Crimson

by NeverlandWanderer14

We all know that there's a time that we need to grow up. Hannah Williams knew this well. After getting expelled from school, it was deemed that her childhood was over...When she finds herself on an island of "Lost Boys", she comes to realize that her prayers had finally been answered. Or had they? Facing her fears, she comes to face her biggest challenge of all; Peter Pan.

6. Chapter 6: The Rules

Chapter 6: The Rules

Hannah's Perspective:

My heels dug into the dirt as the two boys dragged me further and further away from the entrance of the camp. I kicked and squirmed, hoping it would do some good, but I was surely mistaken. Their grip was tight and unforgiving, just as they were instructed. They continued along the path, not a stutter or hiccup in their step. As they dragged me my head looked up to the sky whilst I released a breath of exhaustion. There's no way I'm going to be able to handle whatever is to come in a few short moments. The instant I looked down from the sky my face met with the dirt as I slid down into a deep pit. I coughed as all I saw around me was a thin cloud of dust. The murmuring of boys surrounded me from above the pit. One at a time I placed my hands steadily on the ground and my feet shortly afterward. Finding the strength to stand up straight I opened my eyes to the sound of someone…or something sliding down into the pit with me. A cloud of dust blew into the air, surrounding whoever had just joined me at the bottom of the pit. I had covered my face with my forearm to protect my eyes from the harmful dust. My heart skipped a beat when the murmuring of the boys ceased almost instantly. I opened my eyes as the dust had nearly cleared. Through the cloud I could see only one thing. I saw a set of piercing green eyes paired with a mischievous smirk; one I could never mistake. They looked straight through me, sending those same chills up my spine. The dust cloud had completely dispersed, leaving Pan standing before me with not one, but two swords. He can't be serious…

Pan spoke;

"If you want to stay here…"

He paused.

"You play by my rules…"

With a sword in his right hand he dragged the blade in the dirt, drawing a line in front of him. He looked up to the boys who spectated above the pit.

"Where's Felix?" Pan called.

The boys exchanged confused looks and shrugged their shoulders. A red headed boy spoke up;

"We haven't seen him all morning…"

Pan scoffed and glanced at the ground for a moment.

"Then I guess you'll have the honor to duel me" he smirked.

I eyed him questionably.

"Duel?" I cross-examined.

He ignored my question and kept his eyes on the ground. Digging the sword deeper into the dirt, he began to walk around me with it dragging behind him until there was a full circle drawn in the pit.

"Stay within the circle—"

He tossed the sword he was dragging up in the air. As it came at me I caught it by the blade. I hissed quietly when it cut across my delicate skin. His emerald eyes locked with mine.

"-Or you lose."

A wisp of air rang in my ears as his reflective silver sword swung an inch in front of my face. I took a few steps back, leaving myself almost outside of the line indicating the circle. My heartbeat began to increase. He sure wasn't messing around. I was nearly petrified to attempt to swing my sword at him…nearly. Let me tell you, swords are way heavier than they appear. How in the world are you supposed to do any damage with a sword if you're a string bean like me? The only way to do any harm would be to drop it on someone ten feet up in the air; that's about it. I tried with all my might and swung the sword in his direction. Though I didn't drop it like a fool, I had completely missed. He chuckled, which only fueled my anger. I attempted another swing at him, this time slightly closer to his torso. But quickly he swung back powerfully, nearly knocking the sword out of my hands. I took a few steps inward to clear myself from the edge of the circle. But I found myself getting closer and closer to the edge with every threatening swing Pan took. I began to feel overwhelmed the more swings I took. The boys above us watched silently, which honestly surprised me. Their obnoxious and rowdy personalities had vanished, leaving them emotionless and plain. It had almost seemed like all of this was rehearsed in a way. I threw another swing toward Pan in which he deflected, pushing me toward the very edge of the circle. Without warning he swung again, cutting a slash on my face close to my hairline. He pushed his sword toward me as I held mine up to shield my skin from the harmful blade. But my strength wasn't enough. He continued to push without mercy, and eventually I laid on the ground for dear life. His face was close to mine as he continued to push his sword against mine. He was crouched on one knee, using his back to push his sword closer and closer to my neck. I was close to being decapitated, and there was only one thing I could think of that might be able to get me out of this. I butted my head against his as hard as I could, making him grunt and release his hold on me. He fell to the ground as I squirmed to get up. However, I wasn't quick enough. He was already on his own two feet, ready to chop me into tiny little pieces. Barely getting to my feet he swung at me one last time, making me fall back to the ground, completely outside the circle. I lost a grip on my sword.

He won.

I lost.

From then Pan held this large, petty grin.

"Looks like someone just isn't cut out for the life of a Lost Boy" he spoke aloud.

Panting, I looked above the pit at the boys' expressions, those of which held a solemn and despondent spirit. I looked back to Pan who still held the same cocky grin.

"Come on now, you're going home."

Instantly my head perked up as I had thought I had just misheard what he said.

"Wait, what?" I asked in confusion.

Pan held out his hand for me to take it.

"Didn't you hear me? You're going home" he responded.

I was filled with relief, but also a sense of grief. It didn't feel true. And even if it was, what was I really going back to? What was I even fighting for? Just now I had put my life on the line…for what? A boring town, a boring life. It would all just be the same as it was. I took Pan's hand.

"I thought you said I couldn't get home?" I questioned as he pulled me to my feet.

I was once again met with his sparkling, vibrant green eyes.

"I was just trying to give you some motivation to win, but it looks like you really just want to go home. I completely understand."

At this point Pan spoke in a completely different tone. It seemed almost as if he was trying to be nice.

"Come on, your destiny awaits…"

He grabbed the sword from my hand and ordered assistance from a boy above the pit to pull us up. Grabbing the extended hand I was pulled up onto the nice solid ground. What was perplexing, however, was the fact that all of the boys remained standing in their places. Not a muscle had moved since the match ended. I would've expected everyone to get back to what they were doing, but their feet stayed planted on the ground. All of their eyes were on me, still and unwavering.

"Come on lads, get back to your posts. I won't be gone long" Pan announced.

The boys all around listened and glanced back at me one final time before dispersing back to their posts. For some odd reason I had a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"How exactly are you getting me home?" I asked Pan quizzically.

Pan slid his sword back into his belt loop as he replied;

"The way everything gets off this island."

I looked to him questionably and with uncertainty.

"Come on now, we don't have all day" he insisted.

He walked ahead of me in hopes I would immediately follow. But I remained unsure if I truly felt comfortable being alone with this boy. He just tried to decapitate me. I wouldn't just call that 'roughhousing'.

"How do I know I can trust you?"

Pan stopped in his tracks and looked back at me with a smile.

"I'm Peter Pan, I've never told a single lie" he insisted.

I looked back into those same entrancing eyes. Maybe he was right. Maybe I do need to stop being so uptight. I took a few steps to catch up with him.

"That's what I'm talking about girly" Pan applauded.

I eyed him one last time before we started heading out of camp. As we made our way to the entrance I made eye contact with Sam, who had a look of pure grim and sadness. What was so upsetting about finally letting me go home? I felt utterly uneasy, but I ignored the feeling. I was finally going home after this whole mess. Pan and I walked through the woods making our way to wherever he was taking me. In fact, he never told me how he was getting me home. But for some reason, I didn't question him. I was too fearful I'd tick him off and make him change his mind. The more we walked though, the less I began to recognize the area. There were less and less sounds around us.

"How long have you been in Neverland?" I asked.

"For about as long as I can remember" Pan replied.

"It's a safe place, so I never leave."

Besides the small talk, Pan and I barely communicated. About ten minutes later he began to speak again.

"We're getting close" he said.

I looked at him concerned;

"Close to what?"

Pan pulled back a curtain of leaves and vines that revealed a hidden area before us.

"Close to your one way ticket home."

As I looked before us I saw a lagoon surrounded by mounds of sand. The water appeared such a sparking blue, similar to the color of my eyes.

"Um, how exactly is this a one way ticket home?" I interrogated.

Pan rolled his eyes;

"Gee, you sure like to ask a lot of questions."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed;

"I wouldn't have to ask questions if you'd just—"

I looked over at Pan who was staring at me annoyed.

"Right, sorry."

I walked over toward the sand where my feet instantly sank into it.

"What is this place?" I asked before realizing I was asking yet again another question.

For a moment he didn't answer.

"This…is how you're getting home."

I looked around confused.

"Explanation?"

He looked over at me.

"You see, this isn't just any ordinary lagoon…"

Pan brought his fingers up to his mouth, making a high whistling sound. For a moment there was nothing, but then I heard the sound of water sloshing from underneath the lagoon. Before I could ask him why he whistled I saw before me what appeared to be creatures with tails exploding from underneath the lagoon's surface. The breath was nearly taken away from me when I had seen almost eight of these creatures before me. These can't be…

"Mermaids" Pan spoke aloud.

I looked about me in awe.

"But, that's…impossible…"

Pan chuckled;

"Nothing's impossible in Neverland."

My eyes met his and I instantly felt as if I was going insane. Mermaids are a mythical creature, it's impossible for them to exist. The mermaids began to swim closer to the shore.

"Here, come this way" Pan said.

He began walking around the lagoon to a spot with a couple of rocks.

"Come get a closer look."

I did as I was told and followed him. As I did so I continued to look at the mermaids. However, they made me feel incredibly tense. These…'mermaids' were not as I imagined them as a child. They appeared to be quite cold and not in the least bit beautiful. They had what seemed to be sharp teeth and dead skin. They looked to resemble more of a piranha if anything. Pan crouched on a stepping rock above the lagoon.

"How am I getting home from here?" I questioned.

Pan glanced over at me, then back down at the mermaids.

"The mermaids will help you get home."

I spoke aloud;

"How so?"

Pan's eyes locked with the lagoon's water.

"The mermaids will lead the way" he said.

I remained skeptical.

"How do you know they'll help us?"

Pan replied;

"They do anything I tell them. They all have a particular fondness for me."

That's got to be hard to find…

Oops did I say that out loud? No? Oh thank god…

"How can the mermaids lead the way? Are you sure this is the only way off the island?" I continued.

Pan looked about himself.

"Oh, I'm sure, don't you see?" he asked.

I was then puzzled.

"See what?"

I squinted my eyes in the direction Pan was looking.

"There in the water…" Pan pointed.

I started to become infuriated.

"I don't see what you're talking about…" I continued.

Pan scanned the lagoon beneath him;

"You must understand something."

I looked even harder at the lagoon.

Pan spoke;

"There is only one way to escape Neverland…"

After a moment I turned my head to look at Pan to see his hand hovering behind my back.

"Death."

Before I could react Pan's hand had roughly shoved me forward. I could no longer feel the rocks beneath me and my stomach dropped. Not long after my heart was close to giving out at the alarming sensation of cold water. The water was so frigid against my skin it felt like a thousand icy daggers plunged into my body. I swam upward, my head popping out from the surface where my eyes met with Pan's. For a moment I saw a flicker of something in his eyes, but I couldn't tell what that something was. I looked away from him, completely ticked that I was now going to be sopping wet when I got out. That was, if I didn't kill Pan first. As I looked around perplexed I noticed an absence of the mermaids that were here just moments ago. Looking back towards Pan who held a cheeky smirk, I stared daggers into his non-existant soul. I was about to ask him if he thought this was some kind of joke, but my thoughts were cut off when I felt a tug at my ankle. I continued to tread water when I felt another tug, this time at my knee. I looked into Pan's eyes one final time before I felt an aggressive tug at my waist. My whole body was pulled under the bitter lagoon. I felt the sensation of sharp claws against my skin. I tried to pull away from whatever was holding me, but the moment I broke free something else grabbed a hold of me. What is happening? I opened my eyes in the murky water, only able to see the movements of several creatures surrounding me. I was pulled further and further away from the surface of the lagoon. The light from the surface began to slowly fade away, getting darker and darker. Straining my eyes, I did my best to shake off the creatures pulling me down. Their sharp talons dug deeper into my tender skin the more I struggled. I came to the sudden realization that these were the mermaids from just a few short minutes ago. Pan had mentioned that they held a particular fondness for him; that they'd do whatever he wanted them to.

This was all Pan's doing.

For a short moment I kicked off the mermaids holding me beneath the surface and swam to the top, taking a large gasp of air. I panted and began to panic as my eyes met with Pan's. As I looked into the eyes of the emerald forest I saw a flicker of surprise; just a slight moment of bewilderment. But they turned gray as my head fell beneath the water once more. I kicked and squirmed with all my might, but it was no use. My throat was in agony as well were my lungs. They burned from the lack of oxygen I was deprived of. The mermaids held my arms at my sides as they tugged at my legs. I kept trying to fight against them, but their strength was superhuman. I continued to sink towards the dark nothingness of the lagoon. Looking up towards the surface I released a small, precious pocket of air from my lungs that I had saved for the past few moments. Bubbles floated to the surface of the lagoon as they escaped my lips. I was running out of time. It was now to the point where I could no longer see the light on the other side of the lagoon. I began to question if my eyes were open or closed due to the sparkles that danced in my vision. My muscles were tense and exasperated. I continued to sink further and further, feeling the water decrease in temperature every second. Shifting my eyes I peered to the left and right of my unmoving body to see myself completely deserted. They were gone. The deed was done. I was motionless; unable to lift as much as a finger. Their technique proved efficacious. Once they had exhausted me they left me for dead. I felt the strong urge to take a breath, so I did, with my last few bubbles worth of air. The only thing I had energy to do now was think. My heart started beating frantically, desperate for sweet oxygen. But it was no use. The oxygen I had moments earlier was spent and I was left with a headache; dizziness. My head was pounding as every cell in my body was bellowing for air. My hair rose upwards like seaweed, rippling in the water. A sudden burst of energy creeps through the lower half of my body, not wanting to give up so easily. After only a few moments I felt the temperature of the water rise a few degrees, but it didn't last long. I had truly lost all of my energy now. My limbs stopped all movement and my heartbeat began to slow. I imagined in my head that my skin had turned blue and purple, similar to the mermaids. My eyes; sunken into my skull. My fingertips; pruned and soggy. I felt as though my head was going to explode. All of my thoughts roamed free in my head. What would Tommy do if he found out I had been drowned maliciously by a teenage boy? What would my uncle think of me never returning home? And what about the people from school? Not like I was friends with them, but would they care? Would they even give a second glance toward my casket? My empty casket…for they would never be able to recover a body…Would anyone even know I'm dead? After all I'm only 'missing'. They would never know…Nobody would ever know…They'd always be left to wonder, 'what ever happened to young Hannah Taylor?' But I guess they'll never know now, will they? For a moment in my mind I had imagined myself finding the strength to swim back to the surface. But after a long while of suffering my thoughts and memories were taken away, and my mind returned to the bottom of the lagoon. I blinked my eyes one last time, a humungous amount of pressure being released from my head. For some reason it doesn't hurt like I thought it would. The pain and dizziness slowly vanished. If this is how death feels, then I've had nothing to fear these past sixteen years. I'm not scared anymore. The cool water and the quiet, tranquil sounds of the lagoon were actually almost peaceful. I began to fall. I fell further and further into the darkness as it threatened to swallow me whole.

Peter's Perspective:

Drowning is seen as being loud and splashy. Someone screams for help as they aimlessly wave their arms. In reality, drowning is quiet. Their movements are subtle and they rarely make any noise at all. One moment their head is bobbing above the water and then the next it's gone.

And that's my favorite part.

Things can change in an instant. One minute your lungs are full of sweet oxygen, and the next, they're screaming in agony, hoping to sip another breath before death. I watched as darkness enveloped her. The water closed in around her, making her no longer visible. She seemed to hold her breath for as long as she could, too long in fact. About a minute later for a short moment her head bobbed above the water, long enough for me to see her big blue eyes that began to turn red. But soon enough she was back below the surface. Her arms and legs had grown too tired to fight as she struggled to bring herself back towards fresh air. I sat in my crouch and watched small bubbles of air ripple at the surface of the water. By now the briskness of the water will have set in and the pain will start to fade; slowly, then all at once. I gazed into the water, no longer able to pin point a shadow. She had to have been close to the bottom by now. The mermaids most likely finished their doing about a minute ago. Now all that was left to do was walk away. To leave the scene as if nothing happened, because that indeed was the case. She got her wish. She got to leave Neverland. Not only was she a nuisance to how I run my camp, she gave me a sense of uneasiness. The way she would look at me deeply disturbed me in ways I couldn't express. It felt as though she had to power to look beyond my eyes that I purposely devised to lack warmth and amiability. That was a sole reason that I couldn't allow her another chance. Regardless, the bottom of the lagoon was where she belonged. She should be glad she's down there instead of up here running frantically through Neverland. I mean what does she have to offer? An audacious personality? Estrogen filled mood swings? Yeah, no thank you. I waited as the last few air bubbles appeared at the surface of the lagoon. Standing up from my crouch I turned away from the lagoon. I exhaled a deep, refreshing breath. Finally, it was over.

"So that's your solution?"

That strange familiar voice reiterated, echoing in my head.

I did what was best for her.

"The best you could do was drown her so that she wouldn't have to endure 'worse pain'? This is a new low, even for you."

I make my own decisions. And every decision I make is the right one.

"Oh really? So ignoring Gail's warning about Hook's ship was the right decision?"

My heart beat hard in my chest. The mention of that name made my heart ache.

That was a long time ago…

"So? It still happened. You made a mistake."

It wasn't my fault.

"Lying about it to yourself won't make you feel better. It never will."

What's done is done. There wasn't anything I could've done to change it.

"Have you ever thought that maybe you could have saved him?"

That's not true—

"Or what about Ja—"

Shut up!

I clenched my fists as my knuckles cracked. I released a frustrated breath and sighed.

"The girl doesn't belong at the bottom of the lagoon."

What do you know? All you're good for is making me realize how insane I am.

"I know enough that you're making a huge mistake."

So what if I saved her? She's of no use to me.

"That's what you think…"

From then the voice didn't come back. I could finally think for myself. Looking over my shoulder I glanced at the lagoon. Not a single ripple was present in the cold water. Who says there's even the possibility of her still being alive? Even so, what would the Lost Boys think if she came back? They'd think I've gone soft…But they'd know better than that. Or else they'd be the ones at the bottom of the lagoon. I turned myself to face the lifeless water. My gaze fell to the ground as I released a heavy sigh.

Hannah's Perspective:

It was coldness I had felt upon entering the water was completely gone. My heart was no longer beating rapidly in panic. The urgency for air was less apparent than ever. I no longer needed it. Everything felt as though I was in a dream. There weren't sparkles in my field of vision anymore. Even with my eyes open everything was black. So for once, I let them close. I let the iciness take over my body. I felt nothing. I was nothing. I began to wonder just how long it would take for my heart to stop beating. In movies or books it seemed as though drowning wasn't an extremely long process. After only thirty seconds more the victim sinks. With their effort they break the surface again, gulping at the summer air and then with barely a splash they're under again. The next time they sink faster and the panic sets in. Nobody is looking, nobody is aware of the tragedy that is occurring. They aren't small children under their mothers' watchful eyes anymore. And neither was I. I hadn't been in a long time…I felt so incredibly sleepy, like waking up at the break of dawn to go to school; all you want is to go back to sleep. All I wanted to do was escape this nightmare…Through the cold iciness of my skin I felt a sensation of warmth and radiance. A desperate hot wave came over me, warming even my frosted toes and fingertips. At first the sensation began at my forearms, but it spread throughout my entire body. The warmth was comforting, like a radiating fire in the middle of a long winter. The numbness began to fade from my body in which the cold began to return. Every second I felt more frigid water against my skin, but the warmth I felt overpowered it. It was as though I was brought back to life. I attempted to open my eyes, but even when I did so I could still see nothing but darkness. It took a few moments before I realized that I was no longer at the bottom of the lagoon. I was floating to the top, or at least, so I thought. My first assumption was that maybe my corpse was floating to the surface of the water, but I was still here. I could still think.

I was still alive.

I couldn't comprehend a single thing that was happening. For instance, how have I not suffocated from the lack of oxygen? How is my body returning itself to the surface without seeing death? However, in these past few minutes I had seen death; the angel of death. He looked right at me and whispered the prolonged words…'to die…would be an awfully great—'

And then the angel of death disappeared. The radiant sun shone upon my skin, warming my heart and my soul. I hadn't opened my eyes, and so the only way I knew I was above the water was the sensation of water running off of my skin. However, even though I knew I was above the surface I did not gasp for air. I didn't even open my mouth. My lips remained sealed along with my fate. I couldn't bring myself to choke up the water in my lungs. My head was pounding along with my heart. I had no control of my limbs, as it seemed that someone or something took over. I was practically floating on air. But just a moment later I was no longer floating; I was laying in a bed of grass. Even though I couldn't see it I could feel how luscious and vibrant it was. Soon the dizziness rushed back from my head. Any sounds I could hear were cloudy and muffled. Deep within I felt water sloshing around inside of me. It felt as though every cavity in my body was filled with water. Very quickly I felt like I was losing myself all over again. Firm pressure was then present against my chest; pulsating, roughly pushing on my body. It continued without ceasing. My body twitched, and suddenly I felt a tingle deep within my throat. Water flooded up from my throat, soon pouring from my mouth. I coughed viciously as water fell from my cold, dead lips. I sat up and rolled over onto my shoulder, clenching my sides. Every time I thought I had finished coughing more water would fall from my throat. My eyes shot open, water droplets blurring my vision. Coughing up the last bits of water I rolled over onto my back. I breathed deep breaths with quickness. The sensation of breathing felt unfamiliar and alien after not feeling it in what felt like so long. A moment later when my vision cleared my eyes wandered and focused on the figure standing before me. I could recognize these passionate green eyes and brown mahogany hair anywhere. Standing before me, sopping wet from the water of the lagoon, was Peter Pan. His usually tidy hair was sloppy and untamed, dripping beads of water from its ends. His breathing at first seemed heavy, but only seconds later it was revealed that the water didn't nearly have such an effect on him as it did me. I gazed into his eyes, perplexed and afraid; afraid of what he was capable of. Yet I was fearful of how easily he had tricked me. I wasn't known for being gullible, but it was like it took him barely, if at all, any effort to nearly kill me. And I say nearly only with the fact that he unpredictably had mercy on my soul. I was still lost in his confusing and perplexing eyes when they fell away from mine. Between us was absolute silence, besides the small chirping of woodpeckers in the distance. I wanted to speak. I wished to ask him why he did what he did. However my tongue was incapable of forming any sort of words from the English language. Why on Earth did he save my life after threatening it? Or why did he want me dead…? His eyes returned back to mine, this time with a tint of gray specks in them. I could immediately tell they held a dark and clandestine nature. I sat up on my forearms, looking up to him as he looked down upon me.

"Still think mermaids are funny?" Pan glowered.

My mouth still had trouble forming words. I continued looking directly into his dark eyes as I relentlessly breathed heavily. Pan chuckled menacingly at my inability to come back with a smart mouth answer.

"If you wish to remain above sea level, I suggest you take a few notes…" he expressed.

My lips twitched with the natural itch to sass back, but I internally kicked myself to keep it in me. Pan strolled back and forth in front of me when he began to convey his orders aloud.

"I suggest you familiarize yourself with the rules I have instituted just for you."

He took an extensive step towards me, narrowing his eyes.

"Rule number one: you do and say what I tell you to…which includes staying out of my way…"

Taking his time he took another extensive step towards me.

"Rule number two: no more of this back-sassing you appear to be accustomed to…"

I remained still in my spot on the grass. Taking one final step he stopped a few inches in front of me, looking down upon me.

"And last but not least, you tell no one of what just happened here…A single word to anyone about this—"

Pan lowered his face level with mine. It was close enough, in fact, that I could feel his hot breath against my cold cheeks.

"—will result in a punishment worse than death."

I swallowed the dry air in my mouth as he pulled himself away from me. He stood up straight.

"Do I make myself clear?" he questioned firmly.

I laid there doing my best to comprehend everything he had just told me. Only I didn't realize that I had practically ignored his question due to my distracted thoughts. He spoke with more taut and vex.

"I said…do I make myself clear?"

Without hesitation I calmly nodded my head, making him relax his nearly furious temper. The moment he had calmed down I noticed the gray specks in his eyes fade. Never had I seen a person hold so much of their emotion in their eyes. It was quite magnificent actually. I'd say it was truly remarkable if I wasn't scared half to death. At the next opportune moment Pan turned on his heel and headed into the opposite direction of camp. I watched him as he strolled into the forest and soon disappeared into the leaves of many lively trees. Laying here in absolute shock, Pan left me with hundreds of unanswered questions. He never said why he saved me…And for some reason when he would speak to me firmly, I would doubt his actual intentions. Call it instinct if you will, but something is just off with that boy. I laid back down in the grass where the weeds were nature's pillow for my head. It had finally struck me that I wasn't going home. And there was a good chance that I never would. But for some reason, it didn't matter to me anymore. At the bottom of that lagoon I was content with dying. If home was such a good place, why was I okay with the fact that I was going to perish in one of the worst ways possible? This whole experience had opened my eyes. It removed the color-correcting filter on my life. My eyes looked into the sky where I saw a large amount of baby blues and fluffy whites. I watched as the clouds floated by in different shapes and sizes. Every single cloud was different from one another, or at least, that's what anyone else would say. People typically say that no two clouds are alike, and that's what made them beautiful. But I disagreed. In fact, many clouds look the same as they pass by. For the small window of time that you see them, one really has to be special for it to catch your eye. And that's what was beautiful about it. Because in the world, a lot of people look and act the same. But what's special is finding something special within the ordinary crowd. It seemed as though I couldn't help but relate to the clouds. Sometimes I just wished that I could be the cloud that was different. The cloud that was special. A cloud that wasn't easily blown away into thin air. And maybe that was why I ended up here. Maybe I was just too normal for the real world. Like there wasn't any possible chance of me standing out there. And even though I resist it, maybe I can make something of myself here. Just something…anything…Because all I am…or seem to be…is a weight…I sink straight to the bottom…when all I want to do is soar…Now call me crazy, but if Pan hadn't done this to me, I couldn't have possibly seen what was right in front of me…That I was unhappy. But it seems as though I'm not the only one who's unhappy. Though he may seem cold, I see something…Something deep within that's too afraid to show itself. Like a small child who's afraid to come out from under the bed. A child who fears the world around them. I could never relate to anything more. If I've learned anything today, it's that I can't give up now; not ever. I needed to get back to camp. I desire to be strong like the Lost Boys. I have to figure out who I really am and what I'm capable of. And finding who I was wasn't my only aspiration.

It was my mission to find out who Peter Pan really was.

—

A.N:

Hey guys! So the good news is…I FINALLY finished this chapter. I sincerely apologize for keeping you waiting. School has become incredibly overwhelming and it just keeps piling on more work and AGH! But I'm just glad I was able to finish this for you guys. Meanwhile, what do you think is going on with Pan? Is he going soft? Or has he always been soft? What's in store for Hannah when the Lost Boys find her alive? As always I'd love to hear your thoughts and predictions in the comments :) I hope to get you a new chapter as soon as possible. I can't make any promises as to when it will be done, but hopefully it won't take nearly as long as this one did. I love you all so much! I'll see you in the next update!

-Agm3