Page 77 (2/2)

"Thank the birds," said Hugh

"Thank the gods and the birds," said Bronwyn "All the birds in all the trees in all the forests"

"Thank Jacob, too," said Millard "We never would’ve made it this far without him"

"We never even would’ve made it off the island," said Bronwyn "You’ve done so ed me, each of them, one by one Then they drifted away and only E, bittersweet e you to leave was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do," she said "I’th to ask again"

"I hate this," I said "I wish there were a world where we could be together in peace"

"I know," she said "I know, I know"

"I wish …," I started to say

"Stop," she said

I said it anyway "I wish you could come home with me"

She looked away "You knoould happen to oodbyes I could feel her steeling herself, trying to pull her pain inside "So," she said, businesslike "Logistics When Miss Peregrine turns huh the carnival, into the underground, and when you pass through the changeover, you’ll be back in the present Think you can e froo to a police station, or so I’m sure there’s a poster ofht’ve started crying

"Okay, then," she said

"Okay, then," I said

We looked at each other, not quite ready to let go, not sure what else to do My instinct was to kiss her, but I stopped o," she said "If you never hear froain, well, one day you’ll be able to tell our story You can tell your kids about us Or your grandkids And on’t entirely be forgotten"

I knew then that, from now on, every word that passed between us would hurt, would be wrapped up with and marked by the pain of this moment, and that I needed to pull away now or it would never stop So I nodded sadly, hugged her one more time, and retreated to a corner to sleep, because I was very, very tired