You're Just a Lost Boy

Part 1 Chapter 2 - Returning his shadow.

Never say goodbye because saying goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting. - Peter Pan

*****

Anna woke up to the sound of a light flute noise. It comforted her a great deal but she had no idea why it did. She slipped off the ratty old blanket and headed toward the bathroom.

The sunrise of early dawn had an orangish purple tint to it. Anna also had a peculiar fascination of the sunrise and sunset. She loved the colors and how they changed so frequently throughout the day.

The school was an absolute hell hole. Absolute nightmare. However, it was vital to her that she get an education. She absolutely did not want to end up like her foster parents. Who, as we speak, were somewhere getting high.

But the reason it was a nightmare was the fact that her English teacher, Wanda Gore, was mean to her.

She always picked on Anna even though she was always paying attention.

"Jameson! Focus!" she snapped whacking her stick to the chalkboard with a stern look about her. Few kids chuckled, few look concerned for Anna.

"I am Miss Gore."

"Excuse me!" she exclaimed. "That is not what you are supposed to call me-"

"Oh, I'm sorry Wanda." Anna interrupted looking Mrs. Gore straight in the eyes. Mischief flashing in her eyes "Is that better?"

Mrs. Gore looked as if her ears were blowing steam. Her face as red as a bloody tomato.

"You are supposed to address me as Missus Gore. Got it?"

"Oh my goodness. I didn't know you were married. Who's the poor guy that is married to that?" Anna said pointing at Mrs. Gore. Mrs. Gore was towering over Anna her temper barely contained. Anna realized in doing this, she was screwed.

"OUT! GET OUT OF MY CLASSROOM." she screeched. "AND DON'T COME BACK UNTIL YOU'VE FIXED YOUR WRETCHED ATTITUDE YOUNG LADY!"

Anna walked out of the classroom. She could feel people staring at her as she paced quickly across the room. Looking back at the class she saw the hoodie guy. He was smirking in her direction.

Anna was fed up with this guy already. He was creepy, weird and had appeared in Anna's sight for about a week straight. She glared at him, but all he did was return a smirk, which sort of pisses her off more, for a reason she was unaware of.

She continued to walk down the hall when a mysterious shadow peeked out from behind a door. Anna's curious eyes beamed with curiosity. She approached the shadow with caution as if it could hurt her.

"What are you?" she whispered getting closer. As she examines it, she couldn't help but identify features from another boy. Familiar features.

The pointy nose. The ruffled hair.

The lanky body.

"Get that shadow!" A voice squeaked. It was a kid.

What did he mean by that? Just chase it or...?

"Don't just stand there, chase it!" The boy said running past her.

Reluctantly, she looked at the boy running past her, and the shadow as it was about to round the corner, then she slowly accelerated to a sprint. The shadow scurried  the halls, bouncing off the walls.  It's limber body stretched over the corridor.

Anna breath faltered and she almost gave up. She pushed through with an endurance that could outlast a marathon runner's. As it was about to jump to the next wall, she clasped as tightly as she could around the shadow.

It felt like a human- like she was grabbing a person's foot. 

Anna would soon regret doing this because in the next instance the shadow jumped from one wall to one of which contained lockers.  Oh boy.

Unfortunately, her grip never faltered and the shadow whisked her along the hallway corridor. She grounded her feet adherently to floor, adamant to not let go. Why am I doing this? She thought. Is this even reality?

She felt a pair of arms grip around her waist, they felt tiny, it must have been that little boy. Her assumptions were correct, it was the little boy. Poor little guy. His valiant efforts were no match for the shadow's endless strength and stamina.

Minutes of running around the school with a screaming Anna and the little boy attached, the Shadow changed direction. Something caught his attention, a familiar sound we all know and love: the melodies of a wooden panflute. The minute the sound reached his ears, he knew where to go.

The shadow flew fast from wall to wall, Anna and the little boy screaming as they tried to avoid getting hit by locks. There was a sudden halt in the Shadow's movement, which made the people who were attached to him lose their balance.

Anna's lack of awareness slowly faded away as she rose from the floor.

The little boy piped up from the floor eagerly awaiting direction.  If he didn't understand what just happened, his face depicted the exact opposite.

Was this a trick? Anna questions herself. If so, she wasn't amused.

Before her stood a boy, a shadow cast behind him. Though is shadow seemed to have a whole other personality.The slight rebellion was shown in the way he didn't exactly mock how the boy was standing.

Who were they? What the hell is this? Am I seeing things?

She could feel her heart beat faster in her chest as she captured the unreal sights before her.

The boy smiles warmly at her and the next words that leave his mouth will change the course of Anna's whole story.

"Hello, stranger, it appears you have found my shadow for me." He gestures toward the shadow who is mocking the boy. "I thank you for that."

Anna falters. Did he really just say that?

He chuckled genuinely, "I should introduce myself. My name's Peter. Peter Pan. Charmed to meet you!"