A requiem? I questioned to myself.
"A funeral song?" I asked to Don who nodded.
"No remorse will be shown to the one who put us through this hell for numerous years."
"Way to put it lightly," commented DaVinci.
"Yeah, ya left out the part of how God damned annoying the kid's been since the day we met him," said Jack.
"That's right, he's always showing off. So what, you can fly! Good for you!" added the youngest one, Jacobe.
I couldn't help but smile. I mean it was the Peter Pan these boys were complaining about. Frankly, I couldn't picture this all being real quite yet. I was still fully expecting to wake up at any random moment.
"You find it humorous, do you not lass?" asked Loxley.
I looked to him still smirking, "I'm sorry but it's hard not to."
"We'll see how much you'll be smirkin' when old Hook's handing you over to enemy himself tomorrow morning," mumbled Jacobe who was beginning to irk me.
Don gave the child a scolding glance and the boy shrugged, "I'm just sayin'! She don't know what we've been through, what this means to me."
I looked to him, his eyes shown with a desperateness I didn't know could exist. He was the youngest after all, this probably all effected him the most… poor kid.
"What it means to all of us," corrected Don, "you are not alone in this," he said placing a hand on his shoulder.
The next hour passed in planning. I learned little of my part in this grand plan that was designed to bring Pan to his knees. I thought it better the less I knew, I didn't want to worry too much about the next morning.
The boys had began to get to know me a bit more, as I began to warm to them. They were so normal, It was as if I was talking to my neighbor. They held no true hate in their hearts, they were more like a group of kids playing pretend. Maybe I was the one playing pretend.
I assumed it was night when Don finally decided it was time enough to begin the ceremony in which I'd be 'sworn in', as he put it.
He guided the group to below deck lighting a candle to lead the way. This area of the ship was truly vile, rats were seen scurrying by over foot and the air smelled musky as if there had not been a breeze of fresh to come through in years. Once Don lit a few candles about the room I could see it more in detail. It looked like the armory with a few canons and canon balls laying around. There were also crates and various boxes that accompanied the messy environment. I wondered for a moment if this place had been any neater when my mother was around to pick up after the entire crew.
Don pulled out a crate and tore the top open, "Only the finest for tonight!" he declared after pulling out a red bottle.
I smiled, so this is what he meant, getting hammered with a few rounds of wine. Maybe this'll be better than I thought.
He passed the bottle around the room as the boys began to share it. He brought another form the crate and took a long swig from it.
Don walked over to me after he was donw with the bottle in hand.
"This is not what I expected at all," I said pleased as he handed me the wine and I drank from it. "You see, this I can handle."
He watched as I drank from it, "Well I'm glad you're glad, kid."
I gave him a glance from the corner of my eye before leaning against him putting an arm around his shoulders, "Are you finally going to relax a bit?" I asked against the tense man.
He pulled away from me, "No," he said coldly before leaving my side.
Hmm, he's still a prick.
If these boys were colorful before, they became amplified to a different level once the bottle being passed around had emptied. The room was alive with shouts of laughter and surprisingly, these guys really knew how to let loose. They lived by no rules, had no morals. Were they like me once? Plucked from their home and brought here to forget all they knew? I wondered if I would soon end up the same as them.
The drink they gave me was pretty strong. I didn't bother learning the name, I drank it in gulps. That spiked punch at the dance had only given my a buzz, I needed to become lost. Soon enough, I did.
I remember blurs moving across the room, one boy across from me telling a grand story. The room was dark as his voice became deeper, more menacing. There was singing, dancing, and there was Don watching it all from a distance. Suddenly someone grabbed me, pulling me up from the floor for a dance. I don't remember sitting down but now I was being dragged around the room spinning as everything was passing so fast. Twisted faces of laughter that only grew louder, I was laughing too, or was I? A boy gave more to me to drink and I didn't think twice before taking another couple of swigs before collapsing into his arms. I don't recall music but a melody filled my head.
"Do you need to sit down or sumethin' Eva?" asked a voice that echoed in my ears. I don't think I answered but once again I found myself on the floor. Don broke through the crowd of younger boys and looked down to me, I looked up to him then to the bottle in my hand.
"Whatcha putin this stuff?" I slurred.
He smirked, "You are a naive girl."
I wasn't sure how to take that but in my present state I laughed, "Naive? Hey man, at least I know how to have a good time, you, you're just soooo… boring!"
He rose an eyebrow still looking down to me, "You are foolish to take us all for decent men."
I stood up almost falling over, I met his face with my own, "If your plan was to take advantage of me, why not do it now? You sure talk a lot."
He pushed me back down to my seat on the ground. I fell over easy enough given I was too wasted to even walk in a strait line.
"Gee boss, is she even well enough to take the test?" asked Jacobe suddenly at my side.
"There's no other time, this will have to do."
I looked around, the room was no longer spinning and the boys were no longer celebrating, they looked in all seriousness as they stared down to me.
"So let it begin," said Don who disappeared from my view. The boys took a seat on the floor forming a circle with me at the end.
I was about to get up but Jacobe told me to sit back down, "He'll be back in a second, Eva, calm yourself."
"On every arrival of a new member," began Don entering our circle with something in his hand concealed by a rag, "there is a test we must issue. This is not a normal test of true of false, this is a test of destiny.
"It is fate that has brought you to our crew Eva Hook and fate will decide if you leave or stay."
"Are you sure the Cap'n is okay with this, sir?" asked Jack nervously.
"Hook is not apart of this!" he snapped quieting the boy, "I am in charge when it come to lost boys… or girls for that matter," he gave me another smirk as I was oblivious as to what he was talking about.
"But what if she-"
"I said I am in charge! If any of you rats decide to tell Hook I'll take you by the throat!"
The room was in complete silence once more.
"As I was saying, this test is one I leave to fate, she chooses if your meant for the life we lead or not."
"What sorta test is it, Don?" I asked.
He smiled, "Ahh, now there's a question I would be pleased to answer."
His hand moved to unveil what the rag had been covering, a shining pistol.
I looked to Don's eyes fear engulfing my own, "What kinda sick bastard are you? You can't kill me!"
"I am not going to kill you," he handed the gun to DaVinci, "as I said; I will be leaving that to fate."
The Italian boy spun the barrel as Don watched walking around the circle, "A single bullet and a full round, pass the gun don't hear a sound, the chances are you will survive, unless the lady leaves your side. Pass the gun 'round and 'round, close your eyes and hit the ground, hurry and drink down your liquor before it's your turn to pull the trigger."
DaVinci rose the pistol to his head, I held my breathe in shock. After a long moment he pulled the trigger with all but a small click heard, he passed it with relief to Jack who had the same results. As the gun made it's way around I became fully aware of the situation. If the rhyme Don had continued to chant didn't make it clear enough, these boys where playing Russian Roulette.
"This is ridiculous! You can't let them do this-" I cried but was quickly hushed by the boy to my left.
From Jack the gun went to Loxley who was the quickest to spin the barrel and pull the trigger to get it over with. He only breathed when the quite 'click' was heard and the gun had left his hands.
Jacobe took the gun from Loxely and fumbled through the motions with shaking hands, he was the youngest of the group I remembered. How could Don be so cruel to make a kid go through all of this? Thankfully he too only heard the trigger click, then all eyes looked to me, Don silenced his chant and stopped circling us looking to me.
"It is your turn, Miss Hook," he said stating the obvious.
I took the gun realizing how much my hands had been shaking. I looked to the gun that rested in my palms. I felt like I was holding my own demise. I'd never even seen a pistol so close before.
"I... I can't do this, I won't do this!"
I slid the gun to Don's feet.
He glared to me, "So you think you are above destiny?"
"No, I know I'm above suicide," I said with disgust.
"But you must, in order for you to be one of us you have to prove yourself!"
"By playing a stupid game of chance invented by bored men who just wanted to show off to one another? I'm sorry Don but I'm already here, looks like your destiny has already made her choice."
"So you refuse our ways?"
I got up to my feet with some effort, "Duh!" I said looking to him, I could tell he was furious, this sort of thing probably never happened to Hook's main ass kisser before. It was indeed a major bow to his immense ego, good thing he had enough left to recover.
"Fine then, just know this; you will never be one of us."
"One of you?" I laughed, "If getting into your cult here means that I have to be mindless enough to put a gun to my own head and follow every one of your commands, I don't want to be one of you."
I took a step forward but the room had begun to spin again and I lost my balance falling into his arms and a immense cloud of blackness.
"I swear Captain, we didn't get 'er that drunk!"
"Then answer me why hasn't she awoke yet? The plan was set for morning and it's practically the afternoon!" these voices sounded miles away as they seemed to echo into my head.
"You! I blame you for this!" continued the Captain angrily. "Now how am I supposed to tust in you to watch over her when she's with Pan?"
"Captain I can assure you this sort of accident won't happen again… how was I supposed to know the kid was such a heavy drinker?" Don inquired to his own defense.
"I wonder where she gets it from?" asked one of the boys sarcastically to get a few laughs.
"Why you miserbale boy, I'l show you respect, I'll-"
I moved a hand to my head as I was pulled from my dreamy state.
"Look boys, she's awake!" exclaimed Jacobe at my side cutting off Hook's rant.
I couldn't remember a thing. I tried to sort through what happened last night but found it hard to separate reality from make believe. The present situation wasn't making it any easier, I was in Neverland after all.
I was pulled to my feet by an unmistakable cold hook that had took me by around the wrist. Rubbing my eyes, I decided to give up trying to remember and focus on what was happening in the present.
"Evangeline my sweet, how pleasant for you to finally join us."
"Any time," I mumbled shielding my eyes from the sun.
"Sorry there is no time for small talk, we're very late you see and I'm not one for tardiness."
He was pulling me along the deck, another member of his crew followed us with ropes in hand.
"Late for what?" I asked before Hook grabbed both my wrists.
"Why Evangeline, the reason you were brough to Neverland dearest!"
The man had began to roughly tie my hands together after turning me around.
The reason I was brought here? I gasped in realization. Today was the day I'd meet Pan, the Peter Pan. God, what do you say to a guy like that? Would he even like me as much as all these guys seem to thing he would?
"Why am I being tied up?" I inquired but instead was pushed forward.
"Act scared, Evangeline," whispered Hook as looked in front of me to see the plank I was walking toward.
"I don't need to act scarred, what's the plan exactly?"
"We already went over it."
"I'm a bad listener, one more time, please!" I asked through a nervous, shaky voice.
Hook rolled his eyes and gave me one last nudge before I stumbled on to the plank above the roaring the water. Gaining my balance I turned around, the crew stared back to me, Hook was at the front blocking my way back to the ship.
"This ain't funny, I can't even swim!"
"Enough of your mouth girl," Hook yelled theatrically, "save it for the crocodiles!"
The crew cheered to his threats, I glanced to Don who was the only one who remained stoned faced. He was looking to the sky nervously, it became clear then that this was all an act. It may have been obvious but after last night I had a hellish headache and wasn't exactly feeling like playing any sort of role.
I looked back to Hook who gave me a stern glare, "Scream Evangeline!" he said under his breathe.
I took a step back nearly loosing my balance again. I couldn't scream, I couldn't even walk strait, fear was clutching at my limbs, at my heart.
"Scream now!" he said in the same manner.
I looked to him terrified, "I can't!" I said barley over a whisper.
He frowned, "Well see if this helps!"
He stomped on the plank causing me to stumble back a few steps, "STOP!" I yelled, but he did it once more, now standing at the end I had no chance of catching myself. I screamed falling backwards off the plank.
I closed my eyes as tight as I could anticipating either a slow death by water or crocodile… yet niether happen. Confused I opened my eyes and met face to face with my savior, this would be my first impression of the true Peter Pan. He smiled down to me curiously and laughed at my discomfort. This was becoming much to handle with a hangover.
"Curse you Pan!" cried Hook's voice from below me.
Suddenly, instead of being suspended in mid air, Peter perched himself on the mast still holding me in his arms.
"An innocent girl? That's rather low for even you, don't ya think Hookey?" said the boy before pulling the ropes from my wrists, thankful to be free of them I rubbed the tender skin there.
Hook grimaced and shook his hooked hand up to me and Pan, "How dare you ridicule me, boy! Men, take aim at the both of them!"
With that we both were gone with a breeze darting into the sky. I can't explain the feeling I felt then, flying in the arms of a man a day ago I would have laughed if anyone told me actually lived. But besides the fear and weightlessness of floating in the air I felt something more. Pan taking me away from that dark, musky ship, the yelling Hook and mysterious Don, him ripping the ropes that bond my wrists, it all meant so much more than I expected it would. No matter how well Hook treated me and how I had agreed to it all, I had been a prisoner none the less. Thinking on it now, I was still a prisoner.
"Slow down, I'm not very good with heights!" I said covering my eyes with a hand.
I frowned and uncovered my eyes to see the boy looking to me, "God, watch where you're going at least!"
I covered my eyes again praying I would be reunited with land sometime soon.
Suddenly, we dropped a few feet, Pan landing skillfully on his feet, me clinging to him for my own life.
"Uh… we've landed," he informed me.
I peeled myself away from stumbling back on the rock we landed on in the center of what seemed to be a small lagoon.
He examined me from where I stood, I noted that this boy clearly lacked any sort of manners, the way he looked at me I couldn't tell if he was honestly curious or just plain perverted.
"Excuse me, Peter, that is your name isn't it?"
"What," he asked his attention now at my face.
"Your name, hello!"
He cocked his head to the side still seeming to figure something out.
"Who are you?" he finally asked.