Chapter 02: Paradise Sucks

Neverland

Danelle:

A sharp poke in the butt woke me up as I jumped, hitting my head. I looked around and realized I was in a cage a bit off the ground. It was late afternoon.

I looked down at my tormentor as a boy grinned at me. He had dark brown hair and an evil grin.

"Do that again jackass!" I dared him.

This made him smile wider, "I hear Pan might leave you in there this time."

The boy had a spear in his hand with a pointed end. "I don't know who you people are, but you're all demented!"

The boy gave me a confused look before lifting his spear up into my cage. I moved in time and glared at him.

"Try that one more time and I'm going to grab that spear, then I'm going to come down there and stick it up your..."

I was cut off when Felix walked up to the scene. "Devin, how's the prisoner?"

"She's acting as if we've never met," Devin said.

I rattled the cage, "You better let me out of here scarface."

Felix raised his eyebrows at me, "You better tone down that attitude missy if you want to eat. Hunters just killed a boar."

Food? I suddenly relaxed a bit. As if on cue, my stomach growled.

"Sorry. I don't take well to being locked up in a cage." I said. I tried to sound nicer, but I was still on edge.

"Maybe you shouldn't have run away then," Felix argued.

"I didn't run away. I've never been here and I certainly have never met any of you," I argued.

I saw Pan leaning against the tree listening. When did he arrive? Felix and Devin got out of the way as he walked towards my cage. Peter lowered his hand and Felix went over to the rope and lowered my cage to the ground.

Pan opened the door, kneeling down he peered into my cage at me. I finally got a close-up look at my captor. He looked to be my age with a cute face. Though I would never tell him that.

"Look into my eyes and tell me we've never met," Peter said. He pointed a finger at me. "I'll know if you're lying."

I looked at Peter, my voice softening. "I have no idea where I am. When I woke up on the beach this morning, that was the first time I've ever met any of you. I'm not sure how you know me since you know my name. Then again, things don't always happen to me in the right order."

Peter sighed. "So, you can jump through time. I believe you."

"Where am I?"

"You're on an Island called Neverland. I'm Peter Pan." He looked at me as if expecting a reaction of some kind.

"Sorry. Were you expecting me to ask for an autograph?"

Peter gave me a wry smile. "Well, since you're new. I'll only keep you in here for three days."

I sat forward in the cage. "Three days!?"

"Initiation," Peter explained.

I thought of fighting my way out, but then again I was more of an escape artist. I hated fighting. I needed more information about where I was. Something told me these guys could fight better than me anyway. "So, where is Neverland exactly? Is it part of Britain or something?"

This made Pan chuckle. "No. Neverland is a magic island, independent of any nation."

"Magic island? What do you mean?"

"Here on Neverland, If you can imagine it and truly believe it will happen, then it happens," Peter explained.

I looked closely to see if he was joking, he looked serious. "Really? It's really a magic island?"

He nodded.

"You make it sound like a paradise," I said.

"I hope you grow to see it that way since this is your new home. By the way, don't even think about using your abilities to jump out of here. No one leaves Neverland without my permission and I have the only key. See you in three days." Pan said.

Felix locked the cage door and hoisted me back up into the air as Peter walked away with a wave.

"Paradise sucks," I shouted after him.