Set Your Sails...to Neverland || Peter Pan, OUAT

Chapter 5 - Let's Play

~ Davina

I've lost track of how long I've been on the island. I used to watch the sun, to know the time of day. Not anymore. Keep a weather eye on the horizon. I've tried, but I'm not even sure if it means anything on this island.

Walking barefoot on the beach with the sun setting has been somewhat grounding for me, I like to do it frequently. The water's quite warm, compared to the open ocean water I had experienced. It's sandy too, which is relaxing. I'm so distracted, that I nearly fall over when I stub my toe on something; I look down and see the corner of a silver object. I bend down and start scooping sand out with my hands. I manage to wiggle my fingers down the sides, but I'm not strong enough. I use my sword as a lever, and heave the object out. I wash away the other chunks of sand and collapse.

It's the music box that my mother had 'given' for me when I was ten, but I'm sure the baroness isn't missing just one piece of silver from her collection.  I open it and reveal the vibrant red silk lining; I twist the key and listen to a short section of the song, and I still know the words. A sea shanty that has been sung for centuries, pirates that are caught sing it just before they are hung in front of the King or Queen.

Overwhelmed with excitement, I pull my boots back on, and return to the tree house, my movements automatic, even weaving over and around tree roots. I clutch the box to my chest, ignoring the calls of some of the Lost Boys, ones that ask me to watch their new sword tactics every day. I grit my teeth to hold back the tears, my throat aching. 

I calm myself with a deep breath, place the box on my bookshelf, my fingers tracing over the intricate engravings, and then make my way outside. I look around the suddenly-empty camp, Bobby sitting on his own on a log, replacing lost arrows. I go and sit next to him, cleaning some twigs ready. He passes me some completed arrow heads, and I start attaching them, working like clockwork. Thoughts cycle through my mind of the all the things I have seen since my arrival. Not even trinkets from my past are safe from the shores of this island. What else could possible be hiding under the sand and dirt? Then, I remember.

"Bobby?"

"Yeah?"

"You've been here a long time, haven't you?" I ask, he nods, continuing to work. I lower my voice, "what do you know about the waterfall by the cliff? Hidden behind the dreamshade?"

He stays quiet for a while and eventually whispers, "I'm not allowed to say..."

"No one will know. It'll be our-" I start.

"Davina. I need to talk to you. Bobby, you can go," Pan cuts me off.

Bobby rushes off and disappears down a path. I stand and turn to face him; I cross my arms and raise my eyebrow. "Well, that was rude."

"I told you that the waterfall is nothing you need to know about which also means, you don't ask around about it," he says angrily.

"Oooh sorry," I mock with a smile.

"You don't seem to understand. You are on my island, so you listen to and obey my rules. You don't need to know everything. You'll know when I let you know."

"I might as well know now if I can't leave. What's the point in waiting? There is no time here. Give me a good reason to wait, and I'll leave it alone."

"You have to earn your points to-"

"This isn't a game Pan, but...whatever. You just need to relax a little."

"I'll relax when you admit you're lost - just like the Boys."

Oh, so he's still on that, is he? Well, there's only one thing to say.

"I hope you're patient," and with that, I leave.

I wander through the forest, just thinking about what he said to me. Am I a Lost Girl?

Even just a little bit?

My parents died, I have no other family, apart from Hook, who probably doesn't even know where we were and probably isn't looking for us...for me.

No one else survived, it's just me.

No one else lived to tell the tale of The Ocean Ghost. Even my ship finally suits its name - it's vanished, not a splinter of it to be found again.

It's journey - a myth. It's body, a ghost of the ocean.

I have nowhere to go, no home to go back to. I have no idea where Hook is. I can't find him and go with him.

It doesn't matter. I can't go anywhere anyway. No one searching for me and nowhere to go.

Trapped on an island that's supposed be just a land from a story.

I've never felt more alone than I do now.

I am a Lost Girl...just not in the obvious way.

I collapse against a tree, hugging my knees and resting my forehead on them, and let the tears fall.

I mourn my parents, I mourn my pirate life, I mourn the past.

I wish for someone to find me...

I wish I wasn't alone.

After a long time, I stop crying. I have no more tears left - completely dry. I take a few deep breaths and then heave myself off of the ground. My grief, my loss, has been replaced with something else, something much more useful. I'm not going back to camp that night. I don't want to see Pan and his smug face. I find a huge oak tree, climb mid-way and lie down with my back on the branch and legs up on the trunk. I look up at the inky sky filled with stars. No. No more grief.

If Pan wants to play a game, it's time he gets a worthy opponent.

~ Pan

I stride through the forest, the Lost Boys following like they're my tail. Davina didn't come back to the camp last night and she hasn't slept in her bed. If she's stepped even one foot off of this island...Dark Hollow is waiting.

We find her, in her usual position in the oak tree.

"Oh look! You found the Lost Girl! Well done!" She yells sarcastically. "I guess I'm not so lost anymore."

"What do you think you're doing?" I ask.

"Bet you thought I'd left the island. Aw. Paranoid Pipe Boy looking out for me - how thoughtful," her voice is light, and mocking. 

Anger rages, bubbles up inside me. I'm just about ready to throw a dreamshade-covered arrow at her, but I can't...I need her.

She sits up, her legs swinging over the edge, "What's wrong Pan? I thought you wanted to play a game? Here I am, participating," she taunts, holding her arms out in grand gesture.

"So you finally agree to the rules then? Good for you! Looks like you do have a brain up there after all."

She mockingly looks around the tree trunk, "No...no brain up here. Oh! You mean up here!" She shouts, pointing to her head. "I never said I agree to the rules; I merely decided that you need opposition and, well, here I am."

"Peter Pan never fails," Felix speaks out.

"We'll see about that when I win." She responds.

I nod with a smirk and raise my eyebrow. Finally, the game can begin.

"Come on boys...let's play."