{ Edited - 2nd Sep, 2021 }
{ Edited - 7th May, 2024 }
"For a walk," he said. "A nice, orderly walk."
It was evident from his speech that he hailed from a different place, attempting to imitate a British accent with a clipped and flattened way of speaking. However, his imitation was far from convincing. While Wights were known for their exceptional disguises, this particular individual seemed to lack the necessary skills.
"You will not fall out of line," he said, staring down each of us in turn. "You will not run. I have fifteen rounds in my clip—enough to put two holes in each of you. And don't think I don't see your jacket, invisible boy. Make me chase you and I'll slice off your invisible thumbs for souvenirs."
"Yes, sir," said Millard.
"No talking!" the soldier boomed. "Now march!"
As we made our way past the ticket booth, we noticed that the clerk had disappeared. Exiting the platform and leaving the depot behind, we stepped onto the bustling streets. While the people of Coal had barely acknowledged our presence earlier, their curious gazes followed us like owls as we marched in a straight line, under the watchful eyes of our captors.
The soldier made sure we stayed in a close-knit group, reminding us sternly whenever someone wandered off. I was positioned at the back, with him right behind me, and the sound of his ammunition belt clinking echoed as we marched. Our path led us back in the direction we had originally come from, straight out of town.
I came up with twelve different escape strategies. We would split up. Wait, he might shoot a few of us. Perhaps someone could fake fainting on the road, causing the person behind to stumble, but he was too smart to fall for that. One of us would need to disarm him up close.
Me.
Of all the people, I was the closest.
As I pondered my options, a thought crossed my mind. Perhaps if I slowed down my pace, allowing him to catch up, and then made a sudden dash towards him... but deep down, I knew I was only fooling myself. I lacked the bravery of an action hero.
Fear gripped me so tightly that it became difficult to breathe, and the sight of fog forming in the distance only added to my unease. Despite my efforts, he remained a mere ten yards behind me, his gun pointed directly at my back.
If I dared to turn around, he would not hesitate to pull the trigger, leaving me to bleed out on the deserted road. Such recklessness was far from heroic in my eyes.
As we were walking, a jeep suddenly raced up from behind and aligned itself with us, gradually slowing down to match our speed. Two additional soldiers were seated inside, both sporting mirrored sunglasses. Despite their concealed eyes, I could sense their intentions.
The soldier in the passenger seat acknowledged the one who had apprehended us with a nod and a small salute, expressing his approval. Then, he shifted his gaze towards us and maintained an unwavering stare. From that instant onward, he never diverted his attention from us, nor did he loosen his grip on his rifle.
We now had escorts, and the single rifle-wielding wight had multiplied into three. My chances of escape were completely shattered. We continued to walk, the sound of our shoes crunching on the gravel road mixing with the rumble of the jeep's engine beside us, sounding like a cheap lawnmower.
The town faded into the distance as we passed by farms on either side of the tree-lined road, their fields empty and barren. The soldiers remained silent, giving off a robotic vibe as if their minds had been replaced with wires.
The wights were said to be intelligent, but these individuals appeared more like mindless followers to me. Suddenly, I heard a buzzing sound near my ear and glanced up to find a bee hovering around my head before flying off. I chuckled to myself. What mischief was Hugh planning into now?
Wait a minute... Where was Hugh?
I scanned the group, half-expecting to spot Hugh up to no good, but he was nowhere in sight. I quickly counted heads. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Standing ahead of me was Timone, followed by Jake, Emma, Enoch, Horace, Olive, Millard, and Bronwyn... Hugh, you sneaky bastard.
It was clear that he hadn't been captured like the rest of us. He had managed to escape! Perhaps amidst the commotion at the depot, he had cleverly slipped through the narrow space between the train and the platform, or maybe he had stealthily boarded the train without the soldier's knowledge. I couldn't help but wonder if he was secretly trailing us, silently wishing I could glance back at the road without revealing his presence.
I prayed he wasn't, as that could imply he was with Miss Peregrine. How would we locate her once more? What if she was running out of air, trapped in that trunk? And what happened to suspiciously left luggage in 1940, by the way?
I felt my face turn red and my throat constrict. So many fears flooded my mind, each one more terrifying than the last. "Back in line!" The soldier called out from behind, and I suddenly understood that he was addressing me—realizing that in my confused state, I had wandered too far from the middle of the road.
I quickly returned to my position behind Timone, who shot me a worried glance over his shoulder—Please, don't provoke him—and I rolled my eyes in response.
We continued on in tense silence, feeling the electricity of tension buzzing between us. I noticed Timone's clenched fists, Enoch's head shaking as he muttered to himself, and Emma's unsteady steps. It felt like a moment before someone would snap and chaos would erupt.
As I continued on, I suddenly heard Olive gasp. Curiosity piqued, I glanced up and was met with a sight that sent shivers down my spine. It was a horrifying scene, one that I had never even fathomed in my worst nightmares.
Before me lay three enormous figures - one blocking the road and the other two sprawled in the adjacent field, separated by a shallow ditch. At first, I tried to convince myself that they were just mounds of dark soil, unwilling to accept the truth. However, as we drew nearer, there was no denying the grim reality: three lifeless horses lay motionless in the middle of the road.
Bronwyn screamed. Olive instinctively went to comfort her—"Don't look, Wyn!"—and the soldier riding shotgun fired into the air. We dove to the ground and covered our heads.
"Do that again and you'll be lying in the ditch beside them!" he shouted.
When we stood up, Timone turned to me and whispered the word, Gypsies, then gestured towards the nearest horse. I understood what he meant: these horses belonged to them. I even noticed the distinctive markings on one of them - white spots on its hind legs - and realized it was the same horse I had been holding onto just an hour before.
I had a nauseating feeling, as everything unfolded in my mind like a scene from a movie. It was the wights who were responsible for this, the very same ones who had attacked our camp the previous night. The Gypsies encountered them on the road after leaving us on the outskirts of town. A conflict ensued, followed by a pursuit. Shockingly, the wights mercilessly shot down the Gypsies' horses.
Miss Avocet had warned me about the wights and their deadly attacks on peculiar children, but witnessing the merciless shooting of these creatures felt even more horrifying. Just an hour ago, they had been vibrant and full of life, their eyes shining with intelligence, their bodies strong and powerful, emanating warmth.
Now, all that remained were lifeless piles of cold flesh, discarded on the road like worthless trash. It was a tragic sight to see such majestic animals reduced to this state. I trembled with fear and simmered with anger. I also felt remorseful for not appreciating them enough. I realized what a spoiled and ungrateful person I had been. I urged myself to gather my emotions and regain composure. I wondered where Bekhir and his men were at that moment. I also wondered about the whereabouts of his son.
I was certain that the wights were about to attack us. It was clear to me at that moment. These fake soldiers were just like beasts, even more terrifying than the hollowgast they commanded. The wights, on the other hand, possessed the ability to think logically, yet they chose to employ their imaginative minds to destroy the world. They transformed living beings into lifeless entities. And why? Simply to extend their own existence. They craved more control over the world and its inhabitants, showing little concern for their well-being.
Waste.
Such a dumb waste.
They were about to take us to a place where we would be questioned and left to die. If Hugh was foolish enough to come after us, they would end his life as well.
God help us all.