Foreverland

Chapter 14

•Peter•

Rose didn't stay for much longer, only long enough to discuss some more details. I could tell she still didn't believe me. She still saw Ara as the victim to my torture. However too soon another girl barged in and stated that Rose, or "Thorn" as they called her, had to go. So I was left alone. Again. Left to drown in my thoughts.

The last thing Rose said to me was "Stay here, don't leave the hut." Like I was some sort of dog she could boss around. The hut wasn't much nicer than the boy's hanging tree. It consisted of a small bed, table, and two chairs. There was a second glass of water that I'd already drank, I was regretting throwing the first against the wall.

Eventually I couldn't taken anymore. I didn't like being inside for so long, specially in an unfamiliar place. I wasn't used to following rules either. I stormed over to the door- only limping slightly- and threw it open.

A girl who was leaning against the doorframe surprised me and I jumped back.

"What in the name of Hook are you doing here?" I grunted as she laughed at me, throwing a berry in her mouth from the bowl she held on her hip. It was the girl who had told Rose she had to leave. I hated her already.

"Took you longer than I thought to come out. I guessed fifteen minutes, Thorn guessed only ten. You lasted longer than half an hour!" She pushed past me and plopped down on one of the chairs. My stomach tumbled as I eyed the bowl of fruit. If not for the food she taunted me with, I would've left.

"Who are you?" I approached her slowly and her dark eyes flicked up to meet mine.

"Twila." She said after too long of a pause. She was doing it on purpose, to make me uncomfortable, to take control of the conversation.

"I'm-"

"Peter Pan. I know. The monster my mother told me about at night so I wouldn't wander off to the other side of the island." I had to look away, I was sick of people calling me that. "I used to think you were fake, that is, until Thorn showed up."

"That's not her name." I snapped, sliding into the chair across from her.

"It is here, get used to it." She pushed the bowl across the table and I didn't hesitate to grab a handful of berries.

"I have i feeling I'll have to get used to a lot of things around here." I spoke with my mouth full, noting the look of disgust that passed across her face.

"No, I don't think you will. You won't be around long enough to." She leaned across the table to pull the bowl back to her side, I would've protested if not for the warning look her face.

"So..." I leaned back and winced as my wounds stretched, "why are you here?"

"Someone had to keep watch over you, and I drew the unlucky straw." She shrugged and tried to wait patiently for her to push the bowl back over. She didn't. "Flynn and Thorn get to be in the fun meeting where they get to decide what to you with you."

"Shouldn't I be in that meeting?" I reached for more food but Twila slapped my hand away.

"No."

"Well it does concern me, shouldn't I get a say in something?" The look she gave me clearly read shut up. Unfortunately for her, I wasn't very good at that. "So, Flynn..." I remembered that he was the boy Rose had been with earlier, "who is he exactly?"

"Is that jealousy I hear?" She burst out in laughter. It was the ugliest laugh I'd ever heard, and I'd been living with a bunch of boys for years. It was like a hyena had a child with a witch and that came out. "Oh I can't breathe." She slammed her hand on the table, almost spilling the bowl of fruit.

"It's not funny." I picked the bowl up and this time she was too distracted to stop me, "I was just asking who he was."

"You have more of a chance with him than Thorn does." She shook her head, face becoming slack again.

"Why wouldn't Rose have a-"

"Shut up," Twila stood up and I slowly closed my mouth, this girl was difficult to figure out, "You know what, I like you. Come on."

"Where are we going?" I followed her out the door, sad to leave the food behind. I hadn't had nearly enough. I used to be able to go days without eating and I'd barely feel effects. I guess that was wearing off too. Being mortal sucked.

"The meeting shouldn't be too much longer, I'll show you around until then."

"Is that allowed?" I questioned, looking around for the first time. We were in a large grass field littered with tents as well as shelters like the one I'd been inside. There were cliffs to the north, and then the ocean. Back towards the center of the island trees bordered the field. Up in the trees were more huts and my heart ached as they reminded me of the hanging tree. It was strange that I, king of Neverland, hadn't been here in so long. It was difficult- even for me- to remember those times. It was eons ago, when I was one of them.

Before I became too much to handle.

"When did Peter Pan ever care about the rules?" Twila pulled me back to reality and I stuffed the forgotten memories back into the box they were trying to escape from.

"I don't." I grumbled. Usually. Right now I did, right now I had a reason to. For Rose. If I wanted her back I'd have to set aside my pride, even if it went against every instinct in my body.

"Right." She rolled her eyes, "Anyways, most of us live up in the trees, down here are some of the more important buildings."

"So I'm important?" I smirked, gesturing back at the building they'd put me in.

"An important prisoner, yes." She laughed as my face fell. I looked away from her and noticed that everyone would change their paths as soon as they saw me. Like I was some sort of deadly disease. Some children hid behind their parents legs while the most curious ones were dragged away when they got too close.

"I'm not a prisoner, I came to you guys." I wasn't sure how they could be so scared when I looked like this. So weak.

"Keep telling yourself that." She elbowed me in the side, not giving one ounce of remorse about my wounds, "You broke the treaty by crossing the boarder."

"I'm sure you guys have crossed the boarder before."

"The difference is we weren't caught." She shrugged as a response to my glare, "There they are." Twila pointed to one of the bigger structures where a group of people were exiting from. I spotted Rose instantly, laughing at something the boy Flynn had said. My stomach turned with disgust. "Let's go figure out their verdict for you."

Suddenly I regretted leaving my little hut. I didn't want to face these people. I didn't want eyes watching me as I was banned once again, even if none of them were around the first time.

I sucked in a long breath, focusing on Rose. Only Rose. Everything would be okay as long as she was here. Or, so I thought.