Chapter 10 Part 1

By the time Finvarra left the hideout I was livid. The faerie king had upped the ante on Peter successfully making me stay in Neverland without the use of faerie magic. Peter, not wanting to be bested by the man, took the king's wager and, being completely ignorant of me sitting right next to them, shook Finvarra's hand. Well, I blasted Peter for it. I told him that if he was not going to help me get back home, then I would find my own way. I also told him that I was something to be bet upon like a racehorse. I stormed out into the evening and ignored Peter's calls and threats to lock me out if I didn't return that instant.

I admirably flicked him the bird and proceeded to venture into the wilds of Neverland. I walked and walked. I walked to burn off my steam. I walked to get away. The further I went into the forests, the taller and older the trees became. Some were as tall as the Giant Redwoods. They were beautiful and majestic. I soon came upon a more dark area of Neverland. A place I had never seen nor heard of. It smelled of sulfur and was eerily quiet. No birds sung in the trees, no insects twittered in the grass. It was like a mute button had been pushed. Mist swirled and clung to large rocks peeking through cloudy pools of murky water. My hair stood on end as I realized I was in the middle of a swamp.

You ever walk into a bad part of a city and there can be no one there, but you just know it's not a good place to be? That's what this place felt like. Only instead of druggies, rapists, murderers and thugs, you got demons, angry spirits, and monsters. My thoughts of Maestra and her needle like smile filled my mind. I tried singing songs like September, from Earth Wind and Fire. It didn't help. It was so creepy that I almost heard the haunting cello music frequently played in horror movies. Together with the choppy violin. I was sufficiently freaking myself out so much that I didn't see the ripples forming in the pools behind me. While trying to maintain my composure, I felt the nagging tug of eyes watching me. I jumped around, my blood icy cold.

"There's nothing there," I said. I was so scared that I laughed as one does in this situation.

Still chuckling I resumed finding my way out of the marsh thinking I was alone. But one thing to note is that in Neverland you're never alone.

The swamp was much larger than I anticipated and my feet grew tired and sore. My legs ached from dragging them through the thick mud and mire. The putrid odor of gases and rotting reeds made me sick. I sat down on the sturdiest patch of ground I found and lamented.

"My life sucks."

I stretched my legs out smiling as my knees cracked.

"I wonder if Peter is still mad with me." I said staring at my hands.

Beyond me, partially visible amongst the dead reeds and shrouds of mist, I was being watched by a pair of glittering red eyes.

Part 2

"This is ridiculous! Where the hell did that stupid mortal get to?!" Peter shouted in his preternatural voice.

Tibbs recoiled from the high tone of his "Father's" timbre and offered up, "The boys and I lost her trail just west of here. You know…where the trees list and the sky grows dark even with the sun out."

Tibbs inwardly smiled when he saw the flash of recognition in Peter's green eyes. The leader of the Lost Boys shot his gaze down at the boy as if accusing him of a crime.

"You are certain of this?"

Tibbs nodded with a child's ferocity. "Yes. We're fine until Poof! Her tracks vanish."

Peter turned quickly, his mind spinning. Eyes of emerald darted from left to right. And thought it was bad with Finvarra. If HE got a hold of her, she would rightly die. Peter had lost too many mortals to that beast. Peter brought his pale hands to grip his red hair and pulled at the strands. A gesture that a child might give when faced with a problem.

"I have to do something!"

Peter released his hair and swiftly went over to his belongings. Tibbs watched as his "Father" frantically looked for something. Suddenly, Peter went ridged and poked his head up to stared at the child. "Wait, she left us. Why should I fetch her useless presence."

Then arrogantly and full of pride, Peter abandoned his search and patted his hands together to rid them of dust. Tibbs became quite upset by this and stomped his feet, earning the attention of the red headed fae.

"What do you mean?! She is our "Mother" you have to find her!" Tibbs' bottom lip trembled. "You know what happened to the others! I don't want that to happen to her! She's nice to us. She reads us stories and tells them to us. She cooks our food and tucks us in at night. She even checks under our cots for monsters. You have to go and bring her back."

Peter stood quiet as Tibbs argued. The red head grunted and bore a look of irritation.

"Fine. If I didn't have so much waging on her sorry hide I'd leave her. Damn you Finvarra."

With that and a few silent curses, Peter rose into the air and exited the hideout heading west.