Caged • Robbie Kay/Peter Pan •

Chapter Seven

Adrenaline pulsed through my veins and Owen and I shared the same look of terror, both wondering the same thing.

I had almost forgotten to breath before we both sprinted off to where Peter lay lifeless in the sand.

The sight of his paled face sent a haunting picture fleeting into my racing mind. His eyes were only partially closed his lips were swollen and dry.

"What's happening?" my voice trembled trepidatiously.

"I heard him wheezing and then h-he just stopped breathing." Roux fretted, unsure what to do with his shaking hands.

"It looks like Shadowleaf poison. The woods are full of them." Caspar announced, crouched next to Peter's unmoving body.

Suddenly, a tinge of guilt crept into the foreboding thoughts that relentlessly raged in my head.

Was Shadowleaf the black berries that I had encountered in the woods? I was the one that touched the plants, unknowingly and unaware of their death beckoning affect. What if I was the cause for Peter's poisoning?

"Roux, get the herb bag from Peter's pack! Hurry!" Nolan yelled, gesturing to the sack that lie next to where Peter had been sleeping; if he had been sleeping.

Chaos surrounded the circumference of those who had formed a circle around Peter, all wondering if he would live through the poison filled kiss that had been placed on him, no one knowing how or when. Except maybe myself and Liam.

"His throat is swollen shut. Bring me that bag!" Nolan repeated.

The small cloth bag that came out of the pack was filled with small vials of mother natures multicolored medicine. Nolan mixed the ground herbs with a wooden ladle of water and poured between Peter's parted lips.

"How will that help if his throat is swollen?" I asked apprehensively, straining to see what would happen.

"The herbs coat the throat and release the swelling. He'll be fine, Meadow." Nolan reassured.

I glanced at the faces of the boys and realized that I was the one filled with concern. Liam's eyes met mine and I knew by the look on his disheartened face that he knew what had happened.

"Did you two pick Shadowleaf when you went into the woods?" Owen asked.

"Meadow, you were the only one that touched the Shadowleaf berries." he said aloud. I silently prayed no one heard the guilt provoking words that fell from the small boys mouth, but when five other pairs of eyes all met mine, I knew that they had.

"How could he have gotten poisoned from me just touching them? I promise I only picked raspberries and bitterberries." I argued defensively, my heart leaping faster. I could feel my face turn red with embarrassment.

"Bitterberries look like Shadowleaf, dumb-ass." Chase' harsh worse seethed with hatred and unbelief. "Peter might die because of you."

"Chase, shut up! It was a mistake that anyone could have made. What color was the stem of the berries you picked?" Caspar asked curiously.

"Green, I think. I made sure to stay away from the Shadowleaf."

Abruptly, a strained breath wheezed from Peter's mouth, but his eyes remained closed.

"We need to get back. All of the medicine is back in the cellar. He'll wake up soon but he'll be too weak to move with the poison still in his veins." Nolan announced.

"Let's get the boats ready." Caspar stood up and began turning the boats over with Owen's help.

"Meadow, stay with Peter and keep his head propped up." Nolan reminded me, getting up to help the boys.

I nodded and prudently moved closer to Peter, placing my shaking hands under his neck and lifting his head, placing carefully on my lap to support it.

The image of the dead looking boy who's head rested in my lap, was something I never expected to see. His breathing was unsteady and loud and the color had yet to return to his sickly pale cheeks.

The boys scurried to get everything they had packed onto the boats and continued to drag the boats to the shore.

Owen and Caspar jogged back to where I sat with Peter and hoisted him up from the sand. Peter groaned softly as they carried him toward the boat, placing him inside.

Everyone else climbed into the boats and we pushed off on our way back to Neverland.

I sat behind Chase who's hands tightly clutched the oars, still staying with Peter. I felt the responsibility to since I had been the once that poisoned him.

What didn't make sense to me was the fact that no one else was ill. If I had picked Shadowleaf instead of bitterberries, wouldn't everyone be affected by my terrible mistake?

Peter's hand twitched involuntarily and every once in a while, he'd draw in a sharp breath.

The night sky grew lighter and hardly a word came from either of the boys in the boat, except for Nolan asking about Peter's condition every once in a while.

"He's getting fevered." I announced when my hand touched his scorching forehead and flushed cheeks. A look of concern crossed his face as if he were having a bad dream and I wondered just what was going through his head.

"We're almost there. He should wake up soon."

"How long did Hope survive after eating the berries?" I asked.

"Who told you about that?" Owen's voice raged furiously. "How do you know about her?"

I instantly regretted mentioning the girl's name who was forbidden to speak of. Owen sternly informed me not to tell anyone that he had told me.

"I-" I didn't know how to answer. I couldn't let Chase know.

"Chase, stop." Nolan commanded. "She just asked a question. She has a right to know."

"I'm sorry." I muttered, though I wasn't sure what I was apologizing for.

"Hope went to bed early one night and we didn't find her until the next morning when it was too late. She had poisoned herself." Nolan explained.

"If Peter hadn't driven her to, she'd still be here." Chase uttered bitterly. "Selfish bastard."

Suddenly, I felt Peter's hand clasp mine desperately, his nails digging into my palm like claws.

Peter groaned, his breath quickening. "Don't leave. Don't leave me to die."

•••

A/N

So this was kind of short but stuff happened okay.

So thank you all so much for reading!

What do you think will happen next?

I literally get so excited when you guys comment so that would be really great if you could do that :)

Thanks guys!

Love love love