ocean eyes (millard nullings) ✓

✓ three , fearful dreams

all the children are looking at me now. they look fearful. even enoch, to my surprise. millard seems to tense up beside me. he squeezes my hand, as if trying to keep me with him. i refuse to let myself blush.

the screen now shows emma and jacob in a place i've never seen. is it under water? all the attention is taken off of me, and onto them. they move closer and closer, as if they are going to kiss. a small laugh escapes my lips, but before anything can happen miss peregrine turns the lights back on. everyone whines.

"that's enough, horace." miss peregrine states, a slight knowing smile on her face.

"i should probably get going." jake tells us, beginning to stand up from his position on the couch.

"you could stay the night. if you wanted to." miss peregrine offers, "rather than walk home alone in the dark."

emma raises her eyebrows. "but the island is very safe, isn't it?"

miss peregrine nods, "of course. i only meant, the path in incredibly bumpy. jake could trip. perhaps you could show him the shortcuts, should he ever need to avoid bumps."

i look at emma, who nods her head in understanding.

"won't you at least stay to see the reset, jake? it's really spectacular." olive says to him. enoch groans in annoyance, whilst everyone else agrees with olive.

we all run out to the garden with our masks, just as a precaution – with the chemical fumes from the bombs about to be dropped and all. miss peregrine sets up the record player for music, and the song 'run rabbit run' begins to play. i love the song very much.

she nods at us, and we all put on our masks. we stare up at the sky as aeroplanes start to fly in. it's just like in the dream, except there is no need for me to produce a force field to hold off the bomb. i wonder why on earth in horace's dream i tried to save the house. it was just a house after all.

an aeroplane drops a bomb, and it falls down quite quickly. out of the corner of my eye i see jake flinch, which causes me to snicker. miss peregrine clicks her pocket watch, and time stops for a second. it then starts to go backwards. i watch as it became light, and then dark again, as the sky changes between colours.

it's night time again, and the clock sitting next to the record player flicks back to the 2nd. we all take off our masks, smiling.

i skip back into the house with fiona, as we discuss about her wanting to strengthen her peculiarity. she says after seeing horace's dream, she feels as though she needs to.

"how about we practice tomorrow? it'll give us something to do." i suggest.

"yeah, definitely!" she exclaims, "goodnight!" she disappears up the stairs.

i quickly get a glass of water from the kitchen, taking a small sip. the house is nearly quiet, except for the soft talking of miss peregrine who farewells jake at the front door. emma is going to show him a shortcut, apparently.

miss peregrine closes the door quietly, as i walk out to the entrance hall where the steps for upstairs are. "maxine, i think we should talk." she stops me as i'm half way up the stairs.

"now?" i turn to look at her quizzically. she nods her head.

i'm puzzled as i follow her into her office. she shuts the door, beaconing for me to take a seat. i do so, fiddling with my hands.

"i want to talk to you about horace's dream," she tells me, "where it seemed as though you were trying to protect the house with your force fields."

i nod my head, listening carefully. "i want you to swear to me that no matter what, you will not risk your life to save the house." she says, looking at me.

i swallow, "i know miss, but i have no idea why i would've done that in the dream. i'm intelligent enough to know my life is worth more than a house."

"exactly, and i am just reminding you that your life is more important than a stack of bricks and some wood, maxine." she states sternly, "i don't know if horace was having a nightmare, or if he was having a prophetic dream, but if in the second case, do as i tell you. my job is to keep you safe, after all."

i look at her desk, biting my lip sadly. she sighs, "you have an incredible peculiarity, max, but an even more incredible personality. image how the other children would feel if something happened to you. i'm sure they'd prefer your life over a house."

i look miss peregrine right in the eyes, "i won't try to save the house miss, but i won't hesitate protecting their lives if it costs mine."

she looks as though she is about to speak again, when emma comes bursting though the door cradling an injured bird. "miss peregrine, i think it's the ymbryne from horace's dream!"

・゜

the next morning i wake up to a strong smell of pancakes. i furrow my eyebrows, who in the world was making breakfast? i change into a light green dress with a white blouse underneath it. i leave my hair out in messy curls, racing down the stairs.

"millard?" i question, raising my eyebrows at the invisible boy.

"max, uh, good morning!" he stutters, scratching the back of his neck.

"what on earth are you doing? pancake day isn't for another two days." i tell him.

he coughs, as though he is nervous. "i know, but i made them for you." he tells me.

i blush furiously at the gesture, a smile taking over my face. "that's sweet, but why?"

"i, uh- you know, horace's dream last night. i wasn't sure if you were scared because of it, so i though pancakes would cheer you up. they are your favourite."

my heart flutters, and i move closer to him, engulfing him into a big hug. he seems taken aback, but hugs back rather quickly.

"woah, did i walk in on something?" a voice interrupts us. i turn around, but millard keeps his arm around my waist, making me blush even more. i must've been redder than i tomato.

hugh stands there smirking at us. "you didn't walk in on anything, except pancakes, which millard made." i roll my eyes.

hugh's eyes brighten. "oh, in that case can i have some?"

millard sighs, his arm sliding from my waist and back onto the stove. "they're not for you, they're for max."

hugh looks rather disappointed. "you never make me pancakes." he pouts.

"because i have no reason to, it's not like i like you like i like max." he tells the bee boy.

hugh raises an eyebrow, "like? max?"

millard seems to realise what he said, causing him to nearly drop a pancake onto the floor. "i mean, uh - i oh look it's enoch!"

enoch enters the kitchen, a confused look on his face. "what?"

・゜゜・．

word count: 1655
updated on: 19/07/18
last edited: 9/11/18

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