A strange peculiarity || Enoch O'Connor

chapter twenty seven

The train pulled up to the platform in the layer hours of the morning. The group composed themselves and got up, hauling themselves and each other onto the old train, the conductor giving the rag tag bunch a confused look, but allowing them to continue. The carriage was empty, which wasn't a surprise, not many would travel to London during this war.

Nathan fell asleep almost instantly, sat on his cousin's lap, who sat beside Jeanette opposite Enoch. They had bagged themselves one of the larger table seats. Leo and Horace came to sit with them after a while, they squished into a two person seat with Enoch, whom did not look particularly pleased about it.

"Jenny, when we get to London, do you think we would be able to find Evie?" Cameron asked, shifting Nathan in his arms. The young boy was worn out and it was no surprise to see him asleep whilst he had the chance, the older ones would too be doing So, had their minds not have been filled with worry.

Jeanette thought about Cameron's question for a while. "I suppose it would be possible, although London is currently bring bombed, so it will be difficult, especially as we must stick to our agenda." She answered. The old steamer pulled out of the station and continued on its way. The small group lapsed into silence for a good quarter of an hour, until Horace stated something that he seemed to have been dwelling on for a long time.

"I dreamed of Joe last night." He stated, they all looked at him expectantly. "He is not alone, another is with him. I fear they are collecting Peculiars for a purpose. I do not know what though."

"Do you think it has anything to do with the ymbrynes they took?" Leo asked, they all thought about his question.

At last, Cameron answered. "It's possible, We've seen wights try anything to gain immortality." He told them. Jeanette nodded fearfully.

"Indeed, we must be ready. We cannot let our vision be clouded."

"And if we do?" Leo asked quietly, he didn't really want the answer, but at the same time, he had to know.

"We lose everything" Jeanette sighed, Enoch patted her hand reassuringly.

"We have to do something, Ethan is not going to stop, he still has a hold on us." Cameron told them, Nathan stirred in his sleep, letting out a scared sort of whimper. Cameron looked terrified and just held the boy closer to him, they all had an incline of what had invaded Nathan's dreams.

"I agree, but there is nothing we can do." Jeanette answered. They all looked downcast, until a voice spoke up from behind them.

"A protection spell." Aimee said, she was sat on the table behind, Stephan asleep, his head in her lap. "Steph told me you could do one. Please Jenny, to protect him from being controlled and to protect us all from Ethan."

Jeanette shook her head solemnly. "It's too dangerous, I cannot do it with so many risks. Aimee the last one I did almost cost us our lives." She answered, there was a pleading tone to her voice, as though begging Aimee to drop it.

"What about the one you did for Evie? Or did you forget that I invigilated it for you." Aimee answered cunningly, Jeanette sighed. She seemed torn.

At long last she nodded. "I can do one for Stephan, but to do a spell on us all, it is impossible, and I dare not cast them individually. That would lead him straight too us and the spell would be worthless." She answered.

"Jenny, are you sure you want to risk it?" Cameron asked worriedly, she nodded.

"I guess we must. Or Stephan will be consumed by Ethan's orders and will be no more." She answered, Aimee looked at her boyfriend worriedly, before waking him up and explaining what was going on to him.

"Thank you Jenny." He smiled weakly at her, she did not smile back.

"I must warn you, it will make you lethargic, disorientated and sometimes comatose for a few hours." She told him. "I've perfected it a tad, so you shouldn't have to worry about the comatose part." She wasn't comforting, but he smiled at her anyway. She had moved to sit at their table to perform the spell. "Give me your hand."

Taking his hand in here, she began to chant in the oldest of words. A blue light wrapped itself around Stephen's body, beginning at his wrist and spreading from there. His eyes turned fully black, then blue and then back to normal. His body shuddered and the light disappeared. Jeanette let go of his hand.

"It is done, but there are traces of magic on this train now, they know where we are." And with that she left to go back to the others. Aimee looked back at her boyfriend, who was leaning on her shoulder drowsily. She kissed his forehead.

"Sleep Steph, you'll feel better after it." She told him. It took him a while, but he did. Melanie returned, she had left once they started to cast the spell.

"We're in danger." She sighed gravely. Aimee nodded.

"I know."

^^^
The train reached London a few hours later, the peculiars almost running from the train and across the platform, out into the streets of London. Bronwyn still clutching Miss Peregrine.

Jeanette looked around with worry. "What's wrong?" Enoch asked her.

"Can you feel that?" She asked him as though it was greatly important.

"Death?" He suggested.

"More than that. Can you feel the punishment, the torture, enough to rival the fields of asphodel?" He nodded at her question, although he wasn't sure what she was getting at.

"Yes, why?"

"We're getting close to a punishment loop. I fear it is too late. They have been opened."