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

Chapter 58

"What does your father think about all of this?"

"Naturally, we don't want him to go." Bekhir said, "But how can we properly care for our son if we can't even see him? He wants to leave – and I wonder if perhaps he'd be better off among his own kind."

"Do you love him?" Millard asked.

Radi's father paused and Aurora had to keep from rolling her eyes. What was it with men not wanting to express their feelings? What about it made them feel unmanly? If anything showing your love, your passion for the things you care for should be something others should envy. Aurora was glad Millard always told her what he felt, the good and the bad. It took a moment but Bekhir finally answered.

"Of course. He's my child."

"Then you are his kind. The boy belongs with you not us." Millard said.

Bekhir obviously did not want to show much emotion in front of his men but Aurora could see it in his eyes, the idea of his son leaving hurt and he knew this would be a struggle but his love for his son wouldn't change.

"Come on, then. Pick up your bag and let's go. Your mother'll have tea waiting."

"All right, Papa." Radi replied.

""You'll be fine." Millard assured him, "Better than fine. And when this is all over, I'll look for you. There are more like us out there, and we'll find them one day, together."

"Promise?" Radi asked his eyes lighting up with hope.

"I do."

Radi then hugged Millard before climbing back on the horse. Then they all turned and made their way to the gates of the town.

oOo oOo oOo

It was called Coal and Aurora assumed it was the town's main export seeing how the stuff was everywhere, even smeared on the clothes and faces of the dreary people who lingered about the streets and doorways.

"Quickly now. No talking. Eyes down." Emma said as they made their way through the town. This was nothing new to Aurora or the other peculiars, eye contact always led to conversation and conversations led to questions and to peculiar children there was nothing worse than answering questions from normal people.

When they reached the train depot Aurora was surprised by how small it was, there was just a small ticket booth with one man sitting inside sleeping while his glasses slid slowly down his nose.

"Nine tickets to London!" Emma said as she knocked on the window to wake the man.

"So sorry, the train is full." He said taking his glasses and wiping them with a cloth from his pocket. Given that there were no people around Aurora could tell the man was simply against letting a group of un-chaperoned children, who looked like they'd been wandering the countryside, buy themselves tickets to a major city in the midst of a war.

"That's absurd!" Emma complained stomping her heavy lead shoe.

"Well there is a war on you know, and there are more important things to be hauled about the majesty's countryside than children."

As he spoke a train rolled into the station and the conductor yelled, "Eight-thirty to London! All aboard!"

A man in a grey suit pushed past them and handed the clerk some money and received a ticket before hurrying off toward the train.

"You said it was full!" Olive shouted, "You can't do that!"

"That gentleman bought a first class ticket. Now be gone with you pestilent little beggars. Go find pockets to pick somewhere else!"

Then Horace stepped up to the ticket counter, "Beggars by definition, do not carry large sums of money." He said slapping a fat wad of bills down in front of the man. "If it's first class tickets your selling then it's first class tickets we'll have!"

The clerk looked shocked and wiped his glasses clean again making sure he was seeing correctly, "Why this is enough to buy seats to an entire first class car!"

"Then give us an entire car!"

"Yes sir. Sorry sir. Right away sir." the clerk mumbled still in shock as he passed Horace their tickets. As they made their way to the train Aurora noticed a sign on the ticket booth that read NO ANIMALS and tapped Bronwyn. The girl took one look at the sign and moved Miss Peregrine from the crook of her shoulder into her large trunk.

"Ever so sorry ma'am." She whispered before shutting the lid and following their group. The train had started to pull out of the station so they all hurried as best they could. Luckily it was just inching along but with each turn of its wheels it sped up a bit more. They were able to run up to the door to a first class car, Jake pulled it open and Bronwyn pushed her trunk inside but before any of them could get on a voice behind them shouted, "Stop! Get away from there!"

"I swear, "Enoch complained still keeping pace with the train, "if one more person tries to stop us from getting on this train. – " he was cut off by a gunshot ringing out and the voice bellowed again, "I said STOP!"