A Neverland Tale - HOOKED (eng)

Chapter 7.5 - Jake

He kept forgetting that those who had lingered longer in this place and among Pan had outgrown what he had considered 'reality' a while ago. Not only were they more rigid, but their injuries healed comparatively faster... they were also more agile in their movements, and some were stronger than they appeared, despite their harmless appearance. This was not true for all of them, but he had to fight with the right ones. Peter's confidants were not only the moral compass, guide, and advisor when Pan was away from camp- they were also responsible for maintaining order in the chaos of the loss when something or someone threatened to get out of control.

Jake was nothing more than a rebellious newcomer to them. And as such, he was in no way unique or deserving of special treatment in the eyes of the Lost. It wasn't his first raid, and he had undoubtedly done an excellent job-no doubt Peter would welcome him to the Lost for that. But... he was still way down in the pecking order. Time spent here might not be a measure of rank, and some were here only a fraction of the years others had already spent in Hangman's Tree. 

What made one special here, drew the eye of the more significant people to one, were the adventures. The stories and events in which one could distinguish oneself in one way or another, or even after many years, disappear like a grain of sand in the mass of little marginal figures. Of course, this was always connected with a particular risk because there were no adventures without putting one's life on the board at stake. But such was life here; one had to be prepared to pay that price or perish in the mass of little grains of sand.

"Calm down!" Crow's voice sounded dark, honed by harsh sounds that had once marked his speech of a different form.With their striking speckles of golden dust around the irises, the near-black eyes fixed the frothing newcomer warningly. He would not be the first to disobey the rain... and what the punishment for that looked like would certainly not be to his liking. So far, as always, they had all ensured that the newcomers were initially... well, well treated. They were slowly introduced to the true face of the island, but they had to be able to bear the grimace behind it. If they weren't, they eventually ended up in the coral blood fields or at the old Tree on the mountaintop as a rotting warning.

The Natives had been in this place long enough to get an eye for the Special Lost Ones, just like Peter. With the right tools, those stones could well be polished into something significant. He had seen that in Jake and Luke, too, and.... it would be a real pity if these gems were now shattered too soon before they could develop their potential. But Crow realized even before Jake also pushed him against his chest and away from him that the other could not be so quickly calmed.

"You hypocrites!" Jake accused the lost men, seething with anger as his gaze slid from one to the other and back again. "You claim to be family-or brothers!" he growled, clenching his hands into fists until his nails pressed painfully into his palms. That was the big, important word in this place. Family. For all those who had never had one or had left the rotten structure that called itself such but had never earned the title. But... "You have no idea what that means! A family NEVER abandons each other! And especially Luke would not hesitate for you! And I'm going to go find my brother whether you like it or not!" he blathered on, and Crow sighed before seemingly shaking his head in pity and resignation.

He would have claimed to understand Jake, yes. But probably only one sibling part could comprehend that bond. And he couldn't deny that some decisions might seem heartless. Many years in Neverland, they had undoubtedly jaded the older Lost-and they had to. Neverland was dangerous, and many lost people came and... disappeared.