Book One: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children (My Remake)

Chapter 21~Under Lockdown

Sunday, Jacob and I agreed not to visit the loop once again, just to prove a point that we weren't always relying on them to have a good time. We circled the island, perused Martin's museum, and talked to each other about our lives and how much contrast there was between them. I also found out that Jacob had to leave on Sunday - my new friend, gone, just like that. We mentioned a way of communicating for after he goes (no email of course), but we reminded ourselves to enjoy what we had for the moment. It's hard to believe that nearly one week had gone by and I already made a great friend.

By Monday, we returned to find the loop under full lockdown, sentries were placed, locations were known, children were monitored - everything. When one of the bored expressioned children noticed someone coming, they'd yank a pull-chain to signal Miss Peregrine. She'd be waiting by the door for us to interrogate. What was happening outside the loop? Had we seen anything strange? Were we sure we hadn't been followed? My true visions of a prison like loop were coming to life; Miss Peregrine, the warden; the children, prisoners; Jacob and I, visitors unable to help the prisoners escape without penalty. It was maddening, for both them and us.

In the mean time, I continued to toss around the idea of staying or going, asking Miss Peregrine what she thought to which she would reply, "it isn't my place to decide." No kidding. I knew everyone wanted me to stay, but the only reason I had for that was to be safe, and honestly they didn't need me, I needed them. But I'm not a needy child who goes jumping toward safety. I would rather face it. Besides, if I left, maybe I could get into a college or university, grow up to become whatever I want to be and live a life like mom.

Mom. I found it impossible to stop thinking about her - the billowing flowers at the store fronts, the brisk afternoons that enveloped me in warmth, and the loop itself. She wanted a normal life, hell, she wanted a life. Not trapped in an illusion of life. She was a risk taker, a believer, a doer. And I was absolutely everything she could be and more. But there was still the burning unanswered question, stay or go.

Through the course of these days, things began to change. Jacob seemed less and less in the reality of his life. He would zone out frequently, and only a bump of his shoulder or a finger snap in front of his face lifted him out. He'd only ever talk to Emma or Miss Peregrine in the loop, and then me once outside. It's funny how we now say outside the loop rather than in the real world. Another thing that's changed.

Even his dad had become more and more like a drunk, rather than a professional ornithologist. He's engrossed himself more in the beer than the book. There was one night where we came back to find him trying to crawl his way up to his room. As Jacob and I struggled to heave him up, he kept muttering about how his wife was going to leave him soon. Eerie. Jacob had been noticeably avoiding him after that.

Then, there were the children. Before, when they were only trapped in the loop, they'd had some sort of grasp of sanity. Now, trapped within the watchful eye of Miss Peregrine, they're losing their grip. Olive tends to 'lose her shoes' and crawls around the ceiling, dropping grains of rice or beans atop people's heads so they would look up to see her giggling away until her levitation faltered and she resorted to grabbing a chandelier or curtain rod. Millard would shield himself from the world in his room, leaving once in a while to eat or collect more books from the library to bring back up to his room. Occasionally, he would talk to me. But one night was different, one night I mentioned my mom.

"She was amazing, a school teacher, an artist, a florist . . . a mother."

"And you say she was in this loop once?"

"Yeah. For a month."

He pondered for a moment. "Was she eighteen when she came?"

I nodded. "I think so."