CHAPTER EIGHT
★ ★ ★ ★
DECEMBER, 1941
It was the next morning when I woke up. The bright honey yellow and orange morning sun shined inch by inch through the window. I opened my eyes slowly being met with a floral wallpaper covered wall.
I sighed as I rolled onto my back staring up at the ceiling. I reached up and touched my rosy cheeks to feel dried up tears. Then all my memories on what happened yesterday came back to me.
After I told Emma, Victor, and Abe about Bobby and William I started to fall asleep. After all my crying I wasn't surprised that I went to sleep. Once I laid down and closed my eyes I felt Emma put a blanket on top of me. Then her, Victor, and Abe walked out of the room.
I felt stupid for crying in front of people but I couldn't help it. I hated looking sad when people are around.
Just then a noise from the left of me caught my attention. I turned my head towards the noise to see Emma shutting her closet vanity door. A dress laid in her arms as she looked towards me with a smile. Her blonde hair was a bit frizzy from sleep and her eyes looked tired.
"Are you alright?" Asked Emma making me nod a little towards her, wiping the dried up tears.
"Yes, I just don't feel good at the moment. I think I came down with something so I might have to miss breakfast" I half lied making Emma look towards me skeptically squinting her eyes.
But Emma sighed in response nodding her head. She knew she couldn't do anything to get me to go down stairs today. Emma knew I needed at least a day alone.
"Well alright. I'll tell Miss. Peregrine that you feel a little under the weather and won't be joining us" said Emma as she then walked towards the door and opened it. "I hope you feel better Johanna"
We then gave each other a smile. But Emma's was more sympathetic while mine was a light one. Once Emma walked out of the room I sighed turning back onto my back to look at the ceiling.
I then lifted up my hand and made a beautiful white snowflake in my hand. I smiled a little as I twirled the snowflake between my pale fingers. As I twirled the snowflake around my fingers I admired the beauty of it.
Just then there was a knock on the door making me lose my concentration with the snowflake. The snowflake then disappeared making me look sad at the loss of the beautiful snowflake.
"Who is it?" I called as my eyes fixed on the door, waiting for an answer.
"It's Charlie" called a voice on the other side making me sigh in relief.
"You can come in" I called as Charlie then opened the door and came through with his hands over his eyes.
"Are you decent?" Asked Charlie almost bumping into Emma's bed making me laugh.
"If I wasn't decent Charlie then why would I tell you, you could come in?" I asked smiling amused at my younger brother as he takes his hands off of his eyes looking at me.
"Yeah sorry, your right" said Charlie ad he then shut the door closed and walked towards me. "I heard your sick"
"Yeah I haven't been feeling good since last night" I said telling him half the truth and Charlie knew that there was a different reason for me not feeling good.
"Johanna I may practically be a human dictionary but I'm also your brother. I know when something is wrong" said Charlie with soft and caring eyes making me sigh.
"Its nothing, alright? Go down for breakfast before Millard eats it all" I teased with a smile making Charlie's frown turn into a smile as well laughing.
"I heard that!" Called a voice from down the hall making Charlie and I look at each other trying to hold in our laughs so Millard doesn't hear us.
"Go on! I'll be fine Charlie" I assured Charlie putting my hand on his shoulder with a soft smile.
Charlie looked at me a bit hesitant at my answer. Its as if he is trying to read me with that peculiar brain of his. But then Charlie sighed in defeat and gave me a grin.
"Fine. But I'm going to come up here when its time for dinner so you can join us. So you better be ready!" Said Charlie making me roll my eyes at his words.
"Yes, Charlie" I said in a playful board tone making Charlie roll his eyes this time but laugh.
"I'll see you later Johanna"
"See you later little brother"
With one final hug Charlie walk out and shut the door. Once I knew everyone was downstairs eating I jumped out of bed.
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Once I reached the greenhouse I stopped running and smiled up at the glass covered walls. Once I knew Charlie and everyone was downstairs eating I got dressed in my cream white dress. I as well put on a pair of black Mary-Jane's with a red headband in my jet black hair.
I got down from my bedroom by creating a large small pile of snow for me to land in. Even though it was very cold to land in I didn't mind. I then made all the snow disappear and I started running towards the greenhouse.
Once I was inside the green house a grin grew on my face as I entered the magical greenhouse. I still can't get over how beautiful it was. I started to water the plants and chase around some butterfly's. This was practically the highlight of my day and nothing could compare to all the beauty around me. I walked over to one of the benches in the green house and sat down sighing in delight. But then my eyes started getting tired and started to sag a little. I started getting sleeper and sleeper with every second that passed by.
All of a sudden I laid down on the bench and fell sleep with a smile on my face.
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I woke with a start and looked all around me while I rubbed one of my eyes. There was barley any butterflies around me and all the flowers looked as if they were...sleeping? The lights in the greenhouse was out and nothing but the colorful flowers lit up the green house. But then I stopped and looked up at the glass ceiling. It was dark out. I instantly sprinted up and started for the house. I started running and running and running as if it was life or death. I can't believe I went to sleep! I was supposed to eat dinner with everyone! Oh gosh Charlie is going to be so disappointed in me!
Once the house was in my sight I calmed my running down a little to catch my breath. All the lights in the house were out and it looked like nobody was up. That was both a good thing and a bad thing. I walked towards the back door that lead towards the garden. i checked the door and saw it was unlocked. Odd.
I then slowly opened the door and walked into the kitchen. Nothing was on and nobody was around. Everything was as quiet as a mouse. I then calmly and quietly started walking out of the kitchen and towards the stairs. Once I got onto the first step something startled me.
"Where have you been!" exclaimed a angry voice behind me making me shriek and turn around quickly. I sighed in relief once I saw it was only Enoch but them I started getting worried because he looked really mad and annoyed.
Enoch stood in the parlor and in the door way with both doors opened at his sides. I looked towards Enoch and went off of the stairs and started walking into the parlor with Enoch.
"Enoch you scared me half to death!" I said holding my hand to my chest trying to calm down. But Enoch ignored me and started looking as if he was my angry father.
Enoch had his hands crossed over his pajama clothed chest, a hard look replaced his usual glaring features, and his full brown eyebrows were knitted together out of annoyance.
"Everyone has been worried sick Johanna! Your own brother wanted to spend hours outside just to look for you" whisper shouted Enoch inching closer and closer to me with each word he says.
To tell you the truth I was speechless. I didn't know what to say because I was scared Enoch was really going to blow up like a flaming red hot volcano.
"I'm sorry I-"
"Why do you always say your sorry? It doesn't fix anything. Just live up to your mistakes instead of using pathetic apologizes" said Enoch making look at him with a glare but I sighed not wanting to start a fight.
"Why are you up anyways?" I asked curiously as I looked at the grandfather father to see it was 2:00 at night. Everyone should have been in bed by at least 11:30 at night.
"Because since I'm the oldest I have to make sure everyone's in bed. Also Charlie and Claire begged me to stay up just in case you came back" explained Enoch making my heart break at how Claire and Charlie wanted to look for me in the middle of the night. I knew I should have stayed in bed, I'm such an idiot.
"I was just out exploring and I lost track of time" I said as I tried getting past Enoch but he just moved back in front of me with the same look on his face as he looked down at me.
"I thought you were sick? I guess you lied about that too, all because you were sad" said Enoch with a hint of a small smirk at the corner of his lips. I instantly started glaring at Enoch for what he said and took a step closer to him.
"You know what Enoch? Stop getting into my personal business! You don't know me and you don't know who I am!" I exclaimed as I stepped towards Enoch with a really mad look on my face.
Just then I noticed snow was falling from the ceiling slowly but of course Enoch and I didn't notice this. We were both to busy looking at each other with glaring death looks. I had my hands at my sides in a fist as I held back tears that were threatening to spill from my eyes.
"Did William know who you truly were? How about Sally?" Questioned Enoch as he crossed his arms over his chest with a small smirk on his lips.
I stepped back a little looking at Enoch with glassy eyes and red cheeks in anger. I was so shocked that Enoch would go that low to actually say something like that. I didn't know Enoch know about Sally and William but I guess Charlie said something to him.
But then I just lost it. All my emotions went crazy along with my powers. The snow falling from the ceiling started going down faster and faster making Enoch look up and around him confused. I didn't look anywhere else except Enoch for I was too angry at him. Just then I did something I only did once in my life. That day my best friend died and just thinking about it made me even more upset.
"Johanna?" Questioned Enoch slightly softer then usual but I didn't pay attention to him.
Then all of a sudden I lifted up my right hand which made a pile of snow lift up in the air. Then without hesitation I threw the pile of cold hard snow at Enoch. Enoch's eyes went wide as the pile of snow threw him against the wall behind him. The sound of glass breaking and the groan of pain from Enoch made me snap out of my trance.
Just then the sound of rushing feet climbing down the stairs caught my attention as well. Then all the children including Miss. Peregrine stood in the door way in shock. I wouldn't blame them either. Enoch was on the ground in pain, glass was everywhere around him, piles and piles of cold snow was everywhere, and I looked as if I was a monster.
"What is going on here? Miss. Birdie what have you done!" Exclaimed Miss. Peregrine in a tone of horror as her eyes went wide in shock.
Everyone else looked at me the same way as well. But they all had a hint of softness and sympathy in their eyes. Charlie looked at me a bit scared like the rest of the children did. It broke my heart so much but at the moment my target was Enoch.
Then I raised both my hands slowly making all the snow go away and disappear from the ground. The glass shards all around Enoch stayed where they were and the snow that was on Enoch went away completely. Everyone including Enoch just stated at what I was doing, unable to say a word.
Then once all the snow was gone I stalked up towards Enoch and looked down at him. Enoch stood up from the glass covered ground and stared at me. I felt so pathetic and mad at myself that I hurt someone, again. Enoch stood I front of me with a open cut lip, i bloody scratch on his left arm, and a small cut on Enoch's forehead. Enoch looked at me with a harsh glare while I looked at him the same way.
"Don't. You. Ever. say anything about my little sister or William!" I said with anger and sadness laced in my cracking voice as tears started to fall down my pale cheeks. "You are a foul horrid boy, Enoch O'Connor!"
"Johanna stop please!" pleaded Charlie from behind me making me take a deep breath and calm down a bit. I knew Charlie never liked to see me like this and it made him scared. I was to frightened to see what the other children looked like.
I looked up towards Enoch again to see him not looking at me with a harsh glare this time, but with sympathy. I did a double take at this as I stared up at a hurt Enoch and I instantly felt bad. I reached up with my small hand and touched his scratched cheek ever so lightly. Butterflies erupted from my stomach as I touched his cheek making me frown my eyebrows confused.
I thought my eyes were deceiving me when I thought I saw Enoch lean towards my cold hand a little. A blush came upon my cheeks at Enoch's actions but I didn't pull away. Am I really falling for a boy who hates me? I didn't dare look behind me at everyone as I looked at Enoch sorry for my actions. Enoch looked a bit embarrassed as well but kept the same hard look on his face.
"You wanted to see what happens when I'm angry? You just saw it" with that I took my hand away from Enoch's cheek and walked towards the stairs with my head down.
I dodged the children and Miss. Peregrine before they could reach out to me and keep me back. I just wanted to me alone and I guess they all got the message. But I guess Emma didn't since I could hear her led shoes following me as I climbed up the stairs. Once I got to the room I slumped onto my bed and put my jet black haired head in my hands. A million thoughts raced through my mind but one thought stuck out like a sore thumb.
'What have I done?'