Parapsychology (MPHFPC)

Chapter 8

Callie's POV

The three of us ate my poorly made and cold soup, and decided we'd been awake enough, that sleep was the best option.

So Emma curled up with a blanket on the couch and Bronwyn and I shared the queen sized bed in the master and only bedroom.

When I woke up I realized that sometime in the night Hazel had joined up on the bed, and was curled up in between Bronwyn and I.

As I got up from the best she opened one eye and looked at me and then closed it again, nudging closer to the smaller girl who was still sleeping.

I walked back into the living room and passed it on my way to the kitchen. In the kitchen I gathered all the things needed to make toast, and took them outside on a pan I'd found in the cupboard.

Once outside I built a small fire lighting it with a nice lighter I'd found on the ground. Hazel came out and joined me as I hummed and cooked the toast. It really didn't take long.

I tossed a some water on the fire and went back inside the apartment. I smothered some margarine on them and a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on mine.

By now Emma had woken up, and I passed her a plate of toast. She nodded to me and I smiled back still humming the song.

Over breakfast while we waited for Bronwyn to awake, Emma began to explain the circumstances that led to their shipreck. It was so strange to think that the future had already happened and that people I knew had been there. I felt my heart drop a little bit when Emma told me about the hollows and how they'd killed Bronwyn's older brother Victor. At least now I know not to ask about any relatives.

According to Emma there weren't many sibling peculiars outside of Victor and Bronwyn that weren't twins like Jacob and Abby. Although if they aren't identical even twins might not both be peculiar.

Everything about this new world astounded me, it terrified me too, peculiar children were prey to so many things. Like the hollows and oppression.

Emma even thinks this might be why my parents kicked me out, if they knew or had noticed, it could be why they sent me away.

It wasn't much of a comfort to know why they didn't want me. If anything it just made me mad that they're xenophobia took priority over their own daughter.

Then Bronwyn stumbled into the kitchen with Hazel at her heels. As Bronwyn began eating her breakfast, I told them the plan for today.

"Okay, so I have to work today, just like yesterday. But while I'm gone you two should take a shower and clean up your hair. Then when I get back, I'll try to make contact with at least one of your peculiar friends."

Both girls nodded.

"How are we going to take a shower if the is no running water?"  Bronwyn asked.

"Well, the easiest way to clean up is to bath in the stream. You the know the one I found you in while I was doing laundry. There are also community showers in town but I wouldn't suggest going there without me. Before I leave I'll show you the soap, towels, and hair brush."

Once again they both gave me a Curt nod.

I went to go get the things and change into my work clothes. When I came back both girls were finished eating. I handed them each a towel and some soap. Then I set the hair brush on the counter.

"I'll show you down there then leave for work. We'll leave the radio on a high volume so you can follow the sound of that to get back to the apartments." I told them and we left the building.

Once I'd shown them to the stream, just as I said I hopped on the bike and rode off to work.

~ time skip ~

I walked into the apartment to see Emma looking much more presentable and trying to detangle Bronwyn's hair.

I smiled widely at them.

"Are you ready to try to talk to some of the peculiars?" Bronwyn asked me cheerfully.

I nodded,"I'm ready to try."

"So I was thinking I should try to talk one of you first. You know to see if it's possible to do more than listen to their thoughts. If I can even allow them to hold a mental conversation. Then I was thinking I should try to contact the people who are alone to try and get people into larger groups. You said those people were Horace, Millard, Olive, and Ms. Peregrine. Right?"

Emma nodded. "Yes, based on what you were able to tell us from your dream I think those people are the ones on their own. We should try Horace first. Their must be a reason you were able to remember what he said the best. Perhaps it's because he's the closest by and we can get him to out group, or something."

I nodded. " Okay, I'll go start on dinner and as I do so I'll try to talk to Bronwyn." I told them and exited the room to go make peanut butter sandwiches for dinner. I knee it was unlikely I would be able to expand my ability so far as to talk to people so far away with so little practice. But Emma was right the longer people are on their own or lost the higher chance of fatality we have.

I closed my eyes and focused on getting into Bronwyn's head. It didn't take long.

"I wonder how long it will take for Callie to read my mind. And if she can talk to me mentally. I sure do hope she can. She's our only hope of being a family again."

Hearing this coming from her, hearing someone say that I was their only hope of being a family again, made me determined. If it took the rest of my life, I would talk telepathically with those other peculiars.

I decided to try to make contact with her.

"Hello? Bronwyn. Can you hear me?"

I could hear the gasp of Glee coming from the other room which gave me an answer even before she replied mentally.

"Yesss! I can. I can hear you Callie!"

The way her 'S' sounds were drawn out made me smile.

"Great!" I told her before coming out of her mind.

"Emma, she can do it!" I heard Bronwyn exclaim from the other room. This was followed by thumping footsteps into the kitchen where she hugged me tightly. I hugged he back just as tightly keeping in mind what she'd said about family.

Emma walked in behind her and gave a smile.

"Alright, well. I'm going to try to contact Horace first right?" They nodded. " Well, then when I finish making dinner you two will need to tell me all about him, so I'll have a better chance of getting through to him."

~

AN: So you probably figured it out by now.  But when Callie is listening to people their thoughts are italic. And their most prominent thoughts and bold italic. And when Callie says something to them telepathically it's underlined italic.

Thanks for reading,

- Ash