Peter Pan Imagines

Remember This Part 7

A cold splash of water brought me out of my deep slumber. Sputtering and coughing, I looked up and in front of me was Peter; stern and cold as usual. Why did I always wake up like this?

"You're going to learn how to fight." Peter set down the wooden bucket he used to splash water on me. "You will fight for the dignity of this island."

"This island?" I bent over trying to get the water out of my nose. "I thought I was a prisoner, not a lost girl."

"You aren't a lost girl." Pan walked behind me and slapped the back of my neck, sending all the water out of my lungs. "You are a soldier. You, Nicole Peregrine will be at the beck and call of my lost boys as they currently outrank you in both experience and skill."

"Why now?" I looked up, finally being able to breathe again. "Why not put me in the cage again? A soldier with a threading heart wouldn't do much good for you."

"Don't test my generosity Nicole" He gritted his teeth bitterly. "I could do much worse if I wished, but I'm giving you the chance to redeem yourself considering your cage was burned to ash." Peter leaned in until his lips were nearly pressed against my ear and whispered in a chilling tone, "Do I make myself clear?"

This shook me to the core and made all the hairs stand up on the back of my neck in fright. "Perfectly."

"Good." Pan turned and began to walk back to camp without a word.

I came to my senses after a few seconds of trance-like fear. "Wait!"

He spun around, now with a sour impatience in his eyes. "What is it now?"

"When do we start training?" A type of courage began to settle in my heart. "I want to learn to fight."

"Eager are we?" Pan smirked bitingly. It was the first time I'd seen him smile slightly in days, even just for a moment. "Meet me by the base of the cliffs in one hour."

"I don't have a weapon. I need one to train."

He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Then find one." Pan disappeared in a cloud of green smoke, leaving me alone yet again. Looking around I noticed that I was once again in a clearing; I hadn't noticed where I was when I first woke up.

It was good to be outside again, it had been so long since I was able to come to my senses and appreciate the flora and fauna of the island. The trees, greener than I remembered, were heavy with their lush leaves and flowers. Tiny pink pods were sprouted all over the dark brown branches. Pixie posies is what Michael used to call them for their property of growing pixie dust. The real name of the flower was forgotten in my memory, but the beautiful pink petals on the warm days like this one would always be kept locked within my subconscious.

The sky today was as blue as I ever had seen. The clouds looked like white puffs of spun sugar drifting along the rainbow-fractured sky. Neverland was beautiful, it was magical, again it was my home.

"Now," I thought aloud. "Where to find a weapon." If I headed to the Natives' camp, they might lend me something. If I was lucky, they might help me escape as well.

I began to run through the woods to the area I recalled as the Natives' camp. It was light out now so I could find the trail more easily compared to several nights ago when I stumbled through the woods. True, there were no stars to guide me, but instead the sights and sounds themselves led me on and on through the jungle-forest.

As I ran I began to think of everything that had brought me here. The sadness, the love, the hatred; they all led me to this point. If I had never picked up that journal, none of this would have happened. Michael would still be alive and I would have never met Peter Pan. Would things have been better then? Perhaps. It's likely I would have gotten engaged by now, but who knows? This is now, forget all the "could be's". I have to keep fighting for any chance at freedom I have.