Chapter Five:
My side aches and my lungs are screaming for air. I've been running for hours and I know that pretty soon I'll need to stop. Fear and just plain good reason pushes me to go a little further. Finally I pause to rest under the shade of a giant oak tree.
Like jelly my legs collapse under me and I fall onto the ground. I feel exposed lying down, but I'm too tired to get back up. Besides it feels good to bask in the shade after running through a hot stuffy forest.
After a few minutes I force myself to get back up. At first I fear my legs won't hold me up, but after stumbling against the tree a few times they can support me. I stand still for a few minutes more to fully regain my breath.
As I'm resting a twig snaps behind me and I bolt, not waiting to see if it was a Lost Boy or just some animal. My heart thumps wildly until I feel like I'm a safe distance from the noise and I allow myself to slow into a jog so my body doesn't just give out. The forest stretches on for miles upon miles and pretty soon I'm just dragging myself along, hardly awake. The sky turns from baby blue, to charcoal black above me.
When I can go no further I crawl into the shelter of a holly bush and fall asleep. My dreams are wild, filled with dark laughing faces and splashes of red that smells like blood. I'm covered in sweat when I wake up. There are red stains all over my clothes from the holly berries I rolled over in my sleep.
Sunshine peaks through the gaps in the bush and I carefully venture out of my hiding place. My whole body aches and I'm starved, but first I have to relieve myself. After that's takin care of I start to consider my situation.
I'm lost and alone in a strange magical land. Even though I've spent a few weeks in some town full of magic and fairytale characters I really don't know how to deal with magic. I don't have any food or water. On top of everything else there's some crazy teenager with a bunch of wacko boys hunting me down. Ohh the odds are most definitely in my favor, I think sarcastically.
"Emma," I gasp. She was here, she had to be here by now. Hope explodes in me like fireworks on the Fourth of July. But how do I find her? Doubt extinguishes the hope as someone would extinguish a lamp. I groan and lean my head against a tree next to me. Currently I could either hide in the forest until I starve, try to find Emma and most likely get caught, or return to Peter and be a prisoner for the rest of my life. I was out of luck.
Depression weighs heavily on my heart. I would never see Emma again. She was the only adult who ever really got me and the last time I saw her I had been furious that she was leaving me behind so I didn't even tell her goodbye. My life sucks. Like totally.
Hot tears burn my eyes and I don't even bother trying to hold them in. The only hope I have left is that Emma will get Henry back and they will defeat Peter. He was after all the cursed boy that caused this trouble.
"Aw don't cry Elizabeth," a mockingly sweet voice says. I jump up in surprise. So consumed in my despair I hadn't noticed Felix arrive with a few of the other Lost Boys. In the daylight his scar is extremely noticeable and it gives him an even more dangerous look.
"Shut-up," I snap. I wipe away the tears and stand up straight. Even if I didn't have hope for a future I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of knowing they had broke me.
"You can't order us around," one of the Lost Boys says angrily. It's the first time I've heard anyone other than Felix and Peter Pan speak in a few days and it sounds strange to my ears.
"Who are you?" I ask randomly. They all look at me in confusion and I feel a spark of satisfaction that I had surprised them. I had surprised myself too, but they didn't need to know that.
"That doesn't matter," Felix says before the Lost Boy can reply. "We need to get you back to camp," he walks forward to grab me, but I jump away. "Oh come on Elizabeth. There's nowhere else for you to go after all," he points out. I had made a last-minute decision as they arrived that I wouldn't go back without a fight.
"Anywhere's gotta be better than here," I say. Felix moves to grab me again, but this time I take off into the woods. I can hear them running behind me like thunder during a storm. Thorns cut my ankles, but I keep going. As I run the forest becomes sparser and more roomy. Light shines through the open spaces below and gives a cheery glow to the usually dark woods. Eventually the trees disappear all together and I'm running along a rocky outcrop.
To my horror a large drop stands before me. I stop myself just in time from toppling over the edge. Without hesitation I turn around to dart off again, but the lost boys have already arrived. The grin and cross their arms. "Give up now Elizabeth?" Felix asks.
"Not quite," I whisper. I hold myself with my arms and fall backwards. The boys gasp and Felix yells, but it's too late.
My body plummets like a rock. Wind rushes past my ears and whips through my hair. The cliff edge grows farther and farther away. I can see the Lost Boys leaning over to watch me fall. I feel exhilarated by the fall, but I know soon it will be over. I hold my breath just as I hit the water.
I'm cold and hungry. I haven't even seen food in three days. What I used to consider my home has now become my prison. Without parents it's almost impossible for a four year old to survive on their own. I'm no exception.
Old newspapers keep me warm at night. Dark alleys hide me from people who seek to use me. Food is found in dumpsters and trashcans. Lately there's been none of this.
I'm hidden in the slums of my neighborhood. Safely locked away in a room in an abandoned building. At night the house creeks and the windows open and close, but it doesn't bother me. Ghosts and zombies are the least of my worries.
As I huddle in the decrepit bed, crying myself to sleep just like I do every night, I hear a creek louder than normal. At first I ignore it, too tired to care. Then I hear it again, this time closer. I dive under the moth eaten covers and wait for whoever or whatever it is to past. I can hear voices through the thin walls. Holding my breath I listen intently.
"There's nothing here," someone complains.
"This was a waste of time," another person agrees.
"Not entirely," a new voice argues. "We can sleep here. It's better than sleeping outside." Oh please no, I beg silently.
"Fine, but in the morning we're out of here," the first voice says. They sound like young boys.
"Alright, it's settled then," the third voice decides. "Now let's get some sleep."There's another creek. "Where are you going Wesley?"
"I just want to explore," a new, even younger voice says.
"Okay, but be careful. And come back soon," the voice tells him.
"I will, I promise," the young boy says. I can hear him walking out of the room next to mine. I hold my breath as my heart pounds. What if he finds me? The door across the hall creeks open then closes again.
Through a hole in the covers I stare at the door to my room. It slowly swings open and a little boy peeks in. He has curly brown hair and soft brown eyes. They pass over the room and rest on the bed. I gasp.
"Hello?" he asks. Cautiously he creeps forward. My heart beats faster and faster as he approaches me. I don't know what to do. I could run or try to fight. Before I make up my mind he reaches the bed and pulls off the covers.
I shriek and he jumps back in surprise. "Sorry," he apologizes quickly. I stare at him with wide eyes. "Are you okay?" I nod. "I didn't mean to scare you, I just wanted to know who was there." He looks truly apologetic.
"Wesley," I hear one of the boys from before call out. Footsteps echo down the hall then three older boys appear in the doorway. They all have dirty blonde hair and dirt streaked faces. One of them is taller than the rest and he steps forward.
"Who are you?" he demands. I whimper fearfully.
"She's scared," Wesley defends me.
"Be gentle Issac," another boy reprimands him. "My name is Jack, this is my brother Wesley, and our friends Issac and Ben. We aren't going to hurt you, I promise," Jack says softly. His voice sounds kind and I relax slightly.
"My name is Elizabeth," I squeak. Wesley and Jack smile.
"That's a very pretty name," Jack complements me. I smile like an idiot for some odd reason. "Do you mind telling us what you're doing here?" Issac and Ben look like they could care less and they grumble to each other. Jack silences them with a look then turns back to me.
"I-I don't know," I whimper. "I want my mommy." Jack looks at me sympathetically. He moves over and sits on the end of my bed. It groans under his weight and sinks low to the ground.
"Where is your mommy?" he asks.
"I-I don't know," I repeat. Tears drip from my eyes and I sniffle quietly.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Jack says. "Do you need a place to stay Elizabeth?" he adds. Issac sighs.
"Not another one," Ben grumbles. I hesitate.
"Oh do join us Elizabeth. We have a lot of fun. Jack is great to hang out with. He taught me how to swim in the big fancy pool outside the apartment buildings. I'm a great doggy paddler," Wesley boasts. He looks at me excitedly. I briefly imagine the pool he's talking about. I had passed it several times when I used to go on walks with my mommy.
"Will you teach me to swim in the pool?" I ask. Jack smiles and nods. "Okay," I decide.
"Yay," Wesley cheers. "I'm not the littlest anymore." Jack holds out his hand to me. I take it and he gently pulls me out of the bed. Issac and Ben glare angrily at us as he leads me into the room next to the one we were in. It's bigger and has two more beds.
"We'll take care of you now," Jack promises. I smile for the first time in awhile.
"Welcome to the Group Elley," Wesley grins.
*Two Years Later*
"Come on Elley, you can do it," Wesley prompts. We're standing at the pool in front of the big fancy apartments. Wesley and Jack are already in the water. Ben and Issac swim in the deep end, watching skeptically.
It's not even dawn yet and the apartments are dark. Nobody knows they sneak into the pool when it gets hot. Now it's my turn to learn to swim so I can join them on summer nights.
We're all in bathing suites snagged from a Dollar General. They don't fit well, but they work. Jack also grabbed some floaty wings for me.
With them all watching I tenderly stick my toes in the warm water then pull them back out. Jack swims closer to the ladder I'm clinging to. "It's alright Elizabeth, I'm right here," Jack comforts me. I look up into his soft brown eyes and sigh.
"Will you hold me?" I ask.
"Just to begin with," he says. I swing my arms around his neck and Jack grabs me around the waist. He begins to walk away from the ladder and I squeal as the water rises up his waist and laps at my legs. "It's okay," he soothes.
Wesley gives me a goofy grin and I giggle. "Do you want to try it on your own?" Jack asks.
"Hold on to me," I beg. He nods. Taking a deep breath I let go of him and drop into the water. My head doesn't even go under before I totally flip out and start screaming. Jack pulls me out of the water and starts towards the ladder. Issac and Ben are out of the water in seconds. Wesley is close behind them. A few lights turn on in the apartments and Jack sets me down on the solid ground. He climbs out of the pool and together we chase after the others.
We finally stop running a few blocks away from the pool where we left our clothes hidden in a bush. "Nice going Elizabeth," Ben glowers.
"You nearly got us caught," Issac snaps. I look down at the ground in shame. They were right. Wesley moves next to me.
"Don't worry about them. I was scared when Jack taught me how to swim too," he whispers.
"Really?" I ask. He nods earnestly.
"I was worse than you," he says. I doubt it, but I don't tell him so. "You'll get the hang of it," he smiles.
*Later That Summer*
We're back at the pool. It's my second attempt at learning to swim. This time Wesley will be my teacher, not Jack. "Take my hand," Wesley instructs. I obediently take his hand. He's standing in the shallows and I'm standing on the steps.
"Now just take a step down," he says. I take one step down. I'm just above the water now. "And another one," he coaxes me. Holding my breath I put my feet in the water. At first I'm tensed and I squeeze Wesley's hand. Slowly I start to relax.
"This isn't so bad," I wiggle my toes. Wesley smiled.
"Good. Now step into the pool," Wesley orders. With more confidence I step into the pool. The water only reaches up to my knees, but I can already smell the chlorine. "Ready to go a little deeper?" he asks.
"Don't let go," I squeeze his hand.
"I won't," he says.
"Promise?" I check.
"I promise," he assures me. After that I allow him to lead me farther into the water. We stop when it reaches my chest. "Just move around a little and try to float," he encourages me. Jack is watching intently from the deep end of the pool. Issac is laying on the edge of the pool with his feet in the water and Ben is doing flips underwater.
I sigh and lift my feet off the ground. At first I start to sink and I panic. I flap my arms and loose my grip on Wesley's hand. "Wesley," I gasp. My head goes under and water squirts up my nose.
Wesley pulls me up on my feet again. "You okay?" he asks. I cough up some water then nod. "Want to go sit down?"
"No," I breath. He seems surprised. I notice Issac look at us in surprise too. He must have been expecting me to give up again. "I wanna do this," I say determinedly.
"That a girl," Jack claps.
"Remember to kick your feet," Wesley reminds me. I nod. Without hesitation I pick my feet of the ground. This time as I sink I begin to kick my feet and manage to keep my head above the water.
"You've got it," Wesley exclaims as I swim around him in the shallows. "Ready to go deeper?" he asks.
"You bet," I grin. This is actually pretty fun, I realize. I don't know what I was so scared of.
Together, Wesley and I swim farther out. When we finally stop I can still touch the bottom, but only with my tippy toes. Jack is still yards away. "Do you wanna try to get to Jack?" Wesley asks.
My legs and arms are tired from kicking and I'm hungry. "Not today," I decide.
"Not today," Wesley agrees.
My eyes snap open in the water. Everything is black and salt stings my eyes. I close them again and try to take a breath. Bad idea, I think as water floods my mouth. I'm such an idiot. I try to kick my legs, but they're weighed down by my pants and boots. I'm slowly sinking.
Panic rises fast and all sense is lost. I just want to get out of the water so I start to flail, forcing my tired muscles to move. This only causes me to spin and flip around in the water. I've forgotten which way is up. I don't know what I'm doing, I'm going to die!
Wesley, save me! My childhood friend can do nothing for me and I continue to sink. I attempt again to open my eyes, but it hurts too greatly. Jack, I beg silently. No hands reach for mine, I'm on my own. I can feel bubbles tickle my lips as they leave my mouth. Their slowly replaced with water until that's all I am. A big blob of water filled with scattered memories and ideas.
My brain feels fuzzy. Unconsciousness is creeping upon me. If I give in it will be the end. I struggle for a while, but eventually I give up. This is it, I'm going to die.
Before the water claims me I feel arms grab me. Someone is dragging me through the water. Wesley, a glimmer of hope flashes in my brain. Behind my eyelids I can see the world around me getting lighter. Suddenly there's air around me and I'm coughing up water. My eyes fight to open, but I'm too tired.
"Wesley," I choke on some water. I can feel my body moving through the sea. We're swimming towards shore. It doesn't take long to reach it. Wesley drags me out of the ocean and drops me on the ground more roughly than I expected him to.
I roll over on my side and cough up some more water. "That's it. Just cough it up," an achingly familiar voice coaxes. I obey it and continue to cough up water. "Good job Elley," he whispers. I struggle to open my eyes.
The harsh sunlight beams down and I flinch from it. Keeping my eyes partly closed I search for Wesley's face. He's crouched above me, his brow furrowed and his greenish-grey eyes troubled. Wait, something isn't right. Wesley has brown eyes.
"Wesley?" I croak. My voice is hoarse from the sea water and sounds gravely.
"No," the boy says. "It's Peter, Peter Pan." Memories flood back into my brain. I'm not six anymore, I'm sixteen. And I've been taken to Neverland against my will because Peter Pan is not the fun loving boy he is in movies, but is really some crazy man out for power.
"Crap," I breath. Peter laughs.
"Sounds like you're back to your old self," Peter grins. I close my eyes and groan. "What, no thank you?"
"Let me go," I moan.
"Hey, I just saved your life. I think I should at least get a smile or something," Peter says.
"It's your fault I was in the water in the first place," I snap. A shadow passes over my face and I open my eyes. To my shock Peter's face is right in front of mine. I can feel his breath on my lips and it gives my chill bumps.
For a moment he doesn't speak, we just sort of stare at each other. "Do you want something?" I finally ask, annoyed with how close he was. He seriously has no idea about personal bubble space.
"Nothing," he says. "Just wondering who Wesley is," Peter backs up. I sit up after he moves away and look at him in confusion.
"Were you planning on finding the answer in my eyes or something?" I demand. He chuckles.
"Not quite," he says. I stare him for a moment, but he doesn't explain what he was doing so close to my face so I drop it. "So who is Wesley?" he asks. I find myself pleased that he doesn't know about Wesley. He seems to know everything else about my life. I open my mouth to say some smart alecky reply about it, but I stop. Memories of Wesley are still fresh on my mind. Raw feelings burn my heart and tighten my throat.
"I'm not ready to talk about him," I choke out. Peter raises his eyebrows. "Not today," I sigh. He looks curious. I can tell he's debating whether or not to press the matter.
"Not today," he finally agrees.
A/N:
So I have to say I'm actually pleased with this chapter. I like how Elizabeth's memories turned out and how the rescue scene ended. Now I've just got to clear some things up. So everything in italics is Elizabeth's memories. They all flash in her head in a split second after she hit the water and make her think she's still six years old and in the pool. It is not by coincidence that Wesley says similar things to Peter and they look alike. We will learn more about why Wesley and Jack are important people in her past later and why Wesley means so much to her. He wasn't really a 'first love' I mean they're only four when they meet, but he's very important to her. Hmmmmm oh yeah. I said Peter had greenish-grey eyes in this chapter, but I'm pretty sure I said he had brown eyes before. His eyes are greenish-grey, not brown. Also I was reading some other fanfictions like mine where a girl goes to Neverland, meets Peter Pan, blah blah blah, well anyways there was one story that had a part where the girl almost drowns and Peter saves her. I just want to say that I did not copy this idea from her. I had planned on having this chapter before I even started this story. Also I don't own Once Upon a Time or these characters, just Elizabeth and the other OCs. I forgot to say that before so here it is. I think that's it so thanks for reviewing, following, and favoriting! Keep up the good work!