Saved by The Bird

Chapter four

Miss Peregrines P.O.V

I'm woken by the screams, and the sounds of heavy footsteps running up the stairs. I follow the sounds to the bedroom I had allocated to the girls. Inside I see Aoife shaking little Mackenzie awake.

"Mack, Mack wake up! Please! Wake up sweetheart!"

The little girl sits up quickly and grabs onto Aoife. Aoife sits down beside her sister and wraps her arms tightly around the girl. She rocks her back and forth, whispering into Mackenzies ear, kissing the top of her head. Mackenzie gradually calms down enough to speak.

"The monster got you. The monster got you and I couldn't help. Miss. Peregrine wasn't there this time."

"Ssh, it's ok. It wasn't real, it was just a dream. I'm here, the monster didn't get you. Miss. Peregrine did help us. Look around. We're safe. For now."

The two last words she speaks are so quiet that her sister can't hear them but I can, and I wonder why she says them. I retreat quietly from the door, leaving the two sisters still tightly embraced, I can't help a smile from tugging at the corners of my lips. If Aoife comes with me she'll be great with the other children. It would be nice to have another adult around the place.

I knock on the girls door and poke my head round the frame.

"We need to get going soon. I've packed us some food that we can eat on the way."

"We get to eat eat again?"

Mackenzie jumps of the bed and lunges at me, wrapping her arms around her waist. 

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

I place an arm around the child and look up at Aoife. Her eyes are glazed as she watches her sister. She meets my eyes and quickly turns away, pretending to make the already perfectly made bed. 

"Of course you get to eat again sweetheart. Why wouldn't you?"

"We never got to eat so much when we were at the old place."

I smile at her and kneel down to her level.

"From now on you will have three square meals a day at least. There might even be a few snacks between, but for now, why don't you go downstairs and grab the bag with the food? It's on the counter. We have a boat to catch and we are going to be late if we don't leave soon."

"Ok Miss Peregrine."

She moves as if to run out of the room but I stop her.

"Mackenzie?"

"Yes Miss."

"I have just a few rules and one of them is no running indoors. Polite persons do not run."

"Ok."

I walk over to one of the wardrobes and pull out a small knapsack and start filling it with a few clothes.

"We're going to a little island just a little way of from from here. It's called Cairnholm."

I pack a few more of my friends old clothes for Aoife and find some that can be easily modified for Mackenzie. I'll have to get them some new clothes and perhaps ask Emma and Claire to lend the girls some of theirs. 

"Have you decided if you're coming to stay with us?

"I think I'm going to. I mean I don't really have anywhere else to go. Thank you Miss Peregrine."

"Alma."

"Sorry?"

"If you're going to come with us which means you'll be another adult in the house, then you should address me as another adult would. My name is Alma."

"Ok... Alma."

She smiles at me and I smile back at her. We stand there like that for a while, just staring at each other.

"I have the food!"

Mackenzie bursts into the room proudly carrying the food bag. Aoife and I break eye contact to turn to Mackenzie.

"Well I'm done and there's nothing else to do so let's go."

AN

So I've started building up some fluff. It's not much but I want to build it up slowly and not rush into it. 

Hope you like it!