{Video is mine}
{ Edited - 14th Oct, 2021 }
{ Edited - 9th May 2024 }
The snake girl let out a disapproving noise and whispered under her breath, causing the python to retreat and wrap around her neck once more. Throughout it all, my gaze remained fixed on the book.
The one we had misplaced was already remarkable, even though I had only glimpsed it briefly one night, illuminated by the flickering orange flames of the peculiar children's burning home. However, this new book was on a whole different level. Not only was it significantly larger, but its intricate design made the previous one seem like plain old toilet paper.
The pages were covered in vibrant maps, crafted from a material sturdier than paper, possibly calfskin, and adorned with gold trim. The margins were filled with lush illustrations, legends, and blocks of explanatory text.
Millard noticed me admiring it and said, "It's nice for you to join us, Kira. . . . Isn't it stunning? Excepting perhaps the Codex Peculiaris, this edition of the Map is the finest book in all peculiardom. It took a team of cartographers, artists, and bookmakers a lifetime to create, and it's said that Perplexus Anomalous himself drew some of the maps. I've wanted to see it in person ever since I was a boy. Oh, I am so pleased!"
"It's really something," I said, and it was.
"Millard was just showing us some of his favourite parts," said Olive.
"To take their minds off things, Timone suggested it," Millard explained, "And make the waiting easier. Here, Kira, come and help me turn the pages."
I quietly moved closer to Millard and slid my fingers under the oversized page, needing both of our hands to turn it. We carefully examined the Map. I found it captivating, especially the remote and unfamiliar regions.
Of course, Europe with its intricate details was clearly defined, but as we ventured further, the information became more uncertain. Large portions of Africa remained unknown, like uncharted territory. The same was true for Siberia, although the Map of Days had a unique designation for Russia's Far East: The Great Far-Reaching Solitude.
"Are there loops in these places?" asked Bronwyn, pointing to a void that stretched across much of China. "Are there peculiars there, like us?"
"Certainly there are," Millard said. "Peculiarness is determined by genes, not geography. But large portions of the peculiar world have simply not been explored."
"Why not?"
"I suppose we were too busy surviving."
We flipped through more pages, searching for empty spaces. There were plenty, each with whimsical names. The Sad Kingdom of Sand. The Angry Land. A Bright Spot Overflowing with Stars. I silently repeated the words, savouring their shape. Along the edges were terrifying locations labelled as Wastes on the Map.
In Scandinavia's far north lay The Frozen Wasteland. Borneo's centre was known as The Sweltering Wasteland. The Arabian peninsula was often referred to as The Merciless Wasteland. At the southern tip of Patagonia stood The Gloomy Wasteland. Some places, like New Zealand, Hawaii, and even Florida, were not included in these descriptions.
As I gazed at the Map of Days, even the most intimidating locations stirred up a peculiar desire within me. While Millard chattered away about the Map's history, my finger followed a boundless and uncharted desert in Asia.
The Winged Creature's Endless Flight. A whole new world awaited exploration, and I had barely scratched the surface. Perhaps it was wise to leave some areas on the map empty. To allow the world to retain some of its enchantment, instead of prying out every single secret.
"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.