The Captured Bird

Chapter 15-Oh Claire...

I just love her face in that picture- ANYWAY

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"Miss Peregrine you're back!" Claire who was in the yard with the other children ran over to the woman and laughed.

Fiona, who had been invited to join raid the village but had stayed behind, was hold a sparkler, drawing patterns in the air. Hugh ran over and grabbed a stick, quickly lighting it before running around like a madman yelling. "SOMEBODY GAVE ME FIREEEE!" His victory was short lived as he soon ran straight into Millard who never really put his clothes back on. "EW! MILLARD!" He then ran away from the invisible boy, well everyone assumed it was away, no one really knew where Millard was.

The twins ran over to Miss Peregrine and pulled at her skirt in unison for her attention, gittering on about something she couldn't understand. "Yes, you two?" She placed a hand atop each of their heads as they began pointing at the house. They grabbed her hands and started pulling her towards the home. They brought her into the parlor where they found you and Bronwyn. There were papers scattered all over the coffee table along with you muttering about something as Bronwyn patted you on the back.

"Y/n?" Your head snapped up but you sighed when you realized who it was.

"Oh, Alma, it's just you." She raised an eyebrow as she walked over to you and looked at the coffee table. The papers were covered in drawings of all sorts of different things. Most commonly there were wights and Barron, and birds? More specifically, vaulters.
"What's happened here?" She asked, grabbing one of the papers and looking it over before putting it back down.

"Miss Vulture, she wasn't here for the fight. She's still out there. I saw a vulture, she didn't attack or anything, but it had to be her!" You sighed and lowered your head into your hands. "Sorry, I know I sound crazy and paranoid. But- but I know what I saw!"

She sighed and grabbed your hand. "I believe you. But she hasn't attacked yet, and there's only one of her. There's no reason to let it drive you insane. Come on." She pulled you up and led you outside, where Bronwyn and the twins already ran off to. The children were all having fun, playing with sparklers and chasing after each other.

You sighed as you watched them play, happy they were having fun. Alma's arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you close to her. You relaxed into her and leaned back to kiss her on the cheek.

"Aww! You two are so cute!" Olive grinned as she walked past them, leading a few kids inside. You grinned as Alma rolled her eyes.

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Later that night, after the children had been put to sleep, you were wide awake. Alma went to bed, making you promised you'd go to sleep soon. You agreed, though you probably wouldn't. Once she was gone you were left alone downstairs, wide awake. Once the rain stopped you went outside and sat on a chair, looking at the night sky above. What you failed to notice in the dark was a bird landing behind you. And the fact that it wasn't a bird at all.

You felt something cold press against the back of your neck. A gun. "Stand up, slowly, and walk with me. Yell, or try to run and I kill you then come back for the others." You had no choice, you had to go with her. All you could do was hope she wouldn't harm anyone else.

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Alma awoke to the sound of a scream in the middle of the night. She was quick to get up and rush to the room Claire, Bronwyn, and the twins shared. Once inside she saw a vulture sitting in the open window. Bronwyn and the twins were huddled, crying in the corner. And Claire...

Was laying on the floor. Dead.

Alma chased off the bird and closed and locked the window before she could cause anymore damage. She then rushed over to Claire, leaning down and checking for a pulse. Nothing. She couldn't believe it. Claire, the shy little girl she'd cared so much about, was gone. She lost another child because she hadn't been there in time...

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I'm crying rn- I was sad and decided to write to take my mind off things, it's proven to just make one sadder