It Started As A Game

Chapter 7-Interesting Afternoon

Miss Peregrine was cooking lunch, chopping onions when Claire walked into the room, holding your hand. "Miss Peregrine!" She yelled, letting go of your hand to run over to her headmistress. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm fine, it's just the onions." She said as she leaned down and picked up the young girl.

Claire looked concerned for a moment and then turned to glare at the onions. "What did you say to Miss P?" You couldn't stop yourself from laughing, meanwhile Alma tried to hide her own. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, why don't you go play with Bronwyn or the twins?" You grabbed Claire from Alma and set her down on the floor, ushering her out the door. When she left you turned to Alma with another laugh. "Are you sure the onions didn't say anything mean to you, dear?" You grinned when she shook her head out of mock disappointment.

"I'm fairly certain, darling."

You wrap an arm around her and gave the onions a weary glance. "I'm not so sure. They look rather malicious."

She gave a small laugh. "Sure they do. Now let me finish cutting them." You hummed and let go of her so she could turn and get back to work.

After a few minutes you noticed tears in Alma's eyes again. "I was right. They're malicious." You took her face in your hands and whipped away on tear as it fell. "Get a tissue before you ruin your makeup. I'll finish cutting the onions." You took the knife from her before she could object and lightly shoved her aside. It took her a moment for her mind to catch up with her and she reluctantly walked away to get a tissue as instructed.

You finished chopping the onions while Alma finished nearly everything else. "Oh would you look at that." You turned to look at the older woman who'd come over to stand next to you. "Who's being insulted by an onion now?" You gave her a momentary confused look before you realized you were crying now.

"Oh." You whipped your eyes with your arm and shrugged. "Not anymore."

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After lunch the children decided to show off the things they got from the shop earlier that day. Horace got a new hat, which came as a surprise to no one. Claire got a new doll. Bronwyn got a new stuffed dog. The twins got matching sets of marbles. Millard didn't want to show anyone what he got and only showed the cashier. Hugh got a checkers set. Fiona bought some fertilizer to help with the quality of the plants in the garden. Enoch got a saw, which was admittedly concerning but you bought it for him anyway. Emma bought a book. And much like Emma, Olive also got a book, except it was a stupid one about all sorts of bad things, she planned to set it on fire later.

"Alma?" You knocked on her door, hoping she wasn't to busy. When she opened the door she was brushing out her hair.

"Hello, dear." She smiled and you and stepped aside so you could enter her room. You did so, giving her a small nod and looking around, then turning back to her when you heard the door click shut. "Did you need something?"

"Oh, yes actually." You took a box out of your pocket and held it out to her. "For you."

She raised an eyebrow and took it. "This is from the shop, isn't it?" She sighed when you nodded in response. "Y/n, I told you I didn't need anything and you int have to spend your money."

"Be quiet, get over yourself, and open it." She seemed momentarily shocked at your words but opened it anyway. She said nothing as she stared into the bot for a moment. Eventually she looked back up and you and shut the box again. Alma took a few quick steps over to you, discarding the gift on her desk before sweeping you into a hug. You smiled, gladly accepting the embrace. Neither of you said anything for a long moment, just quietly hugging each other. "So you like it then?"

She laughed and pulled away from you a bit, lifting one of her hands to cup your cheek, kissing the other one. "I love it, thank you, darling."

"Well I had to get you something."

"Yes, you're rather stubborn. Now, I need to fix my hair. I'll be downstairs in a minute." She let go of you and turned to her desk, grabbing a few pins. You walked to the door and looked back at her just before leaving. She'd already put multiple pins in their place, and has several more in between her teeth, waiting to be used. You shook your head and left the room.

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Horace had some very interesting dreams that night. It started as it always did, with clothes. "Splendid, I'll take it." Dream Horace said. Though the scene changed. Now the projection showed you and Alma sitting next to each other on a bench that was on the front porch. Her pipe was hanging from her lips and she seemed to be watching something, likely the children in the yard. You were doing the same until you glanced over at her. Your eyes seemed to light up with something though you couldn't place what. And before that dream could go any further it changed again.

Now Alma was walking through town in the dark, seemingly alone. Oddly enough her hair was down and her usual jacket wasn't in sight. Dream Alma began speaking to someone. She wasn't alone after all. "I wouldn't mind him if I were you. He's got a bad temper but he wouldn't cause anyone too much trouble." Dream Alma paused to look at the person next to her, concern written clearly on her face. "Dear, are you alright?" There was no response and she took a step closer to the person that still wasn't visible on screen. "Darling?" The person seemed to fall, and Alma went with them. The gravel from the road shifted loudly as the two fell. Alma seemed to be trying to catch someone but didn't quite make it in time. So instead she pulled the person who fell closer to her. And she cried out a single word that made your blood run cold. "Y/n!"

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I rather like the picture at the top. I wonder what Y/n got Alma