Chapter 9: Evangeline's Sad and Dark Past

After an hour or two, Peter arrived home along with Tinkerbell. The Lost Boys ran to him and told him all about the pirate that tried to hurt Tootles, Evangeline's brave stand, and the powers that she herself possessed. Peter looked at them in awe, thinking it was brave and courageous of Evangeline to put her own life on the line for the ones she cared about. Evangeline had already started putting fruits and vegetables in the baskets that they belonged in but, she hadn't started making dinner yet. As she was organizing the food into the baskets on the bear-skin bed, she saw something: She saw Tootles getting threatened with a knife from that pirate that fought her that day. Then, his face changed to look like her deceased mother and father's faces. It was too much for her, and it hurt her so bad that she started to weep.

Cubby heard the cries and saw Evangeline shaking in pain. He told Peter about what he had seen and Peter went over to her, to see if she was okay. He grinned at her as she peeked from behind her hands. Then Peter pulled her close to him and let her cry. As she continued to sob, the Lost Boys, Angeline, Terrence, and Tinkerbell came over to comfort her. Peter patted her back and hugged her, thinking that doing so would help. Slightly was the first to speak while she cried.

"Evangeline… don't cry. What's wrong, mother?"

Evangeline sat up and looked at Slightly with sad, red eyes. She dabbed her eyes and exclaimed, "I'm fine, Slightly. I just…saw something terrible in my mind. It was like a nightmare, but I was awake."

Peter stared at Evangeline and asked, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Evangeline looked down at the floor for a moment, and then said, "Yes… I'll tell you all my real past, and why it fills me with anger and hurt."

"What do you mean, Evangeline?" Peter asked suspiciously.

"Well, I'll start this story a couple years before Angeline and I were born. My mother was a witch; a very pretty one indeed. She was also part mermaid; that's why they don't try to drown me. My father lived with the Indians and was a great warrior brave. He met my mother after a pirate injured him on a cliff overlooking Mermaid Lagoon. She told me the whole story and I remember it clearly… She was practicing her magic when my father came to the lake, injured. My mother hid in the water, but my father had already seen her: 'It's all right', he told her, 'and I won't harm you. I'm an Indian brave, and I don't harm innocent creatures unless it's necessary for my survival.'

She came out of hiding and appeared before him; a very elegant, young, sea woman with orange hair, blue eyes, a curvy, delicate, petite body adorned with an emerald green tail, ruby red shells over her bosom, and my golden locket (without my name on it) around her neck.

He looked at her in awe and asked her her name and she responded while she healed his wounds with a flask full of water with healing properties, 'I'm Pandora and you must be Chowilawu.'

'How did you know that?!'

'I forgot to mention that I'm a special mermaid; a witch to be exact. But, I don't harm innocent creatures either. I find it very uncivilized to harm anything unless it's necessary for your survival…

'Interesting…'

'I must ask a favor of you.'

'What is it, Pandora?...You look pale and frightened, so what's wrong?'

'Can you help me?'

'Of course. You healed me of my wounds… what is it that you want?'

'Hook is after me and he knows of my powers… I only ask that you take me into your Indian village. I promise I can protect you all.'

'All right, you may come…But, wait! You're a mermaid. You'll die if you leave the water.'

'You forget that I am a witch as well. I can perform a spell which can make me able to live outside of the water… I've left the water before to explore the island so I'll have no problem doing it again.'

'Alright, then come with me. I'll guide you there myself.'

She cast her spell and gracefully stepped onto the sand with her own pair of human legs but as soon as she took her first step forward, she suddenly collapsed. My father caught her and she exclaimed, 'I forgot to mention that I haven't left the water for many years, so I can't walk all too well.'

'I'll carry you back then.' My father lifted her into his arms, with her relaxing against his bare chest, and carried her to the village.

Hook thought she had died so he left Mermaid Lagoon and its mermaids alone. Soon afterwards, my mother married my father and they began to have plans to have children and raise a family. I was born first and I was everything like our mother; looks and all. My sister was everything like our father. We were both beautiful, kind, gentle, and intelligent but I was considered to be the braver and more motherly child while my sister was the shy and immature child. My sister may not remember this story, since she was only a baby… but, when I was 6 years old, Hook attacked our family one night. It was a peaceful, quiet night and my sister and I were upstairs, asleep."

"My mother was knitting and my father was sharpening his spears, in front of the fire. They heard a knock at the door and they thought it might be Tiger-Lily or one of the Indians. But when they opened the door, Hook burst in and grabbed my mom by her beautiful, silky, orange hair.

He banged her against the wall and shouted, 'Where are your children?! I know you're hiding them.'

She got back up to her feet and bravely said, 'I don't know what you're talking about, Hook. You can't prove I have kids and even if I did… I'd never tell you where they are!'

"I was watching from the stairs and I almost screamed or cried because I didn't want to see her get hurt like that. Hook grabbed her again but this time, as he raised his hook to her, knowing she wouldn't reveal our location, my father tackled him and grabbed a spear from the wall. He held it to Hook's neck but, he was too strong for our poor father. Hook threw him off and as he prepared to plunge his shining, silver hook through our father's heart, my mother wouldn't allow it.

She cast a spell, 'FIRE!' The burning blast smacked into Hook and sent him flying into the wall. My mother ran to our wounded father and was able to heal him enough to where he could still stand. Hook groggily recovered from the blast and grabbed a spear from the wall. He lunged and grabbed my father by the neck. He asked if my father had any last words and my father said he did have some.

He explained, 'This is not over, Hook. My daughters will avenge me and when they do, you'll regret ever laying your hands on me or my wife.'

As Hook raised the spear above his head and my father closed his eyes, prepared to be killed.

My mother screamed 'no!' and ran in front of the blade. I heard a crunch noise but, instead of my father getting stabbed, my mother took the blow by throwing herself in front of him. Hook smirked as he lodged the spear through my mom's stomach. My father and I gasped and Hook left, taking the spear that he killed my mother with. She glanced at us one more time before she collapsed. My father held her in his arms and I tried using a healing spell to save her, but nothing was working."

"My mother smiled at me but, tears were just rolling down my face.

I screamed as her eyes started to flutter shut, 'No, Mom! MOM! Please DON'T die! I need you and I can't live without you! Just, Please hold on!'

She gasped at me as her eyes opened. She handed me the item she was sewing and inside it was her most treasured item: her golden, heart-shaped locket, but when I looked at it, my name was engraved on it. Then she gasped, 'Evangeline, you could live without me for a whole day and still survive. I want you to know something, my precious daughter: DON'T you ever let your guard down when it comes to Hook. Be brave because… you're strong. Do this one request for me my darling… Protect your sister, your father, the Indians, and the mermaids of Neverland. They'll need you very soon. (Groan)… I know you'll do great things… with your power, Evangeline. (Groan)… Chowilawu, my sweet husband, protect the girls and teach them all they need to know. They'll need your guidance.'

"My father and I made our promises to her and she smiled happily. After a while, she was losing her grip on our hands and she was exhaling, for the last time. I knew she was dying, so I screamed. I threw myself on her after she didn't respond to me and I started to sob. My father was weeping into his knee and was also patting my back. After my father and I buried her that night, I promised that I would not tell my sister the truth until I thought she was ready. That's why I kept the truth from you, Angeline. I didn't want to upset you. You and I both loved her but, she was all you had. You considered me your mother instead of her and that made you forget who she really was. For that, I'm sorry I lied to you. You're my sister and I should've told you sooner."

Angeline patted her sister's leg and said, "It's okay, Evangeline. You were only trying to protect me, that's all."

Evangeline smiled and then said, "Well, I'm glad you understand. But I'm pretty sure you remember what happened to Father."

"Oh, yeah… he died an awful death."

"Well, I guess I should tell that story too. We had a small vegetable and fruit garden in front of our old house, before we lived in the Indian village. Angeline and I remember this very well… I was going to make soup for dinner and I told my dad to pick a few vegetables while I boiled the water. He picked two sets of four vegetables and handed them to me. I cut them up while he was picking a fifth vegetable. After I cut up all the vegetables he gave me and put them in the pot, he was still looking for a fifth vegetable.

I shouted, 'How long do you need to pick one more vegetable?!'

'I need you to be patient, my precious daughter.' He replied. My sister and I laughed because he needed to "patiently" find one more vegetable."

"Just then, from behind a bush, Hook was behind our dad with only a silver hook and a sword in his hand. He started to sneak up from behind our father.

My sister shouted, 'LOOK OUT, DAD!'

Our dad grabbed his spear and blocked Hook's attack. I told Angeline to get down until I said the coast was clear. I held my hand outside the window, ready to launch a spell if needed. My father was fine until he got distracted when Hook showed him the weapon he killed our mom with. My dad became scared and sad when Hook pointed at the weapon. Then Hook got him when he was at his weakest and killed him too.

Angeline got up and screamed, 'DADDY! NO!'

I told her to get back down and take cover. As our dad stood, wounded up against the outer walls of the house, I launched an attack. 'FIRE!' I shouted.

It almost hit Hook. Then I launched a second attack, 'BLIZZARD!' I screamed.

It hit Hook but after he was hit, he escaped. My sister and I ran down to the yard and as soon as he saw us, he collapsed. Angeline held him in her arms while I tried to use a healing spell on him. But, once again… my healing spells weren't working. I didn't understand why…why my healing spells were working. It turns out that the wounds were too hard to heal and that my power was simply not strong enough."

"Angeline screamed while I pleaded with our father not to die but he held my hand, handed me his spear and whispered softly in my ear, 'I love you and your sister very much… At least I will be with your mother soon. I'm coming for you, Pandora… (Groan)… goodbye my children… (Groan)… you have made my life a joy to live… I am proud to be called your father… (Gasp)… (Groan)…'

He loosened his grip on my hand and fell unconscious as his eyes fluttered shut but, he wouldn't wake up. Angeline shook him and screamed his name, until she leapt into my arms and started to cry. I held her and wouldn't let go unless she told me to. From that day until now, I have always been considered to be Angeline's mother." Evangeline was ready to cry again, but she stopped herself from doing so after Peter put his hand on her shoulder.

Then Evangeline continued, "After that… I decided to get revenge on Hook by disguising myself as a female pirate. Angeline and Tiger-Lily begged me NOT to go but when I told them not to worry and that I had a plan that would work… they agreed to help me find items that would help me with my disguise. Some of the Indians offered to go out and find the stuff I needed to make a dress. I made pants from some black cloth, made a corset with green cloth, and found a red bandana near Mermaid Lagoon. One of the Indians found a gold earring and a puffy white shirt. Another found red-and-black striped cloth, big black boots, and a sword. I assembled the disguise and showed everyone. To finish it, I used my magic to change my appearance from my beautiful orange hair, blue eyes, and pale pink lips to black hair, brown eyes, and blood red lips. I also changed my body figure and skin tone, as well as my name and age. I told the Indians and my sister to keep my identity and plan a secret, just in case Hook had his suspicions. I knew that the boat never left the island it was on, so I tried to think of a way to get on the ship. I saw some pirates coming my way, so I acted like a lost woman who had fallen out of the bushes, or in my point of view… my hiding spot."