Audibility- A Miss Peregrines Fanfiction #1

Abraham Portman Departs

It was just after dinner, but after the changeover. Most of us were up in our rooms when we heard Emma screaming. I passed quite a few people on my way downstairs.

"Why would you leave us? Why would you leave me? Is it that hard for you to understand that we all want you here? Does Miss Peregrine know about this?"

We all walked out the front door and ran out onto the lawn. It was a bright moon, allowing us to see all the activity going on out on the lawn. The Bird held a grip on Emma's arm, trying to pull her away from Abe, who had a bag slung over his shoulder, as if he was going somewhere.

"Miss Bloom, kindly restrain yourself." She released a hold on Emma's arm as she fell on the grass. She looked up, her face sad.

"We're you planning on telling me about this?" She said.

"No need to worry about me." Muttered Abe.

"I do worry about you, there's nothing you can do to stop me. I want you to open up to me!" Emma said, still looking up to him.

"I'll write to you, every day. I'll send for you, too, someday, to go to America. I want to live where there's no fear of Hollows." Abe said, pulling her up off the ground.

"You'd better do that, and don't forget about me." She sighed. I felt so sorry for her then, because she, like me, was losing someone she cared about because she couldn't go with them.

And with that out, Abraham Portman walked along the grass and disappeared among the tree-lined path. Miss Peregrine put a guiding arm around Emma, leading her back into the house, and we followed soon after.
~*~
"Good morning everyone!" Bronwyn said cheerily, walking into the dining room. No one, especially Emma, felt like looking up. "Good heavens, what's got into you lot, you look depressed!" Bronwyn had slept like a rock through last night, and did not know what she was getting into.

"Hey, Wyn, can I talk to you in the hall for a minute?" I asked her. My social skills were improving every day.

We walked out of the room. "Abe left for America last night." I whispered, figuring Emma did not need to be reminded. Bronwyn pressed her hands to her mouth.

"That's awful, poor Emma."

"He's going to write, you know." I said, surprised at how assured I sounded.

"What's she going to do without him?" That I did not know. We came back into the room and I took my usual seat. The Bird walked to the front of the table.

"Most of you will know that Mr. Portman left us last night. He shall join up in the Army to fight both the Nazi's and Hollowgast. I am immensely proud of him, and all of you should be too. Now, let's not let that spoil our day. Lessons will be postponed." Usually, a cheer went up when something of that sort would be announced, but there was only eerie silence. Even those who would have spoken did not, and breakfast was quiet. Afterwards, we departed to do some tasks.

I saw Enoch sitting on the grass at the edge of the lawn, and sat down beside him. "What do you think of all this?" I asked him.

"I dunno, I'm going to miss him, even if he was a bit of a jerk." I rolled my eyes internally, he didn't get along with anyone. "And what about you?"

"Of course, unlike you, I thought he seemed quite nice. It'll be lonely around here without him."

"I wish I could go." Enoch said.

"No, you really don't. War is an awful thing. It changes people, after what they've seen. My father was in one, and he was always so distant, even to my mother. I-."

"Hey, what are you two doing over here? I've been wanting to talk to you, Netta. We haven't had a decent conversation in quite some time, right? I need to be distracted." Emma said from behind me. I got up to follow her to sit down under a tree.

"So you and Hugh had a falling out?" She asked.

"Yeah, but it's no big deal. We used to fight all the time." I assured her.

"Well, I think you should try to talk to him. I mean, you'll never know with times like these. That's all I'm going to say."