Chapter 17: Up in Flames
Lea's Perspective:
I stormed through the forest with steam practically blowing out of my ears. My heart was pumping and my fists were clenched, my fingernails digging into my palms. I was swallowing my anger as it continued to course through my veins. What a little bitch. One of these days she's gonna get herself killed. Or worse, she's gonna get one of us killed. I was now faced with the entrance of the camp where I looked up to the guard towers.
"It's just me, guys." Soon after I spoke two heads peeked out from above.
"Oh, hey Lea" the boys greeted me as I gave them a small salute. I passed through the entrance and stormed immediately towards Peter's hut. Standing outside his door I began pounding my fist against it.
"Nobody's home" Peter shouted in a mocking tone. I grunted and immediately barged the door open. Peter was sitting on his bed sharpening his knife. He seemed, at first, a bit startled by my aggressive entrance. I slammed the door behind me as he raised a brow.
"Your little pet almost just killed two Lost Boys" I hissed, irritation evident in my tone. "She turned a weapon on them with the intent of taking their heads off." Peter's eyes stared at me for a moment until he resumed sharpening his knife.
"And this surprises you because…?" He responded cheekily. My eye twitched as I took another step towards his bed.
"Did you not hear what I just said? She nearly compromised the Lost Boys' safety! On purpose! All because of a few mutters from a couple of Lost Boys. It's ridiculous!" I exclaimed as Peter continued to sharpen his knife. He tilted his head and raised a brow.
"You know—" he paused, "her determination to not be looked at like a piece of meat kinda reminds me of you when you first got here." Peter looked away from his knives and his dark green eyes met mine. I scoffed.
"Yeah, except I was able to prove it, whereas she has about as much coordination as a mule" I spoke with distaste. "I just don't know how to deal with her" I admitted. Peter set his knives down in front of him on his bed and patted the open seat next to him. I sat beside him and leaned my back against the wall.
"Listen, maybe we just need a way to motivate her" Peter started. "Make her realize what exactly she's fighting for."
I couldn't quite wrap my head around why Peter was putting so much faith into her.
"I don't see why we can't just send her back where she came from," I said. "She obviously doesn't want to be here. And if she has such a loving family then why did she end up here?" Muttering under my breath I released a heavy sigh.
"See, that's what I was thinking too" Peter commented. "But I've come to realize that she isn't here by just some sort of accident…" he said quietly. My brows furrowed and I looked at him questionably.
"What are you talking about?" I interrogated. "She literally came out of nowhere. Your shadow has been gone for years. There's nobody that would have been able to bring her here—"
"But you don't understand" Peter cut me off. "Something brought her here. We have to figure out why." I scoffed once more.
"Why are we putting so much energy into her like she's the chosen one? She's a bratty teenager with an ego problem. She's asking for trouble—."
"She heard me play my pan flute" he interrupted. I tilted my head in surprise. But she couldn't possibly…That doesn't make any sense. Everyone knows that only lost children can hear the music of the pan flute. Instantly my eyes widened and I shook my head.
"No…that's not possible. She—"
"She heard me, Lea. In the middle of the night. There has to be a reason." Pan looked to me with an expression of complete seriousness. He must be losing his mind. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. He might fall for her charade, but I won't. Peter sighed.
"Just give me a few more days. Then we can figure out what to do with her. I just need to figure out what got her here. But in the meantime, I need you to just not kill her, alright?"
Peter eyed me with large eyes. I leaned my head against the wall and shut my eyes. I bashed my head against the wall a few times.
"You do realize it will take an immense about of strength within me to not throw her off a cliff, right?" I groaned, clenching my fists and burying them into the mattress. Peter smirked.
"Well you are strong enough, aren't you?" He mocked. I rolled my eyes and scoffed, looking back to him to meet his eyes.
"Yeah, well it would've been a ton easier if you would've just given me the—"
"No, Lea. We're not talking about this again—" Peter cut me off. His eyes grew darker and his expression became more serious. I continued to plead with him.
"But Peter, I can barely stand it any longer. I'm going insane. Can't you please just—"
"Lea" Peter stopped me as he grabbed a hold of my shoulders. He shook my body vigorously. "I'm not going to let you do that to yourself. I won't let you turn into me." Suddenly a surge of fury ran through my body and I couldn't control my anger.
"I'm already turning into you!" I exclaimed, pulling his hands off my shoulders. "All I hear are screams and cries in my head. They won't leave Peter! I can't stand it anymore!" Peter's expression grew more and more concerned. I began to breathe heavily and sporadically. Peter grabbed a hold of my hands again.
"Shh, Lea, you have to fight it on your own" Peter insisted. "I know it's hard, but I can't let you just throw your emotions away. I made that mistake. I won't let you make it too." I could feel my body begin to shake as the screams grew louder and louder. Lost Boys' cries echoed in my head, bouncing off the walls and nesting themselves in my brain.
"Peter, I don't know how much longer I can take it…" I whispered. "I don't know how we can fix anything at this point. Don't you think we're too far gone?" I asked, looking straight into his eyes, practically staring into his soul. To my surprise, Peter shook his head.
"I won't rest till Hook is dead. He's taken too much from us Lea, you know that" Peter said. My eyes left his as I stared out the window.
"Killing Hook won't bring them back." I sighed heavily and rubbed my eyes.
"But it would free the Lost Boys that have been captured" Peter replied confidently.
"So what do you suppose we do?" I questioned. "Seeing as last time things didn't exactly go to plan." I turned back towards Peter as he thought to himself.
"We just need to look at everything from a new perspective" he suggested. "Hook discovered our weakness; using our Lost Boys against us. Now we need to figure out his weakness and use it against him." I eyed Peter with a curious expression.
"The only thing I can think of is his drinking problem" I groaned. Peter shook his head.
"Every enemy has a weakness. We just need to find out what's gonna make him crack. There's got to be something we're missing."
"Then I'll go out and take a look at what I can. I can spy and see what else they're—"
"No, Lea. We need you here, training the boys" he cut me off. Rolling my eyes, I chuckled.
"You can't tell me what to do. If it's answers we need then I'm gonna do everything in my power to—"
"Seriously Lea," Peter interrupted once more. "We can't risk losing you too. Hook will turn you into a killing machine if you get captured." I raised a brow and laughed.
"Peter, I'm practically already there." He shot a glare at me and stood up from his bed. "And besides, as long as I wear the locket Hook's magic is useless on me. Or at least, that's how it worked last time."
"You really wanna take that chance?" Peter questioned darkly. "Then at least take—"
"I work alone, Peter. I won't drag anyone else into this. I've been able to handle being on my own long enough. I can protect myself." Peter sighed and he rubbed his eyes with a closed fist.
"Do what you gotta do…" he said. "Leave Hannah to me." When I began to stand up he stopped me.
"But you gotta do something for me" Peter spoke, looking back down at me. "You need to stop being on the outskirts. You're back home with us. The Lost Boys have missed you." I eyed him.
"Forgive me if I'm not exactly the most social person right now. I don't exactly fit in like I used to." Peter furrowed his brows.
"What are you talking about? Of course you do. You're-"
"Family. I get it, I get it" I cut him off.
"Would you at least start sleeping in the huts again? You don't have to sleep outside all the time like a cavewoman."
"It's just what I'm used to" I replied honestly. "And I am not a cavewoman" I scowled before releasing a light chuckle. Peter smirked.
"Just stay in Hannah's hut. I'll find somewhere else to put her" he continued. My eyes instantly widened.
"You can't expect me to stay in there" I exclaimed. "That used to be—"
"Yes. I know. But you're gonna have to face it some time or another Lea. In order to get better, you're gonna have to start overcoming these things. I know you can do it." I groaned, resting my head in my hands and rubbing my temples.
"Fine…" I grumbled. I stood up from his bed and began to head out the door. As I walked through Peter's hut, my eyes glanced over towards his medicine cabinet filled with bottles of light blue liquid. I paused for a moment and stared at all of the vials. I knew that one swig of that stuff would cure my mind, my emotions. But Peter would never allow it.
"Do you ever miss them?" I asked, continuing to eye the cabinet. "Your emotions." Peter was quiet for a moment until I heard him release another heavy sigh.
"Yes and no."
I nodded my head and raised a brow. I left his hut with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I feared that next time I wouldn't be able to keep myself at bay. I was practically already one of Hook's slaves. My emotions were just another weakness of mine for him to toy me with. It was only a matter of time before I cracked.
Hannah's Perspective:
"I never meant to hurt you, Hannah. It was a dumb idea, really dumb. I shouldn't have done it. And I would take it back if I could." Julian walked beside me as he constantly apologized.
"Did you just not have any faith in me? Did you doubt me that much?" I questioned, turning my head to look at him. Julian's blue eyes looked at me with sincerity as he spoke.
"No, I didn't doubt you. I still don't. I just—I thought that if you were guaranteed a win that your confidence would skyrocket and you'd have a whole new outlook on everything here. I was afraid Brett would hurt you. He doesn't always know when enough is enough" Julian explained. A small piece of his dark hair fell in front of his bright eyes, still holding a glassy reflection in them. I stopped walking and stood on the path.
"Listen, I appreciate the concern, but I'm a big girl, and I can fight for myself," I said harshly. "But if you wanna do me a favor, then I can just put all of this aside and forget it ever happened" I offered. Julian's expression perked.
"I'll do whatever you want," Julian responded, "if it proves to you that my apology is sincere." I nodded my head.
"Oh, trust me. It would." Julian eyed me cautiously.
"Well, what is it?" He asked, a curious expression crossing his face. I thought to myself for a moment before deciding that I knew exactly what I wanted.
"Lea…how do I beat her?" I questioned. A look of confusion crossed Julian's face.
"Beat her?"
"Yes," I spoke with energy. "How do I get her to stop treating me like a child? How do I prove to her I'm just as capable as she is?" Julian stood as he processed my question. But before he could answer I had already thought of an idea.
"That's it…" I said under my breath as my eyes fell to the ground for a moment." I looked back to Julian. "You're gonna help me beat her in a duel. One that isn't rigged. You can train me for hours every day. Just help me beat her" I begged.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Hannah. This is ridiculous. Lea is on the same team as us. She's just a little rough around the edges, that's all." I, however, remained persistent and continued to counter his argument.
"I don't care. As long as she sees me as weak she will never treat me the same as you guys. Somebody has to show her up." Julian looked at me as though I was crazy.
"Who says I could even beat her? I don't know how to train you to beat her if I can't beat her myself" he explained.
"Well, who has beaten her?" I questioned. Julian paused for a moment and licked his lips before speaking.
"Pan."
Then maybe that's my answer.
"Do you think maybe Pan would consider—"
"Oh, no, no, no, no. No way. Pan doesn't train anyone. He's only ever trained a few—"
"Great. Sign me up." I continued to pave my way to getting what I needed to beat Lea.
"You're not listening to me, Hannah!" Julian exclaimed. "There are more serious things going on here than just some teen drama." Julian began to walk along the path again.
"Then quit treating me like I'm an outsider" I yelled. I stormed in his direction and stopped in front of him. "Let me help you guys instead of just keeping me on the sidelines." I could feel my heart pumping and thumping in my chest. I was finally letting my emotions surface. "Let me be important for once…" I said quietly. All Julian could do was stare into my eyes. He exhaled and rested his eyes.
"You're right, okay? You deserve to be able to help. But right now, you shouldn't be concerned about Lea, alright? Just put it on the back burner and let it motivate you." Julian's voice was sincere and soft. I could tell he was speaking from the heart. "Let's start heading back to camp, alright?" Julian suggested. He turned around on the path and began heading back towards the camp. I followed suit and walked beside him.
"What exactly are all of the Lost Boys training for anyway?" I inquired as we passed by the training area. Julian shrugged his shoulders.
"My guess is as good as yours. But if I had to ask my gut, I would say that something important is going to happen soon, and Pan wants us ready for it." My eyes watched the ground as we crushed the fallen leaves and twigs with our footsteps.
"Do you still question why I'm here?" I asked. "Like, why and how I ended up here?" Julian smirked and shook his head.
"Not really, no." I then raised a brow.
"Really? How come?
"Well, it doesn't really matter what brought you here. Same goes for the other boys. You're part of the family." Julian grinned. I could feel a slight grin creeping up on my face as well. Maybe not everyone cares about my background as much as I thought they did. My mind was wandering until my nose was confronted by the smell of something burning. Not just a campfire smell, but like a full on burning smell. When I looked up from the path I noticed not too far ahead of us was a large cloud of black smoke.
"Julian!" I exclaimed in fear. He too looked up from the ground and examined the smokey air.
"What the hell?" He questioned aloud as he began running into the smoke cloud.
"Julian, no!" I screamed. I latched onto his arm only for him to pull free from my grip. I stood petrified in front of the cloud of smoke. I couldn't possibly dare to go near it. A few moments later Julian came running out of the cloud.
"It's just a tree that caught fire," Julian said. "There's nothing we can do about it, we just gotta get around it" he explained. Julian grabbed ahold of my forearm before I yanked it back.
"No," I said with worry in my tone. "I won't go near that thing, we'll go up in flames." It was now that I could feel my hands begin to shake and my throat began to tighten.
"Hannah, we'll be fine. We gotta get back to camp before we can't see where we're going" Julian continued. But I wouldn't budge. I continued to stand my ground.
"Julian, I'm not going anywhere near it. There has to be another way." He looked to me in confusion once more.
"If you want to play hard then fine." I became uneasy when Julian picked me up and threw me over his shoulders.
"Julian! Put me down, now!" I shouted. But Julian ignored me and began to run into the cloud of smoke. "Julian, no!" I yelled. I kicked and threw my arms but Julian continued to run. My vision became darker and darker and it became hard to breathe in the smoke.
Oh no…
Not this feeling again…
My heart raced and I struggled to breathe. Everywhere I looked around me was almost black, but Julian managed to run through it all. Off to my right, I could just see a large ash tree that was burning bright with yellow and orange flames. I could feel the hot air against my cheeks as I began to scream. I shut my eyes and clenched my fists. It was all coming back to me. I couldn't contain myself. I could sense Julian beginning to slow down, only making me more nervous and anxious. But to my surprise, when I opened my eyes the smoke began to clear and we were well past the burning tree. Julian stopped along the trail and put me down, his lungs out of breath. I stumbled back onto the ground as I looked off in the distance. I too was trying to catch my breath, but for a whole different reason.
"Are you okay?" Julian asked, his voice a bit raspy. "I didn't want us getting separated back there" he explained, noticing my lack of energy. I coughed a few times and cleared my throat, shaking my hands and wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." Julian eyed me hesitantly.
"You sure aren't a huge fan of fire are you?" Julian questioned with a sort of curiosity. Still trying to catch my breath I replied.
"You could say that." It was now that my breathing became more calm and steady. Julian looked in the direction of the burning tree.
"I wonder what the hell started that," he said.
Well, I'd rather not stick around to find out. You know what they say, curiosity kills the dumb teenage boys. Or at least, that's how it is around here.
"C'mon, we better get back soon" Julian nudged me. He turned his back to the fire and walked along the trail. Taking one last glance at the fire sent shivers down my spine. I jogged to catch up with Julian as we made it back to camp.
Hook's Perspective:
I watched as the girl and boy walked out of sight along the trail leading back to the Lost Boys' camp. Looking off into the distance I marveled at the burning tree I had just set up in flames not too long ago. Seems to me like that girl isn't very fond of fire, hmm? Well, maybe I should send her a little present courtesy of Captain Hook? After all, I never gave her a welcoming gift. How rude of me…
Oh…
This is going to be fun…
?'s Perspective:
Several more days had gone by now. It was hard to keep track of exactly how many. I lost count after a few weeks. I had already gotten my morning punishment; six lashes to my back with a whip, a few kicks to my stomach, and a few cuts to the head from his hook. As an added bonus, he gave each member of his crew a turn to hit me. It came as a shock to me that none of my teeth had gotten knocked out yet. I mean, who needs teeth on a ship that gives you a couple of bread rolls as your daily meal? My mental state has gotten to the point where I could care less about what happens to me. Dying wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. What was there to live for anyway? It was hard to say why they still kept me alive. Maybe as bait perhaps?
The deck wasn't as crowded as it usually was. Typically there'd be at least ten or so crew members walking about, but there was only one at the moment. He sat only a few feet away from me, leaning against the wall of the ship. His responsibility was to watch me and make sure I stayed put while all of the other pirates congregated below deck. Pfft, as if I had anywhere to go. We were out at sea, or at least we were the last time I was able to see above the edge of the ship, which must have been days ago.
"You know, even with all of the blood and bruises, you're still a pretty little lady," the pirate said as he took another swig of whiskey. His long greasy hair was stringy and matted, falling about shoulder length. Several of his teeth were either rotted or missing, making his breath that much more enjoyable. The smell of alcohol used to make me gag as it was extremely potent, but after being here for so long my nose has gotten used to it. I chose not to respond. I really wasn't in the mood for yet another slap to the face due to another sarcastic comment that would slip from my tongue. My knees were numb from sitting on them so much. My hands were tied to the mast in front of me. I honestly could tell you the last time I stood up and walked. The pirate began muttering to himself, in which I decided to just tune him out. It's a shock this ship hasn't driven me to insanity yet. If it hasn't happened by now, it sure wouldn't be long before I ended up like them. All of this pain, all of this torture, all because I wouldn't turn my back on my friends, my family. I loved them so much. I could never betray them like that. Even though I've been the victim of much betrayal, I couldn't fathom the idea of me betraying a loved one.
By now my thoughts began to wither into nothingness except for listening to the sound of the waves. It felt as though I had been on auto-pilot for what seemed like forever. It wasn't until I heard a certain sound that I was knocked out of my daze. I heard the distinct sound of snoring from beside me. I turned my head to witness the pirate on watch duty fast asleep, holding the open flask in his lap and a knife in his hand that laid on the floor. For a moment, I pondered. Was it worth a shot? Could I pull it off? What would I do if I succeeded? These thoughts raced in my head until I heard the pirates below deck, hollering and shouting. If I was going to do this now was the time to make a move. I pushed myself off my knees and attempted to stand, but I had no sense of balance whatsoever. Instead, I sat with my legs in front of me, inching my right foot towards the pirate's knife. I moved ever so slightly as to not make a sound. I eased my way and outstretched my leg as far as it would go. I could just touch the tip of the knife with my heel. Resting my eyes, I slowly inhaled and relaxed, doing my best to concentrate. I lifted my heel and rested it on the knife, attempting to pull it towards me. The first few times I couldn't get it to catch, but after a few more attempts I caught the blade under my heel and was able to inch it toward me. The blade scraped across the deck, causing a clinking sound to fill the air. I moved slowly, as I was afraid to wake the pirate. But every few inches I was closer and closer to my freedom. I slid the knife next to me and soon slid it forward towards my hands. I began to shake them to get the feeling back, a tingling sensation tickling my palms. Reaching my fingers as far down as I possibly could, I reached my fingertips toward the blade and picked it up, turning it around in my hand. I began to saw away at the ropes that imprisoned me for several weeks. The moment the rope was cut and fell to the floor my wrists felt a sudden chill from the cool breeze. They felt so free. But with that, they stung like hell. They had been rubbed raw from the tightness of the ropes. The blood stains on my wrists barely made the actual wounds visible. I was stunned to feel the freedom in my hands. This very moment was the most important part of my potential escape.
I stood up slowly and carefully. It was suddenly that in my attempt to stand I fell against the mast beside me. I held on with a firm grip in my fingertips. My legs could barely hold my weight. They had lost all of their strength. I knew that this could potentially get me killed. There was no way I'd have the strength to swim. I began to lose all hope. That was until I looked beyond the edge of the boat. There, only about two hundred feet in front of my face was the island. It was so close. I was so close to my freedom.
Using my upper body, I lifted myself and grasped onto the edge of the boat and looked towards the water. There was a small dingy tied to the side close enough to lower into the water. Maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't have to swim after all. Grabbing the knife from the floor, I began sawing at the ropes that held the dingy in place. One rope after another, I cut the dingy free as it fell into the water below. Now was my chance. Mustering all of my strength, I lifted myself onto the ledge of the boat and stared at the water below me. Exhaling another breath I let go of the ledge and began to plummet towards the ocean. I felt the air flying through my hair and the refreshing breeze against my skin. A loud thump rang through the air as I landed inside the dingy. My body instantly felt out of place. I was using muscles in my body I hadn't used in forever. My breathing was still heavy as I grabbed an oar that was lying beneath me. Picking it up, I practically threw it into the ocean, beginning to paddle towards land. All felt like a dream until I heard the sound of the door on the upper deck slam open. I began to paddle faster and faster, the anxiety festering inside of me.
"Where is she?!" I heard a distinct voice shout. It only motivated me to paddle faster. I was now in the zone, left, right, left, right. Nothing could stop me. Or at least, that's what I thought until a gunshot rang throughout the air. I turned my head back for a moment, looking toward the ship. I watched as a body was flung overboard, more specifically, the body of the pirate that was responsible for watching me. His still, lifeless body now floated in the Neverland sea. I turned my head back toward the island and paddled faster, faster than I ever had before. The sharp rippling of water caught my attention beside me. One after another, bullets flew through the air in my direction. The loud gunshot sounds began to fade slowly into nothing. Everything around me became slow as molasses, including my thoughts. What was I to do? I got this far, I couldn't give up now, could I?
No. I can't give up now. If I'm going to die, I'm going to die trying. I may be lost, but I'm not hopeless. I am strong. I am fast. And Hook won't see the last of me. I won't let him. Not after everything he's done. He's gonna rot in hell, and I'm going to make sure of it. Loosening my grip on the handle of the oar I dove straight into the water below. The water's cold temperature sent a shock through my body. It seeped into my fresh wounds. I couldn't quite tell if the cold water lessened or worsened the pain. And honestly, I couldn't remember the last time I had bathed. It seemed as though I had a hundred layers of dirt on my skin. Underwater, all I could hear was jumbled waves. All I could see was blue before me. What became alarming was the bullets that continued to dive through the water. Mustering up all of my energy, I began to swim beneath the surface. Bullets fired left and right as I did my best to avoid them. I could feel my muscles burning, writhing in pain. My heart felt as though it could give out at any moment, but I continued to swim. Memories flashed before my eyes, horrible memories. Each and every scream and shout pushed me further. My lungs felt deprived and my stomach felt sick. I needed sweet, fresh air so desperately. As my vision began to go dark my hands smacked into a lump of soggy sand. I pulled my weight as much as I could, feeling my entire body slide across the land. After a moment, my head resurfaced and I gasped for air. The warm sunlight shone across my face into my eyes and refreshing air filled my lungs. Spitting up water and coughing out particles of sand I clawed my way onto the shore, just clinging on to dear life. Trying to find a way to control my breathing, I looked about myself and examined my surroundings. In front of me was the familiar forest, filled with miles of green. The waves crashed against my feet, retreating back into the sea every couple of moments. I turned my head to the side and looked back to the sea. There was Hook's ship, off in the distance in the middle of the ocean. It amazed me that only an hour before, I was on that ship, listening to the shouts and hollers of the drunk sailors. But now, I was here. I was back on land.
I escaped Captain Hook.
I chuckled to myself as I stood up on my knees.
"I'm home…" I spoke to myself with a smile. "I'm home…I'm free!" I laughed to myself as I felt a tear run down my cheek. But it was now that the mental pain, as well as physical pain, began to set in.
Now what?
I escaped Hook, but what was I to do now? What was there for me to accomplish? All of a sudden, a sharp, stinging pain shot through my body. I hissed in pain as sand began to seep into my open wounds. I attempted to brush some sand off, but it was no use. I need to get to the forest. I needed to get back to camp, or at least what's left of it. Putting one foot in front of the other, I tried to stand up. And while I was standing for a moment, it quickly ended when I face-planted into the hot, grainy sand. I groaned in pain. I still wasn't strong enough. Getting back on my knees, I crawled across the shore to the beginning of the forest. Each time my hand touched the sand I hissed in pain. It was a slow process, but I finally made it to the end of the sand when I latched onto a large palm tree. I attempted to pull myself up once more, this time actually succeeding. I gripped onto the tree and eventually stood all the way up, feeling a bit woozy and unbalanced. My legs began to shake beneath me. One foot in front of the other, I gripped and pulled myself along trees to make my way through the forest. Every step was more painful than the last. I somehow managed to string myself along like this for a while. But once my vision began to blur it became hard to focus on anything.
"You're weak…" The disgusting voice of Hook echoed in my head.
"You'll never make it…"
"How could you think you were actually strong enough to escape me?"
Shut up…
"You'll just be another one of Pan's who was claimed by the great Captain Hook…"
My grip began to slip from the tree I held desperately onto. I could feel my anger slowly simmering.
"Get out of my head…" I just barely choked aloud, a slight whimper in my voice.
It was now that my vision was spinning. I could barely tell where I was. Lucky for me, I could almost smell it. I could smell the sweet Birth-roots that grew along the outskirts of the camp. I could hear the familiar peaceful chirping of the birds. The smokey aftermath of the campfire always made me feel at home.
I was close…
When I fluttered my eyes to see, I let go of the tree I was previously clinging onto. I stumbled for a moment before I heard the sound of weapons being raised. Through my spotty vision, I looked up to the sky to find myself facing a large wall built of bamboo and other raw materials. There was a small opening only a few feet wide that served as an entrance with two guard towers on each side. When I examined the guard towers, I noticed a Lost Boy in each one, holding weapons in my direction. My heart-rate continued to slow. My dirt-covered shaky hands dripping of crimson blood slowly raised in surrender, showing that I intended no harm. Who knows if they would trust me at this point? I sure as hell know I probably wouldn't. After a moment, the Lost Boys lowered their weapons in shock and question. Looking towards the entrance of the camp, my eyes locked with a Lost Boy walking within the walls. When he got a glance of me through the opening in the wall he stopped in his tracks, full of disbelief and question. I could see his hazel eyes gleaming in the sunlight. His shaggy brown hair was just as it was the last time I saw him.
"Sam—" I just barely croaked out before collapsing to the ground, feeling the soft grass brush against my skin. My eyes were only able to see a set of feet sprinting in my direction as well as several other pairs beginning to congregate around the entrance of camp. My vision continued going in and out every couple of seconds. I could feel my body being lifted onto someone's lap at this point. It was now that I could just barely hear Sam's voice. When my vision came back slightly I watched as tears streamed down his face.
"We thought you were dead…" he sobbed as he held me tight. He kept repeating that line over and over. "What has he done to you?" He questioned. More tears streamed down his cheeks as his voice became full of fury. But it was at this point that I could no longer move. I could no longer blink.
"Somebody get Pan! Now!" A Lost Boy shouted. Sam began to shake my unmoving body.
"No! Don't leave us. Everything is gonna be okay. Don't close your eyes" Sam begged. But I had no control over this. My eyes became heavy as though they were tied to cinderblocks. The last thing I remember seeing out of the corner of my eye was a set of bright green irises staring at me in amazement and denial.
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A.N:
Yay, I updated in a somewhat reasonable amount of time for once! Let's hope I can stay on track haha. I'm leaving for Scotland in a few days so maybe that will give me some time to write. Anyway, what did you guys think? Do you think Lea has a right to be mad? What about Hannah? Is she overreacting? And what's Hook up to now? And who the heck is ?'s perspective?! Will any of these questions be answered in the next update? Maybe, maybe not. Guess you'll have to wait and see :) Don't forget to comment your predictions! See y'all in the next update!
-Agm3