Saved by The Bird

Chapter five

Miss Peregrines P.O.V

I watch both the girls as the boat cuts through sea. Mackenzie who was nervous at first is now the subject of my anxiety. She leans so far over the railings that I have to keep reminding her that she'll fall, but the grin on her face is almost worth the nerves. She's laughing as her hair swirls around in the wind and the spray from the water splashes onto her every so often. Her sister however, doesn't look so comfortable. She sits upright on the benches near the railings, keeping half her attention on Mackenzie and the other half on the rest of the boat. The look on her face is emotionless, but her gaze darts around the deck as if looking for a threat. I walk over to Aoife, keeping part of my attention on Mackenzie so she doesn't go flying overboard, and sit down on the bench next to her. 

"Do you not like boats?"

She keeps staring ahead when she answers me and her face remains blank.

"No."

"Can I ask why?"

"No."

I sigh. If I don't know what's scaring her I don't know how to ease her fear. I don't want to push the woman though.

"Mackenzie said she had never been on a boat before. Did you go on one before she was born?"

"Yes."

"If it's the ocean that bothers you we can go inside to our cabin if you'd like."

Though she doesn't look at me and stays impassive I can see her face pale at the mention of the cabin. She starts to fiddle with her fingers slightly as she shakes her head slowly.

"No."

It's barely a whisper, in fact, could swear the wind blew the sound away as soon as she uttered the word. I frown slightly. I could tell she'd been hurt before when I'd found her and her sister, but had the first time she'd been hurt been on a boat?

"What's wrong with the cabin Aoife? As far as I know, there's nothing dangerous in a cabin."

"I'm not meant to tell."

"Why?"

"It's wrong to tell."

Her responses seem programmed. As if she's been told this over and over.

"Why would it ever be wrong to tell someone what you're scared of?"

"You wouldn't like it if I did. Please, just leave it Miss Peregrine."

"Alma, but alright dear, though, I'll always listen if you need me to and I'm sure that I wouldn't react as badly as you imagine."

She nods her head slowly, still looking at the sea. I look back out at the water and at Mackenzie as she giggles. I let my hand fall to my side and it brushes against Aoife's. She flinches at the touch but as I go to take my hand away again she takes it gently into her own and I intertwine my fingers slowly with hers, giving her every opportunity to remove her hand if she feels like doing so, but she doesn't.

AN

Ok, next chapter finally done. I couldn't think of anything to write for this story for a bit so I hope this is ok.