"Time doesn't exist and neither does the sense of mortality exist. Saying time ticks is only a phrase of our imagination hoping that we will get a whole twenty-four hours that will be better than the last. Some of us can't sleep a wink at night know...
The ocean breeze flew through the girls' hair and blew tiny strands of it into their faces. The older of the two put the jacket, that was laying on the floor of the row boat, on the younger one. Frankie sighed and continued to do what she was previously doing, rowing.
"You should put the jacket on or you're going to catch a cold." She advised.
"I'm not a child." Shawn barked through chattered teeth.
"Your teeth are chattering." Frankie noted.
"Answer my question." Shawn mumbled.
The elder sighed once again and grinded her teeth to think. To think of an excuse to tell or a tall tale, but failed. She knew this day would come. Where her sister would finally know the truth and she was old enough to know.
"For the children's home." Frankie answered.
"What are you saying?" Frankie asked. "You sound as crazy as grandpa and you know what happened to him."
Their grandfather, as their legal guardian, told them stories about his childhood with a children home and people who could do things that no one else could. After the two sisters were 10 and 7, the grandfather spent his days staring outside through the stained window with regret in his eyes and the girls were sent to foster parents. The girls truly believed in his stories, but the younger one let go and believe that he made all of it up. Though the older one still believed and went to the nursery home often to hear the stories while doing her homework.
Frankie found letters of her grandfather's headmistress and saw it addressed to Miss Peregrine in Cairnholm, Wales. Which was close to where they lived in Swansea, Wales and all they had to do was row. Well, all Frankie had to do row and all Shawn had to do was whine.
The boat hit the hard rocks of the beach and Frankie got out to drag it. Shawn was pouting and you could tell that Frankie was annoyed by it. Being the oldest who had PTSD was not easy. Anything or anyone in danger would trigger her to cry and feel weak. The youngest had dependent personality disorder which made her paranoid that someday her sister would leave her like their parents.
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Together they remained strong. As long as Shawn was safe and Frankie was by her sister's side, nothing would break them. As soon as the boat was fully on land, Shawn hesitated to get out.
"Should I-" Shawn's question was interrupted by her older sister.
"Yes, you should get out of the boat."
Shawn quickly got out of the boat and ran right by her sister. They walked all the way to the small little town that occupied the vast, but small land. There was a little building that Frankie assumed was pub and they could ask for directions towards the children home. Frankie pulled Shawn towards the building and opened the door inside. Everyone stopped to look at them.
"What's two young lasses like yourself doing here?" The bartender asked.
"Oh, we just wanted directions towards the children's home." Frankie explained.
The bartender motioned for the two girls to come near him which they did. Shawn clung to Frankie's arm like a jacket until they were outside ready to go.
"That was fairly easy." Frankie started their journey once again. "A lot of broken glass."
"I was pretty sure that I was fine." Shawn doubted.
"Pretty sure isn't good enough."
The rest of the trip was silent except for the occasional; "Be careful" or "Don't step on that crack." That was until they approached the home. Frankie's breath caught in her throat. This would be one of the rare times where she would be shocked, amazed, or choking.
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They slowly went up the steps and knocked on the door. A lady dressed in all black with a perfect bun on her head and looking poised as ever. Frankie assumed that this was Miss Peregrine.
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"Frankie and Shawn Tawny. I've been expecting you for a while." She told them.
"Are you Miss Peregrine?" Shawn asked.
"Yes. Look at how big you both have grown. I remember that Miss Swallow told me about you two when you were younger."
They stared at her blankly. They didn't know what she talking about, but only understood that their grandfather had sent letters to his headmistress that should have been deceased. Now, here they were in 1937 waiting for this woman to give them answers.
"Come in, come in. I'll explain it all to you now." She ushered them inside.
The two girls stood awkwardly as the woman closed the door. She smiled at them and lead them to the parlor. She searched through the drawer and pulled out letters and photos. That was until she seemed annoyed by someone, but no one else was in there.
"Millard, polite persons do not eavesdrop."
"Just making sure if you wanted tea or not." Millard responded.
Miss Peregrine waved him off. "No thank you."
You could hear the crack of the floorboards as Millard walked away. The headmistress turned back to the two girls and slightly smiled.
"Now, I hear the eldest one is an Ymbryn and the youngest one has telekinesis. Well, according to this letter."
"What's an Ymbryn?" Shawn asked.
"Has your grandfather taught you nothing." Miss Peregrine exaggerated. "Let's start by explaining peculiarities."
