Some Strange Type of Peculiar Love

The Gunshot

Hugh's POV

"What was that?" Claire asked, her lip was trembling. Olive started to cry.
"It's fine, it's nothing, don't worry." But I could feel the weight on my chest get heavier. The gunshot came from about a football field away, which means it could be anyone, (except Enoch as he's in the tower).
I stood on my aching foot, Olive immediately rushed to my side and I put my hand on her shoulder for support.
"Hugh?" Claire's eyes were leaking tears and Olive was on the verge of them.
"It's ok, we're just going to walk towards Horace and Fiona, at the beach. You guys have never been to the beach before at night, think of it as an adventure." They nodded unsurely at me, even I was unsure. How could they even try to pretend it was an adventure? Our ymbryne was just bird-napped and our house was bombed. And now for all I know any one of my friends could be shot and bleeding out, if they weren't dead already. We also might get our eyes taken at any given moment, after all they probably had more than one hollow.
I took my hands off Claire and Olive. My ankle felt like it was stabbed, but it was getting better with every step.
When we finally reached the beach I saw a trail of blood along with Fiona and Horace huddled around someone.
"What happened!" Olive cried, Claire was clutching her arm for dear life.
I dashed over there, suddenly forgetting about the burning pain that encompassed my entire foot.
I heard Fiona crying along with Horace. They were hovering over a pile of bloody sand, wait no— it was Millard.
"He's been shot!" Cried Horace.
"Load him in the boat." I grabbed his legs and he groaned. Horace and Fiona took an arm each. We all groaned getting him into the fishing boat, it's white paint chipped with every breath laid upon it.
I heard sand being kicked up and I saw Enoch, Jake, the twins, Bronwyn, and Emma in a full sprint.
"Go!" They yelled.
"Where's Miss Peregrine?" Shouted Claire.
Bronwyn lifted up a cage, the black bird inside it.
"And Miss Avocet?"
Emma shook her head.
Fiona, Horace, Bronwyn, Olive, Millard and I climbed into one of the boats.
"Millard!" Bronwyn cried.
"I'm fine! It's just a nick on my shoulder! Hush up we need to leave!"
The others climbed into the last boat, but Emma walked over and stuck her hot fingers into Millard's wound cauterizing it.
"Ow! I'll scar!"
"Yes and who will see it!"
Millard shut up and Emma jogged to the boat. Bronwyn pushed both boats into the water. I grabbed the paddles and started rowing. A flare hit the sky and bled red into the dawn.
They knew we were leaving.

Hours later the sun was scorching our backs.
"What took you guys so long anyways?" Asked Olive.
"We gave my brother a proper burial."
Olive mumbled a sorry and Horace patted her on the back. I saw a tear escape her eyes but turned my cheek to let her compose herself. Fiona stared down, her pot between her feet.
"Where are we going?" Asked Millard, he was drowsy but perking up.
"Anywhere but here."
"Let me see a bloody map will you? For all we know we could be going away from the next body of land." Bronwyn grumbled and handed him the map.
"Hmmm."
"What?"
"Judging by how long we've been rowing, in another 5 ish miles we should reach land."
"And?"
"And," he was growing increasingly impatient with us. "We need to start turning a bit as we're drifting away."
"Oh how do you know?"
"I could check!" Olive stirred, she'd been sleeping most of the trip.
"It's too dangerous, love."
"Raise her up."
Bronwyn reluctantly tied the rope to her waist, the other end holding the anchor.
She slowly gave the rope some slack.
"We don't need to turn! We're fine!"
"Can you see it?"
"Yes!"
Bronwyn pulled her down and handed her her shoes.
"How far away?" Asked Jake, his boat was parallel to ours but still about 15 feet away.
I looked to Olive and she shrugged.
"The island is really small though."
I groaned, it wasn't small. We were just far away. Almost as the ocean wanted to give us a harder time, the water started to get more choppy.
"Pull up the oars, just float with it." Whispered Fiona in my ear. I forget sometimes that she used to boat like this. I hate the water, I always have, but for some reason I find it calming right now. Maybe it's because it was safer than the wreckage that used to be our house.
I pulled the oars up and nodded.
"Jake!" I yelled.
"Yeah?"
"Pull the oars up, the water is getting choppy, we just need to ride with it!"
He nodded and pulled the oars up. The water started getting worse, my calm demeanor turned rigid as the waves rolled my stomach, I felt green.
Fiona held my hand and whispered sweet nothings in my ear. My nerves began to calm ever so slightly. Just being around her made everything ok. She smelled like roses and strawberries, it made me feel safe.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
The boat lurched and I dry heaved over the side of the boat.
"Oh Hugh!" Bronwyn was rubbing my back.
I leaned back on Fiona's shoulder and she grabbed my hand and pressed on my palm.
"A boy in my village taught me this trick, it takes away sea sickness." She whispered, I nodded and kissed her temple.
"Oh damn," I turned to see Bronwyn. "My bag must be on the other boat, I had some mints in there for you."
I nodded and closed my eyes on Fiona's shoulder.
I heard her gasp and before I could even ask what was wrong, I was in the water.

2/27/21
Sorry this took so long! I had school and everything, I hope you enjoy! I've been thinking about doing the gypsies, the train, and then the menagerie, I think Fiona would add some much needed strength, plus Claire is always so cute. What do you think?