Hello everyone, thank you so much for reviewing my other works. I don't know what to say but at first, I've never thought so many people would love to see or learn more about Miss P, so I've never imagined that there'll be so many people reading my works. Also, these are my first fictions. They're not perfect but I've tried to do my beat and put my heart in every word. Thank you for the guests as well. I can not reply your review because the system doesn't allow to, so I want to thank all of you here. And, obviously, I don't own these wonderful characters. They belong to Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children. Please, leave some reviews to let me know whether you like it or not or even what you want me to write about. Your reviews really make my day and keep me writing. Thank you very much again. Thank you.
'Miss Peregrine, what a pleasure to meet you at last. May we come in?'
Alma Lefay Peregrine has never felt like this for a very long time. It's like her heart has stopped beating for a second. Her every vein's gradually frozen. Although she doesn't want to admit it, this is definitely what 'fear' feels like. She's absolutely cornered.
She tries to compose herself as fast as possible. Her eyes turn sharp and dangerous like a falcon, not when it's hunting, but when it's protecting its nest.
He comes in, that filthy wight standing in her house with Jake as his hostage.
'Children! Would you make your way down the stairs, please?'
He even dares tell her children what to do. Over my dead body.
'I give the orders in this house, Mr. Barron,' she says, her furious eyes lock on his white ones.
'Not today,' he answers. 'You should know that Jake's served his purpose. If you value his life, I suggest everyone does as they're told.'
Miss Peregrine has to tame the monster in her mind not to attack him first. At least, not when his hand is a large knife that can decapitate the boy in just the blink.
'Children!' He shouts at them over her head.
'Shush!' She's pointing at him. Not a proper manner for a lady, but who cares. At least, he turns from her children to her. That's enough.
'No one tells my children what to do.'
The headmistress knows very well that sooner or later they all have to follow his order. But, at least, she wants them to do what she asks them to do, not what he asks, because she can be certain that everything coming out from her lips will give them the best chance and will do them no harm, or in this case, do them as less harm as possible.
She turns to see her children. Her heart skips when she see those little faces tinted with fear.
'Children,' she tries to sound calm, to tell them that she's here, don't worry. But she can hear the crack in her voice. 'Come down here, please'
They slowly approach her. In their heart, of course, they're so scared. But their ymbryne is there and this is her order not the wight's. They believes in her, in their second mother, or for some kids, first.
'Miss Peregri – '
'I thought I told you to be quiet,' she snaps at him. Barron automatically shuts his mouth. Some women should not be messed with when she's in anger.
Miss Peregrine gives him a disgusting look and turns to see her children again. Her brain is working madly to find the best solution for this situation.
'Children,' she begins. 'For Jake's safety, we're going to do what Mr. Barron asks.' Yes, she can't believe what she's saying.
'He wishes to take me with him to Blackpool. So for his protection, he'd like me to assume a bird form, preferably caged.' This word stings her. She's never been caged before, and all of a sudden, Alma starts to feels claustrophobic.
'And he'd like you to make your way into a lockable room such as the parlor. As he won't release Jake because he fears the attack could be mounted upon him once he loses his leverage.'
Miss Peregrine's positive that the decision she has just announced is either because her brain has stopped working completely or there's no choice left but this one. She knows very well that without her, her children will be in great danger, but without Jake, her children won't stand a chance at all. He's the only one who can see monsters. He's the only one who can save them.
She turns to face the wight, looking into his blank eyes, and asks
'Correct, Mr. Barron?'
The wight is completely speechless.
'You'll sacrifice yourself, and all of us…for Jake,' Enoch cuts in.
'Mr. Barron travels with the hollows, Enoch. Once they arrive here,' she hates to say this, 'we're all dead.'
The wight smiles broadly from ear to ear.
'Enoch,' Horace whispers. 'Only Jake can see them. She means he's our only hope.'
She cannot hear it all, but since Enoch doesn't say anything more, she thinks he's understood her decision already.
Miss Peregrine slowly moves to the parlor's door, standing between her wards and Barron. Deep in her heart, she's so scared of him and turning her back to him is probably the worst thing she's done. But for her children's sake, she needs to be strong, she needs to protect them at all cost, even that cost is her own life.
She tries to hold her tears back. But it's so difficult for this could be the last time she sees them, her sweet wards, her own souls. They slowly walk to her, their eyes on her, to seek for safety that she's failed to give them.
Guilt swallows her whole heart and squeezes it until she can't breathe properly. She has to gasp, to fill her lungs with some air, to be able to stand there and not collapse first. No matter how hard it is, no matter how painful it is, she has to go through this.
Olive comes first, and when she sees her ymbryne's face, tears automatically falls down from the 'hot' girl's eyes. Miss Peregrine gives her a soft smile. Don't worry, dear. Thank you for everything. The headmistress knows best that without the girl, her family would have been much more chaotic. Olive's the glue of every relationship in this home. She calms Enoch down, soothe the young ones, and restore peace every time there's a fight. Olive's eyes waver like she's asking her guardian is there anything she can help. That clenches Alma's heart. She can hear it beating, a failure a failure. Yes, I am a failure.
Holding the fire girl's hand is the youngest of her charges, her Little Claire.
Claire's the only one who has been brought up here, in this home, since she was just a toddler. Alma can still remember the first day she found the little girl. Her hands were so small, as small as Alma's thumb. She has never been in charge of anyone this young before. But five years have proven that she can raise the little girl quite well, and she's so proud of her little princess. Don't be scared, sweetie. I'll be with you. Always. The bird gulps down her tears, but it keeps coming back and well up in her sharp green eyes when she send both girls into the parlor.
Bronwyn's is the next. The girl's eyes are still tough but watery. Of all her children, Bronwyn's the one who has made her smile most often. She is so strong both physically and mentally. But now, at this moment, it's not hard at all to notice the fear in her brown eyes. Miss Peregrine hates it so much when she sees fear, sadness, or any unpleasant emotions in her children's eyes. She hates herself for letting that happen. She always be able to get rid of it one way or another, but not today. Stay strong, my love. She tries to send this message to the tough girl. Stay strong.
And then, Fiona and Hugh, walking hand in hand.
Both of them look at their guardian, not with disappointment nor panic, but with confidence that they'll go and rescue her wherever she'll be taken to. Usually, they are so calm and kind, but Alma knows that they can also be fierce if they have to. What she fears the most isn't that she'll be hurt or tortured, but the fact that her children will try to save her. She's ready to be beaten, to be tormented, or even to be killed, just don't touch them, these poor little souls of her. She will never ever be ready to lose any of them again. When she lost Victor, when he died in her arms, that was the worst punishment any ymbrynes could have and it tore her heart into pieces.
She shakes her head lightly to stop what they both are planning to do, but they seem so determined. They're quite headstrong, she knows that. Please, don't.
Horace and Millard are the next.
Horace looks frightened. He can be scared so easily and of everything if he's in the insecure circumstance. Alma doesn't blame him at all. The boy has suffered so much and so long from his array of nightmares which are sometimes true, sometimes not. The picture of the piano she's bought him many decades ago flashes in her mind. She wishes she could teach him more, sharing his laughter and enjoying playing the piano together, seeing that anxiety in his eyes gradually fade away. Who knows that her lesson two days ago will be the last song she taught him.
She can't see Millard, of course, but Alma can always feel the boy. That's why she's always able to tell where he is, even when he wears nothing. She loves to discuss some academic issues with him, encouraging him to think deeper, to use his rationality. He's interested in every knowledge she can give him and loves to generate the new one by his own. The boy is such a real scholar. The bird regrets that she'll not be there to see his progress anymore. Although it's so annoying every time she has to remind him that polite persons do not take a supper in the nude, now she will do anything, anything that she can, just to be able to say that to him again. On the table. With her children around her, laughing and smiling.
Then comes Enoch, her eldest child. He touches her hands to assure her that everything will be alright. Under the mean look he wears, Miss Peregrine knows best that the boy is so caring. She can see his brain plotting dangerous and violent ploy against Barron. Dont't. She stares at him. Just take care of them. He doesn't listen. He gives Barron a threatening death glare exactly like what Miss P often gives him before giving his Miss an assuring one. Alma can't help smiling softly. She has given her gut and her soul to open the boy's heart when he first came here, to take him out of the dark isolated world he had created. He didn't let her or anyone in at first, and it's not easy at all trying to melt down his wall. She's so glad that she kept knocking. Otherwise, she'll never have her Enoch here and now. Her boy has really grown up. He has to be the new leader now, helping Jake, Emma and Olive look after the young ones.
Alma thinks she can hold her tears now, but she's definitely wrong. When her eldest 'daughter' gives her a hug, the bird can't help but bursting into tears. The memory when the very large pair of hazel eyes first looking into hers is so fresh and vivid like it was just yesterday that she saved Emma from the circus. They both have gone through so many things together that she can't imagine a moment without the sound of the girl's lead shoes around her. Boundary doesn't matter now. She just want them to know that they're loved, they're not abandoned, although she herself is going to leave them soon.
The twins join the hug as always. They are as young as Little Claire. They used to be allowed to sleep in Miss P's bedroom when they first arrived. Thanks Bird that the ymvryne hasn't been turned to stone yet. Tucking them in on her bed is the most precious moment Alma could have asked for. She can stay awake all night, watching them sleep soundly. Thinking about leaving them, all of them, kills her from inside. She bites her lips hard, doesn't feel anything because of the numbness. She tries to keep this moment in her heart, Emma's and the twins' warmth. She will think of it when her time comes, in that iron cage, in the basement of Blackpool.
I love you, my dear. She cups Emma's face. She's just realized how big her girl is. She's as tall as her now.
Three of them join the rest and Alma grabs the knobs, preparing to close the door.
They all, her always little children, look up at her. They are crying silently, holding each other. They are so innocent, so beautiful, so sweet, yet so brave that Alma cannot imagine how someone or something could hurt them. She's never thought this day will come. She's never been prepared for this, for the moment she has to say goodbye. She regrets every second that she should have cared for them more, should have made them happier, and should have done her best as both the ymbryne and their foster mother. Now she's failed them, and makes their life at risk. It's the most terrible mistake, so terrible that she doesn't deserve to be called an ymbryne at all.
She swallows her tears and look at them all for the last time.
'It's been my privilege…to care for you all.'
Every specimen of her heart is aching. Pain spreads through her body like there're thousands of knives stabbing her. This is the hardest thing in her life, harder than the day she lost her parents, harder than being trained to be an ymbryne, harder than anything she's done or faced. Just a few words. Just saying a few simple words.
She takes a deep breath. It has to be now or never.
'Goodbye, my children.'
Then, the door's closed.
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