Neverland Crumbling: The Arrival

Chapter Four (Xander)

I didn't realize how big the island was until I was being carried through it, and I tried my hardest not to cry as I realized my fate would not end well. This Captain Hook only wanted me because I was a new recruit, but why did he want Ellie? Because she was a girl? There had to be more to it than that, I figured.
Captain Hook's ship was absolutely massive, bigger than ten or eleven houses put together, with large white sails. I gulped when I heard the sound of men shouting on deck, and soon we were being brought on board. Men of all shapes, sizes, ages, and races were bustling about the deck; all of them filthy, most of them tattooed, some of them pierced. All I knew was that the smell was foul, and it made my eyes water.
"Leave him alone!" Ellie shouted when the man set me down on the deck, and his fellow pirates began gathering around me to get a closer look. I felt vulnerable like I was a naked baby bird, and I pressed my hands against my face. "He's an innocent kid!"
"That's what you used to be, Blondie," the same pirate remarked. "Oh, how that changed!" She used to be like me? Afraid? To me she was fearless.
"Hello again, Miss Barker!" Ellie let out an annoyed groan, and I looked up to see a man in all black and leather. He had a lean frame, more muscle than fat, with straight black hair and bluish-grey eyes that appeared to be lined with black makeup. He had dark stubble on his strong jaw, and his smile was both enticing and nauseating. When I looked at his hands, I realized they didn't call him Hook for nothing; his left hand was gone, replaced with a gleaming silver hook while his right hand was decorated with rings and other things.
"Hook. What an unpleasant surprise to see you." Poor Ellie... She didn't deserve this... She gave the man a nasty glare.
"Always the feisty one.. And who might you be, little one?" He turned his attention to me, and I hugged myself, looking down. Everyone seemed so fascinated with me, and it scared me. "Scared, huh? Well, you shouldn't be, laddie. Killian Jones, enchante." I refused to look at him or moved when he held out his only hand for me to shake.
"He knows who you are, Hook." Ellie spat. "He knows not to like you."
"Well, what's not to like, love?" He had a thick accent, almost Cockney, and it reminded me of home. "How could he not like a devilishly handsome, swashbuckling adventurer like myself?"
"Oh I don't know, because it's your mission to destroy Peter Pan?" The man chuckled darkly, and the hair stood up on the back of my neck.
"Trust me, girl, when you mature a little bit you will understand why." That made me a little nervous. Why would anybody want to kill such a wonderful boy like Peter Pan...? He was so accepting and kind... maybe that was why the pirate wanted him dead in the first place.
"Well, I can't age exactly, genius. I've been fourteen for the past one hundred years!" She groaned, looking at me. "Don't listen to a word he says, Xander. He's an idiot."
"An idiot? I wouldn't say that, lass. I just have a different mindset than that green-eyed friend of yours." He let out another chuckle, and I cringed.
"Obviously Peter's mindset is much more intelligent. You like kidnapping children for fun! How is that in any way intelligent?"
"You never did tell me your name, boy." The pirate was kneeling in front of me now, lifting my chin with his hook. I could feel the blood drip down my neck as it pierced my skin, and I squeezed my eyes shut. "What a sweet face you have, child. I had no idea Miss Barker had a brother!"
"Leave him be!" Ellie shouted, and I started to cry before covering my face. "We're not related! We're not anything! He's just our newest Lost Boy and he doesn't deserve to be a captive on your ship!"
"Take the girl below," he said gruffly. " Don't let her out of your sight."
"Ellie!" I uncovered my face to look at her as she was being dragged off, looking stoic. "ELLIE!"
"Now now, we mustn't shout." The captain smirked, and I spat on his face. His crew gasped, and he chuckled as he wiped my saliva off of his eye. "Little children should be seen and not heard...or felt." He smacked me across the face, and I dropped to the floor.
"What are you going to do with my friend?!" I cried, backing away. "She wasn't doing any harm!"
"You know NOTHING about this island, you little bilgerat! You know nothing about her! You don't understand the game!" I whimpered as he drew closer to me, and he lifted me up by my hair and had his hook inches away from my eye. "You will call me Captain, understand?" I stared at him, eyes defiantly blank. He raised his hook and slashed me across the cheek, and I screamed as the blood came trickling down.
I wanted to get out of here. I didn't like this ship or these scary pirates. They might be hurting Ellie and I didn't like that. Ellie... I wanted her. I didn't want this captain. I wanted my friend. "Please don't hurt Ellie...Captain.." I hated feeling so helpless. I wished Peter were here to get us out of this mess.
"My men shall do what they like with her, child. And you shall remain quiet. Understood?" He held his gleaming hook up again, and I nodded with a slight whimper. We were doomed. He just stared at me, his eyes trained on my dirty face and messy hair. "Oh, you are in for quite the adventure here, boy. I am sure we will become friendly with each other, and you will learn to hate me like all the others."
"I already do." I spat vehemently, and his gaze darkened as he threw me to the ground.
"Take him below. Guard the door." He began walking away from me, his boots clomping against the floor.
"Wait!" I cried, and he stopped and turned back. "You said I know nothing about Ellie. What did you mean?"
He chuckled and shook his head, "Wouldn't you like to know?" Then he began shouting orders, and that was the end of it. I was hoisted up by two pirates that reeked of sweat and rum and dragged below deck, which was too dark and too claustrophobic for my liking. My vision was blurring, my heart pounding, and I began to suddenly miss London and its bustling streets and wide spaces. This wasn't exactly what I signed up for, if I signed up at all.
The world began to fade away...

The floor beneath me was cold and damp. That was certain. As I returned to consciousness, I tried my best to take in my surroundings, which were mostly dark. I supported myself with one arm and pushed myself up so I could sit up, and Ellie's face was the first thing I saw.
"Xander! Oh, you're awake!" She threw her arms around me, and my heart thumped loudly inside my chest. Ellie. She was alive. She was okay. She pulls away after a moment, and she smiled that beautiful smile of hers. "Thank God you're alright. Hook is so unpredictable these days, I was afraid he would hurt you— oh Xander, your cheek!"
I let her examine the gash on my face, and she let out a heavy sigh. "He...his hook..." I felt myself choke up as I said it, and she combed her fingers through my hair in an attempt to quiet me.
"There now...Peter will heal you!" I looked up at her, and her blue eyes were practically dancing in the dimness of the room.
"He can do that?" I asked, wondering what else he could do. He was Peter Pan, I suppose he could do anything he really wanted.
"Yes!" She revered Peter, put him up on this pedestal. I wanted to be spoken so highly of, loved dearly and devotedly. Nobody ever did...
"Oh..." I looked down, wishing I could be as loved as Peter was. And it seems to me Ellie was equally loved by the Lost Boys. They all flocked to her and pestered her with questions. She was their mother, but still... I wanted to be like Peter. Revered and adored by all. Invincible. Able to do anything I ever wanted.
"Xander, I promise you it'll be alright. In Neverland, we win every time! Isn't it wonderful?"
"Yes of course! It's just so scary down here..." I looked around, wishing I was back in the jungle with the Lost Boys. I felt safe around them. Away from the his dark ship.
"You get used to it after a while," Ellie shrugged, looking around. "I've been down here loads of times."
"Really? Loads?" I rubbed my cold hands together, wanting a blanket to keep me warm. Why would anybody want to keep such a pretty girl like Ellie locked away here like this? What did she do wrong to deserve this?
"Yeah, it's a long story..." She trailed off, picking at a scab on her knee. "For me to explain it, I would have to explain other things that I don't think you're ready to hear--"
"I want to hear!" I sat up a little straighter, and she smiled at me.
"You just got here, Xander. I don't want to overwhelm you." I knew Ellie was the mother, that it was her job to protect me, but I wanted to know everything about this mysterious little island in the stars.
"Please?" I asked pleadingly, and she looked away with a sigh.
"There is a prophecy," she began. "A prophecy that entails the coming of Peter Pan...and what happens after his reign is done." Now I was intrigued, and I scooted in a little closer to her to listen.
"Peter won't always be the leader?" She shook her head. "How does that work? The island has to have a leader, Ellie!"
"Oh there will always be a leader, but it just won't always be Peter. That's the other part of this prophecy, the fact that Peter Pan will one day meet his successor--his heir--and this child will eventually gain all the abilities Peter has and will take over for him." What a curious thing. Prophecies were just things people read in books or saw in films, never in real life.
"So there's been multiple Peter Pans, then?"
"Oh no, he's the first, at least I think he is, at least. Anyways, we've been looking for this child for years but haven't found them yet. But for the longest time..." she laughed a little. "For the longest time people have been thinking it's me. That I'm the heir."
My eyes widened at that moment. "Ellie! You're going to be the next Peter Pan?!"
"Well, none of us know for sure yet. We've been meaning to go to the fairies for a while now. They know a lot about prophecies. They were the ones who told us of the prophecy in the first place. But they didn't know who the child was. We're hoping they know by now."
"Oh, Ellie.. You'd be an amazing leader! You already lead so well as their mother!"
"Hey," she giggled, tapping my good cheek lightly. "I'm your mother too. You're a Lost Boy now!"
My cheeks reddened a little, and I looked down. "Oh, yes... I am..."
"You're going to be a good Lost Boy, too! I know you're small, but my mother always told me even the smallest have the ability to do something great." I smiled at that, and she nudged me just a little.
"Thanks, Ellie." I said softly, pulling her in for a gentle hug. "I've never had a mother...and this means a lot to me."
"Of course, Xander. It's my duty." We both shared a laugh, and I suddenly heard an uproar above deck. Metal hitting metal, cannons going off, people screaming. Ellie immediately stood, eyes bright.
"PETER!"
We could hear Peter Pan laughing as he fought our captors, their screams filling our ears. It was unbelievable to me, how one boy could fight off so many burly men in one foul swoop. He was one of a kind, and Ellie might be just like him someday. The door swung open within seconds, and Ellie squealed, running and throwing her arms around him. "Oh Peter! I was so worried! I saw you get stabbed by that pirate and—thank goodness you're alright..." He was stabbed..?
"Oh I'm alright, Ellie." Peter waved her off, and I almost felt jealous watching the two of them. They were so close... Ellie threw herself all over him. He got praised for blinking, if he sneezed I'm sure the boys would applaud him. He was so perfect, and I was just... Xander. "I'm good at surviving."
"Yes you are," Ellie giggled. "Thank you for saving us."
"It's my job as Peter Pan to save my mother!" He bowed to her, and she curtsied back. "And our newest member!" He smiled as he helped me up, and it faded when he saw my cut cheek. "Ouch. Hook?" I nodded to that. "I'll help you when we get back to camp, yes?"
"Oh I hope the boys are alright without me!" Ellie fretted. "I didn't make them their supper!"
"They're fine, Mother." Peter looked at me with a knowing smile. "Women, right?" I looked down and shrugged, not knowing a thing about girls and their ways. "If the mother's happy, we're all happy. Remember that, Little Blue." I nodded, pushing my hair back. "Now let's get out of here."
Suddenly the three of us were joining hands, and in a flash the cold and dark ship was gone and replaced with a more comfortable room that had wooden walls. I felt like we were in a tree, but it was too spacious to be a tree. Were we underground, perhaps? There were over a dozen beds with mountains of blankets and pillows, the floor lined with furs of all types. There were weapons of all sorts, from slingshots to crossbows, hanging on the walls. A clothesline where all the drying laundry went, a massive table where the boys ate, a throne in the center of all the chaos. That must've been Peter's throne.
"Wow..." The boys suddenly came running in a massive horde, shoving me aside to get to Ellie and Peter. I hugged myself while I watched the two of them laugh and answer questions, and I found myself a bed tucked into the corner of the hideout. I assumed it was empty because it was properly made, with supple fur blankets and a pillow filled with what felt like feathers. I sat down and pulled my knees up to my chest, and I sighed. Once again, they praised Peter and Ellie. I was just going to have to get used to it.
"Ellie, are you alright?!" One boy with brown hair asked, staring up at her.
"Oh I'm fine. Those pirates are nothing but smelly old men! Little Blue only got a scratch on his cheek from Hook, and he's fine! Oh, Xander come over here! Peter can heal you right up!" I gasped a little at the sudden attention, and the boys all turned to stare at me.
"Hook cut him?!"
"Oh my gosh is he okay?!"
"Why didn't I ever get cut by Hook?! I want a battle scar!"
"I have a battle scar. And it hurt."
I got up slowly, moving back towards the group I was beginning to distance myself from. I felt safe with them, but also out of place. I was so new that I felt like I wasn't really accepted into the group yet, that they just thought I was there and didn't want to bother with me. Ellie was smiling encouragingly, and all the boys gasped when they saw my cheek.
"That is so cool!"
"Did it hurt?!"
"Did you cry?!"
    "Now now boys, leave him alone!" Ellie clapped her hands. "Father still has to heal him, and he's probably shaken up about his first time being kidnapped!" All the boys groaned in disappointment, and they spread out a little to give me some air. Peter smiled and knelt down to my height, and I winced when he touched my cheek.
"Hold really still, okay?" I mhm'd in response, and I suddenly felt a warm rush flood into my body. I felt the sun on my face, smelled the ocean, felt the wind in my hair. I wanted to smile and laugh, dance and run. I stayed perfectly still, though, and I relished the wonderful feeling that he was giving to me.
I was jolted out of my trance when his hand left my flesh, and he stood up. "All done. You're healed!" He ruffled my hair with his hand before looking to the boys. "All of you, to bed. Mother and Xander must sleep after their adventures!"
"No no, let me handle this, Father." Ellie stepped forward, grinning. "Children, let's all go to bed or no story in the morning!" A second later, they all squealed and scurried to their beds in a frenzy. Story. I wanted to hear a story! "You too, Xander! Go along!" She patted my cheek and nudged me, leading me to that empty bed I was on before. "You'll love my stories, trust me. The rest of them do!"
All of the boys got under their covers, so I did the same. I nestled myself under the sheets, which were surprisingly warm and soft, and I rested my head on the pillow. Ellie came forward and sat down on the throne, and Peter laid down on a bed near it. There were two beds within a few feet of either side of the throne, and I assumed it was for them two.
"Tell us the story of Cinderella!" One of the boys cried, and all of them roared in agreement. I giggled a little, pulling the blankets up to my chin. I liked that story.
"Well once upon a time, there lived a young girl who loved her father very much..." I listened to her tell the tragic story of a pretty girl reduced to being a servant at the hands of her vicious stepfamily, and then the story became happy when her magical fairy godmother whisked her away to the ball and she danced with a handsome prince until she had to flee the palace. By the end of the story, where the prince found her, a few of them were asleep. I was awake, hanging onto her every word. She was an amazing storyteller.
"And they all lived happily ever after!" They cheered, and I clapped my hands gently. I could see the lights dimming despite the cries for another story, and my eyelids closed as I fell into dreamland.

Yay we gave you a longer chapter since we have haven't updated for a few days!! That will be normal tho, since we do have lives. From Mondays to Wednesdays we take a hiatus from the book to do other things, so bear with us!
We worked really hard on this one so please comment and vote!! There's a prophecy about an heir... Is it Ellie, or could it be someone else..? Who knows...
More surprises next chapter!!
~ Sammie <3

Do you guys like the musical production of Peter Pan? I do. I'm kind of obsessed with it. ANYWAYS THIS CHAPTER IS A DOOZY! What do y'all think of Hook?! And this heir thing?! Wow! What a day for Little Blue, and the adventures are just beginning! I hope you guys are enjoying it so far, because I know we're having fun writing it. These are stories that we've been wanting to share for a while now, and it feels awesome to finally do it. <3
~ Sami (paper-sami)