The King of Neverland Returns

Chapter Eleven

Under the water, Hailee flailed as little as possible to keep her energy. Though, she had none left, she searched for a way to escape.

Until she realized, there was no point in escaping. Peter was gone because of her, she deserved to die. Hailee held still and waited for the Lost Boys to join her underneath the sea, but none came. Even underwater, Hailee could feel the tears pouring from her closed eyes, only making the salty water saltier. The gag was a good idea, for if she hadn't had one, she would have bitten straight through her lip. She had killed Peter, and she would never forgive herself.

She heard a splash on the surface and forced her eyes open to see which Lost Boy had joined her first. But as the person sunk lower and lower, Hailee seemed to recognize this boy more than the rest. He wore green leaves and had blonde hair, a shark-tooth necklace wrapped around his neck. He wasn't tied up, and didn't look like he was trying to reach the surface for air.

It was probably because Peter didn't need any.

Hailee jerked to attention under the water. Her hair clouded her face as she began to move her fingers through the knots on her hands. She suddenly remembered Peter's knot-loosening lessons he had taught her a few years ago and began to untie herself, trying to get to Peter's body in the water. He was sinking faster and faster, and by the time he made it to the level where Hailee was, she was only halfway through her ropes. The need for breath decided just then to kick in and Hailee's lungs screamed for air, but she went right on untying and studying where Peter's body was going.

Finally, Hailee got her hands free and wrenched the gag from her mouth, watching as Peter began to sink into the darkest part of the ocean. Her body screamed for breath, but Hailee dove down farther. Her ears popped at the pressure, her body becoming slower. Hailee pushed herself to the max, reaching desperately for Peter's body. Breath caught in her throat and her eyes bulged at the pressure and salt in the water.

Hailee felt something tickle her fingers and she grabbed and pulled. She had caught Peter by his pant leg.

With Peter's body in Hailee's grasp, she pulled him up to her and put her arm underneath his armpits, using her free hand to pull her and Peter to the surface. Blood was pouring from Peter's body, leaving a trail behind them as Hailee climbed the water. Her head became light, her body pleading for air, but she climbed with Peter in her care nonetheless. Finally, just before she about blacked out, they hit the surface and Hailee took a deep breath in.

She coughed, getting the water out of her lungs and treading the water with her feet and hand. Peter laid dead at her side, but unharmed any further.

Hailee looked up to see chaos brewing on the ship's deck. Squinting in the light, she saw Pirates flailing around at nothing, with Indians and Lost Boys standing with tied hands and confused stares. Hailee, still catching her breath, took Peter's blood-splattered face in her hand, then remembered what she had done and looked away, holding back more tears and gagging at so much blood coming from his mouth. With a groan and without looking, she reached over and yanked the gold and silver knife from Peter's stomach, washing it in the water and placing it between her teeth. Then, she began to paddle towards the ship with one hand.

She was almost to the ship's wooden wall when Hailee looked up to see Pirates still fighting, then one almost landed on top of them as he was thrown from the deck. Hailee took a deep breath and went under the water to dodge the man's kicking legs in the air, until she heard a splash and returned to the surface, Peter still in her arm. She looked back to see the Pirate flailing in the water.

"I CAN'T SWIM!" He screamed. Hailee rolled her tear-filled eyes and began paddling again.

She had no idea how she was going to climb back up onto the deck, let alone with Peter in her arms. The thought of dropping Peter back down into the sea occurred to her, but she had already killed the boy, dropping him would be crueler. Instead, she searched for a hand hold in the wood and started to climb with one hand. The knife in her mouth nicked her tongue and she tasted blood as she climbed, but tasting blood was better than Peter's predicament.