Stuck in the moment

Chapter ten

"Miss Peregrine?" I yelled through the parlour. "Amelia, what can I help you with?" the headmistress asked, entering the room. "It's time. We saw Barron near Abe's house. Jake must know everything. He has the right to." I told her. "I know, that's why I already sent Emma to get my book. Jake, sit down." she ordered. Jake sat down and I stood next to miss Peregrine. She lit her pipe and began to speak. "We call them Hollowgast, Hollows for short." "My grandpa told me about people who turned into monsters. Is that what they are?" Jake questioned, looking up to miss Peregrine. "I will explain everything, Jake. I fear it's my duty now, considering...but you should know that in doing so, I'm breaking a solemn promise." she informed him, pointing with her pipe. Jake nodded.

"I knew you were peculiar when you were born. That's why I sent Amelia, to watch over you. But your grandfather forbid us to tell you anything. His dearest wish was for you to have an ordinary childhood." "Oh, I definitely had that." Jake stated. "He intended to tell you the truth when you turned eighteen. He hoped his bedtime stories would pave the way. That's also why Amelia forced you to believe them for so long, to make sure you would know quite a lot about it all." Emma entered the room, holding miss Peregrine's book. It was a beautiful book, but its contents were a bit darker than foreseen. "Ah, here's my book." the headmistress stated, taking the book from Emma's hands. She sat down next to Jake. She opened it on the pages about Barron and handed it to Jake. "Amelia, would you please tell this story?" miss Peregrine asked me.

"Years ago, some peculiars were tired of living in loops. They believed that they were superior and that they should rule the world." I began. "That's mister Barron." Jake said, pointing at a picture. "He believed that taking an Ymbryne's powers would make him and his companions immortal, so that they could live outside of loops. They couldn't get a personal loop, because those can only be given to someone with a pure heart. So Barron made an experiment. He kidnapped an Ymbryne and plugged her into the machine. He didn't know or care if the Ymbryne would survive it. But the fate of Barron and his group was far worse than death. They became horrifying monsters." "But why didn't Barron turn into one?" Jake asked me. "He did. But years after the experiment he found a way to regain human form again. They hadn't become immortals, but they had become Hollowgast. Invisible creatures, the most dangerous of all, cold blooded murderers, fatal." I told him in a hushed voice. "Remember I told you they raided loops?" Emma asked him. "This is why." Jake turned the page and several photos of children with no eyes showed up.

"Barron somehow figured out that by eating other peculiars' eyes, children in particular, he and his friends began to change. Eat enough of those, and a Hollow shall become human again. Just like Barron and his cronies." I finished. "The rest of them are stuck as Hollows." Emma added. "Amy, are you saying that Barron ate my grand-" Jake was cut off by miss Peregrine. "He needs no more eyes himself, but I fear he led a Hollow to your grandfather. Yes." Jake glanced towards the ground. I sat down next to him on the couch, placing a hand on his shoulder in comfort. "After the first attacks on loops, we all got better at hiding, making new loops, keeping our whereabouts secret. The Hollows grow more desperate every year and Barron wishes to help his friends." miss Peregrine told Jake. "That's also why I must be very careful when I'm looking for peculiars. Out in the open, the Hollows can kill me every second." I said.

Someone knocked on the door and we all looked up. "Miss Peregrine, come quickly. Miss Avocet's awake." Olive spoke. The headmistress stood up and hastily walked towards the parlour. Jake, Emma and myself followed her as well. "...and suddenly I flew into it again. Bang! Bang!" we heard miss Avocet. She then noticed us. "Oh, miss Peregrine, they found my new loop! The children...I tried to save them, but...there were so many Hollows...I don't know how I escaped." the elderly lady said in distress. Miss Peregrine hugged her. "You're safe now." she told miss Avocet. "None of us are safe." miss Avocet stated, releasing the headmistress. "They set up their machine in my loop." "They put it in the cellars of Blackpool Tower. They're still there." Olive told us. "Their machine?" miss Peregrine questioned. "The experiment. They intend to do it again." miss Avocet explained. "This time, they're using more Ymbrynes. He still wants to be immortal." Enoch informed us. "And he won't stop until he succeeds, even if it means killing all the Ymbrynes in existence." I added.

Miss Peregrine stood up, rubbing her hands together. "Do Hollows only attack peculiars?" Jake asked. "Of course not. They're monsters, Jake. They'll slaughter anything in their path." miss Peregrine said. "Well, some sheep on the island were killed. You don't think they're here already, do you?" Jake asked, looking at the headmistress and then at me. "Have you seen anyone with white eyes?" miss Avocet questioned. Jake shook his head. "Not yet, but they might come. Miss Peregrine, I'm sorry to tell you this, but Cairnholm won't be safe for much longer." I told her in distress. She looked down. After a moment of thinking she spoke up.

"I'm sorry, children, but we can't remain here." "What?" Enoch asked. "We'll leave on the first ferry off the island tomorrow. Pack anything of importance. Then it's sandwiches and early to bed." she told us, grabbing the twins' hands. "We're leaving for good?" Hugh asked. "But when are we coming back?" Fiona questioned. "Never. If miss Peregrine's not here to reset the loop tomorrow night, the house gets bombed." Enoch told her. I walked out of the parlour, to my room. I needed to pack my suitcase. I might not be here very often, but that doesn't mean I don't have things that are important to me.

"Once this loop closes, that's it. I can't get back to my own time." Jake stated as Emma and I were packing. "Well, you don't seem very happy there." Emma snapped, her eyes teary. "I can't just leave! I have a family!" Jake replied. I handed Emma some of her photographs. "You felt ordinary, like nothing you do changes anything." she shouted. "And now you have a chance to do something that changes everything!" "Jake, all of us are in danger...and you're the only one who can see the monsters..." I said softly. "Yeah, sure, I see them, but I'm not my grandpa!" he shouted at me, standing up. He was so much taller than I was. I looked at him hurt and returned to packing my suitcase. "I'm not and I can't fight. I can't kill somebody." I looked towards Emma, who looked up to the ceiling. She was fighting back her tears. "Look, there's only one reason I'd stay here and-" I cut him off. "Go. Now. I'll meet you at the loop entrance." I snapped at him. "Amy..." he tried. "GO!" I yelled, staring at him in rage. I felt my hands heat up, a small fire lighting up. Jake stared at me, sadness all over his face. He walked out of the room and I heard him stomp down the stairs.

"Oh, Emma..." I breathed out, seeing the blonde girl cry. I hugged her tightly as she sobbed into my shirt. "It was just like this with Abe..." she said. "It's going to be fine, I promise." I whispered, running my hand through her hair. "Go after him." she told me. "What? No! I'm staying here with you guys!" I exclaimed. "Amelia, he needs you. Go after him. I'm sure you'll find us. If not, miss Peregrine will write you a letter. Just go after him." Emma said with a sad smile. "Take my suitcase, will you?" I asked her. "Of course I will." she said. I hugged her one last time. "Catch you later, alligator." I joked. "As always." she replied.