Finding Peace

Chapter Ten

Zillah's POV

By the time I get to the camp, Pan is back, talking to Felix about something. They look awfully serious, hiding behind trees and whispering to each other. I don't even know why I came back to the camp, I guess I'm just done running around with Pan following me. Maybe if I stay here, he'll go do whatever it is that he does and leave me alone?

"Alright boys, let's get started!" Pan calls out. I guess I'm about to see what it is that lost boys do all day long.

"Today we are going to show our newest member how things are done around here. We're playing Capture the Flag. Zillah will be the flag and we will all split into three teams. The first team to find the flag and bring her back to camp wins. Felix, Alex and I will be team captains. Zillah, you go hide while we choose our teams. Let's Play!"

I'm still trying to process what on earth just happened, but the second he finished talking, I was gone. I book it through the woods. Zillah is the flag? Okay, so all of these boys are going to be running through the woods trying to find me and then when they do find me, they're going to try and bring me back to camp before anyone else finds them. I can do this, right?

I've barely been running for five minutes when I'm broken out of my thoughts by the boys whooping. Guess that means they're coming. Looking off into the distance, I can see a tall mountain and figure that'll be my best bet. I turn and run even faster, swerving around trees and constantly checking behind me to see if they've found me yet.

I don't know what Pan was thinking, making me the flag, because I'm most certainly not cut out for this. Even if I hadn't almost died from dehydration yesterday, I'm not a runner, I never have been. I'm terrible at this.

I look up at the mountain to see how close I am but I've barely moved at all. I can hear the boys getting closer by the second. I need to come up with a new plan and fast. I keep on running, panting with each step and looking around to try and find a good hiding place.

Looking around, I spot a large cave off in the distance. I know it would be super obvious if I hid in there, but I have a plan. I grab a branch with a lot of pine needles and run up to the cave's entrance. Then I carefully walk away from the cave and use the branch to hide my footprints so it'll look like I went into the cave.

I can hear them getting closer by the second. Walking over to a tall tree and making sure that my tracks are still covered, I put my hood on to cover my light hair, stuff a bunch of pine needles in my pocket and start to climb. I'm climbing as fast as I can, trying to get up high before the boys get within hearing distance.

My arms start burning and I can feel stitches in my side but I keep climbing. Eventually, I hear them. Once they get close enough that I can see them, I slow down and climb slowly, keeping my eye on them the whole time.

I find a good branch to sit on and lean back against the trunk, propping my legs up on the branch so they don't draw as much attention. I spread the pine needles out on my lap and under my legs, trying to use them to help me blend in but I don't know how effective it is. It seemed like a good idea a few minutes ago but now I kinda feel like an idiot.

I had picked a branch facing away from the cave since I figured they'd be more likely to see me on the other side. I hold my breath when I hear them stop.

"Search the cave." Someone's voice calls out. It's not Felix and it's not Pan so it must be that other boy, Alex?

I can hear all the boy's footsteps as they run around trying to find me. One of them runs around the trees and I can see him clearly from where I am. He's searching bushes and shrubs, looking up different trees, but that's not what catches my attention, it's the spear he's carrying.