That Peculiar Feeling | Mphfpc ~Enoch O'Connor~

Chapter Twenty-two

I set down the last glass on the dinner table, then grabbed the pitcher of water and began filling each glass. Miss Peregrine asked me to set the table for dinner, which was ridiculously early as usual. I'd been in this children's home for a nearly a month, so I was beginning to anticipate the schedule of things. According to Millard, ymbrynes are very particular about their timing. Seven in the morning was when I met with the headmistress, then breakfast, then tea party with Claire and Olive. Then I had an hour to sit under the same tree; reading a book, then I'd go and eat my lunch with Enoch and usually stay there for a while, just talking. Enoch never went out much, strangely enough the only times I've seen him outdoors were when he watched me dance. Then dinner and then if Horace had any dreams to share, we'd sit and watch them.

It was a system, the same every day. Without fail. I picked up another glass and filled it halfway. All the children had their own ways to pass the time, I liked spending time with Olive. You could say she was my best friend. I loved watching her do tricks with her fire, although I was silently jealous of her control over it. I also liked spending time with Enoch of course, I'd doodle little homunculi designs and he'd make them, it was our sort of creative system.

I was in the middle of filling another glass when I felt something brush my shoulder. I set the pitcher down and turned around. A loud yell filled my ears and made me jump back, banging into the table. My heart was pounding, as I instinctively shoved my hands out, squeezing my eyes shut in fear. My left hand came in contact with something I couldn't see, it felt like skin. When I touched it, I felt something cold snake it's way over my hand and onto whatever I had touched.

"It's me! It's me! Put me down!" I heard a shrill male voice shout. Millard. My eyes opened quickly, only to see a snaky tendril of clear liquid, wrapped tightly around something transparent. I was holding Millard up in the air. Still breathing unsteadily from the shock, I gulped.

"Millard?!" I said, my voice taut.

"Yes! Now put me back down please!"

"You shouldn't have scared me!" I accused, still holding out my left arm.

"It was dare! Please put me down!" He begged and squirmed. Horace and Emma had stepped into the room, their faces riddled with a mix of terror and utter confusion.

I sighed a shaky sigh, the adrenaline still in my system from the scare. Lowering my arm, the invisible boy put his feet back on the ground with a light thud. Now to focus on the tentacles of water still clutched around him. For the first time in a long time, I had reasonable idea of what to do. Pitcher. Back into the pitcher. The water slowly unfurled, freeing Millard, then snaked its way back into the glass jug on the table. The last drop entering with a plop. I was celebrating in my head. I did it; I actually did it.

"Miss Moore, a word please." A strict voice rang out. Gulping, I turned around to see Miss Peregrine standing with her hands on her hips. It was quite obvious she'd seen what I had just unfolded. Nodding solemnly, I began following her slowly back to her room.

"Nice job Millard." I heard an accented voice growl from behind me. Enoch must've come in and I hadn't notice.

...

I'd come to have a bad association with the headmistress' office. I was hoping this time I'd get at least a pat on the back for not killing Millard.

"Eden, I'm not going to sugar coat this." She took her lit pipe from her lips and set it down. "I have decided to contact Miss Avocet, the head of ymbryne council, about your issue."

It felt like a slap in the face.

I stared back at her piercing eyes. "You said you wouldn't. You promised."