Apiston family tree

Meeting the peculiars

"You'll like everyone here, Ari. Their all amazing." Said Emma. I hoped she was right. "Emma, give Miss Apiston a tour of the house and then meet me and the other peculiars down in the garden at thirteen past four." Instructed Miss Peregrine. I realised Emma had a watch and looked at it. It was only half past two. We had plenty of time. "Come on, Ari!" Exclaimed Emma excitedly. I followed her all around the house, including the room she was willing to share with me. "I'll get Bronwyn to bring in the spare bed from the attic. Don't worry, it won't have any dust or anything!" I'm not quite sure why, but the idea of dust on a Ned made Emma little quite a lot.

At about five to four (yes, this is a big house), Emma took me to the last room, the conservatory. Inside were Fiona and a boy who I felt a recognised, but couldn't quite put my finger on it. Fiona smiled, was, and then patted the seat next to her on the sofa. I sat on it awkwardly and Emma sat opposite next to the boy. "This is Hugh." Emma explained. "And Hugh, this is your sister Ari." Hugh didn't smile. He merely looked away, facing the back of the sofa. "He'll get round, its not everyday your long-lost sister comes over to play." Whispered Fiona. I nodded.

I chatted with Emma and Fiona for a bit until it was twelve past four, and we all, including Hugh, made our way into the garden. It was thirteen past when we walked the length to get to Miss Peregrine. She was waiting six others. "Right, good job, Emma, to keeping Miss Apiston in line. Right, Miss Apiston, please get ready to meet my other children: Bronwyn." A tall, man-like girl came and shook my hand vigorously. "Enoch." A grumpy lookin boy just grunted and took a few steps back. I knew that was Enoch. "Claire." A cute little girl came over and hugged me. I smiled and patted her head lightly, so not to mess up her beautifully-done curls. "Olive." Another little girl wandered up and gave me a hug, before rushing off to lay play with Claire. "Millard." I looked around but I saw no one. Then a got a tap on the back. Buy no one was there! "Miss..." I trailed off as a saw a book being lifted of a bench with no help at all. I realised he was invisible. When he saw that I knew, he came over and shook my hand (at least, I think it was his hand). "And finally, Horace." A smartly dressed boy wandered over and shook my hand. "Horace Sumnusson, a pleasure to meet you." "Thanks." I whispered.

After a few minor chats, the children went off to do there own thing. Enoch went to his bedroom, Horace sat down against a tree trunk and admired himself in a golden mirror, Hugh and Millard went in search of a football, Claire and Olive played on an old see-saw, Bronwyn was about to do some of Enoch's chores and  Fiona and Emma went to tend Fiona's garden. I simply just sat down on the bench Millard has gotten his book from and watched the children playing, wishing I could join them. But i was too old for Claire and Olive, I was a girl, not a boy for Millard and Hugh, Horace and Enoch obviously wanted to be alone, I didn't particularly want to do someone else's chores like Bronwyn and I was too shy to ask to join Emma and Fiona. In fact, I was too shy to ask any of them, even if I was young enough, or a boy or Horace and Enoch wanted to be social.

After a while, Bronwyn came outside and sat next to me. "Hugh's really happy your here, you know. It'll just take time for him to realise this is not a dream. I bet he thinks it is." I nodded shyly and said:"Bronwyn?" "Mm?" "Does he, or rather did he, talk about me?" Bronwyn nodded. "A lot." She added. "Hugh just needs time to think about this and get used to the fact that you are more then a hopeless dream." I nodded and thanked Bronwyn, then she asked if I wanted to play chess with her in the library. I agreed. Honestly, I had no idea how to play chess, and randomly placed the mini figurines on the board. Bronwyn saw this let me win on purpose. "Thanks." I said brightly. "For what she said in a jokey, sarcastic voice. I liked that.

Pretty soon, it was tea time. Bronwyn let me borrow some of her clothes, but they were all to big. "Oops! I forgot you were thinner then me! You'll have to borrow some of Emma's clothes. Sorry, Miss Ariana." I nodded and asked Emma for some clothes. She gave me a beautiful blur medieval dress with gorgeous long sleeves and a had drapped pieces of cloth han from the arms. It was amazing.

"Oh my god Emma! Its beautiful! Can I really wear this?" Emma nodded and showed me a pink version. "I'll be wearing this." She said, smiling. We got changed together and she even let me borrow some shoes and a small, thin cardigan.

They were all so pretty and Emma wore matching everything but in pink! I loved them and then Emma did my hair in a half-braid around my head. I looked magnificent afterwards. And, luckily, Emma had the same so I wouldn't feel so overdressed!

Then Fiona came and knocked on the door. When I opened it, I found she had made not effort herself to change into nicer clothes, or even to do her hair, but she carried a tearstained face, so I let her lack of beauty slide. "It's. Its Millard." She whispered. "He's got blood all down himself and a dagger in one arm. We were playing Raid The Village." Emma rolled her eyes in annoyance. "You know I hate that game! And now you've just got Millard hurt in it! How are we supposed to fix him?" Fiona began to cry again. "I'll do it." I said. "Its my peculiarity - I can heal simply by waving my hand directly over the wound. That, and that I can understand animal languages and can change any feature of my body to reflect ones own." Emma sighed wit relief and Fiona hugged me. "Please fix him." She whispered in my ear. I nodded and followed Fiona downstairs, to where Millard was lying and breathing scarily heavily on the sofa in the living room. "Right, this will only take a moment." I said, and was my hand over where they only visible part of his body - his blood - could be seen. In and instant, the blood began to stop pouring and the gap closed itself up. I looked up at the pillow where I thought Millard's head would be, expecting a thank you, but he was silent. "How is he?" Bronwyn asked. She was stood in the door way holding Olive and Claire by the tiny, soft little-girl hands. "He should be OK. I've fixed his wound, but I can't tell whether he's fainted or a sleep." I heard Bronwyn sigh. "Thank goodness. Miss Peregrine doesn't have to hear of this, does she?" "Only if no one will tell her." I answered. I put my hand where Millard's scar would surely start to form over the days, and patted it. "Where's the dagger gone?" Fiona asked. "Hugh took it to Enoch. He wants it for his dolls." Explained Bronwyn. "Ohh." I watched as Bronwyn carried Millard to his bedroom and then got the littler girls to help her set the table. It was already a horrific evening.