chapter seven – Captive

It had now been five utterly excruciating days in captivity, as Wendy woke up that morning. Every day was worse than the last. She got to watch as the boys left the camp laughing and talking, off to their next adventure, without her. Pan would occasionally glare at her, and that look sent uncomfortable chills through her body. She tried to stretch her sore muscles, but the cage was too small. She felt a pain in her neck and she whimpered as she pressed on it.

»Comfortable, my little Lost Girl?» Pan leered at her over the cage.

»Go away», she snarled, not looking up at his smug face.

»I guess that means you don't want out, then», he said, tilting his head to the side, leaning elbows on the top of the cage. Wendy looked up in a heart beat and the boy smirked. She knew though, that he had no intention of freeing her.

»Go, away», she now nearly screamed and Pan looked surprised.

»With that attitude, I might stay here all day», he said, now sitting down next to the cage, leaning his head on the bars. Wendy couldn't control herself anymore and reached her hand through the cage and struck at his face. He backed up as fast as lightning and clenched his jaw in fury. There were now three bleeding scratches on his cheek and he grabbed onto Wendy's wrist before she could pull it into safety. He squeezed it so tightly that she felt the blood stop flowing in her hand. She tried to tear herself free but he wouldn't let go. »Don't you ever» he hissed, »do that again.» He then got up, wiping at his cheek and walking away furiously.

»You can't keep me in here!» Wendy screamed. The boys were now all staring at her with eyes wide. No one ever stood up against Pan. She began scratching at the vines holding the cage together, until one of them came loose. She then kicked the cage door with all her might again, and again.

Pan now turned around, looking at her murderously. »Stop it!»

»Let me out», Wendy responded, still kicking at the door, until it opened and she came to all fours, crawling out. Pan walked to he and took her arm, violently pulling her up on her feet.

»Stop it, now», he said, but Wendy tried to strike at his face again but this time, Pan caught her wrist first. »Now!»

»No», Wendy screamed and kept struggling, waving her arms around wildly, trying to tear herself free from his strong grip. Pan kept infuriatingly calm against her anger and just held her still until she stopped.

»Are you finished?» he asked angrily now, and Wendy caught her breath, panting.

»If you let me go», she said.

»Will you stop that if I do?» he asked.

»Maybe.»

»Fine», he said and let go of his grip on her. She backed up immediately. »You've hurt yourself.»

Wendy looked at her arm that she'd cut on the sharp bars of the cage, while she had scratched him. Then, as she stared at the cut, it slowly began to close until her skin was fair and smooth once again. Why would he do that?

As dawn broke, Wendy looked around herself to find that she was up all alone. Pan wasn't in the camp, she'd seen him sneak out the night before into the jungle, and apparently wasn't back yet. She didn't even wonder where he was going, for she didn't care.

Wendy got up from her bed and was about to gather her weapons, but found they were gone. Did Pan take them? She looked around furiously and decided there was no time. If she ran into Pan during her escape, she'd just have to rely on her nails again.

She sneaked off the clearing, to the opposite direction she'd seen Pan go and then looked forward to see the dark forest before her.

She took a glance at the compass and thought of the water. Soon enough the compass began pointing to the correct direction.

The journey to the mountain was long and tiring, but she made it. She saw the tall mountains before her and sighed. Now to walk up steep surface of it to the fountain. It wasn't even half way up the mountain, but still half a day's walk.

She looked around once more, still afraid Pan was right on her heels. No one was to be seen. She began climbing along the steep mountain, her clothes drenched with sweat. I'd do anything for a little bit or water right now.

Wendy kept on hiking up the mountain until she was too tired to go on. She dropped her bag next to a tree stump and sat on it, regaining her breath. She'd only been walking for a couple for hours, yet she heard a strange sound, like the ripple of water. She stood up, walking toward the sound.

And there it was, the Fountain of Youth.