Forever Land

Part 7

It took a few days for Bella to come up with a plan, but exactly three mornings after finding out Wendi would be staying, Bella was no where to be found on the island. At least, not anywhere that the Found children played.

Instead if anyone had bothered to look for her, which they didn't, then they would have found her under the dark and tangled branches of the trees ringing Pirate's Cove. Despite the fact that even the most fool-hearty Found children wouldn't dare step foot into the shadowy woods, Bella stayed to the darkest of shadows. She moved in quick bursts, not daring to stay in the open to long and sometimes pulling herself up into the branches of the nearest tree when the undergrowth rustled.

Bella watched from her hiding place in a pine as something unrecognizable as anything animal passed below. The reality was that it was just shadow matter, a violent creature of the island left over from before Peter moved in. According to Peter they were children's lost shadows, who had found their way to the island and turned into nightmares. Bella didn't know if that was true or not, but she did know she didn't want it to find her. The things black scaly body was vaguely crocodile shaped, but it had extra legs and it's hear was more boar-like with 18 inch tusks protruding from it's face. It grunted and whuffled angrily around the base of the tree. It could smell her but not see her. Quickly it lost interest and moved on.

As soon as she was sure it was gone Bella jumped out of the tree and hurried on. The dark ring of trees was about a hundred yards wide. This little bit of wild land was all that was left of the wildness that once claimed the entire island. There was no reason to be any where near it unless you were crazy, or, were looking for a pirate.

As it turns out Bella was looking for a pirate. The famous Captain Hook; the nefarious pirate and his crew who had mysteriously found their way to Forever-land without the assistance of Peter's shadow, and according to rumors, also had a way out. Somehow these adults who had been very much alive upon entering Forever-land, had beaten all the rules of the land and if any one other than Peter could get Wendi out of Bella's afterlife, it would be Hook.

Now the hard part, Bella thought, is to out trick that tricky pirate so that he thinks it's in his best interest to make a deal with her.

Bella couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when she finally reached the end of the dark trees. The last fifty feet or so before the beach was dead trees. The earth and trees were still blackened from a fire the pirates had accidentally set years ago. There were no signs of pirates or shadow monsters so Bella ventured out.

From the rocky beach she could see the pirate ship out in the water. Bella just stared. It hadn't occurred to her how she was going to actually get to the ship.

"Looking to become a pirate are we?" An oily voice asked.

Bella spun around to find non other than Captain Hook seated on a downed log a few yards away. He was a severe looking man, with a lined face and sunken pale eyes. He looked, well, old.

He did look very fancy for a pirate though. His beard and mustache were trimmed neatly, an oiled curly wig sat proudly atop his head, and he always wore some kind of fancy looking coat with shiny buttons and cuff links. He also had one other important feature. The creator of his namesake, a shiny brass hook in place of a right hand.

"No chance," She snarled back.

"Careful little one. Your in no position to go being rude." He purred.

A few laughs followed as several pirates slipped out from hiding, effectively surrounding her. Bella took a few deep breaths trying not to panic.

For Peter, she reminded herself.

"I know you." Hook said with a bit more interest, "Your that little urchin that's always trotting along behind good ol' Peter's heels. What does he call you? Something sickeningly sweet."

"That's Miss Tinker Bell Cap'n," A crew member said.

"Ah yes," Hook Drawled, "Thank you Mr. Smee. No doubt the name was meant to complement her."

Bella bristled at the words. She knew the nickname wasn't the kindest, but this filthy pirate had no right's to it. Her blood was racing and she knew her face was turning that humiliating shade of red. Bella wanted nothing more than to pounce on him with the knife she had hidden up her sleeve. She could end the war with the pirates right hear. She could kill Hook, finally have revenge for Rufio and the countless other Found children lost in the fighting, and return to Peter the conquering hero and, and... And Wendi would still be there taking up all his time. Besides, Hook was just waiting for her to try something like that.

"I'm hear to make a deal with you." She said instead.

This, of course, piqued his interest. "Well then my dear, I'm all ears."

Bell then proceeded to tell the tale of her life. She told the story with the same kind of passion Wendi used in her bedtime stories, and had her actions and jealousy not been so ugly, the passion lighting her face would have made her beautiful. She tailored her story in a way that it would seem like a great advantage to Hook to kidnap Wendi and take her back to the living world. Imagine how devastating it would be to Peter if they sent Wendi away. Why would Hook give up a chance to one up his great enemy, and just like she hoped, he smiled and nodded along.

"That sounds like quit the plan you have little Tinker Bell. I shall greatly enjoy playing my part in it."

Bella was overjoyed. This was going better than she could have hoped. Then a thought occurred to her.

"I want your word." She demanded, "You won't hurt Wendi. You'll just take her back home." She didn't really want the girl hurt after all.

"Why of coarse me dear. I give my word. I will make sure this little Wendi-Bird is tucked safely away from our dear Peter Panning's reach, and as you know, Captain Hook is a man of his word. All you have to do is get her hear this time tomorrow and you'll never have to worry about her again."

Bella's confidence faltered a bit. "But how am I supposed to get her hear? She's already been warned to stay away and Peter's with her every minute."

"Well that's up to you to figure out isn't it. Until tomorrow Tinker Bell."

"What now Cap'n?" Mr. Smee asked as Bella scampered off.

"Now, we prepare for our little guest." Hook chucked, "And the end of Peter Pannig forever."

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~Michelle B.