Mrs. Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children: The Hollow

To Steal The Secrets That You Keep

Lunch that day at the Peculiar residence consisted of roast beef sandwiches served on pristine white porcelain with a spoonful of yellow mustard on the side, in case anyone was interested.

Many of the children respectfully scraped the mustard aside, chewing heartily on the meal.

Ms. Peregrine sat in her usual place at the head of the table, watching her wards carefully.

Jacob picked at his sandwich, delicately.

He was fond of roast beef, but the fact that it had been prepared by the wight he had been assigned to spy on was unnerving.

He looked up, and to his own surprise, Enoch was picking at his sandwich too.

"Something the matter, Enoch?" Geoffrey asked.

Enoch looked up at him. 

"How do I know it's not poisoned?"

Everyone looked up at this.

Geoffrey paused. Then he got up and stood next to Enoch's chair.

"I suppose you're right, Enoch. Better be safe than sorry."

Geoffrey reached down and took the plate--and the sandwich--away.

Quickly, Enoch snatched the food back, fuming. His neck and ears were a furious red.

Geoffrey grinned and sat back down. A few of the children giggled.

After a few moments of chewing, Jacob put down his napkin.

"Mr. Combs, you never answered my question."

"Please, call me Geoffrey." The wight folded his own napkin across his lap.

Then he looked up. 

"What question was it?"

"You never said what your peculiarity was." Jacob smiled.

He caught Ms. Peregrine's eye. She winked.

Geoffrey took a sip of water. His pupil-less eyes were darting around, nervous.

He swallowed and looked down the table.

"I'm not sure if Ms. Peregrine would allow it." 

"Oh, I won't mind, Geoffrey. It's a reasonable request." She flashed him one of her rare half-smiles.

"Please Geoffrey?"

"Yeah, show us!" The children clamored.

He gave a small smile. "Well, if the audience insists."

He raised a hand, and everyone stilled.

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen.

The lights flickered and dimmed.

Jacob followed the wight's gaze, and soon, everyone was looking up at the ceiling.

The lights above were going crazy, brightening and dimming in an unusual pattern. Some blinked quickly, while others dimmed and glowed at a leisurely pace.

"My peculiarly involves the generation of Bio-Electricity. Simply put, I can control electrical currents."

Geoffrey waved his hand again, and the lights returned to their normal luminescence.

Jacob relaxed. That didn't seem very threatening at all.

Dessert consisted of cinnamon tea with vanilla biscuits.