Clay and Blood | Enoch O'Connor

Chapter 1

"Dr. Golan I swear I saw something that night" Jake said in frustration
"I understand Jake but you must know that these visions you are having are a completely normal after witnessing a traumatic event" Dr. Golan insisted as she brought her glasses higher up her nose.
"But I still think you're doing exceptionally well"

"Apart from being crazy?" He retorted
"Having nightmares and anxiety doesn't make you crazy Jake"
"But what about seeing things that-...seeing things that aren't there?" Jake looked down at his sweaty palms trying to calm himself and his nerves.

"As I said Jacob, in dramatic situations it's not at all uncommon. Your subconscious mind draws
an image from a movie, or..."
"It was a story" he said confidently. He began tapping his foot nervously following the rhythm of his heart...it was something his grandfather had learned from someone in the children's home while he lived there, 'A little small trick to calm you down' he would say.

"My grandpa told me stories when I was a kid. About monsters that he fought in the war." He said slightly imitating the tentacles his grandfather would always mimic.
"So there you go then, he was brutally attacked and in your mind what attacked him was inhuman" she continued to scribble down on her clipboard making agonizing scratching noises.

"It wasn't a man though... the cops said that dogs scratched up the screen door, and he chased them off into the woods. And the coroner said he had a heart attack. And the cops said that dogs go for the soft parts. They DNA tested the fork and head. Animal DNA. So that's case closed." The session seemed to go on forever in Jakes mind. All he wanted to do at that point was leave and go back home to drown himself in his pillow as he would experience another one of his nightmares.

'It's my birthday today, I am officially a seventeen year old who doesn't have a drivers license...yay.' This was all Jake Portman could think about that day as he helped his father pack up and clean out all of his grandpa's stuff. The main reason why he couldn't stop thinking about that, was because he knew that if he did he would be constantly reminded of that night, the night where the only person that could understand him was brutally murdered by the hands or should I say Paws of some dog.

Although he was really pleasantly surprised when he saw his whole family waiting for him at his house to celebrate with him...none of his friends came because well...it's not like he had any. After an hour or so he felt overwhelmed by the sight of everyone in his house, almost like if there was nothing really to celebrate. He cut the cake and blew out the candles and used his cousins fighting over the last piece of cake as an excuse to go back to his room and do the whole drowning in the pillow thing.

A knock was heard at his door.
"It's aunt Sussie." His aunt peaked her head through the door asking for permission to enter the room.

"Thought you might want to open this one. It's from your grandpa. Found it while I was packing up. I figured
he meant to give it to you someday." She said as she placed a simple brown package in Jake's hands.

"Thanks." He said as she left the room with a smile.

"Complete Essays and Other Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson"
"To Jake and the worlds he has yet to discover."
He read out loud as he smiled slightly, but as he opened the book a card slipped out of it. He picked it up really carefully tracing the outline of the neatly written words.

My dearest Abe.
I hope this card finds you well. The children and I yearn to hear your news. I do hope you will visit us again soon. We would so love to see you.
With admiration,

Alma Peregrine.

The next day, Jake went straight to his Psychologist, Dr. Golan, and was able to convince both her and his parents that a trip to Cairnholm to meet Miss. Peregrine who, according to
Dr. Golan's words might still be alive, was a good idea.

"Dr. Golan, we are very concerned
with Jake's state of mind right now.
And there is no way I'm putting
my life on hold to take you to Wales" His mother said sternly, already decided on the fact that she was not letting Jake go.

"Dad could take me. And he can even look at birds...work on his book. It means you get a break, and as Dr. Golan said maybe I can move on, like closure." That turned out to be enough for the both of them, and now here he was, on a tiny boat with his father that was leading them to Wales.

They got settled into their hotel room that to be frank wasn't so cozy, like at all.
"While we are waiting for the um 'master suite' to be ready, I thought
maybe we could go check out the beach." His father said as he pointed towards the beach.

"I thought we'd go to the Children's Home...Is the beach where the bird's nest?" Jake replied almost sarcastically, an awkward silence shortly followed.
"I could go to the home by myself.
And you can, really take your time." Jake insisted.
"Come on, Jakey. You know your mom would freak." He replied although genuinely pondering the option.  "What if we can find someone to take me?" He tried compromising.

"Hey dudes!" His father tried to wave a young group of teens over while ignoring Jakes countless protests.
"I was wondering if any of you guys would be interested in taking my son to the other side of the Island" the teens remained in silence looking at each other. His Father sighted as he pulled 20 American dollars out of his pocket. The group of teens looked at each other once more as 2 of them decided to take up on the offer.

On the way of the children's home, Jake tried to make some friendly conversation with the 2 guys his age, but while they were listing their nicknames as they 'rapped' made him realize that in Florida these 2 would have been considered even more losers than him.

"Is this even the way to the Children's home?" Jake asked as they lead him down an odd 'short cut'. He knew he shouldn't have trusted them, considering that in the time span that it took for him to make two steps he found himself with a foot almost knee deep in a muddy puddle as those guys hysterically laughed. He decided to continue his way through the trees by himself, just to find a beautiful big house in ruins. He stepped foot into it and the first thing he picked up was a framed picture of Miss. Peregrin with all her children lined up one next to the other.

Jake ran back to the priest hole as fast as he could to ask explanations from anyone who would give him the time of day.
"The German navy bomb fell right on the roof...September the 3rd, 1943." His father confirmed.
"Where... where did they go after it?
The Headmistress and the children?" He asked still panting from the run.
"Not one survivor. Poor little buggers...and they were lovely too." The owner interjected. Jake was undoubtedly shocked but also determined to get to the bottom of this. "Can I go hang out with those kids again tomorrow?" he asked.