A PIRATE'S TREASURE

Chapter 23

Back on the island, every day was the same. James lost track of time once his rage set in. Everything was gone and lost but if he was going down, so was Pan.  What was left of his crew took his side retaliating against Pan and the lost boys by capturing some and keeping them hostage.

It always ended in a fight where Pan always got the upper hand. 

     "Well, this was fun, ready to give up?"

Pan would say.

    "Never, I'll get you one day Pan."

He would just smile and walk away then.

Jane was always the neutral card for both sides. She had an obligation to the boys and the land but also family to James. But she wasn't blood and that line he drew was starting to fade with anger. She wanted to help him yet she was always yelling at him for whatever he did. Desperation makes people's judgment a little blurred from right and wrong.

     "What did these small children do to you? You're just pissing off Pan."

    "Not like I'm murdering these children. And to call them that when they're all probably older than I."

    "When you never grow up, your mentality doesn't develop either. So theoretically yes, they're older than they appear but mentally and on the outside, they're kids."

    "You claim to want to help me yet what are you doing? You seem to be helping Pan keep me here while who knows how much my time is counting down."

    "Your daughter is safe with Ariel James, isn't that enough to maybe just accept your fate here? Pan will never let you leave because he loves watching you suffer. Your fueling his games by fighting him."

It finally all hit that James was taking all the wrong things. The boys were his army but Jane was Pan's heart.

    "I'm sorry Jane."

Before she responded James lifted her small body and had his men tie her up to a chair.

    "Why are you doing this?!"

    "Desperate times call for desperate measures."

But as time passed and weeks went by nothing happened. Pan never showed up for Jane.

    "Why wouldn't he come for you?"

She just glared at the pirate looking tired from trying to escape.

Then a figure appeared that he hasn't seen in a while. It used to be just a shadow but now the color filled in as his father appeared.

    "Could just kill the girl."

James just shook his head.

    ''Not an option."

    "What happened to my son that would shed the blood of anyone in his way? No matter the gender, age, or relations?"

James just ignored the question as he paced around.

    "How are you even alive? Thought we killed you."

The man just cackled.

    "Had a deal with Pan before you killed me. I want to have a civil chat about that as well."

The figure's demeanor changed instantly becoming more enraged.

    "You chose a woman you never even met over me! I raised you and gave you everything! Without me, who knows what you would've become. Without me, you wouldn't have met that sickly wife of yours or have that child."