. She allows them all to sleep on the same bed, the bigger one which belongs to the twin. She puts the record into the gramophone and then, comes the cheerful melody.

"On the farm, every Friday

On the farm, it's rabbit pie day.

So, every Friday that ever comes along,

I get up early and sing this little song

Run rabbit – run rabbit – Run! Run! Run!

Run rabbit – run rabbit – Run! Run! Run!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Goes the farmer's gun.

Run, rabbit, run, rabbit, run.

Run rabbit – run rabbit – Run! Run! Run!

Don't give the farmer his fun! Fun! Fun!

He'll get by

Without his rabbit pie

So run rabbit – run rabbit – Run! Run! Run!"

'Better?'

The children nod, but judging from their eyes, Miss Peregrine knows better than anyone that they will still lie awake there, though they can't hear the sound of the bombs anymore, if she leaves them now. So, she goes further beyond her line and lays herself down beside them, kiss their forehead, and stay with them there until all of them fall to sleep peacefully.

'Goodnight, my children.'

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