Chapter 3
Again, the piercing cry filled the air, this time sending Alma's eyes to the sky. Although as unmistakable as an Ymbryne's cry was, Alma didn't seem to recognize who was calling, but she was determined to find out. Spotting a small bird flying jaggedly across the sky, Alma noticed red rain was ricocheting off of the poor creature. No, not rain, blood. Adrenaline sending the woman into action, she followed the quickly descending path of the small bird's flight. Although flight was definitely not the right word for it, more like plummeting. Nonetheless, Alma rushed to locate her fellow Ymbryne, excusing herself in this instance for abandoning her formal graces. There in a small courtyard lay a bloody mess of what Alma wasn't even sure was a bird anymore. "Oh no… Bird help us." Miss Peregrine's heart sank upon seeing the scene laid out before her, but she had no time for such frugal things as feelings if she was to save the bird.
Upon approaching the sorry state this poor bird was in, Alma audibly gasped as she noticed that one of its wings had been bent in the opposite direction. "Oh, my poor sister," Miss Peregrine said softly, bowing her head. Alma devised a plan to save the near lifeless bird that lay in front of her, and in her resourcefulness she bent down and began to rip the hem of her skirt in order to make a proper tourniquet for the wing that was still bleeding. Praying to the Birds that the frail thing would hold on long enough to make it back to the loop.
Amidst the rain that was beginning to pick up she gently scooped up the bird and immediately screams of pain emanated throughout the courtyard. "Shhhh, I'm here to help my dear sister." Alma said, trying to be as gentle as possible. As difficult as it was with the bird flailing about in pain, Miss Peregrine managed to wrap the tourniquet around its broken and mangled wing. "Now I know this will be painful, but it will be the only thing to keep you alive for now." And with one swift move, Alma pulled and knotted the cloth closed, ensuing another wave of piercing screeches from the small bird. Crading the bird in her arms like a newborn baby, Alma spoke to her sister Ymbyme. "I don't know who or what did this to you but you are safe now my dear one."
Opening her coat jacket, Alma pulled the bird inside to shield her from the rain that was now beginning to pour down in sheets. Unsure how long she had been delayed, Alma quickly started back towards the dock in attempts to catch the boat back to Cairnholm, her heeled boots clicking and splashing through the water which was quickly collecting in the street. Although the rain was distorting most of the horizon, Alma was appreciative of her extended vision, one of the many perks of being an Ymbryne. Birds had sharp vision, most helpful when she had to keep an eye on several children at once. Nearing the docks, Alma saw that the boat was still docked in the distance, and she sighed with relief. Oh thank the Birds. In an emergency, Alma had assumed she would simply shift into her bird form and fly back to the island, however there would be no way to carry her fellow Ymbryne in that state. So the boat was her only option, and thankful she was not too late she approached the boatman.
"Excuse me Sir, I-" "Sorry, tours are closed for the day." Alma blinked at the man as if she had heard wrong. "I don't think you understand, I need to-" "I don't think you understand, are you blind lady? No one's going out in this weather," he said gesturing to the sky, blanketed with deep gray clouds, pouring more ferociously by the minute. "I ain't about to waste my time out on those waters." The gruff man spoke with a tone of finality. Knowing this was the quickest and only way home, Alma shouted back at the man who was beginning to walk inland. "Please Sir, my children are at home and I must get back to them." Hoping the man would appeal to sympathy, Alma waited for the boatman's reply. "I said, we're closed." He began to start back on his path when Alma looked down at the small bird awkwardly nestled in the crook of her arm. "Wait," Alma figured out how to resolve the situation. The man turned to face the tall woman drenched from head to toe. "I'll pay whatever you like." Although the man grumbled in annoyance, the offer must have appealed to him because he made his way back over to her. "Three hundred pound and I'll take you across. And an extra fifty for whatever nonsense you have going on in there," the man gestured at the concealed lump that was hidden behind Miss Peregrine's long coat. "Very well, three hundred and fifty pounds it is," Miss Peregrine said matter of factly.
Relieved that the man had accepted her offer, Miss Peregrine boarded the small boat, carefully holding her arm in place so as to not disturb the poor creature in her arm. As the man began to prepare the boat for departure, he stared at her strangely. The events of the day had been transparently displayed throughout Alma's appearance. Her hair that was once neatly gathered in a bun at the top of her head now fallen around her shoulders, soaking wet and windswept. Her clothing was in a similar state of disarray, the hem of her skirt torn and blood stained in her attempts to save her fellow Ymbryne. Alma knew she must have been a sight, but other than weird looks the boatman didn't ask any questions. It was quite possible that he didn't want to know. Anyways he seemed much more interested in money than answers. Alma was quite fine with that arrangement, the less he knew the better. Although she was quite skilled in the art of wiping memories, it was more of a hassle than Alma wanted today after all she had already been through.
After the boatman had spent adequate time untangling and rearranging the ropes until he was satisfied, they were off. The small rinky-dink boat pressed forward being swayed harshly, almost cartoonishly by the rough waters and the wind. Alma imagined how the scene would look from a bird's eye view, reminding her of how a child would play with a toy in the bath, swinging it this way and that. Although silent, the bird in Alma's arms was nowhere near calm. She was rigid and in pain. Alma spoke to her while the man was turned around, her voice drowned out by the pouring rain. "Don't worry my dear, you are safe." Alma repeated those last few words in her head: You are safe. They didn't quite seem to fit, but she said them anyway. Alma's job as an Ymbryne was first and foremost to protect, and she always followed through.
Shielding her eyes with her free hand Alma looked up toward the sky, astonished that the rain could have gotten any worse, but it did. The thunder and lightning had followed shortly after, making their grand entrance among the chorus of other sounds invading Alma's ears. The waves were beginning to rise and crash with increasing force and a wave of concerning height began to approach the small boat. The man studied the wave closing in the space between them and then locked eyes with Miss Peregrine. "I think you're gonna want to hold on tight lady, I don't know if we're gonna make it."