I sat up, wearily. I was on a sandy beach. Water lapped at my feet.
"Hey." Charlotte said. "Finally, you're awake. God, we were worried about ya." I yawned and then looked at Charlotte.
She was wearing a pair of rugged, ripped britches. They were soiled and white. She was also wearing a ripped, sleeveless shirt. The pants surprised me the most. They were very short; they went to her knees. She had her hair in a bun and she had her dagger with her. The dagger was on a leather belt.
Her legs, I could see, were covered in scars and bruises. I cringed.
"So," she said, making conversation. "How did ya get to Never Land?"
"I flew." I said, shortly. "My aunt died of a heart attack. When I realized she was gonna die, I ran out into the streets. That's how I met Peter."
"Oh." said Charlotte.
"How did you get here?" I asked.
"Well, I was born here. Me mum and dad were, and dad still is, some of the most feared pirates here. Oh, there were lots. But, dad scared them off. Then, I was born. But, still, the tragedy came. Mama was attacking another ship. The crew was mighty tough. But, mama wasn't afraid. She still attacked. But, the crew killed her. I 'member her last words. 'Charlotte, James, I love you more than anything.' Dad was never the same again. Because he changed, I mostly stayed away from him. That was when I met Peter, too. He saved me from dying. We were on Marooner's Rock. Another pirate tried to drown me because I tried to kill him. Peter came and did the job for me.
Then, dad rounded on him. Peter cut off his hand and threw it to the croc. Now, that crocodile follows him EVERWHERE. He liked the taste of him so much; he wants to follow dad everywhere, trying to get the rest of him. So, I ran away with Peter and became a Lost Girl.
"Umm.. Charlotte."
"Yeah?"
"What IS a Lost Girl?"
"Oh! I almost forgot! Well, there are Lost Boys AND Girls! See they're kids that fall outta their prams when the nurse's back is turned. If they're not claimed in seven days, they're sent here."
It were those stories that made me think of my mother. She wasn't a pirate, of course. She was a lawyer. I remember, she had black hair like me and had green eyes. She always wore a gold chain around her neck. Father and I gave it to her.
On spring days, after it rained, Mama and I would go pick flowers in the back yard. Papa would stand in the doorway and say, "Of course, I knew you two would be out here!" Mama laughed whenever he said that. She had a lovely laugh. It was like the tinkling of bells. Mama was tall, slender and lovely. She sort of resembled Tiger Lily.
Papa had light blonde hair and brown eyes. Papa loved to play chess with me. Mama said he was the "chess champion." Papa said mama was the best lady to have as a wife. Papa loved to make jokes. He'd say stuff like, "Mary, why do you make lemonade with lemons and water? Why don't you make it with ale? After all, ale is closer to ade than water!" They were stupid, yet so funny. Mama and I would shriek with laughter. Mama and Papa never fought, and would always and forever love each other.
But, even though they loved each other and me, they were gone. Forever.
"Hey." Charlotte said. "Finally, you're awake. God, we were worried about ya." I yawned and then looked at Charlotte.
She was wearing a pair of rugged, ripped britches. They were soiled and white. She was also wearing a ripped, sleeveless shirt. The pants surprised me the most. They were very short; they went to her knees. She had her hair in a bun and she had her dagger with her. The dagger was on a leather belt.
Her legs, I could see, were covered in scars and bruises. I cringed.
"So," she said, making conversation. "How did ya get to Never Land?"
"I flew." I said, shortly. "My aunt died of a heart attack. When I realized she was gonna die, I ran out into the streets. That's how I met Peter."
"Oh." said Charlotte.
"How did you get here?" I asked.
"Well, I was born here. Me mum and dad were, and dad still is, some of the most feared pirates here. Oh, there were lots. But, dad scared them off. Then, I was born. But, still, the tragedy came. Mama was attacking another ship. The crew was mighty tough. But, mama wasn't afraid. She still attacked. But, the crew killed her. I 'member her last words. 'Charlotte, James, I love you more than anything.' Dad was never the same again. Because he changed, I mostly stayed away from him. That was when I met Peter, too. He saved me from dying. We were on Marooner's Rock. Another pirate tried to drown me because I tried to kill him. Peter came and did the job for me.
Then, dad rounded on him. Peter cut off his hand and threw it to the croc. Now, that crocodile follows him EVERWHERE. He liked the taste of him so much; he wants to follow dad everywhere, trying to get the rest of him. So, I ran away with Peter and became a Lost Girl.
"Umm.. Charlotte."
"Yeah?"
"What IS a Lost Girl?"
"Oh! I almost forgot! Well, there are Lost Boys AND Girls! See they're kids that fall outta their prams when the nurse's back is turned. If they're not claimed in seven days, they're sent here."
It were those stories that made me think of my mother. She wasn't a pirate, of course. She was a lawyer. I remember, she had black hair like me and had green eyes. She always wore a gold chain around her neck. Father and I gave it to her.
On spring days, after it rained, Mama and I would go pick flowers in the back yard. Papa would stand in the doorway and say, "Of course, I knew you two would be out here!" Mama laughed whenever he said that. She had a lovely laugh. It was like the tinkling of bells. Mama was tall, slender and lovely. She sort of resembled Tiger Lily.
Papa had light blonde hair and brown eyes. Papa loved to play chess with me. Mama said he was the "chess champion." Papa said mama was the best lady to have as a wife. Papa loved to make jokes. He'd say stuff like, "Mary, why do you make lemonade with lemons and water? Why don't you make it with ale? After all, ale is closer to ade than water!" They were stupid, yet so funny. Mama and I would shriek with laughter. Mama and Papa never fought, and would always and forever love each other.
But, even though they loved each other and me, they were gone. Forever.