Some Strange Type of Peculiar Love

The Ice Castle Part One

Hugh's POV

The pigeon flew faster than we can usually run, but we kept up. It lead us to a dark train tunnel that seemed to be out of commission.
"Why are we down here?" Asked Jake. I rolled my eyes and sighed. "You know as much as we do, Jake." He cleared his throat and turned to Melina.
"Don't ask me! I followed Winnie." I turned to Horace.
"Have you dreamed this?" He shook his head no and we fell stumped. We walked forward more following the pigeon. Suddenly my ears popped, we were in a loop.
"Good job Winnie!" Melina patted him on his head. Millard tied a shoelace around the pigeon.
"What's that for?" Melina asked angrily.
"To make sure he stays with us."
"Are you saying his untrustworthy?"
"N-no."
"Then what?" She snapped.
Emma stepped forward and patted Millards shoulder.
"It's a good idea, that way nothing can take him." Melina relented and let Millard hold onto the pigeons leash. I turned around to see a bright light getting bigger.
"Train!" I yelled. We split into two groups and slammed our bodies against the wall tight as we could while holding our breath. My hat flew off but I didn't dare try to grab it. Finally the roaring train was past us. I saw another conductor much like the one from our train ride with his mouth agape and lantern swinging. I picked up my hat and slammed it onto the ground again, it was in tatters. Fiona's bracelet jingled as I stomped. The pigeon started to coo and fly forward, soon we were at a fork in the road. Winnie flapped his wings trying to remember the way.
"We need to find Miss Wren!" Olive stamped her foot and hit the track making a metal clanging sound.
"Pick a way to go or I will roast you on a metal spit!" Enoch yelled. The pigeon veered to the left and tugged on its leash.
"You're an ass."
Enoch shrugged, "I get results."
"Hey what's that?" We walked down the tunnel a little farther to find a little door way with a lock.
"What's the code?" Jake asked.
I sighed again. "We kno-"
"Just as much as you do I know, but you also know loop dates that I don't." I shrugged and looked for Millard.
"I can't think of anything."
"Try our loop date, 9-3-40." Horace said. Olive turned the lock and Enoch scoffed.
"No one would be stupid enough to put a code that easy."
"What would it be then?"
"I don't know, try my birthday, 3-12-92."
Olive turned the lock and shook her head.
"Nope, sorry Enoch."
"It wouldn't be our loop date, but it would be your birthday?" I laughed and Enoch shrugged.
"Get your bird off of my Winnie!" Melina shouted. Miss Peregrine was atop of Winnie like a chicken on their egg.
"She's not hurting him." Emma rolled her eyes. Winnie started screeching and I saw Miss Peregrine pecking his head.
"She is now!" Joel and Peter cried.
"Miss P! Stop it!" Bronwyn tried to grab her but she snapped at her hand.
"What's wrong with her?" Jake asked.
"I think she's trying to tell us something."
"Get her off my bird!"
"Miss P knows what she's doing." Bronwyn reassured her.
"That bird is an ymbryne?" Melina looked at us in disbelief.
Miss Peregrine bit the pigeon over and over again while scratching her with her talons. The pigeon screeched and tried to fly away but Miss Peregrine grabbed him back by his leash. Emma held Melina back as she struggled against her trying to save her poor pigeon. The pigeon walked away wobbly and tried to fly back to Melina. Miss Peregrine pecked the ground.
"Three.... ten...five..." I counted. Olive turned the lock and it popped open. Melina turned to grab Winnie but she screamed. Miss Peregrine had the bird by its neck and threw him against the wall killing him.
"I'll bash in your ymbryne's head!" Melina charged at Miss Peregrine but Bronwyn pulled her back. Melina started to cry as she cursed Miss Peregrine, who was now less and less human and empathetic. I stepped into the newly unlocked room as Bronwyn and Melina argued.
"Wow! Look at this!" It was a complete wardrobe room, probably for peculiars or ymbrynes to change clothes to fit their time of choice better. I walked in and the smell of must hit me like a wet rag to the face. Half of the clothes were moth bitten and stained therefore uselessly Instead I grabbed the only good pair of tan corduroy pants and a white button down. I ditched my back pants and grey shirt in the corner. My new clothes felt stiff but they weren't dirty and covered with grime and sweat so they were definitely an upgrade. I saw a brown headband with sunflowers on it in the corner. Olive picked it up and handed it to me.
"For Fiona." I nodded and slipped it into my pocket. Jake stared at a calendar and nodded. "It says we're in July 28th 1916." I nodded and started to sweat. I went back and put a white tank top under shirt and unbuttoned it. My muscles looked good in the mirror, I wish Fiona was here so I could show off.

After everyone was changed and ready to go except Horace, who was dressed like a peasant and looked like he might cry.
"This is so humiliating."
"Stop wasting time!" Enoch shouted. Horace shuffled over to the other door and opened it. A bright beam of light filled the room and we stepped out into a carnival. I remember preforming with everyone back on the island. Fiona used to grow trees and have everyone hang onto them as they grew, we called it Jill of the Jungle. We walked through the carnival and saw a creepy clown stare at us.
"Don't dilly dally." Millard whispered completely in the nude.
Then we passed a tent where a show was starting. We peaked in and saw a small suitcase jiggle and fall over open. A skinny frail man with a handle bar mustache jumped out and unfolded. Emma muttered something about him being peculiar but I think he's just a contortionist. Lastly we passed a girl with a snake around her neck. She was commanding him to move.
"Has anyone told you that you may be peculiar?" But the girl stared silently ahead.
"Stop saying that word, you're going to get us caught!" She rolled her eyes at me. Emma trudged along and asked someone for directions to some building, I wasn't paying attention. We walked forward and took two lefts and a right. I was staring at my feet when I started to get cold. I looked up and saw a 4 story building completely covered in ice— in July. We went around to the side of the building and Emma pressed her hands onto the wall of ice. Meltwater dripped down to her elbows and she shook her arms dry along with her head.
"This will take all day."
"But we don't have all day." Olive whined.
"What do you suggest we do?" Joel and Peter asked. Olive tapped her index finger on her chin when what looked like a a lightbulb went off in her head. She cupped her hands around her mouth and started to yell.
"Miss Wren! Miss Wreeeennn!"
Bronwyn clasped her hands around her mouth but the damage was already done. A dark cloak appeared next to us.
"Come with me." It whispered. We were too desperate to debate our choices or check for white pupils. The cloak moved an ice chunk the size of a refrigerator out of the wall 5 feet away and walked into the building.
"Hurry, now."
We did as we were told and Bronwyn pulled the ice back into its place. It immediately froze back into a solid structure in a matter of seconds. The cloaked figure put down their hood.
"Hello, I am Belenciaga Wren."

Miss Wren.

3/11/21