A/N: I know the previous chapter was a little on the short side, but I needed move it forward some more. Thank you all again for such great reviews and follows. Happy reading. And yes, sorry it took so long to update.
Of Hooks and Pans
Chapter 21: Dive In
I am behind a tree, observing the Lost Boys lazing about with nothing to do. Tinkerbell hovers above my shoulder and sprinkles some of her faerie dust on me. I hold in a sneeze as it settles on me, causing my upper body to glow. Tink points to me and back to her. She lands a few inches above the grass and floats forwards. She flies in front of my face again and nods. I understand now not to fly too high, but to graze the grass as if I am some mythological creature. I remember rules of thinking happy thoughts in order to fly. An image of Hook emerging from his cabin crosses my mind. I immediately feel my body lighten as if I have been filled with helium. I steady myself, trying to remain calm though excitement buries itself in my soul. I take a deep breath and peek at the Lost Boys once more to make sure they are unaware of my presence. I use extreme caution as I move toward the group, out of the tree line.
"What is that?" A chubby boy asks the group. "Hey? Is anyone listening to me? What is that?"
A handful of boys' heads turn my way as I hover towards them. I begin singing in a dreamy, la-la-la tone with no lyrics. The rest of the boys point their dagger-eyes at me and stand up straight as skyscrapers. One boy, tall and lanky with a baggy dress shirt heads straight for me. He straightens his wire-rim spectacles and rubs his eyes.
"It's a faerie," Spectacle boy says. "No, no it's a mermaid. Or . . . Is it a Mother?"
"A mother?" a dark-skinned boy with a scar along his brow spoke up. "I thought Carmen knocked some sense in to you. There are no more Mothers and your Darling sister is long gone. Don't make me tell Carmen she should lock you back up."
I continue singing quietly, but pick up on the entire conversation.
Spectacle-Boy says, "I don't need to be locked back up. There are no mothers and Peter Pan never existed. Long live Carmen."
"John," another boy spoke, "you will hang like your brother if you don't be careful."
"Faerie-Lady is still glowing and singing," someone announced.
I nearly pass out. John? With glasses and a shirt probably from England circa 1900-something? This boy in front of me is John Darling. John Darling, my great, great, great, great Uncle. Holy macaroni. I try to focus on my singing and gradually the boys gather and follow me out of curiosity.
It isn't until I really put my heart into singing that they fall silent and march behind me, hypnotized. The short trip back to the Indian Camp seems longer than it is. I cannot keep my mind off of the fact that John Darling is in my company, with no idea of who I am.
Tinkerbell floats in front of my face and smiles. She disappears into the tree line and I feel my feet drop to the ground. I can hear the bustling of leaves against tents in the camp. We are not even inches away when my pirate crew jumps from trees and bushes to grab the Lost Boys. I sigh and see Hook climbing down from a tree. He takes hold of the last Lost Boy not yet in a wooden cage.
"James," I say. "That's John you're about to hold hostage. John Darling."
Hook yanks the boy backwards to examine his face. He replies, "It appears you are correct. I wonder when he came back to Neverland."
John, clearly unfocused, remains quiet.
"Are they all this dazed?" Hook asks.
I nod. "I don't understand it either. Maybe Tink's faerie dust helped me out. I thought they would have followed me because of my outfit. They thought I was an overgrown faerie. And then John suggested that I was a mother. Apparently Carmen's been keeping him captive."
"Love, I will take him to Chief's tent. You go put something else on and we shall discuss this when the magic wears off of him."
It is merely moments before I change back into my skirt and corset. I rush out of the tent, breathless. I see the Lost Boys are locked up in various sized cages. John is tied up to a tree with his head lolled to one side. Hook is talking with Bax and Kale about our next move as I approach them.
"She will know we took the boys," Kale says. "We have to act quickly."
James replies, "We can corner her in her own camp when she returns. One of the boys was lucid enough to answer to my hook. He says she will return before sunset."
"James," I say, "Can we really just corner her and end it all in one moment? I mean, she's a witch. Won't she sense something isn't right?"
"Petunia has a point, Captain." Bax says. "We need another distraction and then a final move in for the kill."
"Miss Pan," Smee walks into our conversation. "Miss Pan, I know you were already used . . . Do you think you can convince Carmen you want to join her again?"
"I guess so," I respond, my voice trembling. "She probably won't believe me, but I can certainly try. There's no room for error, so we should do this soon."
"Right." James puts his hand on my shoulder and adds, "Just sit near her tent as if you belong there. Unarmed, she will believe you. Unfortunately we will have to stay small in number around the camp. I propose Smee, Bax, and Kale accompany me to hiding closest to the camp. Everyone else should spread out in case things go sour."
"You know it will, Captain. This woman is a freak." Bax says.
"She's a super freak, super freak, she's super freaky." I sing. No one understands my reference again in this world. I suppose my random singing is not as funny as I'd like.
Tiger Lily and her tribe emerge from their tents with spears, bows and arrows, and other handmade weapons. Tiger Lily notices the worried look on my face and halts her tribe from moving.
"No," She says. "You are not sending Petunia in their alone. Carmen will grind her bones and use them for a potion."
"That is very comforting," I reply dryly.
"Isn't this just lovely," A booming voice shakes leaves from their branches. "A powwow of pirates and Indians. Very touching."
The voice surrounds us. My knees quiver with a cold breeze falling over our group. Carmen, shrouded in a black mist, comes down from the sky and hovers in front of us.
"Ah, Carmen, how good of you to join us." Hook says, completely unaffected by her presence. "We were just talking about how wonderful a person you are."
"Did you think I would not notice my boys missing? Did you think I wouldn't have the power to inform me if something were awry in my neck of the woods? Tell me, Captain Hook, did you think you could trick me?"
"Do you feel lucky, punk?" I ask in a raspy, not-so-Clint-Eastwood voice.
"Excuse me, Captain," Smee said. "Didn't you say we would be ready for this?"
"Quiet, Smee," Carmen blurts. "You men are not ready for what I have planned. And since you wanted so badly to rush this war, I shall give it to you early."
Before we could move, before we could blink or breathe, Carmen's shroud was upon us. I try to run. I grasp Hook's hand tighter than imaginable and we run. We run to the edge of the Indian Camp with blackness and screaming following us. The Lost Boys were awake and they were shouting for mercy. The Indians threw their spears before disappearing beneath the darkness. And Hook and I are at the edge of the camp, facing a cliff overlooking the sea. He hold on tighter and we jump. Behind the whizzing of air in my ears, I hear a faint voice of a sailor named Smee.
Water devours our bodies. A rush of blood to my head nearly knocks me out. I grab hold of Hook's boot and he swims us to the surface.
"What have I done?" He says with a tear in his eye. "All my men, all my crew are gone."
Smee's head pops out of the water. "Sir, Petunia, are you alright?"
"I think so, but we should swim out of here."
"No," Hook says, "We need to find a shore before something swallows us whole."
"But – Carmen?" A bubble of nerves settles in my stomach.
"She hates the water," Smee says. "We're safe here."
"We are not safe here, Smee," James shouts. "All of our crew and the tribe . . . They are all dead."
"They aren't dead," I reply. "That black fog was the same stuff she used on me that night at the Black Castle."
"Alright," James says, "We can discuss this later. We need to get to shore."