Some Strange Type of Peculiar Love

The Return and Departure

Hugh's POV

Jake came back 4 days later. Turns out he went to the American Clan. Miss Peregrine was furious, in all my years I've never seen here this mad. Horace and I were eves-dropping on their scolding.
"And the council just figured out a treaty between the American clans and us! And you had to go piss it away for one peculiar?"
"Miss P! How could you say that?" Emma sounded hurt.
"Miss Bloom, you may want to watch your tone with me right now." She bit.
"My grandfather-"
"Your grandfather rescued many peculiars, but he never did it as stupid and callous as you! You are just a moron!" She shouted. Horace and I snickered and then scurried away after we heard footsteps coming towards us.

Horace and I talked on our walk back.
"Do you think she's gonna send them to a different loop?"
"No way, she loves us too much."
"She seemed pretty peeved."
I shrugged, "I've seen her pretty mad at you too, but here we are."
Horace nodded.
"I wonder why the girl was so special."
"Beats me."
We passed Joel-and-Peter on the broken sidewalk, they joined Miss Thrush's loop, which mostly consisted of twins and other two people peculiarities.
"Hey, Joel, hey Peter."
"Hello." They said in unison.
Horace leaned over and whispered to me.
"I think they're a tad strange if you ask me."
"And frightening." I laughed. Horace snickered.
"We can-"
"-hear you."
Horace and I speed walked down the sidewalk as fast as we could without drawing suspicion.

For the rest of the walk back to our loop we talked about miscellaneous things such as food and drinks of this decade.
"Hugh,"
"Yes?"
"It's good to talk to you again."
"Thanks."
There was an awkward silence between us.
"Do you want to come with Melina and I to search some loops?"
Horace shook his head, "I find it to be too depressing, but I think you're brave."

I went back to my room and checked my clock, it was 4 p.m. Melina was spending the day doing something with files, I wasn't really paying attention when she told me what, I mostly just nodded and and acted glad for her.
"I promise I'll help you tomorrow." She said as she spun on her foot and skipped away gleefully. I leaned on my pillow for a quick nap.

I awoke to shouting 2 hours later. I groaned and figured it was just Olive and Claire fighting over a doll. Just as I was about to open my door, Millard flung it open and hit my toe.
"Ow!" I yelled out, I grabbed my foot and jumped around one legged like a flamingo.
"Sorry but have you seen Jake?"
"You can't be seriously telling me he ran off again, how stupid can he be?"
"It's not stupid, well it is, but also courageous." I rolled my eyes.
"What's so special about her anyways."
"She controls light."!
I arched my eyebrow. "She controls light? I said skeptically, there are lots of rare peculiarities, but light was just simply unheard of. Then again, so was Sam's healing power.
"She swallows it and shoots it out."
"Like a cannonball?"
"Precisely, and she had this gorgeous friend, Lily, who I had some enlightening conversations with."
"A normal! You're going to get yourself killed!"
Millard's cap moved back and forth so I can assume he was shaking his head.
"She was normal, but blind."
"Oh."
"I think I love her."
I giggled like a school girl.
"Love is...." I trailed off, for the first time since Fiona...left I didn't cry when I thought of her. The first thing I did think of was the way she and Charlotte used to throw seaweed at me when we went swimming. I always tried to be mad but whoever I saw her smiling face, I caved. I laughed and looked back at Millard.
"Love is that one person who can make you smile even when you don't want to."
"Was Fiona like that for you."
My smile faded and Millard suddenly got quiet.
"She is like that for me. She's the love of all my lives."

I was deep asleep when Bronwyn shook me awake.
"Hugh! Hugh!" She whispered.
I groaned and looked at my table clock.
"It's 4 a.m.!"
"Bully for you, I haven't slept in days!
I shot up in bed, I recognized that posh voice.
"Addison?"
My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I could see one of his floppy ears were missing.
"What happened to your ear?"
"I prefer to not discuss such unpleasantries."
"Hugh, grab some clothes and meet us in the kitchen, don't wake anyone!"
"Where's Miss Peregrine?"
"At the acre still looking for Jake and Noor."
"Who?"
"The light girl."
"Oh."
"Hurry up!" Addison growled.
I scowled at him and he backed off a bit. I grabbed what looked like black jeans and a grey t shirt. When I stepped into the light I saw the shirt had the letters AC/DC in small stitching on the shoulder.
Bronwyn and the dog were sitting in the kitchen, it felt like a weird fever dream.
"Miss Wren sent me, she said you guys needed help."
"I don't need anything from you." I snapped.
Addison whimpered.
"Hugh, he's here to help us."
"It's true, I came all the way from Norway."
"Anyways, his wonderful little snout has been all through the panaloopticon and found Jake and Noor's scent!"
"What about Fiona?" I asked suddenly wishing I was nicer to the super tracker.
"Nothing, I'm sorry."
I nodded, "so why do you need me?" I asked softer.
"Well, you know how to use the panaloopticon the best."
"So you want me to help find them?"
"Well I'm supposed to go—"
"Loop searching with Melina, I know."
"I should probably—"
"Call her? We already did. She's on watch duty tomorrow."
"Why is—"
"So she can be a somebody."
"Can you read my mind now? Is that a new peculiarity?" I smirked.
Addison laughed and Bronwyn nodded. I crossed my arms and leaned back into the chair, "Fine, what did Miss Peregrine say?"
Bronwyn squirmed in her seat.
"So just after you got your ass chewed out by her for leaving, you want to leave again?" I said dumbfounded.
"Please, they need us," Bronwyn reached across the table and grasped my hand, "we need you."

Addison stayed at the house while we left. I could see him curl up by the furnace and start to drift off. It was 4:45, the sun wouldn't be up for another hour and a half. I trudged the wet dewy grass and my shoes, or sneakers as Jake called them, became soaked. I opened and closed the shed door carefully and felt my ears pop. Next thing I knew, we were back in the acre. The sky was dark the sun was rising quickly.
"Let's go before they see us."
Bronwyn nodded and we ran down the cobblestone path for 2 blocks until we were at Bentham's. I was out of breath but Bronwyn barley broke a sweat. Henry fluttered in my lung unable to get out.

Once inside Bentham's, I made our way to the panaloopticon. Fortunately, the guard who was supposed to be punching tickets was asleep and snoring peacefully.
"Addison said it's this one."
She pointed to a door labeled New York. I felt my ears pop and a new shade of afternoon sun fill into the dusty room. There was a hook on the slatted door and a mirror on the wall.
"What year is this?"
"Sometime in the mid 1970's I believe."
Satisfied with her answer I walked 7 feet and opened the door which was supposed to be out into the street, but instead a store.
"Umm, only one person in the dressing room at the time." There was a girl with a high blond ponytail and a pink poodle skirt and a black top with a black short silk scarf tied tightly around her neck. I quickly moved around the girl and stepped outside onto the sidewalk.Bronwyn linked arms with me and we trudged down the streets. We weaved in between alleyways and hid behind old dumpsters. Somehow Bronwyn knew where to go like there was a map playing in her mind. Suddenly she pulled my arm behind a dumpster.
"Ow!"
"Shh!"
I looked where her gaze was and saw two men in black suits with white eyes. They turned the corner and we watched them walk away. Bronwyn signaled us to go ahead and I followed her behind. We were about to keep walking but I smelled the rotten smell of death and looked to my right and the sea food market, inside.
"Look at the broken glass, he's definitely been here."
Bronwyn nodded. We took off into the direction of the mess at a sprint. I saw blood on the floor and Bronwyn put her pointer finger to her lip. The store itself was almost impossibly dark. My feet crunched on the broken glass as half dead fish flopped around for their last breath. I heard electricity cackle and saw an exposed wire hanging above from us, a golden ceramic light fixture was shattered in front of us.
"Miss Noor? Mr. Jacob?" Bronwyn called out.
I saw a figure move and I grabbed a piece of spare wood and threw it.
"Ow! It's me!" Jake yelled. Suddenly it was no longer dark and I could see him and a girl who looked like Simren. Jake was rubbing his head tenderly as he winced.
"Sorry."
"Jacob! Where have you been! You scared all us of half to death!"
Jake winced again and mumbled a quick sorry. I noticed his hand was intertwined with Noor's.
"Emma and Jake broke up." Bronwyn whispered, but everyone heard it. Bronwyn is the worst whisperer in all of peculiardom.
"Does your bird know we're gone?"
The girl had a rough American accent like Jake.
"Dunno, we snuck out." I shrugged.
"Say, what time are you from?" I asked.
"Um 2019? What year are you from?" She raised her eyebrow.
"1883."
She rolled her eyes and laughed but looked confused when she saw our straight faces.
"So you were telling the truth."
"The wights and hollows weren't enough?"
Noor shrugged, "Guess not."

3/18/20