We: Book One of Us

Chapter 9

AN: Hi! I hope you're having a great day! And even if your not, I hope it gets better! Here's Chapter 9, I hope you all enjoy it! Also, I skipped years again. Don't pull an Enoch and put life into me just to take it out again.
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Days turned into months, months turned two years. Only, one thing never changed. Every day was September 3rd, 1940. Every year everyone got older but stayed the same. Every year was filled with exact replicas as the last. And I was starting to become bored. I soon abandoned the basic rules, and I snuck out of my room often. The world outside saw different things. Snow. Rain. Sun. Whereas in this castle we all saw rain. The world outside saw seasons. Spring. Summer. Fall. Winter. But in this hell hole, it was an everlasting spring storm.

I eventually began to miss my old life. But I would never trade this one for the last. I can't imagine life without this... this kingdom...

I groaned and ripped out another sheet of paper. I was out of sorts today and everything I wrote sounded like a second graders writing for class. Effortless and childlike. And I was straining from my story. That sounded more like a diary entry than anything. It is true, I've been leaving the loop. Just to get away from the familiarness of everything. It's officially the 21st century outside the loop. Present day Cairnholm had a big celebration... Well, it was big for the tiny island. And I watched it all. I slipped out of the loop that night, after lights out, and watched the whole village gather together and count down to one. Then they began making noise and dancing and celebrating and couples kissed. It looked wonderful. I will be 77 this year, but despite the large number, I remain trapped as a 16 year old.

I wrote and rewrote until there was a knock on my door. I quickly shoved the notebook under my bed.

"IT'S OPEN!" I shouted. The door swung open and Millard walked in. "Hey, Millard," I said with a smile.

"Hey Y/n." He said, sitting on my bed. I shifted a bit, casually moving the notebook all the way under my bed. "I was wondering if you would like to go for a walk."

"That would be lovely." I said, "I have been meaning to get out for a while now."  Complete and utter lie. I wanted to stay here, in my room. I've been sneaking out nearly every night. Then it hit me. I could maybe, possibly, get Millard to sneak out with me. He wouldn't mind. Right? My thoughts were cut short by Millard.

"Alright, let's go then." He said. I nodded and followed him as he stood up and walked out.

We left the house and began walking towards the village. Our fingers were entwined. He told me to choose where we went today. Good thing I already knew what I wanted to do. I began leading Millard by the hand to the loop entrance.

"Y/n, where are we going?..." Millard asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"On a walk..." I replied as coolly as possible. He nodded slightly, and my stomach flipped as we neared the entranced. He wasn't going to like this. I could already tell.

"Y/n... we aren't going out of the loop, are we?" He didn't want to go out of the loop. Shit.

"Well, uh... I sorta wanted to, yeah." I said. Millard stopped walking and pulled me back.

"Y/n, we can't leave the loop. The Bird will kill us. And if she doesn't, then whatever's outside will." He sounded genuinely concerned as to what might happen.

"Millard, it'll be okay. Just this once. Please."  I said.

"No, we've never been out there and we don't know for sure what is waiting outside the entrance."

"WE'VE never been out there," I said, bracing myself for what is to come.

"What do you mean?..."

"I mean, I've been outside of the loop, there's nothing to worry about if you aren't out for long."

"You went outside the loop?! Y/n, something bad could've happened! You don't leave by yourself especially when no one knows!" He sounded mad, concerned, and worried all at once. The mixture didn't sound right in his voice.

"Millard, I'm okay though, nothing happened."

"Nothing happened yet. Just because you safely went out once, doesn't mean jack!"

"What about safely going out numerous times?..." I was digging myself deep, telling him the truth. He was already pissed.

"What do you mean 'numerous times'?!" He practically shouted. His voice raised startled me and I stepped back a bit.

"I've been outside the loop Millard. More than once. Almost every night for the past month, actually..." I was a bit scared to hear his reaction. He inhaled sharply, but exhaled  moment later.

"Y/n, please don't go out there again. It's too dangerous, and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." I looked down, not wanting to look at him. "Please?" I nodded slowly and started walking away. He sped up a bit and walked next to me, grabbing my hand. We walked in silence for awhile. We walked down to the beach. And sat in the sand for awhile.

"I'm sorry." I said, breaking the silence.

"For what?" He asked.

"Leaving the loop...."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Because, I knew I wasn't allowed to, but did anyways, and it made you mad." I said, looking down at the sand.

"I wasn't mad, Y/n. It just scared me. Going outside the loop is extremely risky. I don't want anything to happen to you." He said quietly. I nodded and set my head lightly on his shoulder. He reached up and brushed his fingers through my hair. I smiled slightly and stayed quiet.

We sat like that for awhile. Eventually, the sun began to set in the distance, filling the sky with gorgeous shades of purples and blues, mixed in with bright pinks.  The sun set and we sat. Without the sun beating down, the air soon grew cold and a slight breeze blew through the air. Shivering, we stood up and headed home. Miss Peregrine was standing at the door, awaiting our arrival with a scowl on her face.

"Mr. Nullings, Mrs. Williams. I suspect you know what time it is." She said, her tone a bit harsh.

"I'm sorry Miss, I just-" I was cut off by Millard's voice floating through the air.

"I just wanted to stay at the beach for awhile, Y/n tried to tell me that we should head home, but I told her it was fine, I'm sorry. It's my fault she is late." He said, sounding convincing and apologetic.

"I see, well, supper is over, I suppose you will just have to find something else, and as for you Mr. Nullings, you are on kitchen clean up for the next month." Se turned swiftly and we followed, not saying a word.

We walked to the kitchen as the Bird walked upstairs to tend to the younger ones. I grabbed an apple, I wasn't too hungry, and Millard made himself a sandwich.

"Millard, why did you get yourself in trouble like that?" I asked, taking a bite of my apple.

"Because, I didn't want you taking all the heat." He responded plainly.

"Then why didn't you just make up something about the both of us?" I kept my voice hushed, the Bird had a keen sense of hearing.

"Because, I didn't want to."

"Well, I'm helping you with the kitchen for the next month, no buts." I said.

"Fine." He didn't mind at all. This wasn't the first time I helped him after a punishment anyways.

After we finished eating, we headed upstairs to get ready for bed. He came in and said goodnight, but didn't leave to go back to his room, he stayed in my room all night, and I didn't say a word.

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Hey! I hope you liked this chapter! If you did, it would mean a lot to me if you'd drop a like and leave a comment! I'm not too sure if this chapter was good, but I liked it, so yeah. ALSO, I HAVEN'T PUBLISHED IN AWHILE SO....

Very Peculiarly Yours,
                                  Mrs. Nullngs