A Peculiar Time in 1944 - A Millard Fanfic (Miss Peregrine's Home) #wattys2020

Chapter 52

"Promise you'll come back and promise you'll save Miss Peregrine." {Claire Densmore, pg 115 book 2}

As they planned their journey it felt as if London was moving further and further away. Distance aside, they also had to avoid the wights and the war.

"Forget the journey! That's the least of your worries!" Addison said, "Perhaps you do not fully understand the circumstances of the ymbrynes' incarceration! Haven't any of you read about the punishment loops in your peculiar history books? Attempting to breach them is suicide. They're death traps, every one of them, containing the very bloodiest episodes from London's history – the Great Fire of 1666, the exceedingly lethal Viking Siege of 842, the pestilent height of the terrible plague! They don't publish temporal maps of these places for obvious reasons! So unless one of you has a working knowledge of the secretest parts of peculiardom. . . "

"I am a student of obscure and unpleasant loops," Millard spoke up, "Been a pet hobby for many years."

"Bully for you!" Addison said with sarcasm, "Then I suppose you have a way to get past the horde of hollows who'll be guarding their entrances as well!' Everyone's eyes turned to Jacob. He was their plan to get past the hollows, like in Blackpool tower Jake could scout for hollows then they could plan an ambush accordingly.

"Yeah, in fact, we do." He said with his chin held high, but the confidence didn't reach his eyes.

"Madness. You children have no self-preservation instincts at all. It's a wonder any of you are still breathing."

Emma then went into great detail explaining the serious nature of their situation. She wanted everyone to know exactly what they were getting themselves into. Horace had been the one who asked her the most questions and at one point someone whispered 'coward' which made him look down at his expensive shoes. There was also the predicament with Claire, even after the tonic she'd had she still wouldn't be fit for travel within the time frame they had to save Miss Peregrine. The little girl protested – adamantly – but she was still wobbly when she tried to stand and Emma asked for volunteers to stay behind with her.

"Here's your big chance to stay behind." Enoch said elbowing Horace but he kept his hands at his sides. Then three hands raised at once, Fiona and the twins. The twins would make excellent guards at the menagerie wall, if any wight should come knocking they could simply look over and pull off their masks, turning any enemy to stone. But Fiona staying behind – while practical – still raised protests from Hugh.

"Fi you can't!" he said looking hurt, like she was rejecting him by staying behind. She didn't say anything, just gave him a sad look and kept her hand firmly in the air.

oOo oOo oOo

As they prepared to leave the afternoon began to quickly slip into evening, Emma was determined to leave while they still had daylight or else the trek down the mountain would be much more dangerous. The peculiar animals helped, bringing them more food and sweaters spun from the wool of the peculiar sheep.

"Impervious to fire, I think – or perhaps water." Deirdre said, "Yes, they never sink in water, like fluffy little lifejackets. Or maybe – oh, I don't know, they're warm in any case!" They folded the sweaters and put them into Bronwyn's trunk then Grunt came hobbling along with a small package in his hands.

"A gift from the chickens." Deirdre explained, "Don't drop it."

"I can show you the way out of the forest." Addison said taking Emma and Jacob to the top of Miss Wren's tower. Millard passed Aurora his jacket again to cover her blood and seawater stained sweater, as she put it on she noticed Hugh and Fiona off to one side, their hands were linked and their foreheads touching – it was the closest she'd ever seen them and it saddened her. That Hugh finally had gained the courage to express his feelings only just before leaving her, possibly forever. Then Fiona pulled away from Hugh and reached into her pocket, pulling out some seeds she threw them aside and instantly grew a full rosebush. Hugh's bees rushed to pollinate it and while they were occupied Fiona hugged Hugh, throwing her arms around his neck. He looked shocked at first then melted into her embrace, wrapping his arms around her as well. Fiona whispered something to him and he whispered something back, then she pulled away and headed for where Claire sat underneath the shade of a tree. Hugh watched her go before turning and seeing, not only Aurora, but all of them, watching the encounter.

"Let's go, shows over." He mumbled blushing and stuffing his hands in his pockets, his bees trailing behind him.

"Best of luck to you peculiar children!" Addison called as they made their way back down the mountain.

oOo oOo oOo

They made their way back the way they'd came, clinging to the net, down the path, through the water and down Cuthbert's throat. When they resurfaced they were greeted by the cooler water and bright light of midday September 1940. Instantly they could hear the dogs barking in the woods and knew they had to hurry.

"I'll throw an exploding egg at the first dog that gets near us. That'll teach them to chase peculiars!" Hugh threatened.

"Don't you dare! Mishandle one egg and you're liable to set them all off!" Olive said. They waded out of the lake and back into the vast forest, Emma handed Millard a map Addison had given them and he began to navigate. It took them half and hour to reach a dirt road that Addison had pointed out to Jake and they stood in the ruts of old wagon wheels while Millard studied the map. Aurora helped by holding one end allowing him to see as much of the area as possible. They kept turning it sideways and squinting at the small markings that had been made on it. Finally Millard folded the map and announced that the town was to our left, a five or six hour walk – at least.

"If we want to arrive before dark, we'd better move quickly." He said taking Aurora by the hand as they began to walk. Though it wasn't long when Bronwyn noticed a cloud of dust rising on the road behind them.

"Look." She called pointing. "Someone's coming."

"What should we do?" Olive asked tucking away Miss Peregrine again and looking to Enoch for an answer. Millard removed his clothes and threw them into the shrubbery by the side of the road, making himself completely invisible.

"I recommend you make yourselves disappear. In whatever limited way you are able."

They all got off the road and hid in the brush, as the cloud got closer they could hear horse hooves and soon saw a caravan of wagons, all painted in various colors with ornate carvings. The men and women riding them wore beaded necklaces and bright scarves.

"Are they peculiar?" Jake asked.

"They're Gypsies." Emma answered in a hushed tone.

"Is that good or bad?"

"Not sure yet." Then there was more hushed talk about whether or not they should try and hitch a ride.

"What do you think?" Olive asked turning to Enoch.

"With wights hunting us like dogs the extra speed could mean the difference between getting caught and getting away. I'd rather risk the Gypsies catching us than the wights. I say let's go for it." Emma nodded at him in agreement and signaled to the others. As the last wagon passed they ran out of the bushes and quickly caught up to it, they sat themselves on the back porch, it was crowded but it was their best shot.

They rode until the sun had fallen beneath the tree line, every now and then the caravan would stop and they'd send Millard to investigate. Aurora would hold her breath in worry until she felt his hand cover hers and he'd tell them the Gypsies were stretching their legs or reshoeing a horse. Soon night had fallen and Aurora found herself dozing off against Millard's unseen shoulder, she couldn't believe how tired she still was even after the 'nap' she'd had earlier that day. Millard encouraged her rest, worried for her health though Aurora rested not for herself but for the others. If any of them got hurt she was the only one who could help, if she exhausted her gift too much she'd be useless, which in her book was completely unacceptable.

Suddenly the wagon pulled abruptly off the road and shuddered to a stop jarring Aurora from her sleepy daze. A large man stomped his way to the back of the wagon, he wore an old button down shirt that Aurora assumed was once white, a grey jacket and brown pants. The bottoms of his trousers were tucked into an old pair of boots, one was missing the laces, he wore a flat cap and had a burgundy scarf wrapped around his waist like a belt. Tucked in the scarf was a large decorative – but deadly looking – knife, he had one hand on its handle and the other stuffed in his pocket. He had a caterpillar mustache and the rest of his jaw was covered in stubble, he had a grim expression that pulled down the corners of his mouth. Emma was the first to leap off the wagon and did her best to play the role of pathetic orphan.

"We're quite sorry sir, we're just orphans with no home. Our house was hit with a bomb, our parents are dead and we're terribly lost –"

"Shut your gob!" he ordered in a deep booming voice, "Get down from there, all of you!"