Circus Freaks

Chapter 11-September 3rd 1940

Two days went by and you watched as Alma and the older children, mostly Horace, got increasingly anxious. Alma was constantly tapping her foot, staring off into space, or muttering to herself. You couldn't help but be worried for the woman.

"Miss Peregrine!" Claire and Olive came running over to the porch, where you and Alma had sat talking. "Miss Peregrine!" Claire yelled again.

"Yes dear?"

"A baby squirrel fell out of a tree." Olive walked over and opened her hands which had originally been closed around something. A baby squirrel sat in her palm, twitching his nose and jerking his head around. Probably trying to figure out what was going on.

"Oh that's not good. May I?" Alma held her hand out, and Olive transferred the squirrel from hers to the headmistresses. "Go fetch a long rope will you? Claire, lead me to the tree." The girls sprung into action, Olive rushing into the house and Claire grabbing Miss Peregrine's other hand to bring her elsewhere. You followed Alma and the young ward. Claire led you through the garden, eventually stoping at a tree and pointing at it. "Go get Emma for me will you?" Alma asked her youngest ward you nodded and ran off again.

"What are you getting at Bluebird?" You said before you could stop yourself. Perhaps you'd been referring to her as Bluebird too much in your head.

She looked at you, surprise written on her face as she tried to push down the blush creeping up her neck, which was obviously just from embarrassment. "Well I'm going to have Emma take off her shoes and put the squirrel back in its nest. The rope is so she doesn't fly away. Birdie." She added, smirking at your own look of surprise and similar blush creeping into your own face.

"Ah, clever, as always." She gave a curt nod in agreement though didn't look at you as the three children returned. She quickly explained everything to them, then handed the squirrel to Emma so as the headmistresses hands could be used to tie the rope around the girls waist. She wanted to ensure it was tight and wouldn't slip. Once she thought it was tight enough Olive grabbed the rope as Alma, Claire, and you watched. Emma floated up into the tree, looking for the nest but only taking a minute or so to locate it.

When Olive was pulling Emma back down her hand slipped and she momentarily let go of the rope. "Careful!" Alma shrieked and jumped over to grab it. Olive did the same, taking it back in her hands. But the ymbryne shooed her away and did the rest of the job herself. Once Emma was back on the ground Miss Peregrine kept her hands on the girl's shoulders to prevent her from floating off until her shoes were secured.

Only after Alma was positive it was safe to let her go were the three girls dismissed. "You certainly handled that well. Though you seem stressed, are you alright?" She glanced at you, giving you a small smile but saying nothing before turning around and walking off. You weren't sure what that answer meant, but you assumed you shouldn't pry.

Later that day, after the walk, Abe came running through the house. "MISS P!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

"What is it Mr-"

He didn't even let her finish, cutting her off by thrusting her crossbow into her arms. "HOLLOW!" Her eyes widened and took one of the arrows from his outstretched hand, loading it quickly.

"Where?" He said nothing but turned to walk away. "Y/n." You looked at the woman, worried. You hadn't been told what a hollow was, but judging by the weapon, it was nothing good. "Take the rest of the children, take them to the attic. Do not, and I mean it, do not open the door for anyone unless you hear the code word: Baguette. Make weapons out of whatever you can. Protect them for me." You were confused but didn't have time to ask questions.

"Miss P!" Abe yelled back into the house. "It's coming!"

She looked towards the door back door where he stood urgently. "Go, go! Now!" She instructed you to leave, then ran off to Abe. You decided it was best to waste no time and darted around the first floor, grabbing any children before running to the second and collecting the ones there. You did a quick head count before entering the attic, everyone was there. You brought them into the room and locked the door behind you, checking by again that everyone was there, just to be sure.

You searched the room for potential weapons, finding multiple heavy books which you gave to Victor and Bronwyn who'd have no problem throwing them. Then a lamp which went to Emma. Olive claimed she didn't need a weapon as her hands were better than any object you could give her. Enoch found two sharp fire pokers, to took the more dull of the two.

"Look, it's Miss Peregrine!" Millard said.

"Oh, Abe too!" Hugh, who was next to the boy at a window said.

You rushed over to look out. It was bright outside and you could clearly see what was happening. "Away from the windows, now!" You yelled, making them back away. You didn't want them to see whatever may happen.

"What's going on? Why are we up here? And armed?"

"I don't know, Abe said something about a holly? Was that what it was called? No, horrow? That's not it.." You muttered.

"A hollow? Is there a hollow here?!" Olive yelled.

"Yes! That's it. Why? What's a hollow?" You asked, keeping one eye on the children and the other on the window.

"Invisible creatures. They're wretched. Their full name is hollowghast." Olive gave a quick explanation.

"Abe said they smell like rotting corpses, that you'll know they're around because the sent is so strong. They all have three tongues, and long thin limbs. They have large mouths with rows of uneven razor sharp teeth. And-" Emma cut herself off after seeing the younger kids looks of pure horror.

"They're invisible, but Abe has seen one?" You asked, not looking back at the group, staring at the two. Abe pointed towards something you couldn't see, and Alma pointed her crossbow in the same direction.

"It's his peculiarity. To see the monsters."

You nodded but didn't respond, from then on it was quiet. Except for the occasional scolding of a child that tried to look out the window and yelling at Millard to keep his clothes on so you could see him. You watched as Alma shot and missed and reloaded twice. Abe looked to be growing more frantic. You saw the shadow of something looming tall over the grass. It looked to be coming straight for them. Alma reloaded, Abe pointed, she shot. And hit something. The shadow fell back a bit and Alma shot again, hitting it once more. This time it ran away.

The two began making their way back inside. But your eyes continued to follow the shadow. A man stood at the edge of the woods where it disappeared. You couldn't see him very well, but you know he was there. He then turned and angled his head in such a way you knew he was looking directly at you. Perhaps he had wonderful vision or something? Maybe he was peculiar. Who knows. But you had too many questions on your mind to care about how he saw you. For example, why didn't the hollow attack him?

Soon Alma came to the door and said the code word. You let her in and the kids were allowed to leave. Though they were instructed to stay alert and be ready to come back up. Millard would be under a strict, 'no removing of one's clothes' rule to be sure he was safe. The hollow could come back, and until they were positive it was gone no one was allowed outside unless absolutely necessary.

Everyone was even more on edge now.

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Next chapter will be fun :)