Birds Of A Feather

Chapter Three

A/N: Thank you so much for sticking with me up to this point, and if you're new, thanks for joining us. I hope you all enjoy the story, I'd like the think it's a bit better quality than what I had posted two years ago, although the updates won't be as frequent. I'm shooting for about once a week, but it may be more than that once I find an editor. If you're interested in being my editor, send me a PM. Thank you!

   The island was shrouded in a thick, wet fog, which made getting to the children's home quite difficult. It took some time convincing dad that we didn't need a guide, or a chaperone, but eventually he caved and let us go on our own. Little did we know, going on our own was not the smartest choice. We got lost after a few hours of searching, and overall we're not making much progress. As we were trudged through the muddy landscape, Jake suddenly stepped into a puddle that was much deeper than it looked. He tugged at his leg in order to get out, but he was quite stuck. Being the older sister that I am, I sat back and giggled a bit, then ultimately decided to help him out.
"Is this even the way to the children's home"
He asked, seemingly annoyed.
I looked over at him, then around at our surroundings. It didn't seem like the loop entrance or the home was nearby, but this vantage point did the surrounding lands no justice. I shifted and flew up high into the air to get a better lay of the land.
From up here, I could make out the ruined house through the trees just ahead, but nowhere in the land did I see a probable spot for the loop entrance. Alma Peregrine didn't seem to be the full type, so it is most likely well hidden. Finding it would take some time, time that I'm not sure we have today. I'd be content exploring the ruins of the house, but Jake most likely would not be. Mainly because he doesn't know they're still alive. I could try to explain it to him, but after seeing the house, I'm not sure he would listen. Still, I gently flew down to the ground and returned to human form.
"The house is just through those trees, but when we get there, I need you to stay calm. I will explain everything"
I patted him on the shoulder, and trudged off towards the trees with Jake close on my tail. He began asking all sorts of questions related to the children, and Miss Peregrine, most of which I ignored as I pushed forward through the dense growth and out into a clearing.
The ruined house loomed from the fog, casting a shadow over the withered land before it. It was a sight to behold now, in all its terrifying splendor.
"Desiree, what happened here"
Jake stuttered.
I took a deep breath, grabbed his hand, and lead him into the house. I knew the loop entrance wasn't in the house, but it couldn't hurt to check.
   The house that once boasted beauty and coziness was now decrepit, and a home to all kinds of creatures. Bugs and small rodents scurried away as Jake and I entered, and I cringed internally. I wonder what Alma would think of her house being in such disarray. 
   As we moved throughout the house, I got the nagging feeling that we were being watched. Against my better judgement, I shook of the feeling, and we continued exploring. We climbed up the creaky stairs to the second floor, which was no better off than the first. The rooms were relatively intact, which I found quite odd, but I pressed on nonetheless. Soon, I came upon a room that could only belong to Miss Alma Peregrine. It was covered in a thick layer of debris and smelled faintly of tobacco. The walls at one time seemed to be a navy blue, and the adjoining bathroom done in white marble with navy accents. I can only imagine what it must have looked like before the bomb. Soon, the light was fading from the sky, and it was time for Jake and I to return to The Priest Hole. The walk back was silent, and with marginally less mud. Jake didn't seem to be in a very good mood, though it probably wouldn't last through the day tomorrow. I vowed to find the loop entrance first thing in the morning, then bring Jake to see Miss Peregrine so she could explain everything proper.
   When we arrived back at the hotel, Jake hurried up to the room, while I stayed behind at the bar to have a few drinks. The bartender, Kev, was very friendly, and regaled me with tales of the island. They weren't overly interesting, but still a story is a story I suppose. After quite a few Mint Juleps, Kev cut me off, and I sloshed up to the room. I drunkenly showered and got in bed, all the while hoping I'm not too hungover in the morning to find the loop entrance. Sleep came easily to me tonight, and my dreams were filled with that certain someone that always was on my mind.

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The next morning, I awoke slowly, and with a jarring headache behind my eyes. Regretting the night before, I rolled over in bed and noticed that neither Jake or my father were there. In fact, their beds were already made neatly. Seeing this I dragged myself into the bathroom to take a cold shower, wishing that I could wash away the previous night with the ice cold water. The water felt like needles on my porcelain skin, but a cold shower always seemed to help me after a night of drinking, no matter how trashed I got. As I was washing, guilt settled over me. I felt terrible about letting Jake believe Alma and the children were dead, and getting such a late start looking for the loop entrance did not help this. She was supposed to explain everything and make it right, but I had to find her first. From there, I made a pact with myself. Even if I had to search the whole island, I would find Miss Peregrine today, and I wouldn't rest until I did. After my shower, I put on my black dress with stockings, grabbed my pocket watch, and set out. However I didn't get far before meeting father in the pub.
"Hey Desiree, have you seen Jake"
He asked, uninterested.
"Yeah, we met some other kids on the island yesterday, they wanted to hang out today"
Satisfied with my answer, he let me go without much fuss and I was back on my way to Alma.
I walked for about half a mile, then ventured off of the main road into some trees to enter bird form. I'd have a much better view from higher up, and I might even spot Jake, wherever he ran off to. I shifted quickly, and darted up into the sky. The wind felt divine as it was blowing through my feathers, and the air smelled of salt, which cleared some of the pressure from the hangover. Once I had reached a sufficient altitude, I began my search for possible locations for the loop entrance. Some areas were difficult to see through the fog, and I almost flew into the roof of the children's home as it seemingly materialized in front of me. Luckily, I dodged it just in time. As I was cruising about the skies, I caught a glimpse of Jake being escorted into a cave entrance with Emma, Bronwyn, Millard, Olive, and The Twins. I drifted down slowly, so I wouldn't alert them, and waited until they were safely inside the loop before checking our surroundings. It's always better to be safe than sorry, and you never know who might be watching. For some reason, the strange man on the ferry came to mind. I hadn't seen him before then, but he seemed vaguely familiar. The thought left almost as soon as it arrived, and I did one last look over before heading into the loop.
   As soon as I exited the cave, I was hit with blinding rays of sunlight and a waft of fresh air. The island was beautiful and there was no fog in sight, allowing me to take in the view of the entire island from where I was in the sky. From here, I spotted my brother sprinting off to the pub with Emma, Olive, and Millard following him a few moments behind on a horse and buggy. I screeched happily, and flew off to the house, knowing that the children would handle the situation. That, and I wanted to get a glimpse of Miss Peregrine right away. The flight gave me time to compose myself, and think on my words and actions. It was my dearest wish that I didn't make a fool of myself in front of my lifelong crush. As I flew nearer to the house, I caught the scent of tobacco smoke, and flew down in that direction. After a bit of searching, I finally found the source of the scent. I landed as silently as possible on a nearby bird feeder, and stared at the woman sitting on a bench reading to some of her charges. Abe's photographs did the woman no justice, and I sat in awe of her beauty. Her raven hair with blue highlights, blue-grey eyes, and porcelain skin were quite a sight to behold. For the next few moments, I sat and stared, at Miss Alma LeFay Peregrine.