A Tale That Could Not Be [Book 2 of Selvina's Tale series]

Chapter 28: Panhandled

Selvina trembled and glanced about wildly, searching for a way out. Pan's dagger pressed harder against her skin and she could feel the sting of bloodshed. A whimper escaped her lips and Selvina's chest heaved as she struggled to stop herself from panicking uncontrollably.

"Give it to me," Peter Pan snarled, pushing the blade further into her neck and slicing a slightly deeper cut into her flesh.

Selvina could feel warm blood streaming down her neck and her already rapid heart rate quickened further. She worried that if nothing was done he'd simply kill her and take the pouch of fairy dust he craved so much for himself. Why he hadn't done so already she did not know but Selvina wasn't about to ask why. There was only one thing she could do if she wished to survive.

"Don't kill me," she whimpered. "I'll...I'll get it for you..."

"Hurry!" Pan hissed, his blade pulling away from her neck somewhat.

Pan had his other hand on Selvina's side and his grip tightened in earnest. She could feel him begin to vibrate with excitement and though she could not see them, she expected his eyes to be bulging.

And then a plan suddenly appeared.

Selvina slowly slipped her hand into her chest, grabbed the pouch, and, just as it was revealed, she raised her other hand and grabbed it in both. Pan's free hand let go of her side and rose up to snatch the pouch. Time seemed to slow down as Selvina's mind focused fully on enacting her sudden and daring plan. Pan's left hand, the free one, reached up over Selvina's left shoulder, heading right for the pouch. Pan's right hand, the one holding the knife, slowly pulled away from her neck, offering Selvina an open avenue for escape. Pan would catch her immediately if she tried anything but she had a plan for that.

Selvina suddenly shut her eyes and used both her hands to rapidly open the pouch as wide as possible. She aimed the opening toward Pan's face and let the glaring white light do the rest. Pan predictably cried out in agony, the unexpected light momentarily blinding him and forcing him to shut his eyes and stumble back, slapping a hand over his face.

Selvina then shut the pouch, shoved it back where it belonged, and took off running as quickly as she possibly could. She charged past thick bushes and wide trees, all excellent hiding spots of their own, and focused fully on reaching the end of the outer courtyard. Now was no time to hide. She had to get as far from Pan as possible. If she could reach the maze she might be able to trap him inside. He might simply fly over it but Selvina suspected that his flight ability was wearing out and that he would use it sparingly.

Laughter, full of insanity and terror, rose in volume and intensity, echoing across the wide outer courtyard. Pan had recovered, Selvina noted, but she dared not look back, lest she slow down even the slightest.

"Clever girl!" he called out. "You are proving to be most entertaining!"

Selvina's muscles began to burn and sweat beaded her entire body. Her breathing grew ragged and her head pounded but she kept running. She was running purely on adrenaline at this point but she wouldn't stop. Her life and those of everyone else in this world depended on it.

The courtyard gates appeared, large, impenetrable, and glowing with hope. The maze that had challenged her so much would save her. It had to. There was nowhere else to go...

Reaching the gates, she banged on their sides with her fists, screaming loudly. "Open the gates! Open them now!! Hurry!!!"

There was no response.

"Open the gates!!!"

Again, nothing.

Cold with fear, Selvina glanced back and shouted in fright as Peter Pan appeared only a few feet away. He was walking toward her casually, savouring every step, and grinning confidently. Twirling his knife about in one hand and licking his lips, he appeared to already taste victory.