Erin lost her balance from the shock, her mind dizzy and faint. For a
moment, she couldn't see anything except the blinding, purple-white light
of betrayal behind her eyelids. She grabbed onto the railing around the
deck and her eyes fluttered open. Even the sea seemed to be confused and
angry, black waves dancing furiously. Erin shuddered as the wind whipped
around her, as if it wanted to carry her away, all the way back to Sharon's
apartment in New York. Erin stared back at the huddled groups of pirates
and boys with a hopeless courage rising through her cold body. The lost
boys looked at each other, each one unsure. Erin found a sense of twisted
triumph in their befuddled stares, the way they couldn't look her in the
eyes. They don't know what to do. I've saved their skins. And now they
don't know what to do with me, a girl who will never really be one of them.
With a look, Hook conveyed everything to Erin. The triumph that she had clung to only a few moments before flickered out. Hook's stare was full of a venom that made Erin look down. But she looked back at him instead, trying to match his piercing gaze. Didn't you know, you silly, naïve girl? Didn't you know that you could never pull it off for long? They know it, why didn't you? I won't even have to do anything to you. Anything at all. Your former comrades will have no mercy now. Hook looked away and started to laugh, a laugh that extinguished any flame of hope that might have remained inside her. She searched for a friendly eye among her comrades. But every one had a hint of suspicion that was glowing brighter every second. Captain Hook was still laughing. It was not pleasant laughing, but a laugh that was colder than the wind rushing all around them that snapped the sails and whistled through the crow's nest. As he calmed himself, Hook began to speak. "Why do you think people are disappearing?" "Yes, that's right, more people are disappearing." "The coxswain, Buxweed Bill, he's gone. Gone! Without a trace!" "And First Mate Smee! What happened to him?" "That red-haired mermaid.what's her name.oh, yes, Margaret, she's gone too! When I went down to the Mermaid's Lagoon today, she wasn't even there!" "The cabin boy, Tomás." "Tiger Lily!" Erin looked at Colin, shocked. His face had gone hard and unforgiving, like Hook's, and she shuddered. "The mermaid Juliana!" "And that Indian brave, Running Bear, he's missing too!" The list of names continued as Erin looked on in horror. Slowly, Erin watched each of her companion's faces turn stonelike and unforgiving. "And another one among your number seems to be missing, too." Hook continued, his voice smooth and insubstantial like whipped cream. The boys looked around unbelievingly. Erin didn't know what, or who, they were looking for. "Tucker Banks," continued Hook.
With a look, Hook conveyed everything to Erin. The triumph that she had clung to only a few moments before flickered out. Hook's stare was full of a venom that made Erin look down. But she looked back at him instead, trying to match his piercing gaze. Didn't you know, you silly, naïve girl? Didn't you know that you could never pull it off for long? They know it, why didn't you? I won't even have to do anything to you. Anything at all. Your former comrades will have no mercy now. Hook looked away and started to laugh, a laugh that extinguished any flame of hope that might have remained inside her. She searched for a friendly eye among her comrades. But every one had a hint of suspicion that was glowing brighter every second. Captain Hook was still laughing. It was not pleasant laughing, but a laugh that was colder than the wind rushing all around them that snapped the sails and whistled through the crow's nest. As he calmed himself, Hook began to speak. "Why do you think people are disappearing?" "Yes, that's right, more people are disappearing." "The coxswain, Buxweed Bill, he's gone. Gone! Without a trace!" "And First Mate Smee! What happened to him?" "That red-haired mermaid.what's her name.oh, yes, Margaret, she's gone too! When I went down to the Mermaid's Lagoon today, she wasn't even there!" "The cabin boy, Tomás." "Tiger Lily!" Erin looked at Colin, shocked. His face had gone hard and unforgiving, like Hook's, and she shuddered. "The mermaid Juliana!" "And that Indian brave, Running Bear, he's missing too!" The list of names continued as Erin looked on in horror. Slowly, Erin watched each of her companion's faces turn stonelike and unforgiving. "And another one among your number seems to be missing, too." Hook continued, his voice smooth and insubstantial like whipped cream. The boys looked around unbelievingly. Erin didn't know what, or who, they were looking for. "Tucker Banks," continued Hook.