Lost In The Heart Of Neverland

Chapter Seven

Pan eyed me with a smile on his face, then he looked over at the two boys I had been hiding from.
"Alright, boys," he began. "You've had your fun. Go back to camp."
The boys snickered and redirected their path, into the jungle.
I just stood there, head down, eyes up, watching the boy in front of me. He looked different. He stood not with the ease I had witnessed before, but with an air of authority. Power. But he looked at me and smiled pleasantly, his eyes lit up with laughter.
"Well, then, Aya. I see you took me up on my offer. Just ignore the boys. They aren't used to dealing with girls. They forget to be polite and say hello before trying to follow them."
I didn't say anything. I couldn't move. This couldn't be real. It had to be a dream.
Pan raised his eyebrows and placed his hand on my shoulder, looking into my eyes, his own full of question.
"Aalya." He snapped his fingers in front of my face. I blinked and lifted my head, finally able to move.
Pan laughed. "You awake?"
I fiend a laugh and answered almost inaudibly. "That's what I was trying to figure out."
"Well, sweetheart, you're not dreaming. This is real."
He walked backwards and spread his arms wide as he talked, gesturing toward the world around us.
I stepped forward in sudden rush of courage.
"Pan, why did you bring me here?"
He took a few steps forward and laughed.
"I didn't bring you here. No. You did that yourself."
I shook my head, confused.
"No," I said. "You came to me.  You got in my head. You were in my dream."
He snickered, but I ignored him and continued.
"You told me what to do in order to get here-"
"And you made the decision to come. I didn't force you into anything. I merely planted the idea into that intelligent head of yours, and you used that same intelligence in deciding to accept my offer. Neverland is a wonderful place, Aya; full of opportunity. Believe me when I say, you made the right choice in coming here."
I thought about what he said, and I realized that he was right. He did give me the opportunity, but I made the choice to come. But the question still remained: How did Peter Pan know who I was, and why did he give me the chance to come? I desperately wanted to ask, but I wasn't sure that I should. So I kept my mouth closed and studied this strange boy, trying to decide if I could trust him.

Of course you can't.
I scolded myself.
Remember? No trusting anyone until they have proven themselves trustworthy.

I felt as if I had already broken that rule by coming here in the first place, but there was no going back now. I was already here, and I wouldn't think of going back home. No. Not when I had so luckily escaped that mess.

Pan turned around and started walking into the jungle. Calling back to me, he asked,
"Are you coming, or shall I let the mermaids bring you home for dinner?"
I wasn't sure what he meant by that, but it didn't sound good.
I ran to follow him, and he chuckled.
"Are you ready, Aya?"
"For what?" I asked.
"My Lost Boys would like to meet you."
All of a sudden the air changed. The wind picked up and the air around me felt cool - almost wet, even. Green fog engulfed us and my heart rate quickened as I looked around, fear and confusion contorting my face. In a few seconds the fog disappeared and the air went back to it's former state.
I looked at Pan in confusion, and he just grinned at me.
Looking around I realized we were in a clearing. It was a campsite. Tents, targets, a fire pit. And boys. At least twenty boys were scattered around the site.
Pan leaped onto a rock in the center of the clearing and raised his voice so he could be heard easily.
"BOYS! We have a new arrival!"
He looked at me and smirked mischievously. His eyes seemed darker than before.
Half of the boys ran up to us, the other half who were closer walking slowly like trained hunters, forming a circle around me. I tensed and grasped the pocket knife I always carried on my skirt waist, and I turned slowly, eyeing each boy with an unspoken death threat surely sparking in my blue-green eyes.
Pan spoke again, jumping from the rock and entering the circle of boys.
"Boys, this is Aalya. Our first Lost Girl."