Miss Peregrine's Pediatric Asylum (MPHFPC au fanfic)

Chapter One

Am I crazy?

I don't think so, but my parents sure do.

After spending months looking for a mental hospital for me, they remembered that my grandfather had lived in one when he was a kid; it was on some isolated island I'd never heard of off the coast of Wales; it'd helped him with whatever was wrong with him, and over the years, he'd gone back and visited a few times.

So they shipped me off to Wales the first chance they got.

It was very foggy and I couldn't see the entire ferry ride from the mainland to the island- a place called Cairnholm. Though when the island came into view, it was very beautiful; rocky cliffs guarded bright green terrain, smoke rose from cottage chimneys. I was in awe until the moment the ferry pulled up to the dock.

My therapist, Dr. Golan, helped me get my suitcases onto land and waited with me there. We didn't speak; we'd done the bulk of our talking on the trip here, and both of us took in the island. I began to think that this would be the perfect place for a mental hospital; completely isolated from society, in the midst of a simpler, more natural place.

After a few minutes, Dr. Golan pointed at the dirt trail that led from the village to the other side of the island, which couldn't be seen from where we were standing. Four people were coming towards the village; one ran ahead while the other three walked behind.

As they approached the pier through the village, I saw that it was an old woman, two boys, and a girl.

"You must be Jacob Portman," the old woman said to me once she stepped onto the pier, "I am Headmistress Peregrine." She turned to Dr. Golan. He handed her my file. "Thank you."

Dr. Golan placed his hand on my shoulder and said, "now you be good." then got back on the boat.

The smaller of the two boys slowly walked up to me, squinty eyes nervous. He looked around twelve or thirteen, and wore a very strange outfit; a black formal suit complete with a bow tie, monocle, and top hat. A lock of copper hair protruded from the brim of his hat.

"Hi." I said to all four of them, smiling friendly.

The girl came up to me and shook my hand. "Hi there! My name's Emma!" Emma was very pretty. Her wavy blonde hair was long enough to caress her hips, and her flinty gray eyes shone brilliantly with excitement. She looked around my age; she was actually a few inches taller than me.

"I'm Jacob." I smiled at her.

The very tall boy who hadn't said anything finally stepped forward. He looked maybe seventeen or eighteen, but appeared much younger; he had the face of a scared child and the air of a little boy who simply refused to grow up. "Hullo there." He said. "My name's Millard." He stuck out his hand and I shook it.

"And that's Horace." Emma gestured to the smaller boy, who was still eyeing me carefully. "Both of them are pretty shy at first, but I assure you; when we play the Peculiar Game, they don't really shut up."

I cocked an eyebrow. "The...what game?"

She furrowed her eyebrows. "You are Abe Portman's grandson, right?"

I nodded.

"Then you of all people should know what the Peculiar Game is!" Millard interjected. "Heck, I expected that you would've been playing it since you were in diapers!"