The Empty Crib of Peter Pan
Henry ran through the woods, not caring whether to stop to catch his breath or not. He managed to jump over small logs, twist and turn on and off the path that led to Pan's camp or towards the Echo Cave.
He lifted his legs up to his chest, jumping over a bunch of tree roots.
He cleared that jump with ease, but stopped suddenly for a bush of Dreamshade blocked his path.
"Damn it," he whispered.
He knew it was poisonous and he knew not to touch it.
Looking around, he couldn't find a way around the poison bush. He sighed quickly turning around and running back the way he had just come.
He saw flickers of light in the distance in between the leaves of the tree.
The Lost Boys were out looking for him, calling out to each other.
"Double damn it," said Henry.
He saw a small clearing near where the lost boys were and decided to make a run for it.
He kicked his legs in high gear running as fast as his small body would take him.
He found a small opening in a tree trunk and dove for it.
He rolled to safety just in time before the lost boys had stood where he had just been.
Henry rolled down the trunk to a dead stop. He covered his hand with his mouth to muffle his heavy breathing.
"Did you see him?" asked a boy.
"I thought I heard something come from this direction," said another boy.
"He can't be far," said another boy.
"He was just here. I know it. Look at the broken branches. He left foot prints as well," came another mature voice.
Henry mentally slapped himself. He knew the owner of that voice and it was someone not to mess with. It was Pan's second in command, Felix.
"Spread out and find him. This is a game we cannot lose," said Felix.
Henry heard the rush of feet disappear in the distance. He had fooled them for now, but he knew he couldn't stay inside the trunk forever.
Once he caught his breath, Henry slowly peaked out to make sure the coast was clear.
Henry whimpered slowly climbing out of the trunk. His shirt had been ripped along with one of the legs of the jeans he was wearing.
"About time," came a voice from behind Henry.
Henry turned quickly around and was met by the sly smirk of the head Lost Boy himself, Peter Pan.
"You found me," said Henry.
"It really wasn't that hard," said Pan.
"Are you going to tell me why you ran away?" asked Pan floating down from the branch he was standing on.
"No but you're a smart kid, you figure it out," said Henry.
"Yes you see, I am very smart but it's you who isn't. There's no point in running in the first place. You should have figured out I was going to catch you anyway. There's nowhere you can run where I can't find you," said Pan.
He closed the distance between himself and Henry.
Every step Pan took closer to Henry, Henry backed further away.
"You used magic to find me didn't you?" asked Henry.
"No, me?" asked Pan putting his hand over his heart to mimic pain.
"You're on MY island Henry," seethed Pan.
"There's nothing that goes on here that I don't know about and I can locate anyone here," said Pan.
Henry continued to back away and backed himself into a tree. Pan put each of his hands on either side of Henry's head, entrapping him against the tree. He was now officially trapped.
"Now I caught you," said Pan with a smirk on his face.
"Shut up!" yelled Henry in frustration.
Pan's smirk turned to anger when he heard Henry tell him to shut up. No one told him what to do.
"Do I need to remind you who you are talking to?" asked Pan, putting his right hand over his sheathed dagger at his side, threatening to take it out.
Henry saw Pan's actions and scoffed.
"That's an empty threat," said Henry crossing his arms in front of him.
"If you wanted me dead, I'd be dead by now," said Henry.
Pan was now right within reach of Henry.
"It's more fun to threaten," said Pan.
Henry looked up in Pans eyes. They had rage and it was about to be unleashed.
"Besides I need you alive but it doesn't mean I can't cut you up a little bit," said Pan.
He unsheathed his knife as quick as lightning and laid it gently across Henry's exposed neck.
"No," whispered Henry.
"Oh come on Henry. Don't be such a baby," said Pan.
He then took the knife away from Henry's neck and sliced open his own hand.
"It's just a knife," said Pan licking his own blood away.
He showed Henry the freshly cut wound on his hand.
What happened next made Henry gasp. The wound automatically healed on its own. Pan smiled in triumph.
"Oh the cleverness of me," said Pan.
"Oh puh-lease," said Henry sarcastically rolling his eyes. He wasn't falling for Pan's tricks.
Pan was now angered even further by the sarcastic child.
The knife was placed back on Henry's neck.
"Go right ahead. Slaughter me," said Henry leaning into the blade.
"Like I told you before," said Pan.
He then grabbed Henry away from the tree, making his back slam into his own chest. Pan closed Henry's neck in his muscular arms, cutting off Henry's air supply.
Henry tried desperately to pry Pan's arms off of his neck but it was no use. Pan was too strong for him. Pan's grip tightened on Henry causing him to slightly cough.
Pan then let Henry's breathe some air in but not for long. Pan's knife was now digging slowly into Henry's throat.
"Consider that a warning. I need you alive," Pan whispered into Henry's ear making a chill slither down Henry's back in fear.
"Since you can't die it doesn't mean I can't have some fun," said Pan.
"My family is coming for me and when they do they are going to kick your sorry ass," Henry said.
"Don't you understand yet boy?" asked Pan.
"I control who leaves this island and I guarantee that neither you nor your family are leaving for a long while. Hell your family might even die here," said Pan.
He whipped Henry around and pushed him back toward the camp, the knife now stabbing Henry in the back.
Henry sighed to himself. He smiled to himself on the way back to camp. He had fooled Pan without Pan even knowing it. That was the bright side of the situation.
Pan said his family MIGHT die here, guaranteeing Henry that his family was indeed in Neverland.