Scorched Earth: The Prequel to Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children (editing)

Chapter Ten

Carnival Tourist Loop Date August 4, 1750

We arrived in the Ymbryne Council loop an hour later through the tower subway tunnel entrance off Tooley Street. It was well into the night and the streets of old London were clear as we emerged into the moonlit city. The air was quite warm and I was immediately sweating in my heavy winter coat. I noticed some empty tents nearby and thought of The Snake's Circus. As we neared them I saw a sign that said 'Carnival this way' in bold white letters with an arrow pointing in the direction we walked.

It didn't take us long to walk to a large building not far from the subway or the carnival that seemed to be set up and on hold at the moment. I assumed that this place wasn't usually so still and calm, it seemed strange for a Tourist Loop, which is what this was. Perhaps it had something to do with that letter Miss Peregrine received only an hour ago. Of course, that letter was the very reason we were in this loop and not at the New Years Party that was to take place in Belgrave Square. I had to admit, I was disappointed in this turn of events.

It was so quiet and undisturbed outside, yet Miss Peregrine was panicking and moving as quickly as she could, creating an unnatural buzz that tingled in the air wherever we walked.

"Alma?" a hushed voice called out in the dark, hidden in the shadows where we couldn't see. Miss Peregrine spun around frantically, searching for a body to match the ghostly voice. I recognized the voice.

"Alma!" It called again and a woman emerged from underneath the building. This woman was the one and only, Queen Bird Miss Avocet.

"Esme!" Miss Peregrine fell into the older woman arms.

"Is it really true?" she cried and Miss Avocet pulled us down into the building.

"Hush, not out here. We'll discuss more in the meeting," she said.

The Peculiar Archives where the Ymbryne Council met was huge, though it looked much smaller from the outside. The whole thing felt like layers of floors with offices left and right. Name plaques were on these doors and some title or another printed below that.

We approached the end of the hallway where two double doors swung open and a large woman with a fierce gaze marched out.

"She's here! We must start the meeting now!" Miss Avocet pushed forward. I guessed this woman was another Ymbryne, though I wasn't sure which one.

"Yes! Quickly now! Alma, you may send your little one to the common room. She'll be comfortable there," the stranger gestured to me.

Miss Peregrine quickly pulled me away and told me to go upstairs where the commons were and I could sleep until the emergency meeting was over. I nodded my head though I wasn't fond of the idea. The large doors swung open again and I got a glance into the room behind and saw several women all chatting in excited voices with the same worried expression painted on their face. None were familiar but I found Miss Bunting at one end of a long table, sitting down with her face buried in her hands. Another Ymbryne emerged from the room.

"Council Leader, the others are getting anxious, we need you in here now," she said.

"Of course, we're coming."

The remaining Ymbryne's followed inside, including Miss Peregrine who stroked my cheek before she disappeared behind closed doors and leaving me by myself. The hallway was silent down but you could hear muffled shouts from inside the meeting room. This wasn't fair, I wanted to know what was going on and what that letter said and why we had to be here.

"Wanna listen in?" someone asked from behind me. I turned around and saw a boy, who could be no older that I was with messy strawberry blonde hair and dark blue eyes.