Stuck in the moment

Chapter seventeen

"Fiona! I need your help!" I yelled with my last strength. Behind me there was a stream of blood, seeping from my body. Fiona rushed to my side. "Heal it...I'm too weak." I begged her. "Amelia, I can't! We've been practicing, but I'm not powerful enough yet." she sputtered. "Today you are..." I said, placing a hand on her cheek. The young girl placed her hands over my wound. I could feel my skin stitching together and my strength came back to me.

"Thank you." I told her. She smiled and hugged me, as did Claire, the twins and Bronwyn. Soon enough Millard, Hugh, Horace, Olive, Emma and even Enoch joined in as well. "Guys! I'm not dead." I breathed out. "You nearly were." Millard told me. "You won't lose me that easily." I joked. Everyone laughed and released me. "Can we ride on your back to the loop. Please, please, please?" Claire begged me. "Who wants a ride?" I asked her. "Me and Claire!" Bronwyn exclaimed. "As usual." I smiled, before transforming into my lioness form. Jake stared at me in fright while Claire and Bronwyn hopped on my back. "Have you ever rode a lioness before?" Bronwyn asked Jake. He shook his head, still staring at me. "Would you like to try?" Hugh asked. "I don't know...I mean, if Amy's fine with it..." Jake stammered. I nodded my head and Jake climbed on my back as well.

We walked out of the Blackpool Tower building. Everyone who was passing us stared in awe as three people were riding a lioness. Emma and Olive were holding my fur as Fiona and Hugh were petting me. They loved to do that. "This is pretty cool." Jake admitted. I purred in agreement. "Can you race to the loop?" Bronwyn asked me. I growled in response, before running off. Jake screamed scared while the little girls giggled loudly. After a few moments, we arrived at the loop entrance. Jake and the girls got off my back and transformed back into my human form. "Well wasn't that fun?" I panted.

Unfortunately, happiness can't last forever. It was time for goodbyes. The twins walked up to Jake first, hugging him. They entered the loop. Then Bronwyn and Claire came. They looked up at him and stepped into the ghost ride. Hugh patted Jake's back and walked in too, Fiona following him. Horace gave a nod and walked towards Fiona. Then, Millard walked up to Jake. He hugged him and entered the time loop. Olive hugged Jake too, while Enoch simply shook his hand. He then walked to Olive and grabbed her hand as they stepped into the loop together. Emma simply smiled at him. "I don't like goodbyes, but I suppose now is the time for one." she stated. "I guess so." Jake replied. "So, goodbye, Jake." she said, hugging him. "Goodbye, Emma." he told her. She shot him one last smile before entering the loop.

" I guess I'm up." I stated, stepping in front of Jake. He stared at me, sadness all over his features. "Amy, don't leave, please..." he begged. "I have to. The kids need me." I told him. "I can't lose you too...not now." Jake said, tears threatening to spill. "I must. I made a vow to miss Peregrine." I whispered. "Amy..." he breathed out, tears gliding down his cheeks. "Jake..." I sobbed. He took a step forward, engulfing me in a hug. He had one hand on my back and one was lost in my hair. I sobbed into his shirt, my arms around his torso. He took several sharp breaths as my tears stained his shirt. We stood there, holding one another like there was no tomorrow. "You need to go." Jake muttered after a while. "I don't want to." I sniffled. "You have to." he breathed out. I took a step back, staring at his face for one last time.

"Amelia Jones...the girl with a lion heart." Jake mumbled. "Jacob Portman...the boy who sees the monsters." I said, tears falling down my face. He held my hand as I entered the loop until our fingertips lost their grasp. "See you." I whispered. "Yeah..." he stammered.