The Peregrines

Chapter 9

Despite feeling exhausted, the Gypsies were full of energy and determined to keep the celebration alive. With a few cups of hot, sweet, and highly caffeinated beverages and a couple more songs, they managed to win us over. Their storytelling skills were exceptional, and their singing was truly captivating. They treated us like beloved relatives, and we ended up staying awake until the early hours of the morning, exchanging fascinating tales.

The young man who mimicked a bear's voice during his ventriloquist act was incredibly convincing. I almost thought his puppets were actually alive! He performed the act specifically for Emma, with a smile on his face, but she seemed to be focused on holding Jake's hand instead.

They later shared with us the tale of when, in the midst of the First World War, the British army confiscated all their horses, leaving them without any means to transport their wagons. Stranded in the forest, a herd of long-horned goats unexpectedly appeared in their camp one day.

They appeared untamed, yet were gentle enough to be fed by hand. Eventually, someone decided to attach one to a wagon, and these goats proved to be almost as powerful as the horses they had previously lost. As a result, the Gypsies were able to move forward, and during the war, their wagons were drawn by these remarkably strong goats, earning them the nickname "Goat People" in Wales.

They showed us a picture of Bekhir's uncle riding a wagon pulled by a goat as evidence. Following the war, the army returned the Gypsies' horses, and the goats, now unnecessary, vanished back into the woods.

As the campfires slowly died down, they set up our sleeping rolls and sang a soothing lullaby in a foreign language, making me feel as carefree as a child. The ventriloquist stopped by to bid Emma good night. She playfully waved him off, but not before he handed her a calling card.

There was an address in Cardiff on the back where he collected mail every few months when the Gypsies passed by. His photo was on the front, along with dummies, and a small note addressed to Emma. When she shared it with me, she chuckled, but I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He was simply guilty of having a crush on her.

I settled down on my cozy sleeping roll near the edge of the forest. As I was about to doze off, I caught the sound of footsteps rustling through the grass nearby. Curiosity piqued, I opened my eyes only to find no one in sight. It turned out to be Millard, returning from his evening conversation with the Gypsy boy.

"Two things," he said.

"Make it quick," I grumbled.

"Please, come with us," he said which made me groan. "And the boy wants to come with us,"

"Who?" Emma mumbled groggily, next to me. "Where?"

"The boy. With us."

"And what did you say?"

"I told him it was a bad idea. But I didn't say no, precisely."

"You know we can't take on anyone else," Emma said. "He'll slow us down."

"I know, I know," said Millard. "But he's disappearing very rapidly, and he's frightened. Soon he'll be entirely invisible, and he's afraid he'll fall behind their group one day and the Gypsies won't notice and he'll be lost forever in the woods among the wolves and spiders."

Emma let out a frustrated sigh and turned towards Millard. He seemed determined to keep us awake until we reached a decision. "I know he'll be disappointed," she said. "But it's really impossible. I'm sorry, Mill."

"Fair enough," Millard said heavily. "I'll give him the news." He rose and slipped away.

Emma sighed, "Millard's right about one thing," she said as she looked at me.

"And that is?"

"You are surely stubborn! You have to come with us-"

"Why? So I can protect your little bums every so often?"

"Actually, yes, if that includes Miss Peregrine in the package,"

"Go to sleep, Emma," I said as I turned around. However, Emma remained silent. Slowly, we succumbed to slumber, soothed by the soft rustling of tree branches and the gentle breaths of horses.

I had a restless night filled with unsettling dreams, much like the day before when I was constantly being pursued by the Gypsies. When morning came, I felt completely drained. My body felt like lead, and my mind was foggy. I almost wish I hadn't slept at all.

* * *

Bekhir woke us at dawn. "Rise and shine, syndrigasti!" he shouted, tossing out hunks of brick-hard bread. "There'll be time for sleeping when you're dead!"

Enoch knocked his bread against a rock and it clacked like wood. "We'll be dead soon enough, with breakfast like this!"

Bekhir roughed Enoch's hair, grinning. "Ahh, come on. Where's your peculiar spirit this morning?"

"In the wash," said Enoch, covering his head with the sleeping roll.

Bekhir kindly allowed us a brief ten-minute window to get ready for the trip to town with the children. True to his word, he ensured that we would reach our destination before the first train of the day. In order to shake off the sleepiness, I groggily rose from my bed and splashed my face with refreshing water from a nearby bucket.

"Kira, please come with us, we need you," Jake approached behind me.

"No," I said.

"Okay, I'll make a deal with you? Come and help us restore Miss Peregrine, and if you still want to ditch us in the end, you can, I won't let anyone stop you,"

"What's in it for me?"

"Literally whatever you want,"

I pondered over it for a brief moment. In order to obtain a comprehensive understanding of all the events that unfolded in my life, I realized that I needed Miss Peregrine in her human form. Only then could she communicate with me and provide a solid explanation.

I yearned to know the reasons behind her decision to separate my brother and me, why she sent us away, why she never returned for us, why she performed the mindwipe and countless other questions that cluttered my mind, making it difficult to think clearly at times.

Depending on how things unfold in the end, I suppose I could stay if circumstances change and I find reason in my mother's actions, allowing me to forgive her. However, if the opposite proves to be true, I will have no choice but to leave.