A cold wave washed against the sandy shore, creeping up the sand before being dragged back to sea. Mid-day sun slipped through gaps in scarce clouds. Laughter rolled from the village down the the beach and back again, echoing like the song of sailors.
The children were walking down to the beach after endless pleads to Miss Peregrine. Alma was walking behind them, talking avidly to Albert, who answered with the same amount of interest.
"I apologise for yesterday Albert" she said "I was unaware to Lorelai's aversion to men"
This was a blatant lie.
"It's quite alright, I understand" He responded "Frankly, I enjoyed the time I spent with you"
A blush crept up Alma's cheeks. To hide which, she dropped her head. Albert smirked and chuckled. Ahead, Claire called out...
"I miss Lorelai"
"As do I" Horace confirmed.
***
When they reached the shore line, the bird called her children to order.
"Now children, a few rules. No rough play in the water, stay in my sight at all times, regularly re-apply your sun lotion and don't swim out past the first shipwreck, understood?"
A chorus of "yes miss peregrine" rang out and the children were dismissed.
Claire, Bronwyn, the twins, Millard and Hugh all immediately splashed into the water, soon followed by Emma. Olive and Enoch sat in the sand while Miss Peregrine perched herself on a rock.
"I'm getting Deja Vu" Olive said.
Alma's gazed snapped to her, then scanned the events taking place before her.
Sure enough, everything was the same as it was on that all important day a few months ago. From the children splashing in the water, to Alma perched on the very same rock, to the boat creeping closer.
"Miss Peregrine Miss Peregrine!" Emma called from the water.
Instinctively, Alma strode over the the water line. Emma was racing towards her.
"Emma? What is the matter?"
"Look out at the sea, in front of the boat!" she almost yelled "In the water!"
Alma scanned the horizon, first noticing the ship and the waves, then, the silhouette of a torso floating in the water. Alma's heart bloomed. Lorelai. The bird was so happy to see her she didn't register the fact the siren had turned to face them, or the sound now echoing across the water.
***
Lorelai was floating out at sea, planning on taking out her anger on a few unsuspecting sailors, but when she heard a faint cry of "In the water!" she spun round.
The figures of 12 people could be seen on the beach, including one man, leant on a thin cane.
***
Alma's joy was so overwhelming the noises of two people splashing further out to sea went completely unnoticed until Olive cried
"ENOCH!"
Alma snapped back to reality, noticing the sound. She quickly shifted into bird form, dragging Enoch back to shore, but she had no hope of carrying Albert.
She flew ahead of him, half a mile out to sea. She shifted back into human form, planning on stopping Lorelai from singing. It was only then that she remembered...
She can't swim.
YOU ARE READING
The Dark Of Our Worlds
FanfictionWhat truly happens when no one is there? What happens in the parts of the world accessible to so few? How human are peculiars? But there are some secrets that aren't like that. Some secrets are so undeniably human and Alma Peregrine has a lot of t...
