A World of Another Kind

Chapter 18 Dead Man's Chest

     Narrated by Kaylee

     After we all ate breakfast together around the fire, Tiger Lily and Tinkerbell left to go capture Felix. I walked over to the ocean to soak my leg in the salt water because I was wounded, and the pain just started to really bother me now. I had ended up getting shot in my leg by a dart during the combat with Pan and the Lost Boys, but no one had known, and I had kept it to myself, not wanting anyone to worry when there was a lot going on then. As I lifted my pant leg up to inspect the wound, my veins around where I was pierced were turning black. I knew immediately that I had been poisoned, and it was spreading fast. I felt horror surge through me, and as I quickly pulled down my pant leg so Hook or Aubrey would not catch sight of my state, I heard Hook say grimly, "Bloody hell." I quickly turned toward him, and his face showed great horror; apparently, he caught a glimpse of my leg. "I know what that is; you have been shot with a deadly poison from a plant known as Dreamshade, a poison that kills you once it reaches your heart," he explained darkly. "Why didn't you tell me sooner, Mate?"

     "I didn't realize until now that I was poisoned," I replied, feeling cold inside. I felt abnormally fatigued in that moment.

     Suddenly, Aubrey approached. "What's wrong?" she asked nervously, turning her gaze onto Hook then to me.

     "Your sister has been poisoned by Dreamshade, a plant containing deadly poison," Hook replied, looking very worried. "We need to slow down the process before it reaches her heart."

     "How do we cure it!" Aubrey cried out, panic-stricken. "Where was she shot?"

     "Show her your leg, Mate," Hook ordered me.

     I slowly lifted my pant leg, and Aubrey gasped with horror. "First, how do we slow the poison from reaching her heart?" she asked fearfully, eyeing my leg.

     Hook took out a knife that was on his belt. "I have to cut the wound open and let it bleed so we can eliminate as much poison from her blood stream as possible," he explained. Hook put his knife over the fire to sterilize it, and once it was cool enough, he said, handing a stick to me, "Here, bite on this. This is going to hurt, Mate. Hold still and stay strong, for you are going to be alright," he soothed. I bit the stick, and Aubrey squeezed my hand. I eyed the knife fearfully then closed my eyes. Hook slowly cut open the area of my wound as I bit the stick hard and squealed with agony. Then after he finished, he poured some of his rum onto my wound to clean it. I then collapsed onto the sand, feeling relieved the excruciating pain was over. My wound still bled heavily. "Send for Tiger Lily," Hook ordered Aubrey. "She will provide some natural remedies to relieve the pain."

     Aubrey ran off then came back, followed by the Indian. "I heard what has happened," she said with much concern. She inspected my leg. "Eat these herbs," she directed, handing me a bunch of them. "They may not have a pleasant taste, but they will help with your pain." I chewed the herbs, and the taste was repulsive, but I had to force myself to swallow them.

     "Now, we have to get you to your cure," Hook said to me. "The Magic Spring of Neverland is where we are going to head to right away. The waters contain healing properties."

     "Tinkerbell told us about the spring; it was the location of the Tumtum tree," Aubrey said. "We had actually brought back some of the waters, but unfortunately, they had already evaporated. Anyway, let's fly there to get there faster. We could leave Kaylee here with Tiger Lily and return with a flask of the water."

     "Good thinking, Mate," Hook remarked. He then turned to Tiger Lily. "I'll leave her with you," he added, and she nodded.

     "Hold on, Kaylee, we will be back very soon," Aubrey reassured, squeezing my hand.