The Peregrines

Chapter 21

"I'm leaving," Jake blurted out. "When this is all over, I'm going back home."

Everyone fell silent for a moment, shocked. Emma looked at me, tears welling up in her eyes, then turned to Jake. Bronwyn stood up from her seat and embraced him tightly. "Brother," she said. "We'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too," Jake said. "More than I can say."

Emma stepped forward. "Jake came here to help us," she said. "But he has to go back to his old life, while it's still there waiting for him."

The kids appeared to grasp the situation well. There was no trace of anger. Many of them genuinely seemed delighted for him. Miss Wren peeked into the room to provide us with a brief update—she mentioned that everything was going splendidly. Miss Peregrine was making great progress towards recovery. She would be fully prepared by tomorrow morning. "Ah, Miss Kira. It is a pleasure to witness your return to wakefulness," She said as she gave me a nod before she left the room.

"Thank the gods," said Horace.

"Thank the birds," said Hugh.

"Thank the gods and the birds," said Bronwyn. "All the birds in all the trees in all the forests."

"Thank Jake, too," said Millard. "We never would've made it this far without him."

"We never even would've made it off the island," said Bronwyn. "You've done so much for us, Jake."

All of them approached and embraced him, individually, including Timone and myself. Subsequently, we gradually separated, leaving only Emma behind, who embraced him last in a prolonged, poignant hug that evoked a sense of farewell.

"Asking you to leave was the hardest thing I've ever had to do," she said. "I'm glad you came around. I don't think I'd have had the strength to ask again."

"I hate this," Jake said. "I wish there were a world where we could be together in peace."

"I know," she said. "I know, I know."

"I wish-"

"Stop,"

"I wish you could come home with me."

"You know what would happen to me if I did."

"I know."

Having known Emma for a considerable period of time, I was well aware of her aversion towards prolonged farewells. It was evident that she was gathering her strength, attempting to conceal her anguish within. "So," she said, businesslike. "Logistics. When Miss Peregrine turns human, she'll lead you back through the carnival, into the underground, and when you pass through the changeover, you'll be back in the present. Think you can manage from there?"

"I think so," he said. "I'll call my parents. Or go to a police station or something. I'm sure there's a poster of my face in every precinct in Britain by now, knowing my dad." Jake laughed a little.

"Okay, then," Emma said.

"Okay, then," Jake echoed.

"You go," she said. "If you never hear from us again, well, one day you'll be able to tell our story. You can tell your kids about us. Or your grandkids. And we won't entirely be forgotten."

With a heavy heart, Jake gave a solemn nod and held her tightly for one last time. "Welp, this was nice while it lasted, I'mma head off to sleep," I said as I found solace in a cozy corner across the room, where the dimness enveloped me, lulling me into a peaceful slumber. As time passed, my companions brought in mattresses and blankets, creating a snug haven around Jake.

* * *

I was suddenly lifted high in the air by someone, the sudden drop jolting me awake. It turned out to be Timone, who tossed me up and caught me in his arms. Despite his fearful expression, he didn't seem pleased. "Timone??"

After lifting me to my feet, he firmly held onto my shoulders and spoke quietly. "You need to get out of here right now, find Bryce or find somewhere to hide, far away from here!" he said.

"What?" I was confused as to what was going on.

"Kira, it's not her, it's not your mother," Timone whispered as he looked back nervously and then back at me again.

"Then who is it, Timone?!" I snapped impatiently.

"It's Miss Peregrine's brother, your uncle!" Timone said quickly, "I think Bryce knew, that's why he didn't come with us, he didn't want to blow his cover and that he's on our side!" said Timone and I couldn't believe my eyes when he did something I never expected. Without any hesitation, he swiftly lifted me up and carried me on his shoulders, rushing towards a place I couldn't recognize.

The entrance revealed a cracked block of ice, allowing easy passage for someone like me, while a pale girl with long, wavy brown hair stood nearby.

"Go back to the gypsies or look for the menagerie, go into the lake where there is a giant boulder that looks like a giant's head, enter through its mouth and find the menagerie! Don't ever return back here. Don't even come out of that loop! You hear me?" he said as he gently set me on the ground and softly pushed me towards the narrow pathway.

"What?! Timone!"

He spoke so rapidly that I was left bewildered, unsure of what steps to take or even where to begin. I find myself completely disoriented, unaware of our current location, how we arrived here, or where to go next. I'm at a loss as to how to reconnect with the gypsies or locate their gathering spot, not to mention finding my brother.

"Kira, just go! Before the army comes!"

"Army?" Suddenly, he abruptly stops pushing me, and I swiftly turn around to find him hastily retreating to the other side with that girl.

"Timone. . ." I said as I wrapped my arms around myself, determined to keep the comforting warmth from escaping my body. "I don't know where we are!" I yelled.

"Go," he yelled back.

I made a quick turn and followed the narrow pathway leading out. It felt like I was entering a maze, but a chilling one. Glancing back at Timone and the girl, I noticed the ice beginning to seal behind me. There was no chance of turning back now, as doing so would mean certain death.

As I turned around, I left the narrow pathway behind me. Stepping through the door of the Temporal Affairs office, my eyes were immediately drawn to a man encased in ice. The tunnel led me to a magnificent staircase, adorned with a balustrade, which was thankfully free from ice but covered in scattered papers.

Descending those stairs, I found myself in a room bathed in a blue filter, with only the natural daylight streaming in through a row of windows that were out of reach. Beyond those windows, the street appeared as a blur of indistinct grey.

As I ventured deeper, the ice remained thick but surprisingly transparent. In certain spots, I could even peer twenty or thirty feet below the surface, with only a slight ripple distorting the view. The path sloped downwards, guiding me past silent furnaces covered in frost, until I reached a spacious chamber completely filled with ice. The only exception was the tunnel I was in, which had been expertly carved right through the middle.