Anna Peregrine--Hollow City

Chapter Three

We walked down the path that started at the bottom of the cliff, wandering around looking for this Ymbryne.

"The sign on the rope said Access to Menagerie, do you suppose that's what's ahead?" Horace asked.

"You're the one who dreams about the future, suppose you tell us," Enoch answered.

"What's a menagerie?" Olive asked.

"A collection of animals," I answered. "Like a zoo, sort of."

Olive squeaked, clapping her hands, "It's Cuthbert's friends! From the story! Oh, I can't wait to meet them. Do you suppose that's where the Ymbryne lives, too?"

"At this juncture, it's best not to suppose anything," Millard said.

We kept walking. I had picked up my mother into my arms, holding her close to me eventually.

The journey so far made me realize I never appreciated her as much as I should have. She fought like hell to protect us all in Cairnholm. I started to realize why I hadn't been promoted.

I had no idea what Ymbrynes put themselves through to protect children, the past two days already messed me up enough. I thought being a Ymbryne meant just being a maternal figure and caregiver to peculiar children, I was completely wrong. It was a duty, and one that you wanted to die for.

Pulling me out of my thoughts, a large tower-like home stood in front of us.

"What is it?" Jacob whispered.

"A lookout tower?" I guessed.

"A place to launch airplanes from?" Hugh asked.

"There's no runway," I said.

"Perhaps it's a place to launch zeppelins from," Millard said.

"Or maybe it's the Ymbryne's house, why does everyone always leap to the awfullest conclusions right away?" Olive asked.

"I'm sure Olive's right, there's nothing to be afraid of here," Hugh said.

A growl came from somewhere around us. I looked around, holding Mum closer to my chest as an invisible pull came through me.

"What was that?" Emma asked. "Another hollow?"

"I don't think so," my boyfriend answered.

"I don't know and I don't want to know," Horace said.

The growl came again. I looked between the railroad ties to see a face with fur. It snarled at us like a dog, with saliva dripping from its fang--toothed mouth. The pull got stronger.

"What in the name of Elderfolk is that?" Emma muttered.

"Capital idea, coming into this loop, really. Working out well for us so far," Enoch said.

"Hang on . . . ," I said, handing my mother over to Bronwyn.

I got closer to the creature as it came out from behind the ties with an unbalanced smile. The pull kept on pulling me to it. It was a hybrid of human and animal, dressed in rags. It had the body of a man, but carried itself like an animal.

"Someone make it die! Or at least make it quit looking at me!" Horace said.

The others prepared for a fight as I got closer to the creature.

"Anna, what are you doing?" Emma said.

"I . . .It's . . . I think he's peculiar. He is peculiar," I said.

"What?", Enoch said.

"Sit down and behave!" a voice from behind the man said.

I looked up to see a dog trotting towards us with glasses on, as he opened his mouth and said, "Don't mind Grunt, he's got no manners at all! That's just his way of saying thank you. That hollowgast was most bothersome."