Chapter 4

POV Millard

I saw through my bedroom window. I felt really lonely nobody really knew where I was, unless I was wearing clothes. I looked down to the small garden and saw Hugh and Fiona kissing. It was normal for them too. I looked at the ocean, I was obviously bored. Lori's friends were sleeping in the empty bedrooms we had. I felt like studying up a bit more which I had done for the last couple of weeks.

I walked down to the small library and took out a big book. In there, there were all kinds of things that filled me with interest. I read on to the history of some islands and discovered something interesting. It was getting late to read so I turned off the lamp I had brought and went back to my bedroom. My room was small and I was the only person occupating it. It was better to be alone, on your own because no one could really get to you.

I set the lamp on the small bedside table and pulled the covers over me. It wasn't cold, but the freezing winds that wound up in the room made it feel like it. Winter wasn't really one of my favorite seasons because of how cold it was. Slipping away from reality was okay once in a while, but staying in your own world was more important.


The sun awoke me early in the morning. I got dressed and headed outside to see what was going on. Nothing much really except that some flowers were starting to bloom out of the snowy fields around us. I then went inside to breakfest and found everyone sitting in the dining room. Breakfast was served and could feel my stomach growl at the sight of the pancakes.

Lori was sitting next to her sister although she just stared at her shoes. Charlotte on the other hand was gourging herself on the meal, looking quite famished. I ate slowly although I was told to eat faster by Olive who had already ate five. In a house full of about ten children, you eat fast or you don't eat at all. In this case it was true because I had only ate one.

I exsused myself from the table and so did Lori which was fine by me because I needed to talk to her.

"Is your little sister going to stay? I can tell she has a peculiar talent." I told her as we were both looking at the little girl

"If Miss Peregrine will allow it. I do hope so because she's the only family I have left."

"It would be wise for her to stay here and I'm sure Miss P. will allow it. She never turns down anyone, or if she did Enoch wouldn't be here."

She smiled at the joke I made and she uncomfortably looked at her hair.

"How did Charlotte do that? It was incredible to witness but I'm not sure if it was just and accident. She could have healed you, maybe that was why your hair turned blue." I told her. She didn't seem to have heard anything I said or if she did hear, she was trying very hard to ignore it. "To be fair, I always wanted blue hair." She smiled at me but it looked a bit forced if you asked me.

Charlotte finished her meal and came up to the both of us. "Hello! " she beamed at me. "Please excuse her, she can be rather annoying." Lori apoligized for her sister. "Am not!" She said in a high pitch squeal. Charlotte was arguing with Lori when Olive came up to her. "Hullo I'm Olive" and that was all it took for Charlotte to leave us.

Lori and I talked a bit more about what was going to happen. Later we were going to Miss Peregrine and ask her if we couldntake in Charlotte. I also wanted to share with her what I hadnfound but it seemed so little compared to what was going on right now. We also spent time with her San Francisco friends.

"Why did you guys come though, I'm doing okay." Lori asked them.

"Well your our friend, we couldn't leave you that way. " Robert told her.

"Especially since Charlotte was kept from you all those years! It was a miracle she even knew you existed." Josie told her.

"All we got to do now is get back home though." Mike ,with the brown hair, said.

Lori looked sad at this , she must have really missed her friends, and for them letting go of her was a great pain. I felt sorry for them until Josie had an idea.

"Can't you come back with us Lori? Oh please come back we miss you." Lori ,I could tell, looked eager to accept the offer but she still didn't look convinced. "But the bird will know. She won't let me go home. Trust me I do want to go but I also want to stay here with my friends. It's also that my parents don't want me back. They hate me!" She cried out. She was waving her arms around and the splash of the waves could be heard. The waves could be seen now, reflecting her emotions. They swirled and thrashed at the rocks that could be seen from a distance.

I could see tears of frustraition in her purple eyes... they used to be brown though. We tried to calm her down but she was discussing how selfish her freinds were. "I don't want to go anymore. I'll be a slave there. You say to only stay for a short time but then I get hooked! I'll never be able to turn away, it'll be an addiction. I can't go, not ever." She seemed to get a little calmer but not entirely. The waves still rolled over the rocks. "Then don't go." I whispered.

She tried looking for me and finally locked eyes where I was. "You're right." She said dazzled by the afternoon sun. "But, danm Millard I want to go." She said to me. Her eyes filled with a new feeling I didn't recognize. "Do what you want, it's your life. You shouldn't be told what to do. Just live it. You're not caged, you're a free bird. Enjoy what you can as long as you live." I told her. She seemed to be thinking this and she smiled at me. "Thank you ,Millard." She told me and went up to hug me, to make it easier I put my arms around her first.

"Want to go to the beach?" I asked them. "There's a beach?" Lori asked. "Sure but we should bring the others, it's rude not too." And so with that we spread the word and we headed down to the small cove.


She wasn't there, the urgency that she had taken my words a little to seriously. The last time I had seen her we were swimming but that memory that was made hours ago, seemed distant. I sped throughout the whole house asking everybody in my path where she was. Even her sister didn't know.

I had been responsible for the child and had given her wrong advice. Lori would kill me, and I'm sure she knows pleanty ways to do so. I didn't know she was listening when I was speaking to Lori. Oh god I was dead. Charlotte was no where in sight and I was responsible. The little girl must have felt like she had limits and had gone on to be a free person, but how could a eight year old American even survive in a war crowded country. She could be mistaken for a jew and be taken away.

I could not possibly tell Lori, I would have to quest to look for her. I relaxed a little though. She couldn't have gotten off the island without money, so she was probably still stuck here. I raced to the docks and saw a boat leaving, with Charlotte riding along in it. I had never seen a boat leave the island at night, Oh god she might be kidnapped. "Charlotte!" I yelled after the boat. She looked at the island and yelled, "Millard! I'm heading twoards London!" And that was the last I heard of the small replica of Lori.


"What?!" Lori slapped me to the ground. "I lost Charlotte." I whispered. "How could you?! She ... how did she even escape?" She looked down at me confused, tears in her eyes that showed only hatred.

"She must have heard what were talking about, me telling you not to be caged. She took it litteraly and she left for London." I told her for the tenth time. I had offered for her to talk to Miss Peregrine about leaving the island and looking for the child but Lori declined it.

"I have to look for her myself. " She told me. "But you can't, at least let me come as well." I pleaded with her. She shook me off and went to her room. I sat infront of her closed door, waiting for her to open it and reason with her. I sat there for hours though until I closed my eyes and fell asleep.