𝐏𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞, MPHFPC

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫

𝐘𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐲𝐧𝐞

———✰———

Miss Avocet, the ymbryne, had finally gained enough energy to turn herself back into human form and started to talk to the children as Olive went to get Miss Peregrine who entered with Olive, Emma and Jake following.

"Oh, Miss Peregrine! They found my new loop. The children...I tried to save them but there were so many hollows...I don't know how I escaped." Miss Avocet cried as she an miss Peregrine hugged.

"You are safe now." Miss Peregrine assured.

"None of us are safer. They set up the machine in my loop." Miss Avocet contradicted.

"They put it in the cellar at Blackpool tower. They're still there..." Olive told Miss Peregrine nervously.

"The machine?" Miss Peregrine asked.

"The experiment. They intend to do it again!" Miss Avocet exclaimed.

"This time he's using more ymbrynes. He wants to be immortal." Enoch added.

"Do hollows only attack peculiars?" Jake asked, afraid of the answer as Miss Peregrine got off the sofa.

"Of course not" Miss Peregrine turned away from the group growing thoughtfully. "They're monsters, Jake, they'll slaughter anything in their path."

"Well some sheep on the island were killed. You don't think they're here already, do you?" Jacob told Miss Peregrine and dispite the fact Bea was still upset with Enoch she couldn't help but gravitate closer to him in her anxious state.

"Have you seen anyone with white eyes?" Miss Avocet asked Jacob as Miss Peregrine turned to look at the boy.

Even though everyone saw Jake shake his head the next sentence out of Miss Peregrine's mouth was still "I'm sorry children, we can't remain here."

"What?!" Enoch voiced everyone's thoughts with one exasperated word.

"We leave on the first ferry off the island tomorrow. Pack anything of importance. And eat your sandwiches and lead you to bed" Miss Peregrine ordered making Enoch and Bea share a slightly confused look.

The other children started to ask questions like 'are we leaving for good' and 'when are we coming back?" To which Enoch answered "Never. If Miss Peregrines not here to reset the loop tomorrow night the house gets bombed" before he walked out the room leaving Bea and Miss Avocet to deal with a teary eyed Claire.

"Don't cry, Miss Peregrine will find you another loved house...somewhere else" Miss Avocet assured Claire before Bea took the young girls hand and lead her out the room.

Emma told Bea that Jake left fifteen minutes after the children started to pack. Normally the two girls would have been sat on Emma's bed with Olive as they comforted the blonde girl. But all three were in a hurry to pack so the two girls departed with a tight hug and a kiss on Emma's forehead in the caring way Bea was known for.

As the peculiars were all running up and down the stairs to put there most important belongings in the suitcases they all seemed to pause there movements with a knock at the door. Miss Peregrine answered it apprehensively and was shocked and angry to answer the door to Barron (the head of the monsters doing the experiments) with his transformed knife like arm to Jake's neck.

"Miss Peregrine what a Pleasure to meet you at last! May we come in?" Mr Barron greeted as the children all stood at the lowest landing of the stairs. The man came in without regards to what Miss Peregrine was going to say.

"Children, would you make your way down the stairs please?" Barron told them turning his attention to the children who all stood as far away from the man as they could without actually moving.

"I give the orders in this house Mr Barron!" Miss Peregrine told him sternly.

"Not today. You should know that Jake has served his purpose. If you value his life, I suggest everyone does as they are told! Children!" Barron said threateningly making Bea's heart pump loudly in her chest showing how nervous she was.

"Shush! No one tells my children what to do." Miss Peregrine told him pointing her finger at him as if she were scolding a child. "Children, come here please." She turned to the children her tone still stern but much softer than the one she used with Barron.

"Miss Peregrine" Barron tried to interrupt.

"I thought I told you to be quiet" Miss Peregrine snapped at him making him shrink back slightly in shock as the children began to climb down the stairs to join Emma as the bottom of them.

"Children, for Jakes safety, we are going to do what Mr Barron asks. He wished take me with him to his rendezvous in Blackpool. So, for his protection, he would like you to make your way to a lockable room, such as the parlour. As he won't relieve Jake if he fears an attack could be mounted upon him once he looses his leverage. Correct, Mr Barron?" Miss Peregrine explained looking at him slightly mockingly to which the man silently nodded.

"You are sacrificing yourself and all of us...for Jake?" Enoch frowned as he rested his hand protectively on Bea's hip who was standing in front of him on the step below.

"Mr Barron travels with a hollow, Enoch. Once it arrives here, we're all dead." Miss Peregrine explained as said man grinned maliciously, showing off his sharp teeth.

"Enoch," Bea whispered leaning back into the boy so he put his head lower so she could tell him what Miss Peregrine meant and what Emma told her earlier that day. "Only Jake can see them. She means he's our only hope." Enoch nodded slightly sad that the boy they only just met could already protect his girlfriend and friends more than he could.

The children then started to pile into the parlour Miss Avocet was hidden in, looking sadly at Miss Peregrine as they passed her.

"It's been a privilege to care for you all. Goodbye, my children." Miss Peregrine bid tearfully at the parlour door as Emma went in last.

And with one last tearful gaze she closed the door.