Strange Worlds [Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children] Enoch O'Connor

thirty-one

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
SOUTH PIER

When the ship docked at Blackpool on South Pier, I was more than excited to see the carousel in the middle of the pier, but the excitement wore off quickly upon seeing that there was no one around and there was a sign on one of the posts stating:

WARNING
RESTRICTED AREA
PIER CLOSED
WAR OFFICE 1940

The others quickly joined me on the pier as we looked around the dark and deserted area, it was dull, and the war had made it this way. It was one thing reading about the horrors of World War II but another by actually seeing it in its time.

"There is the loop. It had to be on the carousel, there, that crack." Emma started as we looked at the still and dusted joy ride.

"This can't be it, can it?" Jacob asked.

"Loop entrances can be anywhere. The one in London is in a Subway tunnel." She responded, also looking at the object with unease. This was no tunnel, and it was going to be hard to see how it worked, but they'd have to give it a go.

The group walked off towards the carousel, and Jake jumped on first. I followed. We looked towards the slight crack, and a feeling of dread washed over me, "This can't be it!" I cried, annoyed at the whole ordeal.

"It is. You can trust me," Emma responded, a tone of annoyance coaxing through her words.

"Well, here it goes..." Jacob sighed. The boy I called my brother took my hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze before taking us both into the crack and coming back out, "Are you sure this is- Woah."

Fresh snow now covered the wooden ground. The carousel was in full bloom and making us spin in circles as they looked around the whole pier, which now had more amusement items and looked a lot more alive as I remembered it.

"Come on, get a move on, you two, we haven't got all day." Enoch scoffed at us, who was in awe of how much of a change they went through.

"Alright, so here's the plan. Sophia, Emma and I are going to find Barron and lour out the Hollows, Enoch you and Hugh get ready for the attack while Millard will steal what he can find that's sticky and will make the hollows visible, yes?" Jacob said as he looked at the group.

Enoch and Hugh gave a slight nod to one another before entering back through the loop while Fiona guided the others off the carousel. Jacob, Emma and I waited a few more minutes before also jumping off the ride without being caught by the worker.

The three of us shuffled our way through the closed down theatre in hopes not to run into anyone premature to what we had planned. Luckily, we were able to make our way to the top deck of the small theatre and see four Hollows.

"Wait here. I'm going to have a look around, see if we can get in without making a big fuss." Jacob said, leaving Emma and me alone momentarily before he hurried back not too long after, "All of the doors towards the cellar are locked. The only way to reach the yumbryne's is through there." He pointed to an opening behind the Hollows.

"So, how many Hollows are there?" Emma asked.

"Four, which means Barrons friends haven't arrived yet. They haven't started the experiment," I noted. "We have to lour the Hollows out."

"I've got it," Emma growled before standing on the edge of the top deck. "Hey, you down there! We killed your Hollow friend, Mr Barron, and now we've come for Miss Peregrine. Bring her and all the other Ymbrynes to the end of the pier in five minutes. Or face the consequences."

As soon as she hopped down, Jacob grabbed her hand and ran off, I following not too long after. We watched as the Hollows and two Wights chased after us. One of the Wights were hit by the tram, so it was safe to say he was no longer a threat, but they were still following.

Jacob turned towards me as we neared the carousel, "get Enoch!" He called, "I'll get the others." I gave my brother a nod before running at full speed and jumping into the carousel, grabbing onto the pole in front of me. As soon as I corrected myself, I ran into the hole and back out, straight into the '40s again.

"Enoch, Hugh, now!" I called, jumping off the unmoving carousel and stumbling onto the pier. Enoch gave me a concerned look, but I waved him away and followed him onto the ship where Hugh had been sitting down all the corpses.

I watched as Enoch copied what he had done just the previous night in which he revived Martin, but this time it was weird. They were lifeless skeletons, and as he resurrected one that didn't say a word, I was confused.

"They're skeletons. It's no different than his Clay soldiers," Hugh informed as the skeletons stood still waiting for a command.

"I still can't help but think this is wrong. They once had a life."

"Now they're nothing but bones. Their life is far gone. And ours will be too if we don't use them in our fight." Hugh had a point, we were better in numbers, and at the moment, we needed more support, whether it came from live beings or not.

"Alright, follow me," Enoch said as he finished up and begun to move out the door and off the ship. I followed, though I was quickly held back and realised why as the skeletons started marching past in quick haste to keep up with their master.

"They're... proficient in following orders." I joked, and Hugh cracked a small smile before holding out his arm the way off the ship and placing his other on his chest.

"Ladies first." He said, I let out a small laugh before following behind the skeletons, Hugh and I copping the movements.

"Oy, you two. We're at war here!" Enoch scolded as he watched us. "Get a move on,"

We quickly stopped with a salute and followed through the loop and out onto the spinning carousel, seeing everything in full out pandemonium. Hugh ran for it alongside the skeletons, letting out a battle cry.

"Shall we? Enoch asked as he stood beside me, holding out his hand. I watched as the world spun around us before turning and looking up into his brown eyes. I smiled, taking his hand in my own,

"We shall."