Faith, Trust & Pixie dust.

Chapter 4

Felix woke them the next day, announcing it was time for them to learn how life on Neverland works. The sky was still pink. It was barely dawn. Brook had no trouble telling Felix this, though with more colourful language.

“Get up. This is how it is. Get dressed.” He stalked off to sit by the now dead fire.

Considering she could see around the camp and every other Lost Boy was still fast asleep, it was fair to say he was lying, but Nyx couldn’t sleep any longer anyway. They hastily got dressed, covering each other with the blanket again. Felix didn’t waste time with breakfast, though Brooke’s stomach was noticeably growling. Instead, he led them out of the main area of the camp, pointing out where they stored and grew food, the markers that marked the camps boundaries. He made sure to warn them never to disturb Pan in his treehouse and dropped a very threat heavy warning about touching Pan. Nyx just raised her eyebrows at him. He scowled and carried on moving. He traipsed them around the entirety of the island. Unlike Devin, he didn’t care if they kept up. In fact, it seemed like he wanted them to get lost. They didn’t care. They managed to keep up. He never showed them actual places, merely pointed as they passed. Mermaid Lagoon, Skull Rock, The Echo Caves, Pixie Hollow, and Pirate Cove. The last two he said they shouldn’t go near, though there was no conviction behind it. More like he was daring them. They weren’t stupid, however. Pixie hollow sounded inviting, but Pirate Cove did not. Especially when they caught a glimpse of a ship out on the waves, its sails snapping in the wind.

By the time they returned back to camp, with a miserable Felix in tow, it was midday. Devin sought them out immediately, sad that he didn’t get to give them a tour, but happy to help them with lunch and sewing. Slightly, a shy but sweet boy, joined them as they ate. Like Devin, he liked having the girls around and was happy to show them what he knew. They had bowls of berries for lunch, and Slightly named each one, told them about their qualities and how to find them around the island. When Nyx said he should write a book with all his berry knowledge, but he admitted, with an air of shame, that he wouldn’t be able to draw any pictures of the berries. Brook jumped on that immediately and said that she would be more than happy to help and draw the pictures for him.

While Slightly ran off to find some paper, Devin got some fabric for them and showed them how to cut and sew a decent cloak to keep off the rain. Nyx was more than happy to sit and sew with Devin, while Brook sat with Slightly and drew flowers and fruits to his careful instruction. By the time they went to bed that evening, they felt like they had a good first day on Neverland. Nyx was right. They were safe here.

*

Over the course of the next two weeks, they fully embraced life on Neverland. They were shown how to wield clubs and swords, often sparring with the other Lost Boys for fun. They hunted with bows and gathered edible plants. They learned how to make their own soaps. Devin and Slightly always stood guard while they bathed in Mermaid Lagoon. At night they played cards, and if Pan was present, they danced. Often, he would wait until everyone was asleep and would come and talk to Nyx again. She enjoyed those late-night talks, even if she was tired the next day. It was nice though, to learn about Neverland.

After several complaints from Brook about the quality of sleep she was getting on the ground, Pan magicked two hammocks into existence from them. This invited several comments about girl’s being

princesses, but they mostly came in the form of friendly ribbing. The snide ones they just ignored.

It seemed like life on Neverland was a good as Peter promised, but all good things must come to an end. They had been on Neverland for 17 days and were comfortable enough to go around the island alone. They took the advice of Pan, and the Lost Boys, and always carried some kind of weapon with them, and steered clear of Pirate Cove. They never saw the pirates up close, though they occasionally saw them as tiny specks coming ashore for food. They never stayed long though, and often got chased off by the Lost Boys. But when at camp, they didn’t feel the need to be as stringent, though Felix and a few of his friends were often caught grumbling about their presence.

That was how it happened. Nyx lay awake, watching the stars through the trees, waiting for Peter. Brook was sound asleep next to her, her hammock swaying slightly as she rolled over in her sleep. Something rustled in the trees to her left. Her head snapped in that direction, but she couldn’t see anything in the darkness. Careful not to make any noise, Nyx slipped from her hammock and pulled the knife from her boot. Creeping around Brook, she tried to make out movement in the shadows but there was nothing. She was beginning to think she imagined it when something grabbed her from behind her. A hand clamped down on her mouth and nose, cutting off her air supply. Someone else attempted to grab her legs, but she kicked out. Her foot connected with something, with a very satisfying crunch. Her assailant swore. The one holding onto her was getting fed up with her.

“Fuck it, just grab the other one!”

Nyx screamed in her head. They can’t take Brook. She fought harder, but sick of her shit, her captor grabbed a fistful of her hair and slammed her head into the nearest tree. The last thing she remembered was Brook’s golden hair disappearing into the darkness.