Brown Eyes

Chapter 13

(Beth's P.O.V.)

I still hadn't given up on getting back to Neverland. I didn't know why Peter was dying, but I knew I'd do anything in my power to save him. But Peter was right; I should find Killian. He thinks I'm dead. Well, by now word's probably gotten around, so he at least should have some newfound hope that I'm alive.

I was on my ship, looking for Killian. Maybe he even had a magic bean or two so I could get back to Neverland.

I smiled, remembering how I came to meet Killian.

I was asleep on the beach when I felt something nudging my back, waking me up. I looked up at the man who awoke me. He was handsome I suppose, probably a good ten years older than me. He had shaggy dark brown nearly black hair, scruff, piercing blue eyes and a hook for a left hand. I immediately knew who he was when I saw the hook.

"Are you asleep?" he asked, a bit loudly.

I stared at him for a minute, then said, "Yes." Then I plopped my head back down in the sand.

"No you're not," he said at the same volume. "You answered."

"I'm sleep talking," I mumbled. "Now go away it's the middle of the night."

"You're awake, I know you are," he said.

"If you knew I was awake why would you ask me such a ridiculously stupid question in the first place?" I asked, irritated.

"I dunno," he said. "Wouldn't you?"

I sat up to stare at him. "Touche," I said.

"I know you from somewhere, don't I?" he asked as I started getting up.

"You don't know me, you just recognize me," I said. I held out my hand and said, "Elizabeth Morrison. I assume you've seen my posters," and gestured to a building nearby with a wanted poster on it's wall with my face on it.

"Oh, yeah," Hook said. "You're that runaway princess."

"That's me."

"I would've thought you had a place to sleep," he said. "How old are you?"

"Eleven," I told him.

"Well that's much too young for you to be sleeping out here alone," he said. "I need to find you a place to stay."

"There's nobody here that wouldn't turn me in," I said. "I wanna get out of here anyway. Maybe I can stay on your ship till we find another land?" I asked hopefully.

"You trust people too easily," he said. "Bloody hell, I'm a pirate with a hook for a left hand and you're asking to sleep on my ship."

"Is that a mistake? Trusting you?" I asked.

"Well, me? No," he said. "I'm about good form. And if you really do want to get away from this land, it would be good form to help you I suppose. So yes, you can stay on the ship till we get to new land."

"Great," I said. "Do I need to pay?"

"You have nothing to give," Hook replied. "The trip is free of charge."

"Gee, thanks," I said, genuinely.

"I don't have a spare room though, so we'll have to set up a place for you to sleep in the pantry or somewhere," he said.

"It's fine," I said. "As you can see, I've slept in stranger places," I added, gesturing to my sandy hair. He laughed and turned and started heading towards his ship. I followed him.

I stayed for much longer than that trip.

I heard a deep rumbling sound. Thunder maybe? I turned around and saw a large, menacing dark purple and green cloud rushing toward me. My eyes widened.

The curse. It had to be.

I had heard more about it recently; I knew soon I wouldn't remember who I was.

I locked myself in the cabin, hoping there was a chance it wouldn't hit me, but soon it just started eating away at the walls.

As it engulfed me, the last thing I thought about was meeting Peter.