Lost Together

Chapter 3

They decided to walk a little slower, since they got more and more out of reach from home with every step they took.

Myron looked down at his sister's hand. He still couldn't really believe what he saw, or what he was holding. But then, he realised something.
"Uhm, Jack?..." Myron began to say and his brother turned his head to him. "Isn't it a little strange seeing a girl with a wing instead of an arm in public?.."
Jack's eyes widened and in the next moment, he started to run behind another house, dragging his siblings along.

And then out of nowhere, the three realised they were still wearing their pyjamas. They didn't think of that, when they ran away from home. They just thought about getting away as quick as possible.
"Darn it!" said Jack, looking down at his clothes underneath his jacket and sighed. "We have to get back there."
"What?!" Myron shrieked.
"Calm down, Myron. I'll do that for us. Remember when I said I could do the same thing as Alma? I will just fly over there and get our things." Jack said as if it was nothing serious, but deep down he was afraid something could go wrong. "You stay here with our sister. And Alma? Try to hide your right arm inside your sleeve."
Then Jack carefully looked around, making sure nobody was watching them.
Myron was startled when he saw his brother turning into a small peregrine falcon, while Alma clapped her hand and wing excitedly.
The bird flew up high, as he left a pile of clothes on the ground.
He went around the corner, then he disappeared somewhere at the end of the street.

<—————>

He was getting closer to their old home. The window to their room was still open.

Jack flew through the window as quiet as possible and sat down on his bed. His eyes wandered from his clothes, over to Myron's and Alma's clothes.
Of course he couldn't carry all of this at one go.
First, he took Alma's clothes, flew back outside and put them down on the ground.  He did the same with his brother's clothes, and then only his were left.

When Jack flew back into their old room, he saw his father with a broom, standing in the door frame. He glared at Jack and the little bird began to tremble.
The man raised the broom, ready to run at his son and attack him.
Suddenly, bravery came over Jack and he started to fly at his father with so much speed, that it took him by surprise.
The bird screeched, attacking him with his talons and leaving big scratches across his face. The man fell to the ground, dropping the broom. Both caused a loud noise when they hit the ground.

Jack quickly flew over to his bed, grabbing his clothes from the backrest at the other end of the bed.
Before he left, Jack saw his mother. She was staring down at his father and then over to the bird with a shocked look on her face.
Then Jack jumped out of the window.

<—————>

"It's Jack!" said Myron and pointed at their brother, while he was flying above them.
The peregrine falcon squawked down at them.
"He says we should follow him!" translated Alma, and Myron gave her another confused look. He still had no idea what was really going on. This whole thing seemed like a dream to him.
The two began to run after Jack, as he led the way.

After turning around two or three corners, they arrived at the back of their old house.
Jack sat on a big pile of clothes.

Myron let out a sigh of relief and went over to him, picking up his clothes.
"That was awesome!" Alma cheered and grabbed her clothes.
Jack didn't really think it was awesome, since something could have happened to him. But at least Alma was okay.

They searched for a place, where Jack could shape-shift back and they all could change clothes.

<—————>

All three were back in their everyday clothes.
Now they were continuing their journey to the nearest train station.
"When someone asks about our names, don't tell them." Jack told his two siblings.
"Wait...we could use fake names!" suggested Myron. "For example, Cook or Franklin!"
Jack looked at him confused. "Cook?...Franklin?.."
"Yes! Like James Cook or Benjamin Franklin! One of them was a great discoverer and the other one a great inventor!" said Myron. He has read a lot of books together with his siblings to know about such things. "I want to be like them some day!"
"I know who they are, brother. We can use both, because we'll probably need more than one fake name." replied Jack, while he was thinking about how many people would ask for their names. Plus, their parents might search for them and ask people. He saw it clearly. Their mother crying and their father dead-serious.
"Hello, excuse me. We are looking for our three children. Alma, Myron and Jack Bentham."

His thoughts got interrupted by a person, slightly bumping into his shoulder, saying: "Excuse me."

Then he stopped and looked at all the other people, walking down the streets, entering or leaving buildings.

"Let's ask around for the train station."