Emily's POV
My eyes suddenly shot open causing me to instantly awaken from sleep and quickly crawl out of my bed soon after as I watched the door to my hut swing back from being forcefully opened. There in the doorway stood a lost boy, his brown cloak draped over his shoulders while his hood fell over his head, covering his face. I managed to quickly reach for my dagger that I kept under my pillow for reasons such as this. I held it the daggers handle firmly, pointing it towards the intruder who didn't seem intimated at all.
"What do you want!" I demanded as the intruder began walking towards me, in no fear of the dagger before him.
He only ignored my question, keeping his head down as he too reached into his cloak, pulling out a dagger that was slightly larger than the one I had in my hand. As he continued to approach me slowly, fear began to shake through my entire body. I've had so many nightmares lately that I can't tell if I'm only dreaming or if this is really happening.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I watched the boy tightening his grip around the handle of his blade as he approached me causing my legs to stumble until I felt the bamboo lined walls behind my back stopping me from moving any further. I looked at the cloaked boy who kept his face hidden, a sudden rush of anger growing stronger as I stared at the boy in front of me. I knew he wasn't going to answer my question so I stood ready, gripping the handle on my dagger, waiting cautiously for him to make a move, but what he said next made me lower blade completely.
"I'm sorry."
My face fell in confusion as I heard the boy's voice and even more when I realised he still had his dagger pointed at me. I could remember that voice any day.
"Will?" I whispered.
I heard no reply, only ringing in my ears as I felt something hard collide with the side of my head. I felt my body become heavy as I soon hit the ground with a thump, the only thing that my faded blurring vision would allow me to see was Will's face looking down at me before I drifted into unconsciousness.
Late last night...
Will's POV
"Will."
I stirred in my sleep as I slowly began to wake up.
"Will, get up right now." A harsh voice spoke from my side.
I shot up from my bed when I felt something dropped on my legs. I ignored the object as my eyes only stayed locked Pan who was standing at the side of my bed, a strong glare piercing his green eyes. I watched as his eyes turned away from me for a moment. I followed his gaze to see my cloak sitting on my bed on top of my legs. I stared at it with discomfort as it brought back so many painful memoires. I had refused to wear it and Pan didn't seem to care enough until now as his stern voice broke the silence in the room.
"Put it on." Pan demanded.
"Why?" I shot back instantly causing Pan's face to turn to a look of frustration before he suddenly had a grip around the collar of my shirt, pulling me up from the bed to face him.
"If I remember correctly, we had a deal." Pan stated as he shoved the cloak into my chest before letting me go.
My face instantly fell as I remembered the deal I had made with Pan. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but I have to do as he say, I have to in order to keep the others safe…to keep her safe.
Holding the material in a tight grip I wrapped it around me feeding the button through that kept it in place. As much as I hated taking orders from Pan, I had to prove to him that I would be loyal to him by doing as he ways. It was part of the deal and if I break it Pan will take any consequence of my actions and use it against them in the future. It had happened in the past, I let him take advantage, but I won't let that ever happen again. I have to show him that I was on his side, only in order for my plan to work; I'd have to do whatever it takes, and that means doing what Pan asks me to.
I watched carefully as Pan grabbed out a note from under his shirt before ripping off a page and handed it to me.
"I want each one of them at the training area before sunrise." Pan ordered.
I nodded in understanding and he then left out of my hut. I looked down at the note only for my stomach to sink as I read down the list of names.
Ethan
Ben
Charlie
Emily
I knew Pan wanted me to kidnap them and take them to the training area, but I also know that he picked them specifically to test me…to test our deal. I tightened my grip of the piece of paper, trying to calm the anger and guilt that was building inside of me. It will only be for a little while, I told myself as I recollected my thoughts. Pulling the hood over my head I quietly walked out of the door of my hut and down the steps to the gravel path that lined the huts. Ben's hut was only two down from mine so it looks like he will be first.
Emily's POV
"Get her up."
I heard a voice speak as my senses slowly returned back to normal. My eyes opened only to reveal complete darkness as I then felt someone pull me up from the ground catching me off guard as I tried to find my balance. They pulled the sack from my head, the light blinding me as soon as it was removed as my eyes began to adjust to their surroundings. Once in focus I could see Pan standing alongside Felix and…Will?
I looked around in confusion to see that I was standing in the training area, along with the rest od the lost boys standing in a group with me.
"Listen up!" Pan yelled catching everyone's attention but my eyes still remained on Will as I watched him hand Pan a crossbow.
Why was Will helping Pan?
I remembered back to my hut. He was there but there was something different about him, something off. Will kidnapped me and brought me here? And more importantly he didn't explain why. There must be a reason. I know that he couldn't be helping Pan…he wouldn't.
"We're all going to play a little game of hide and seek." Pan smirked as he dripped the arrowhead into a think black paste that in a bowl that Felix was holding out for him.
The whole group of boys fell silent, as if they had played this 'game' before.
"But of course, what's a game without any rules?" Pan grinned.
I mentally groaned and rolled my eyes. This boy is literally going to be the death of me.
"The tips of these arrows have been coated in a small amount of the Lion Nightshade plant." Pan announced causing a sudden flash of memories to come back to me as I looked at the tip of the arrow.
Lion Nightshade Plant - dark green stem and spiky leaves, covered with black rounded berries.
Numbs the body's sense of pain and causes hallucinations. This plant is extremely poisonous, with a toxin that can be lethal varying from how much that person has endured. Common to die while attempting to hallucinate. Symptoms of poisoning include an unquenchable thirst for water, dilation of the pupils, hallucinations, and coma.
I remember reading from Pan's notes in his hut and my body instantly froze as I put together exactly what Pan was planning to do his game.
"Just be glad it's only a small dose." His grin only grew wider as he positioned the arrow onto the crossbow before continuing.
"The rules are simple. You can run, hide...do whatever you can to get away, but get shot by one of these arrows...well" Pan paused as he looked down at the arrow, a dark smirk curling through his lips as he voice continued toughing in a playful tone, "Let's just say... you really don't want to find out."
An amused dark chuckle escaped his lips as he turned his attention away from the arrow, his shining green eyes now staring in our direction.
"It's quite a simple game, really. If you get shot, you're out. The last person who hasn't been shot, wins."
Yeah...in other words, don't get killed by the poisonous arrows.
"You will have ten minutes and counting." Pan warned before locking his crossbow in place, "Let the games begin!"
Just as if all the lost boys were competing in a race, they all took off at once scrambling over each other as they all ran in different directions, wanting to desperately get away from those arrows. I couldn't use my head to think at the moment because my legs had a mind of their own as I sprinted out of the training area and into the open jungle.
I wasn't exactly sure of which direction I was heading in but if it was anywhere away from Pan then I was all for it...and to think that only yesterday I was sun bathing at the waterfalls. Now I was running as fast as I could while trying to avoiding the vines that were flying in front of my face. I hadn't even made it five minutes into this stupid game before I ended up tripping on one of the many tree branch roots that was sticking out of the ground. I fell to the ground getting the air knocked out of lungs as something under me wrapped around my ankle and hoisted me high into the air as something lifted up with me, wrapping around my body entirely.
Trapped in a game like this would get me the first one shot, especially if Pan was the one shooting.
My eyes widened as I looked down to see just how high I was off the ground. I felt dizzy at the thought, struggling to grab hold of the netted ropes that were surrounding me and holding me up in the highest of the treetops. I started to panic as I heard howling noises coming from some of the boys who were the shooters. I kept still as I watched one of the boys run straight under me.
Shit...how am I going to get out of this one?
I thought back to just about every movie that I've seen with these kinds of traps; the girl gets trapped and they stay there and yell pointlessly for help until some prince charming randomly comes to rescue them. Well not today because that prince charming is the devil and he's coming to shoot me down with poisoned arrows.
I stood up, quickly holding onto the ropes surrounding me for balance before I began to climb up from the inside. Once reaching the top of the thick ropes I grabbed hold of the knotted ropes that left a small opening at the top before pulling at it as hard as I could until that gap was large enough for me to fit through this netted trap. I grabbed a firm hold on the ropes on the outside of the trap and pulled myself up using my feet to kick against the rope walls on the inside. I had eventually become breathless as I had managed to get out of the trap, standing with my feet around the gap at the top, holding steadily on the ropes that were wrapped around the thick tree branch above my head. I eyed the branch that held the trap up and slip my hand up the rope for balance until I grabbed hold of the branch, pulling myself over it until I was lying flat on my stomach my arms and legs wrapping around it in fear as I tried not to look down at the ground. It wasn't easy, but possible.
Even still after all that, I was too late. I could see Felix walking this way with his crossbow positioned and ready to shoot. This was hide and seek after all, if I could just stay silent and not move on this branch then he might not even notice I was here. I held my breath as Felix cautiously walked under me.
Just when I thought he was going to continue on walking ahead, Felix had suddenly turned back around his crossbow aimed straight up to the treetops as he shot an arrow. I closed my eyes ready to take the hit but instead I heard a scream of pain coming from three trees across from me. My eyes shot open to see one of the lost boys, who was in another tree across from me sitting further down than I was, face twisted in pain as the arrow stuck into his leg. I watched in horror as the boy fell from the tree he was hiding in, straight to the ground in front of Felix. The fall didn't seem to be the source of pain he was currently in as I watched him quickly grab the arrow closest to where it had struck into the skin before pulling the arrow out. Another loud scream of pain erupted from the boy as he remained on the ground whimpering as Felix casually walked over to him, a smirk on his face as he stood over the boy, looking over the boy's leg that was bleeding out before turning back to his face.
"You're out." Felix said as he began loading up another arrow onto his cross bow.
What kind of sick game is this!
Will's POV
I took an uneasy breath as I watched Emily take off running straight out of the training area before disappearing into the jungle. I knew she was confused as to what I was doing alongside Pan but I hope she doesn't think that I'm actually working with Pan.
"Don't even think about talking to her." Pan warned, his green eyes blazing in the sun as he glared at me, "Or I'll shoot her before you can even get a word out." Pan continued as he grabbed a set of arrows and chucked them over his shoulder.
"Not if I shoot her first." I smirked and loaded my crossbow with the poisoned arrows.
Pan's lips curled into a grin as he too loaded a poisoned arrow, the arrowhead coated in the Lion Nightshade plant, one of the most poisonous plants on Neverland.
"Split up." Pan said before he set off towards the skull gate that leaded back to Campus were we had seen some of the boys run off to.
I headed in the direction just off from where Emily had ran off to so I wouldn't look suspicious. Felix set off in the direction that she along with several other lost boys ran off to.
After a couple of minutes of walking, the jungle became thicker and I slowed my pace down trying to avoid the countless roots and branches that were on the ground. The familiar noises of wild animals filled my ears as I walked through the jungle. It felt so weird being the one behind the weapon, normally I would be running for my own survival but instead I was being forced to be the cause of it.
Before I could walk a step further the air was forced out of my lungs as I suddenly got a hard kick to my back causing me to tumble forwards and land roughly onto my stomach. My crossbow landed a couple of feet in front of me as my hands broke my fall. I felt someone straddle me and hold me down with a strong force as they tried reaching for the crossbow. I managed to throw them to the side of me as they rolled onto their back. I quickly grabbed my crossbow from the ground and turned the boy around putting my foot on their chest to stop him from moving as I finally came face to face with…Ethan?
"What the hell are you doing?!" I groaned as my back ached in pain.
Ethan's surprised face turned to a look of anger.
"What am I doing?!..What the bloody hell are you doing working with Pan!" Ethan yelled as got up from the ground.
"Shut up." I hissed as my hand instantly covered his mouth while I quickly scanned around us to see if there was anyone else nearby before facing back to Ethan.
"Of course I'm not working with Pan." I whisper yelled to Ethan as I took my hands away from his mouth, continuing before he could say anything, "But I need to do what he says...for now anyway." I sighed before giving Ethan a warning look to not question any further.
To my relief Ethan kept quiet but his face still told me he would be wanting answers later.
"Where's Ben?" I asked noticing his absence.
"He went all crazy-wild-survival mode within two minutes after we ran from the training area, so I ditched him." Ethan shrugged.
I scoffed, "Sounds like Ben."
I looked down to my crossbow and my eyes widened as I realised that we were playing this game and I am supposed to shoot my targets, including Ethan.
"Ethan, you need to go now." I warned, getting his attention. "If you're going to get shot I don't want to be the one to do it." I said before starting to reload my crossbow.
Ethan gave me a small nod in understanding as he turned around and took off running through the countless trees. I waited until he was out of my sight before I began walking through the jungle again, only stopping short a few moments later when I heard a branch snap from a couple of meters ahead from where I was positioned. I held my crossbow up ready to shoot. I sneaked closer, keeping low to the ground and staying behind the trees for cover until I could see part of someone's brown cloak sticking out from behind a tree in the distance.
Oh great, my first victim.
Emily's POV
I had managed to get away from Felix and headed in the opposite direction. I was must had been walking for about an hour until I had reached the beach. I knew it was way too risky to be walking on the sand in the open so I stayed hidden, keeping a reasonable and safe distance between the jungle and the beach as I continued to walk; trying to burn off time in this game. I could still see the shore in the distance and thought about soaking my feet in the cold ocean water to cool off but there was no way I was going to risk getting shot. No matter how humid the jungle was it wasn't enough to make me a target to a poisonous arrow, especially after seeing how much pain that boy had gone through.
My feet eventually began to fall stiff and I decided enough was enough when the sun continued to beat down on me as the jungle kept growing in temperature. I sat down in exhaustion under some tall ferns letting their leaves shield me from the sun. I felt like an ant siting down under the huge green leaves that towered over me. My stomach was next to strain in hunger as I noticed the berries covered in the bushes beside the ferns. I picked some berries carefully from the branches of the bush, quickly eating away at the sweet fruit. Ethan had taught me which ones were edible and which ones could make you extremely sick and for that I was grateful knowing that I probably wouldn't be able to survive out here on my own if it weren't for Ethan showing his hunting strategies.
It made me wonder where the other boys were. If they had they been shot yet? Maybe they're running into an attack right now. I shuddered at the thought trying not to think about the pain I could be in if I did get shot by one of those poisonous arrows. I took a calming breath in and out trying to clear my thoughts as I looked around at my surroundings to distract myself. It was almost silent here, like I wasn't even playing in this game. I lay back onto the ground and slowly closed my eyes letting the ferns cover me and the sounds of ocean waves crashing to fill my ears as I soon drifted off into sleep.
2 hours later...
"AWHOOOOOOWWEEE!"
.hell.
My eyes opened as I heard the unfamiliar noise of...well, I've actually never heard that noise before.
I sat up quickly as the loud noise got louder from the trees in front of where I was laying down. I had to blink a couple of times to adjust my eyes to focus. That's when I realised I had fallen asleep. I quickly got off the ground, moving the hair out of my face as I noticed what a huge mistake I made. What was I thinking I could have been shot!
"AHHOOOOOOOOWEEEE!"
I turned around to the sound of that crazy noise but stood still in shock as I saw a boy in the distance covered with dirt and parts of leaves as he swung from one vine to another tree.
Seriously...Tarzan lives here now.
I shook the thoughts out of my head and grabbed a rock that was lying next to my feet, picking it up and turning it to place in my palm. Ok lost boy, or, whatever you are; time to take you out. I swung my arm back, holding the rock tightly before throwing it forwards letting it fly through the air. I watched as it hit its target letting the boy fall from the tree he was hiding in, straight to the ground.
As I walked closer until I noticed the boy's blonde hair. No way…it can't be. He stood up with his hand over his head as he turned around to face me making my eyes widen in shock.
"Emily?" Ben questioned as he rubbed his head making a smile instantly fall over my face knowing that I had finally found someone, and that someone was lucky enough to be Ben.
I ran up to him and couldn't help but laugh at his state. He had leaves in his hair, his clothes were ripped and his skin was covered in dirt.
"What have you been doing this whole time?" I asked still shocked at his appearance as I helped him remove some leaves from his hair.
"Well, for your information." Ben said in defence as he held a hand up, "I bravely fought off Felix using these bad boys." Ben said cockily as he tensed his arm muscles.
How hard did I hit him?
"Ben?" I started wanting to ask him if he had run into Ethan or Will but I didn't get the chance as he suddenly blurted out,
"Fine. I sneaked up on Felix, punched him straight in the jaw and then ran off." Ben said quickly in an amused tone, as he then looked at me blinking slowly as he tried to focus on me.
We both turned into a fit of laughter but were soon stopped short as we heard an arrow being shot from a crossbow. My eyes widened in shock as Ben and I both looked at each other than down to his leg which had blood running down it from the arrow that had been shot into his leg. My lips parted at the sight while Ben just looked from the arrow then back up to me for a split second before his face curled up making me instantly rush forward to quickly cover Ben's mouth as he screamed from the shock of pain. I tried to hush Ben and keep him calm as I looked around to see if the shooter was around us. I couldn't see who fired the arrow; I could only see more arrows starting to fire towards us. I immediately grabbed Ben's arm and threw it over my shoulder as I helped him limp to a tree.
I poked my head out from the tree only to flinch as an arrow struck right next to my face, stabbing into the bark of the tree. I gasped as I saw three more arrows flying through the air coming directly to the tree we were shielding behind from the unknown shooter. Noticing Ben was out in the open made me panic as I grabbed hold of him.
"Quick get down!" I yelled as I pushed Ben down to the ground, bracing myself down as the arrows just flew over us before stabbing into the trees in the distance.
Ben and I were now covered by the ferns and bushes that surrounded the tree. It was only then that I could see the shooter emerge from behind a tree. He wore his hood over his head covering his face as he stood still looking from left to right as he scanned for any kind of movement.
"Don't move." I whispered to Ben.
"Not a problem." Ben smirked and wriggled his eyebrows.
That's when I realised I was lying on top of him. I would get off of him but if I move now then we will both get shot. I rolled my eyes and focused back on the unknown shooter who was moving closer towards us. He was cautiously getting closer as he picked up his pace.
My eyes narrowed and I gasped feeling Ben's hand grab my leg a little too high. This was seriously not the time.
"Ben!" I screeched as I sat up right and slapped him across the face completely forgetting that a shooter was not far away.
"What!" Ben argued back in defence as he held his face.
"Don't what me you little shit." I said through clenched teeth as I started hitting Ben.
He tried to grab my hands to stop me but I pushed them away and continued hitting his face and chest making him block his face in defence. Ben moved his arms away and we both froze as we heard footsteps stop beside us. We both kept completely still only lifting our heads as the boy stood with his crossbow by his side in one hand as he cleared his throat and took off his hood.
"Will!" Both Ben and I exclaimed in unison.
Anger rushed through me as I got up from Ben and grabbed Will's cloak and pushed him up against the tree causing Will looked a little taken back at my sudden actions.
"What's wrong?" Will asked as his face turned to a look of concern once he noticed just how angry I was.
Seriously…
"What's wrong? What's wrong with you?!" I yelled irritatedly, "Why are you shooting arrows at us and more importantly, why are you helping Pan!"
Will's face stiffened as he moved away my hands from his shirt.
"I can't tell you exactly why yet...but I'm doing it for you." Will said causing me to step back from him in confusion and worry.
What did that mean?
I didn't have time to ask as Will quickly walked over to Ben who was still lying on the ground in pain.
"You don't have much time." Will said as he kneeled down to Ben's side.
I followed to Ben's other side still not understanding what was going on with Will but Ben's whimpers of pain left me to concentrate on helping him first.
"Hey Bud." Will said softly to Ben who had sweat dripping down his face from the shock of the arrow.
Will looked up at me then tilted his head at the arrow. I nodded in understanding and grabbed hold of the arrow in one hand and Ben's leg with the other.
"I'm going to marry her." Ben said confidently, still completely out of it as he looked up at Will with a serious expression.
I rolled my eyes and quickly pulled the arrow from Ben's leg causing him to scream in pain. Will instantly held him down letting Ben grab his arm in a tight grip while I put the arrow to the side.
"Oh my god!" Ben yelled as he sat up and glared at me.
Will grabbed the blood covered arrow and stood up from Ben and I, placing his hood back on.
"Pan!" Will called out loudly.
My breath stopped as I stood up.
Will turned to me; his face was alarmed but serious at the same time, his eyes pleading for me to understand.
"Run Emily!"