Over the next few weeks I had grown quite used to life at Miss Peregrine's. Every day was a new adventure for me, whether it was spent learning about Peculiars and ymbrynes from Miss Peregrine, or out exploring the world of September 3, 1940 with the children, I never had a boring day. I would say that after living here for three weeks, my favorite Peculiar to spend time was Bronwyn. I wasn't nearly as strong as she was, but I was stronger than the rest of the children or Miss Peregrine. Bronwyn and I spent time together by finding things to throw.

Using a pile of old flour sacks that Miss Peregrine was going to throw out, and some bailing twine I had found, I constructed a scarecrow-like dummy. With a red crayon that Claire provided me with, I wrote: WIGHT across its chest. Bronwyn and I were often throwing random objects at it, for target-practice.

And another great occurrence had been when Miss Peregrine gave me one of her old gowns to wear. It was black, with ruffled shoulders and a tight button-up collar.

"I'm too tall for it, I'm afraid," she explained when she had given it to me. "I believe it will fit you properly."

It was the best gift anyone had ever given me. I had been on the verge of shedding tears when I thanked her. It was a real gown, not a fake over-priced replica from a magazine. This was the real thing. I had caressed the fabric as I caressed my camera, with complete admiration.

I had slipped into it immediately, and felt as grand as ever. I received plenty of compliments on my appearance in it from the children and from Miss Peregrine herself.

Miss Peregrine also began to help me discover what my power was, through different exercises. For a few days she was convinced that I was a mind-reader, but felt like a fool when she proved herself wrong. In just a matter of a week and a half I had gone through all of Miss Peregrine's exercises and to no success. My situation vexed her. I know it did, though it was not apparent in her attitude. I caught her on various occasions just watching me thoroughly as I went through daily life.

One afternoon Jacob, Emma, Bronwyn and I were running through a nearby field. We were on our way into town. Emma had explained a certain game called "Raid the Village" to me. Although I had no extremities such as super strength or hot hands, I had a solid noggin on my shoulders and a teenager's urge to cause chaos and destruction. We were up to no good, and, quite frankly, I didn't care what Miss Peregrine thought for once.

About a half mile behind us, the rest of the children waited for our signal so they could be our reinforcements.

"We have to be back before the changeover," yelled Emma as we ran. "Or else the Bird will have a cow."

Once into town, Emma began to do as she did best. She burned buildings and threw fireballs at people. Even though I felt evil, I didn't really let it move me, for they'd all wake up tomorrow and not remember our raid at all. Bronwyn took to throwing things such as watermelons from fruit stand and such onto the buildings. The noise the watermelons made when the exploded against the side of a building was quite hilarious. Jacob stood nearby, on the lookout for hollows. Olive hovered nearby, terrorizing anyone she found through second story windows.

When reinforcements arrived, Fiona made large plants grown and wrapped the houses in vines. Horace just stood in the middle of the street, greeting the frightened people as they ran past in a friendly way. Hugh released his bees, and Enoch was found salvaging from graves in the graveyard.

I, however, was the one who ran doing random tasks such as kicking doors in and punching windows. I had to make do with my normal body, without a peculiar gift. I climbed atop the church and began to sing whatever came to my head. I also began to dance in any fashion I pleased. If Jacob recognized one of my songs he'd join in and match my dance.

Jacob and I were in the middle of reciting "I Want it That Way," by the Backstreet Boys, when Jacob stopped suddenly.

I froze. I stood on the church, studying him.

There, in the distance of the fog, was what looked like a group of people. Their silhouettes moved loftily through the thick fog bank towards town. They were too far for me to see who they were.
"HOLLOWS!" Jacob screeched to the top of his lungs.

Quickly I got down from the church and made my way towards the edge of town. I looked over my shoulder to see how fast they were; pretty fast at that. I noticed the gaits of some of the younger children. We'd never make it out alive with how slow some of them were. I scanned around town as I ran. My mind concocted a scheme that I was awed at.

A horse-drawn cart was hitched to a post at the edge of town. I broke away from the pack of scurrying children.

"Where are you going?" Emma demanded.

I had ridden horses before back home a lot, especially at summer camp. I untied the brown animal and jumped into the cart. I smacked the horse into a canter with the reins. When the children noticed me, they all started to laugh. I stopped just outside of town.

"Good thinking, Minnette," called Horace.

Emma and Jacob smiled hugely at me.

Bronwyn assisted everyone by lifting them one-by-one into the cart. Once they were all in, Emma jumped on the seat with me. The hollows were gaining on us quickly. I smacked the horse and it took off into a lope.

"Where'd you learn to drive one of these?" Emma asked. She laughed like she was having the time of her life.

I urged the horse into a gallop. "Home," I replied, over the cheering of the other children.

The horse carried us over the landscape like it was nothing to its four hooves. In fact, I half-expected it to sprout wings and fly. The horse was nothing like Old Jack, not as smooth. He would do us enough to get us back to Miss Peregrines. Although we were practically flying, the hollows still were in our footsteps. They weren't nearly as fast as our steed, but they were still visible.

"Any ideas?" Emma yelled when she saw how close the hollows were.

"Absolutely," I lied.

"Run, horsey, run!" Claire urged to our steed.

"We have to warn Miss Peregrine!" cried Jacob. "They may have come for her."

Olive had hug eyes. "Unless they've already got her."

With that thought on my mind, I laid one on the horse again. It began to sprint so fast that the cart felt as if it would break from underneath us at any given moment.

The horse began to snort with exhaustion, it was not a completely healthy animal, and I felt a little bad for pushing it so hard.

When I drove the cart onto Miss Peregrine's terrace, I jumped down hastily. I un-hitched the horse from the cart, and smacked its haunches. The beast stood straight up in the air, then bolted forward up the road towards the opposite end of the island, where we had picnicked on the beach a few weeks back. I collected my skirts in my hands and ran for the house, the children behind me.

We bolted through the front door, and I slammed it behind us.

"Miss Peregrine! Miss Peregrine!" all of the children cried in unison. I fiddled with the lock on the door.

There was no answer. The children then bolted around the bottom floor of the house.

"Miss Peregrine! Miss Peregrine!" we all cried.

"YES!? YES!? WHAT IS IT?" came the voice from the stairway. Miss Peregrine hobbled down them as fast as she could. The children re-grouped by the front door by me.

She looked straight at me.

"Hollows," I simply replied.

Her eyes softened. "How many?" she asked Jacob.

"Six," he replied.

The front door began to rattle. Claire screamed.

"Into the cellar, Children!" Miss Peregrine yelled. She reached into a pocket on her dress, and retrieved a brass key. "Go, Miss Stonington."

Horace hurriedly showed me where the cellar was, and we all piled in. I was the last one to enter. I stood for a minute, just looking at Miss Peregrine. She came over to the door. "Don't worry, Children. Everything will be fine," she whispered down to us. She held up the key to my face. "I'm going to lock you in and slide this under," she whispered calmly. "Whatever happens, do not give this key to anyone else but me."

Those being her last words, she closed the door and began to lock it. I could hear the front door being broken. True to her word, Miss Peregrine slid the key underneath the door and I grabbed it.

"Stay strong, my loves," I heard her whisper under her breath.

That very statement made me want to burst into tears. Claire, being the youngest and most vulnerable, made her way up the crowded staircase, and clutched onto me. I could not see anything, but I could hear what was going on with ease.

The monsters had broken in, and they were not alone.

"Ah, Alma Peregrine, I was hoping we'd find you home." I did not recognize the voice.

"It's a Wight!" whispered Bronwyn angrily. She was behind me, her hands on my shoulders. I felt her tense.

"What improper timing," Miss Peregrine retorted slyly. I could just imagine her putting a pipe to her lips like Sherlock Holmes. "As you can see, my children are not present at this very moment."

The Wight laughed. "How darling!" he mocked. "Unfortunately it is not your children that bear our interest- it is yourself. Get her, boys!"

The room filled with the loud hissing of Hollows, followed by the screech of a bird. I pressed my ear to the door. The sound of flapping wings flew past the door.

"Damn you, Peregrine!" hissed the Wight. He snarled. "Find her, boys! I will not rest until I have a stuffed falcon for my trophy room."
Claire began to cry.

As soon as we were sure they were gone, we flew out of the cellar. Everyone seemed to enter a mode of panic.

"They're gonna kill Miss Peregrine!" shrieked Claire.

"We have to find her!" Enoch yelled.

All of them began to wail, except for Bronwyn. She stood with her arms crossed.

"QUIET!" Bronwyn finally screamed.

They all froze.

"We must make a plan," I said. I turned to Emma. Her greatest fear was about to come to life.

"Miss Peregrine is a very, very intelligent woman," I said.

"Do you think she'll circle back?" Jacob asked.

These children knew just how much time I had spent with Miss Peregrine since I arrived, and just how quickly I had come to know her. In fact, Emma had noted to me one day that she noticed just how connected with Miss Peregrine I was. I couldn't let them fill themselves full of doubt about Miss Peregrine. "No, Jacob," I replied, putting my hand to my chin. "She's much too smart for that."

"Surely she'll come back for us," said Olive. She was stuffed from crying, as well.

Something Miss Peregrine had said to me once came to mind. "Yes, but do not expect her to. Her job is to protect us from those who would harm us. And flying back here so soon with them hot on her trail wouldn't exactly be protecting us."

"She's got a point," said Horace.

"Now, listen, we can't go losing our heads. Miss Peregrine is counting on us to be wise with our decisions. Now, may I have all of your opinions on what we should do?" I asked.

Emma cleared her throat. She raised her palms and summoned her fire. "I say we catch those Hollows and that Wight, and I say we pound them bloody."

When she spoke, Enoch, Bronwyn, Claire and Jacob cheered.

Millard and Horace stood side-by-side, skeptical.

"Horace?" I asked sweetly.

"My apologies, Miss Stonington, but I am not the fighting type."

"Really?" I responded. I quirked a brow. "I recall the day I arrived here and a certain someone kept wailing me with a stick."

Horace scoffed. I had caught him. The children all looked at him with big eyes. His shoulders drooped. "If the lot of you wishes to turn me into a vagabond, so be it." He fastened his monocle in place. "For Headmistress Peregrine," he replied haughtily.

Bronwyn clapped her hands together. "Anyone who wishes to stay behind and watch over the house, say aye."

Unfortunately, Fiona and Millard raised their hands. They probably assumed that their powers were useless. I felt a touch of sadness knowing we'd be leaving them behind. After all, someone had to watch over the house.

"I appreciate you two for guarding the house for us," I said. "Are you sure you do not want to come along?"

Millard said: "Nope."

Fiona: "I'd rather stay behind and tidy up."

"Alright, then."