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

Chapter Twelve

November 12, 1932

It had already been weeks since we went to Miss Sparrow's Boston Loop and met Joanne. She was introduced to Miss Wren, and the Ymbryne Council fully inducted her as an ally to us, allowing her to know what went on in Council meetings. However, she never got to actually attend any because she couldn't enter the loop. Joanne had made a point of fussing over the fact that she couldn't get in and tried to convince Miss Wren to move the meetings outside of the loop. The Council Leader declines of course, and told Joanne she could either deal with it or not know anything at all. During times we were at the Peculiar Archives I got to see Thomas, which was no surprise. I still thought he was annoying, but we were friends of course. Having such a good friend reminded me of the Academy, and something stirred inside me that would forever be unsettled unless I saw Meredith Flintshire again. I thought of her often, along with Arthur, Poppy, and Luke. I missed them so terribly much and I thought about how I was growing and learning about the modern world and they were still living inside that loop, not aging a single day.

Right now I was spending the evening with Miss Peregrine and Joanne in our London apartment. Joanne was smoking her pipe and listening to a record playing on the gramophone. She insisted that we get a radio, and Miss Peregrine told her she could buy it herself. Joanne just rolled her eyes and took a long drag of her pipe.

"Smoking may be the only thing that separates us from the lower forms," Joanne slurred.

"Joanne," Miss Peregrine drawled flatly and received a glare from the other woman.

"Would you like a smoke?" she asked the Ymbryne.

"No, I don't smoke," Miss Peregrine replied and glared right back.

"Why?"

"It never appealed to me. Maybe I meant to. Does that count?" Miss Peregrine leered.

"Just do it," Joanne said sardonically.

"I don't want to."

"Because you're weak," Joanne mumbled under her breath. "I hate people who are weak."

This obviously struck a nerve in the Ymbryne, and Joanne knew it. I saw her clench her fist as she tried to remain calm.

"I think I'll go make sure the windows in our rooms are closed. It's getting quite windy outside," Miss Peregrine said with every bit of irritation in her voice. Joanne raised her eyebrows and I was left alone in the room with her. There was an awkward silence and I somehow felt like I just listened to a conversation I was not supposed to be a part of. Joanne seemed immensely relaxed though, and she kept smoking her pipe like she owned the world. After a while she began talking again, although I'm not sure it was to me. She went on complaining about how some Depression was ruining everything such as running the taxes way high on her house in Boston since she's been gone and she couldn't lose it because of Miss Sparrow's loop.

"Miss Sparrow left 'er loop," I mentioned while changing the record on the gramophone.

"But she might come back," Joanne retorted and rolled her eyes.

"Joanne—" Miss Peregrine began and entered the room again but she was cut off as Joanne whirled around in her swivel chair and shook her finger at the younger woman.

"Uh uh, don't you start, Bird Woman. I've lived in that house for thirty years I know all about the occupants of that loop," she scoffed. Miss Peregrine rolled her eyes and turned away.

"Then why haven't we found them?" she remarked under her breath. Joanne angrily puffed out a veil of smoke and ignored Miss Peregrine's comment.

"We've hit a brick wall," Miss Peregrine sighed and rested on the couch.