Neverland - Peter Pan - OUAT Fanfiction

Chapter 23 - Conflict

Waking up with the sun, we rose stiff and sleepy from the late night. We were told our detour would take us to a lazy river that contained shale which we would gather to make arrow tips from. Spending most of the day gathering shale, we would make it to the tree before evening.

We rolled up our mats and put out the glowing coals of the fire before setting out. It wasn't long before we came upon the banks of a peaceful looking river and set to work. Each boy produced a smaller bag from inside their satchel and began filling them with arrow tip sized shale from the banks.

I ventured out into the water and gathered, the cool liquid washing some of the mud from my boots. I still reeked of decaying swamp matter, which only seemed to have gotten worse during the night. My scalp itched irritatingly as well as the skin beneath my mud dried cloths.

I sensed a presence close behind and turned, surprised to see Felix staring directly at me. He had only spoken to me a handful of times and very briefly at that. His hood was down, blond hair and scar visible for all to see, as well as the nasty looking club that rested lazily over his right shoulder.

"Pan wants you to go downstream to bathe." He regarded me apathetically as he spoke, but gave an unfriendly smile as he added, "He says you need it. You stink."

I returned the cold stare, throwing my bag of shale onto the bank without taking my eyes from his. Then, turning my back on him, I walked downstream, deliberately taking my sweet time. It wasn't that I didn't want to bathe, in fact my body desperately screamed to be clean. But I didn't like Felix, there was something about him that made me uncomfortable, more than just his bad attitude. So, I was determined to show him that he didn't own me.

I walked on a safe distance from the others and then some, not wanting anyone to stumble upon me unintentionally or intentionally for that matter. I came upon a bulge in the river, where a partial natural dam had formed, causing the water to slowly filter through. A perfect spot to wade in and bathe, especially for someone who didn't do so well with strong currents.

I was about to wade in when I paused and thought better of it. I turned around and scaled the nearest tree with ease, and perched on a branch high above, shielded by leaves from the ground below. I wasn't sure how long I waited but it was long enough for my mind to start telling me I was paranoid and to climb out of the tree and just bathe.

Just as I was about to descend, noisy footsteps tapped at my eardrums followed shortly by a figure stepping into view below me. I couldn't quite tell who it was between all the leaves but saw him crouch just under the tree I was perched in and look out over the water.

Brown locks... not enough to go on. I leaned over the branch for a closer look and my mouth twisted in disgust. Byron. The perverted peeping tom was crouched behind a bush right underneath my tree scanning the bulge in the river.

After a few moments he got up and trotted on downstream. I waited what seemed about ten minutes before I heard him tromp back through the woods, a disappointed look on his face as he went back upstream towards the others.

I waited another five or so minutes before inching down the tree and walking back up to the river. My caution had paid off. I just hoped he wouldn't return.

I let the cool water at the river's edge lap gently over my boots, watching as they went from a cloudy brown to an almost black appearance as they were washed clean.

I waded in up to my waist, then my chest, then neck. Taking a deep breath, I dropped beneath the surface. It was slightly cold, but not unbearable. I peeled off my corset and watched as a cloud of muddy water rose from between my blouse and the inside of the corset. How exactly was mud capable of squeezing itself between every available crack and surface?