Chapter Thirteen:

Vanished

Jake POV

The world seemed to have stopped moving after I finished the letter. Cubby stood there, his big turquoise eyes fixed on me, and even Skully, who had landed on Cubby's head, stared at me with a serious gaze. Izzy was still in her bed, sound asleep and oblivious to the unfolding situation. The room was so quiet that even the carved rock walls seemed to hold their breath.

"So….what now?" Skully squawked nervously, breaking the silence.

"Well Skully, whoever wrote the letter seems to know more about this snake bite than we do. Maybe we should follow their directions." Cubby spoke up. I took a deep breath before responding.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Cubby." As expected, the pirate boy looked shocked, his eyes widening.

"Why not? Jake, if we don't do something, Izzy will be gone!" he exclaimed in a hiss, to not wake Izzy up.

"I know, and we're gonna do something, I'm just thinking of what." I told him.

"Well you better hurry the heck up! Because if you don't, Izzy won't be the only goner. " he warned, glaring at me.

"Now hold on a minute! This could all be one big joke to freak us out and trick us." I said, making sure to weigh my words carefully. Cubby's brows furrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean a joke?"

"Cubby this letter is as vague as ever. We got no name of who this is, no indication of what we apparently stole from them, no mention of how they even know Izzy has been bitten by a snake or how they know anything about Izzy in general. And look at it this way; The letter calls for all of us to bring whatever it is we stole and if we do that we have to leave her here sick and alone."

"But Jake, we've always left Izzy home alone lately." Cubby reminded me.

"Well that was before she got bit by a snake. And clearly, whoever put this letter in Bucky's old grotto knows where we live. And leading us out of the hideout gives whatever anonymous creep who wrote this, the perfect opportunity to break in and make her even sicker if you know what I mean." I lectured.

"But… .we need to cure Izzy somehow! And fast!" I sighed and then nodded solemnly.

"I know, Cubby, but we can't be too hasty. These strangers might have their own agenda. We can't just blindly follow their instructions."

The blonde's expression shifted between concern and frustration.

"Jake, if there's a chance they can help us, we have to take it. We can't just sit here and do nothing."

"Cubby's right matey," Skully said, flapping his way off of Cubby's head. "There's a life at stake here. An important one at that." I sighed, knowing they were so very right and I was vastly overthinking this all because I knew they were right.

"I know mateys. But we need to be cautious. We can't just walk in there blindly without knowing what we're getting ourselves into. It could be dangerous there and if it is and we get taken out, then there will be nobody to help Izzy."

"Yeah…I guess you're right," Cubby mumbled, rubbing his chin as he stared down at his feet. But then, his face lit up and he moved his blue eyes back at me. "Hey! How 'bout I go scout out the place in the morning? We have got until tomorrow night after all. What's wrong with a little sneak peek so we know what we're up against?"

"By yourself?" I questioned. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"Pshhhh! Course not!" he lets out, and I can't help but feel something nagging at me as he said that. "I'll be fine! I'm a grown man, Jake!" he exclaimed, enthusiastically.

"You're twelve." I lay out flatly.

"Well that's closer to eighteen than it is five," he muttered to himself, before looking back up at me. "Look, point is, I can handle myself."

"You're not gonna go in the place are you?" I questioned.

"Of course not! What do you think I am? Stupid? I'm just gonna take a look around the perimeter. Or in other words be a nosy, spying shrimp of a snoop." he said.

"Oh alright Cubby. But remember, we still have to figure out what it is that we stole from whoever wrote this as well as….well whoever wrote this."

"I know Jake," Cubby said, proudly standing with his hands on his hips and closed eyes. "And we will. I'm takin' things into my own hands tomorrow, so don't worry!" I looked down at the ground and mutter,

"I'm worried."

The next morning Cubby set off to scout the mysterious palace like he said he would, leaving me with the responsibility of watching over Izzy. However, I found myself perched atop a high hill where we used to gaze out at the stars but didn't anymore for some reason. Izzy was still asleep back at the hideout. I wasn't too worried. Captain Snook wouldn't step foot on the island while I was here.

As I sat there, I couldn't shake the questions that lingered in my mind. Questions that I had been forced to suppress for nearly a year. Why was Cubby becoming so independent and fearless, saying he doesn't need my help or anything? And why was Izzy acting so secretive and withdrawn, as if she wanted nothing to do with me lately? I suppose I have been acting a little mean to her lately. More than I usually did-which was not at all.

I'll admit, the guilt from abandoning my mates to Hook's clutches still gnawed at me, even after all this time. But what about them? Were they still mad at me for it? They may have said they forgive me, but I can't help but think my friends, my family could possibly be holding that against me still, especially now that things couldn't be the way they once were. A sigh escaped me as I stared out at the expansive Neverseas. The sunny skies seemed to mock the gloomy thoughts in my mind. Every time I think I'm past this feeling, it just comes back to haunt me.

I then began to think about my grand adventure itself, with Peter Pan. I remember how happy and thrilled and…free I felt when we really got way out there. It was indeed great and a once in a lifetime moment, but things started to go downhill when that spirit returned to Neverland and I started to age into adolescence. As we began to bicker and fight, we both discovered that when it came to life long expeditions, Peter preferred to stand alone-regardless of popular opinion. He seemed to like having his adventures solo for the many years of exploring alone seemed to have made him used to it. When I became a *supposed* punk fifteen year old-the same age as Peter, however he was still cheeky, cocky and childish-we did nothing but argue and that's how we ended up parting ways. That's how I ended up back in my home that had been burnt to a crisp after leaving it behind. After leaving my mateys behind. I continued to contemplate their strange behaviors until the worst thought came to me: I had abandoned them…..were they abandoning me back?

"Hey! Jake!" called a screechy voice, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned my head to see a small green parrot flapping above the hill I was sitting on.

"Yeah Skully?" I replied, standing up.

"What are you doing?" he asked, truly bewildered.

"Oh just…thinking." I said, looking at the ground and scratching the back of my head.

"About what?" he pressed.

"Uhm….nothing important Skully. What do you need?"

"Nothin'. I just came to tell you that Izzy's finally awake after what? Fifteen hours of sleeping?"

"Oh. Well that's good to know. Maybe I ought to check on her." I say, wanting to get as far away from those somber thoughts as possible.

"Alright sleeping beauty, let's take a look." I say as I open the door to our bedroom with a roll of bandages in my hand. I had to cast aside the dark thoughts that still lingered in the back of my head to make sure nobody would suspect anything. Izzy was sitting up in her bed, though she looked like she was just about ready to fall asleep again. "Uh…you sure you're awake Iz?" I asked.

"Huh? Wha? Oh..yeah I'm wide awake Jake!" she says drowsily.

"Feelin' any better?" She let out a yawn.

"A…a little…bi….." And before I knew it she was fast asleep again.

"Aye aye aye." I let out. Gently, I felt her forehead, relieved to find that her temperature had slightly cooled from last night. "Cool as a cucumber. Few!" I whisper. She remained peacefully asleep, oblivious to the unfolding events.

"Oh boy what am I gonna do with you Iz?" I mused softly, running my fingers through her hair. Obviously she didn't respond, lost in the realm of dreams. With a playful smile, I continued to pet her head gently. "Out of all of us you just have to spend the most time bedridden." Then I decided to get to work.

Moving closer, I carefully unwrapped her wrist to reveal the site of the snake bite. It looked exactly how it did last night. Six purple-red holes still oozing out fresh blood. That letter was right. Any regular snake bite would have made at least some progress by now, but not this one. And I couldn't help but cringe at the sight, for it was a little gross. I disposed of the old gauze and then rolled out the fresh new one. I made sure the touch of my hands was as light as a feather, not wanting to disturb her, since I apparently was very good at that. Slowly, I wrapped her wrist and secured it with care. Leaning down, I pressed a gentle kiss on the bandage.

"Don't worry Izzy," I whispered, my words a soft murmur meant only for her ears. "We'll get that cure for you. I promise." I grew flustered when she stirred in her sleep and then rolled over on her side. But when she did so, she revealed she had been sleeping on something. I looked to see what it was, and then saw that it was the ruby, stone, snake shaped pendant that Cubby had found yesterday. I reached for it and picked it up. It was a little toasty from Izzy's warm body pressing down on it all this time. At that moment it all came to me. This pendant was in the shape of a snake's head, and Izzy had just been bitten by a snake. A snake that lived near that palace in the mountains. If this isn't what those strangers are looking for, I don't know what is.

Cubby POV

As I ventured through Neverland, determined to find the Temple, I found myself lost in a sea of green plants. Hours passed, and I wandered aimlessly until the landscape began to look familiar. I stumbled upon a forest, and a shiver ran down my spine when I realized it was the very same one where Izzy got bitten by that snake last night. I felt a bit scared for a moment. Oh come one Cubby! You're not a scaredy cat! …Anymore!

The excitement bubbled up within me as I remembered that the Temple in the Hills wasn't too far away. I couldn't wait to explore it and uncover its mysteries. So, I dashed through the forest, my heart pounding with anticipation, until I reached the base of the mountains. I looked around, expecting to see the familiar structure, but my jaw dropped in disbelief – it was gone!

This couldn't be! Maybe I was just looking in the wrong place? No! I swear we were right here last night! I couldn't wrap my head around it. The hills were still there, looking just the same, but the Temple itself had vanished.

"I don't believe it!"

To Be Continued…..

Boy I can't wait till summer! It is absolutely pouring freezing rain right now! And to think I was laying by a pool sweltering hot when I first published Psycho Pirate!

Anyways, who do we think lives in the temple as well as wrote the letter? Make a guess in a review!

Also, previously I wrote that things in this one are gonna go down a dark path. Well...they still are. But like really dark and disturbing. Like 2nd Deleted Chapter of Psycho Pirate level disturbing.