A/N- Sorry this chapter's a bit shorter- I have to revise for exams :( anyway, as always, please leave a review of what ou thought of it, what you may like to see later on and anything else. Oh and I don't own Doctor Who or Peter Pan or the pirate songs- they're from a play I was in a while back. Enjoy :)
A tingling feeling creeps up my spine so I shudder to keep it away. The boy doesn't scare me- he's younger than twelve- it's just something about him doesn't feel right. It feels like there's someone else here, too, watching me. My eyes dart around the room looking for a possible escape route but the only way out is through the hole that I just came down and it's vertical. So I do the only thing I can think of; be polite.
"Hello, it's very nice to meets you Tootles, Slightly, Curly, Nibs, Twins and Peter Pan," I say in my politest voice. "I'm Reinette. It's been a pleasure but I really must be off; my friends are probably worried about me now and I need to get back before dark. Could you be so kind as to tell me how to get back?" Suddenly, all of the boys drop to their knees and out their hands out pleadingly.
"Reinette lady, please be our mother!" I laugh at the thought- being a mother?
"I hardly have any experience myself and I can't look after you. Besides, the Doctor is coming for me soon so I'll have to be ready. I'm sorry boys, there's nothing I can do for you."
"Oh, but there is," Peter Pan pipes up. "You can do much for us. If you won't be a loving mother to us, then we'll have to make you serve us by force." He cackles evilly and who I thought to be innocent little boys suddenly turn menacing and harsh. They close in on me, threatening to engulf me altogether. It's hard to breathe, and I feel a sharp pain on my elbow; then I black out.
When I awake I am momentarily confused; shouldn't I still be in the underground den? Yet, I can see daylight drifting through the rafters of some bizarre hut. I sit up suddenly- not a good idea- and so immediately lie back down. My elbow throbs and I look to it to see some sort of chip of metal stuck in it. It frequently flashes red- is that a bad sign? Around me is a small house made of raw materials like wood and branches and bits of clay. It looks like whoever's built this has gone into great detail with it- how long have I been out? Long enough so that someone has been able to build a house around me.
I look out of the window and feel the cool sea breeze hit me in the face. The green ocean dazzles like there are emeralds in the waves and the sky is as pink as a grapefruit. I can see the two suns that the Doctor talked about- shining bright like diamonds in the sky. In this hut it's like paradise and I could stay here forever, if it weren't for the Doctor. I sigh- where is he? He should have rescued me by now. Tufts of grass come free in my hands and I twirl a few in my fingers- they are dry and yellowing- they haven't had rain for days which means the house must be waterproof. I look to the high-pitched roof and smile- someone has put a lot of care into ensuring my safety.
A jolly tune rings in my ears and I look out of the window again to see a pirate ship sailing close to shore. I've never been fond of pirates- they are rough and violent- yet these ones are singing so they can't be as bad.
"Yo, ho, heave, ho," they sing in a swinging tone. "Who put the 'jolly' in the Jolly Roger? Who put the treasure in our chest? Who's more artful than the Artful Dodger? Who's more scary than the Mary Celeste?" Ok, so maybe one of their men is scary and bad, but they can't all be bad. One sings a soulful tune:
"It's a curse to be a pirate with charisma; I'm a person who just goes against the law." Maybe this pirate isn't that bad. "I know children always boo me, yet if they really knew me, I'm sure they'd find me sensitive and warm." I kind of feel sorry for that one- he's just trying to be different- but maybe thaat's just my good nature getting the better of me. I could get out of this confined space and board the ship- maybe teach them a few songs that I know from France. They would be better than those scary children I saw earlier.
I wonder where they are. It dawns on me that they are the ones that built the hut around me; such precision has been made so that I don't escape! But, the Doctor, the pirates. Why is it always me? When I was much younger it was always me that was picked on because I had an 'imaginary friend' yet I knew him to be true. I had seen him with my very own eyes, hadn't I? I began to doubt myself- maybe it was all part of a dream?- until many years later when I finally met him again. He looked just the same as he had done and I was just so relieved that I hadn't gone mad. Then there was an overwhelming urge to kiss him- I don't know why- but I'm glad I did it. And now, who used to be my imaginary friend is now the person who I love with all my heart. Yet again, it is always my bad fortune because he is obviously in love with Rose. And so I have never really had any good luck in my life- except when I met the Doctor.
As the music dies down I fall back asleep, afraid of what might happen if I escape, but also fearing what will happen when I awake again.