Borrowed Time ⏱ Enoch O'Connor

~ VII ~

"RUN!" I yell causing everyone to stand up and furrow their eyebrows.

"DONT JUST STAND THERE. IT'S COMING CLOSER!" I yell turning only briefly to glance back at the horrid creature.

"What's coming my dear? Did you have a nightmare?" Miss Peregrine asks before she briefly glances to where I am looking, a look of recognition crossing her face.

"Fiona dear, go and get my cross-bow please," Miss Peregrine says calmly. How can she be calm? Who am I kidding she's always calm.

The horrid creature is not too far away now and a strange sense of bravery seems to overcome me. Without realising I run forward and shove my arms out to the side. Not entirely sure why. I mean how are my arms going to stop the vile monster from touching me and my friends? Just as I step forward and thrust my arms to the side a strong gust of wind flies past me knocking the others off of their feet but not me. Why didn't I fall?

The monster opens its mouth and strange tentacle like tongues slither out, grabbing me and pulling me into the air.

"Kill it Miss Peregrine!" I hear the younger ones shout desperately.

"I can't see it either lovely's. You don't want me to hit Anastasia by accident now do you?" Miss Peregrines says lowering her cross-bow.

Screaming I clasp my hands around the tentacle its holding me with and a strange scent of burning flesh floods my senses. At first I thought maybe Olive had come to help me but as the monster swings me around due to the pain I realise all of them have shuffled further back with Miss Peregrine stood protectively in front of them. The sound of singeing flesh has now stopped and I'm dropped to the ground landing on my back the pain causing me to hiss. Standing up again, the monster like creature roars and it once again reaches out for me and I scream throwing my arms in front of me protectively. I wait for its slimy tongues to reach me again but they don't so I slowly open my eyes as the others gasp. The ground has started to vibrate and the thundering storm above intensifies. What's going on?

The ground seems to break and rise higher in almost a ramp shape. I run forward and the monster goes to reach for me again but I shove my hands out and it starts to thunder and lightning, the rain hammering down around me, the creature seems to falter slightly. The roaring wind circulates around the creature throwing it backwards and with a loud thud it lands on the ground near the beach. Everything seems to go in slow motion as I run forward and jump off of the sloped piece of ground jutting out from where I was stood. I run and jump over one of the monsters outstretched tongues. I land swiftly with my hand steadying me on the ground. What happens next shocks me slightly. The hand I placed on the ground starts to tingle and a sudden burning sensation tickles my palm, I look down to find the grass setting on fire and spreading around the terrifying creature rapidly rising to lick its lanky limbs, burning the monsters flesh but surprisingly not mine. I stand up and as the rain continues to pound the ground I notice that the fire has trapped the monster and is burning in a circle around it. I lift my hands and the rain begins to fall heavier onto the creature until it was seemingly concentrating on targeting it. The air becomes colder and the rain starts to freeze. Using this insight I move towards the monster and concentrate intently on starting to freeze the water causing the monster to be trapped. Its tongues still fly around me but I manage to doge them and only got the occasional slimy streak on my arm or leg. Not waiting long after I have froze the creature's legs I run away jumping over its remaining tongues until I'm far enough away for it to not reach me.

I let out an ear slitting scream, not in pain nor fear but anger. Lifting my arms from my sides into the air the now slightly more controlled storm above me rumbles and the ground shakes more violently. With a quick glance over my shoulder to check on the other children and Miss Peregrine I turn beginning to sprint towards the creature and shove my arms forward. Fire twirls around my fingers and shoots forward at the same time the storm engulfs the monster and it starts to scream as it finally seems to show its fear. It screams in agony the flames around my palm shooting forwards once more and finally killing the vile beast.

I snap out of the trance like state I seemed to have been in and turn around gasping for breath, shocked, scared. The flames start gently twirling around my fingers and the wind seems to calm. The rain and thunder stops and the ground settle. The others start inching forward eyes wide as if they didn't know whether to come closer or run away. My breath finally seems to fail me and I drop to the ground, vision spinning and head pounding. The others rush forward and all I see before my vision turns blank is the blurry face of Enoch staring down at me -the others faces seemingly more distant. I don't blame them. Why would they want to come near me? Near a monster?