Hey guys! Welp this is my second chapter, I hope you enjoy it! Thank you so much for the reviews on my first chapter, honestly I wasn't sure if anyone was going to like it, but thank you soo much for the support, I'm glad you approve! ^^ Enjoy! xx
Chapter 2
Billie felt as if she'd fallen under water, everything around her was so peaceful for what felt like an eternity but in reality was mere seconds. Stars and space enveloped around her. She couldn't breathe, yet her lungs felt stable. Then the space that was hugging her fell away as fast as it had taken her, leaving so hard it felt as if she'd been dragged out of demise, away from peace and into something else...
Her head hammered within her skull as air forced its way into her tired lungs, a smooth breeze hitting her pale face as she moaned uncomfortably against the ground.
Ground?
Billie's palms stroked against the terrain her body had been forced against. It was smooth... like marble, but not the same marble that had accompanied the museum. No... this almost had a chalky texture to it.
C'mon, be a man-ur, woman and open your eyes! Her mind hissed at her. Billie was unsure whether to comply. Through her closed lids she could feel the warmth of a dying sun, the breeze of what felt like a comfortable summer evening.
But it was Winter!
Or it was Winter...
Billie couldn't take the tension any longer. She opened her eyes, her small orbs hit with the powerful sun. She squinted, sitting upright, observing things around her with fast, laboured breaths.
She was sitting on a rock... or what had to have been a rock... perhaps it had once been a stable floor, but now it was a white chalky rock, abandoned by large deep ragged cracks. Many other rocks surrounded it, as if she was sitting on a broken terrain, an earthquake zone...
Standing on unstable feet, Billie noticed not only the strange rocks... but the trees. Massive trunks that were wrapped with ivy... they reached so far into the sky, Billie was unsure if she could even see where they ended. She could feel her heart pound within her chest... where am I?
The sky was bathed in a light violet hue, small cotton clouds dotting the heavens with the smallest specks of stars shining through. Billie took in a breath; wherever she was... it wasn't London.
Billie suddenly felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. This place was new... and the orb had taken her here, but the orb wasn't with her... which meant it had abandoned her here. Where ever here was.
"Hello?" Billie yelled, spinning in circles as she searched for anything that might condone life.
Nothing.
She was alone.
"I'm lost! C'mon, cut a girl a break!" she yelled harder, rolling her eyes at her own sarcasm. Despite the knowledge of being alone, she couldn't just stop.
Billie sighed, acknowledging the fact that she still had her backpack. It seemed to have taken a hard hit, but no goods from within seemed damaged. She patted the simple rucksack before swinging it onto her shoulders and narrowly skipping over the cracks in the stones. Perhaps she could make camp? There was certainly enough bark around to burn... maybe if she slept up against a tree or something... perhaps someone would find her come morning. And explain all of this to her.
Just as she had begun to think out a fool proof plan towards her survival, a sudden change to the air set a sinking feeling within her stomach. She wasn't alone anymore.
Billie swung her body around forcefully, her fingers wrapped into tight fists, almost ready to face anyone that came in her way.
What she saw froze her to her very core...
Billie almost fell back in surprise. A storm of sparkling objects seemed to be flying her direction... but something beyond the reflective material seemed to be moving... like tiny wings beating against the wind... making small little chiming noises... they were getting closer, whatever they were...
Billie took a step back before she found herself full on running in the opposite direction from the sparkling storm. Her legs felt numb beneath her as she felt her legs tare against the open twigs reaching out for her as she reached the grassy forest beyond the chalky rocks. She could feel the rubber of her converse squeal in protest as she ran harder against the damp grass, slipping and sliding as she grabbed out for loose twigs and tree trunks to steady her as she ran. Tears streamed from her eyes as she heard the chimes get closer and closer... reaching out for her...
She screamed, holding out her arms in blind panic as she suddenly lost her footing tumbling down... down...
The mud gathered in her leg wounds as she felt small stones within the dirt pierce at her exposed flesh. She tried to gather herself up again, to run away once more... but she knew she was too late. A sudden gust of wind forced her against the floor as she felt her face connect with the cold dirt beneath her. She groaned in defeat. She'd lost...
Her eyes were betraying her as the chimes enclosed around her ears, drowning out any other noises of the damned forest as the sparkling storm circled her... becoming more and more focused until-
A small bearded face appeared in front of her line of sight, his skin a turquoise tinge... sparkling with some form of dust. Wings sprouted from the tiny floating man's back, his eyes rigid and yet soft at the same time. His tiny fingers spread against Billie's nose in an almost comforting manner. His face relaxed as did Billie's... sending her into an almost peaceful slumber.
"And there we were, mermaid rock, surrounded by the blighters, no escape..." Curly began, his blonde locks swinging over his face as he leant in menacingly to the younger Indians in the tribe. The children gasped in shock, some of them covering their faces, some of them smiling and eagerly awaiting more...
"Now remember," Tootles added, leaning in along with Curly, "all them mermaids wanna do is drown you, choke you under the water, grab you from behind and-"
"-and we were trapped on just one of them spiked rocks, one mermaid already had Slightly..." Curly interrupted.
"Could've got away," Slightly snapped as he noticed a few of the giggling children in the front row.
"Then, out of the blue, music starts playing!" Curly grinned, putting a hand to his ear theatrically as flute music began to play from outside of the tent. The children began to cheer as the tent's doorway lifted and Peter, floating a few feet from the ground, appeared.
Curly grinned, "and he handed us branches from trees and we slapped those blighters away like there was no tomorrow!"
All the lads cheered out at the same time as Peter landed on the ground, swiping back his brown locks as they all slapped him on the back in a congratulatory fashion. The children also began to cheer, standing up and beginning to act out play sword fights with one another.
"Oh-kay," Aaya smiled, standing up from the corner of the tent, "per-haps it is time these children sleep?" she mused, taking a few of the younger ones by the hands as the older ones sighed sadly and began to flee the tent.
Before Aaya left with the children she turned to Peter and the other lost boys, bowing before them, "we thank you for the story, was very entertaining." She beamed, bowing specially to Peter once more before leaving the tent.
The Lost Boys gave mocked wolf whistles as Aaya left, sparking Peter to hit their arms playfully, "oi lads, nothing's going on between us,"
"You sure fooled us," Tootles grinned as he ducked a swipe at the head.
Just as the boys were quieting down, a small jingle of bells took to the air as a sweet tune began to fade closer and closer to the Lost Boys and Peter. They all turned to see Tinkerbell appear at the doorway, her eyes wide with what seemed to be shock.
Peter, something has happened, someone new has appeared in Neverland. Her familiar voice flooded through Peter's mind, instantly putting him on alert.
"What? That has to be some kind of mistake," he reasoned, "I hid the orb so no one could find it!"
The Lost Boys looked lost amongst each other, "What's she saying?" Nibs asked, but Peter simply waved him off.
I too see it impossible Peter, but it seems the orb has been unmasked and with it a new arrival has come. The elders immediately took her I had no time to speak with her myself.
"Her?" Peter asked with a raised brow, "a girl found the orb?"
This is no time Peter, I fear the elders are going to use her for something, please, come with me.
And with that Tinkerbell left the tent. With a few quick apologies to his gang, Peter fled the tent too, following Tink as she flew towards the outskirts of the rebuilt tree spirit's fortress.
The Tree Spirits carried Billie carefully to their fortress, flying her safely towards the mineral dust cave. The room took on a magical glow as the child was placed on the cool floors, unconscious and shivering. After stripping the child of clothes the Tree Spirits eased Billie into the pool of mineral dust, a small splash echoing around the room as her body came into contact with the liquids.
Once again, Billie awoke with the feeling that she was under water. Her eyes slowly opened, rousing her from her sleep to see bright lively sparkles shine into her eyes. She squinted, only then becoming aware of the water surrounding her and the lack of oxygen getting to her system. A current seemed to push her body under what seemed like ice. Though the water didn't feel that cold, she knew she had to get out and in order to do so she would have to follow the current. She kicked her legs, only vaguely aware of the distant song flooding her ears as she swam, her fingers tracing the strange ice-like material that was blocking her in. Soon enough, she saw an opening ahead. Her oxygen starved lungs gave a cry for mercy as her arms reached out for the hole, pushing her body through the opening and once again feeding her lungs.
Billie took in large laboured breaths, rolling onto the cool ground in pain. Her chest was aching with an incredibly uncomfortable feel that she just couldn't seem to understand. Like she needed to do something but just didn't know what...
It was only then that she realised she was naked, lying there shivering in front of tiny floating beings...
This had to be a dream.
She shut her eyes; if she couldn't see it then maybe it wasn't happening.
Another shiver wracked her body.
Oh no...
Suddenly, she felt the comfort of a heated cloth land over her body. Gratefully accepting the towel, Billie hastily covered herself up, sitting up to face the same bearded being she had witnessed before she had passed out.
You are now one of us my child.
Billie instantly stuck a finger in her ear, irritated with the strange voice that seemed to echo within her mind, "how are you doing that?" she whispered, realising her voice was still pretty weak from almost drowning in a pool of sparkles... wow... that sounded lame.
We speak to you telepathically; you can hear us because you bathed in the mineral dust. You are an innocent heart, a quality that we share and you shall be greatly rewarded for.
Billie blinked, rubbing her eyes in disbelief, "am I dreaming?"
Laughter echoed through her mind, no child you are not dreaming, but your innocent of heart has been challenged by another, another who soiled his promises of being a saviour, a child who destroyed our world through the sin of betrayal.
Billie frowned, staring at the strange winged being, "...who are you anyway? I mean... what is mineral dust... what do you mean innocent of heart... who are you people?"
More laughter, Billie was already agitated with these beings. We go by many names, but the people of this place call us Tree Spirits, you have been chosen upon us as you are an innocent child not yet soiled by the distrust and betrayal of the modern world, you have been taken from Earth to this Planet of which we call Neverland.
Billie cocked her head to one side, chewing on her forefinger aimlessly, "Neverland? Why's it called that?"
Neverland lies in the centre of the Universe, a world where the occupants cannot age, because of this Neverland is filled with caring, experienced people but at the same time, lethal enemies, we have picked you, young one to protect Neverland from the enemies of this world, you activated the long lost alchemist orb, which means you can activate another that lies here in Neverland.
"Whoa, wait... we're immortal?" Billie grinned for a moment, ecstatic with the news... she would never age... never need parents or authorities she'd be eternally free with no responsibility or jobs! Then her heart twitched at the sudden memory of the other words uttered by the being; "when you say enemies..."
Pirates, lethal, eternal beings that have the drive to kill those who get in their way of their primary motives. They intend to build an army if ever to reach the orb of our world.
Billie's eyes widened, "what, you mean that the orb in here-ur, Neverland... takes people back to Earth?"
The Tree Spirit in front of her smiled and nodded, That is correct child, however it has been long since lost in a cave in caused by the betrayer. You had the power to find the one in your world, you have the power to find the one in this and finally rid of the pirates that plague this world.
Billie shook her head on instant alert, standing up, barely covering herself with the towel, "I'm sorry but... I mean we're on another planet... and you want me to find an orb? I didn't find the one on Earth, it was in a museum... I just dropped it..."
You were drawn to it, no?
Billie's gaze shifted away from the brooding stare of the Tree Spirit in question, "well, yeah but..."
Then you are a true innocent spirit. Trust in yourself; send home the betrayer and the pirates so Neverland can once again revel in tranquillity, your new powers will help you with this.
"Right, right... so all I got to do is find the betrayer and..." Billie paused, pointing at the spirit accusingly, "did you just say powers?"
You have the powers of a Tree Spirit, the powers of flight are free for you to use as well as being in tuned with the four elements, you have magnificent power, do not waste it child.
Billie blinked, "I-I..." she swallowed, "I can fly?" once receiving the single nod from the spirit in front of her she immediately felt a lump in her throat. Flying was the ultimate freedom... something she'd dreamt of being able to do since a toddler... no planes or jet packs... just her and the sky... "well how do I turn it on... y'know how do I fly?"
:) Chapter 2 = DONE Thank you! ^^ Please review! x
