The Gardens | Peter Pan

Prologue

Evelyn took a step towards the cliff, careless where she placed her feet. Loose gravel tumbled over the edge into an abyss, falling so far she didn't hear it hit the ground, could even see it ricochet off the crashing waves. With her heart in her throat, Evelyn stood on the edge of the precipice. The fear she felt was cold, chilling to anything it touched, but she couldn't focus on it. It was drowned out by the existential dread weighing her down, an anchor tossed into sea, dropping to the floor. It wasn't real, none of it was real.

Brick by brick, she built a home around a structure of lies that were tumbling down.

She took another step, rocks and rubble flying off the cliff as she did. Evelyn took a sharp breath, the noise whisked away in the wind. All her resolve was slowly chipping away with each second that passed. Half a second she considered turning away, to bury her revelations deep into her mind; to run back to camp and forget the last 24 hours. In her moment of hesitation, Evelyn glanced behind her shoulders, staring into the thick jungles and bright blue sky she'd be leaving behind. A gust of wind brushed past her, blonde hair flying all around.

In the distance, the greenery rustled as one or more forms ran through. She'd already known who it was, Evelyn didn't need to see their faces to know it was the Lost Boys, if not Pan himself. Despite herself, a grin tinged with melancholy and regret appeared on her lips. She wanted to be angry, to curse his name until her dying day, but she couldn't find herself to hate him as much as she should. Even in the face of betrayal.

Evelyn turned, facing the edge of the cliff and took another tentative step. She felt herself lose her balance, arms held out in an attempt to center herself; it was ironic that she was so desperate to not fall as she teetered closer to the edge of the cliff. Rapidly against her chest, Evelyn's heart raced. The trance she'd been under was slowly fading, the haze of confusion and grief slowly melting. But her resolve didn't. Even as the cries and shouts of the boys were heard, cutting through the whistling wind.

Evelyn took another step towards the edge.

Deeply, she inhaled, eyes shut, as if the darkness behind her lids would give her the courage needed to do what has to be done. Slowly, she lowered her arms to rest flat on her sides, taking another breath. She'd never been good at taking risks, all too happy to linger on the safe side, but heartbreak pushed her to be bold. And fortune always favors the bold.

"Evelyn." His voice was piercing in her ears, a discordant melody that made her cringe. The memories that wouldn't leave her mind broke the temporary peace in her mind. She didn't dare open her eyes to meet his gaze. It was heavy on her still body, threatening to force her to her knees.

"I'm going home."

Her words were quiet, melding with the wind that encased them.

"Get off the edge of that cliff." Evelyn saw through his facade, even as he attempted to lure her towards him with an innocent face and honeyed words. She saw the cracks in his mask, and behind them, she saw the devil. His voice was demanding, bitter anger shadowing his attempt at making the words sweet. He didn't want her alive because he cared for her, he was just simply too cowardly to die.

"Please." His words were more convincing this time, Evelyn would give Pan that. He nearly sounded sincere, and the facade brought a sardonic grin to her face.

She took another small step, rubble and rocks crunching under the weight of her steps.

"No."

Peter Pan didn't have a chance to speak.

The ground disappeared from under Evelyn's feet as she took the final plunge. Falling off the edge and into the abyss, Evelyn did so with a smile. The deep, unfathomable sadness that seemed to follow her disappeared; years of untouched homesickness came unraveled. Years of pain and suffering, clawing tooth and nail for survival all culminated to this moment, and she embraced it. The fear was gone, only leaving behind a sense of weightlessness as she crashed into the stormy waves.

Water filled her lungs, eyes opening to glance at the mermaids that she now swam with. They paid her no mind, leaving her as she slowly sank towards the ocean floor. Face towards the sky that was swiftly disappearing from sight, one last time, Evelyn stared at the stars and wished she'd never washed upon these shores.

With a melancholic grin, wearing the same jewels Pan had given her, as the waves buried her.