"I'm thinking of going back to the house today." Emma said. "We haven't gone through in a while and we've got to make sure it won't close." She sat around the table.

"That's sounds fine to me." Miss Peregrine said. "Don't linger too long, though. And don't go into the town."

"Miss P, you know we wouldn't dream of it!" Millard said.

"It only takes one time to misuse my trust, Mr. Nullings." Miss Peregrine said sternly.
~*~
"When do you think Abe will come here?" I asked Hugh as we walked along the path.

"I dunno. Who knows, might even be today." He said jokingly.

"Don't joke, it could happen." Emma said briskly as she walked.

The house lurked like a dark skeleton in a crypt. So out of place, but it almost managed to fit in. I found myself getting tripped up on tree roots and big bushes that seemed to spring out of nowhere. There was the tree I loved sitting under, now wild, returning to nature. Up ahead I could see the window to my room.

Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Olive's boots made a heavy thump on the rotting wooden porch. I recognized my own moldering coat on a hook. As you can imagine, it made me mildly uncomfortable. For old times sake I took an experimental sit on an old sofa, covered in moss with dark patches of mold on the seat. The fabric made a pff sound and a cloud of dust rose up. I headed down into the basement, mildly curious to see if Enoch's jars had survived, while my friends looked around outside and inside alike.

They had indeed, and looked cloudy and mildly scary-looking. I headed off to a different part to look around when a tremendous crash reverberated up all around me, and bright sunlight came through an opening. I wondered if the ceiling was going to cave, but when it didn't I calmed down a little.

A little bright light was flashing around. I'd been down so many times I knew my way around even in the dark. I also was aware that the only light we had on us was Emma, but this was an entirely unnatural light. I backed away from it and hid in a corner.

The light continued to bob around, and the owner of it ended up backing into one of the jars and it skidded back. He or she jumped a foot in the air and I had to hold in laughter.

I peered around and the person, who I realized was male, stepped into the light area. A smashed trunk lay in the wreckage and was full of photographs that were too far away to see properly.

A crunch was heard over both of us and a light, a familiar one this time, cast even more light onto the teenager before me. He looked rather familiar, but I realized in an instant he was indeed, not Abe.

"Abe, is that you?" I heard Emma ask, and before I could react, the boy turned and made a dash for the stairs. I jumped in front of him.

"Ahh!" He screamed.

"Wait, stop. I think I know you!" I said, trying to block his escape path. I could hear everyone else's feet run out of the house. I tried to remember this boy's name. I only had one picture of reference, when he was nine dressed in night clothes. "Jacoby! Justin? What is your name?" I called. Alas, he had at least two years on me, and half a foot, so he pushed past me and ran upstairs.

I followed him out of the house and through the bog, he was actually gaining a bit, but that might've been my fault with a late start. I managed to get to the loop before him though.

Isn't he supposed to be peculiar? I thought. He's probably going to come out the other side. I waited a few seconds and, sure enough, here came the grandson, whose name started with a J. I surprised him and gave him a hard upper blow with my elbow to the jaw.

"What are you? Who? Please don't kill me!" He cried. I lowered my arm a bit.

"What is your name?" I asked slowly.

"I'm Jacob Portman! My grandpa sent me here, I need to speak to the Bird, and I need-."

"Whoa, Jacob. Thanks for the sensory overload. And please stop talking so loudly, it hurts." I winced.

His face seemed to soften. "What's your superpower?"

"Well, it's not a superpower, it's a peculiarity, and it's hyperacusia." I said.

"What's that?" Asked Jacob dumbly.

"I can hear really well!" I exclaimed, frustration lacing my voice.

It seemed to dawn on him. He inhaled. "Ohh! You're Nettalyn Apiston! You're the bee boy's sister! And you were dating the mean guy, whatever his name was!"

"Yes. And he's not mean, he's just cynical. You would be too if you were one hundred eighteen."

"You and grandpa came to the loop at the same time!" He continued, still dazed.

"Yeah." I agreed. "I've got to get you back to the house! Miss Peregrine's got to see you."

"Okay." He rose shakily, and I felt bad about giving him the right hook to the jaw. Not a good first meeting. What if I had given him a concussion?

"We're going to have to get through town." I said, letting him lean on my shoulder. We hobbled that way until we got to town. Emma started to speed walk to us. She grabbed Jacob's shoulder and pulled him into an alley.

"Emma, what are you doing!" I asked.

"I'm checking to see if he's a wight, now go get me backup!" She said.

"But, he's not-"

"Go!"

I huffed and ran out of the village when I ran into Millard. "Go talk to Emma, she found Jacob and thinks he's a wight!"

"Will do." Millard said, and set off jogging down the road.

"Miss Peregrine! Jacob has arrived, and he's coming to the loop! You need to talk to Emma, she thinks he's a wight." I called as I ran up to the house. Miss Peregrine opened the door.

"We shall have to wait for him to come to us." She announced. "Tell the others to try to do a little tidying for our guest."