A Peculiar Time in 1944 - A Millard Fanfic (Miss Peregrine's Home) #wattys2020

Chapter 31

"Millard, his name was. Funny kid. Sometimes he'd say, 'Hey Abe, I know what you did today,' and he'd tell you where you'd been, what you had to eat, if you picked your nose when you thought nobody was looking. Sometimes he'd follow you, quiet as a mouse, with no clothes on so you couldn't see him – just watching!" { Abe Portman, pg 11 book 1}

"I can't believe you're real! You're all real!" Jake exclaimed.

"We have been trying to tell you." Emma said as she switched places with Olive and took the reigns. Once they were situated the redhead passed him his clothes which she'd been kind enough to fold into a neat pile.

"But a bomb drops on you in 1940." Jake said confused.

"It is 1940." Olive explained.

"September third 1940." Millard expanded upon her answer.

"All day every day." Emma chimed in, "It's our loop."

oOo oOo oOo

AURORA P.O.V.

Claire returned by herself only ten minutes after the group had left, she explained to Miss Peregrine that the others were running later than expected but there was no trouble. The little girl then pulled Aurora by the hand and they both went outside to play with Hugh and Fiona. Bronwyn and the twins returned six minutes later and they all settled on playing a game of tag. Horace, who was sitting under one of Fiona's sculptured shrubs complained every time one of the children ran by him too quickly or too close and kicked up grass onto his pressed trousers.

Midway through their game Fiona realized she was late for helping Miss Peregrine prepare supper and ran off before the headmistress could get too upset with her. Shortly after Millard joined them outside and Hugh challenged him to a rematch at football, he was still sore about losing to Millard the last time they played. Millard gave Aurora a quick kiss and stripped off his jacket before running after Hugh. Bronwyn also excused herself knowing Miss Peregrine would be expecting her to help in the vegetable garden.

That left Aurora with Claire and the twins, the twins had already started a game of patty cake so Aurora and Claire began picking flowers to decorate the table at supper. Claire had picked a vibrant blue flower with delicate petals and gently handed it to Aurora, "It's pretty like you."

Aurora smiled and took the flower, "Thank you Claire." She said just as Miss Peregrine entered the yard accompanied by who she assumed was Jacob Portman. He was dressed so differently than Aurora had expected and she silently thanked bird above that the current century's fashion sense wasn't so drastic and vibrant as past decades. The pair walked over to the twins who were now fighting over a stuffed bear. Miss Peregrine took the teddy and pulled it in two with her talon like fingers before handing each twin a half. Claire pulled Aurora over to Jake with one hand, her small bouquet of purple flowers in her other hand.

"This is Claire and Aurora." Miss Peregrine introduced them.

"Pleasure to meet you." Aurora smiled and Jake gave a small smile and nod in return. Then Claire and the twins ran off to the see-saw and Aurora followed. Claire handed her the flowers she'd been holding as she grabbed the see-saw and helped propel the twins from side to side.

"Stop cheating Hugh!" Aurora heard Millard shout and turned to see him swatting at bees that swarmed his unseen head. Then he ran after Hugh and gave him a shove.

"Millard that's a foul again!" Hugh complained as the ball flew into the mouth of the tyrannosaurus rex shrub.

"No it wasn't. Ref?" he asked trying to get a second opinion from Horace who looked annoyed.