Trapped forever: The never-ending captivity of a lost girl.

chapter 3(update)

I sniff, wiping my tears away, and notice that it's getting dark. Slowly, I crawl into bed, staring at the ceiling. How could he say that? Why would he mention her? He knows everything about me, so he must know how much it hurts when someone talks about my mother. I can't stay here any longer. I have to leave.

I quickly get up, rubbing my tear-stained cheeks, and sneak out of the tent. The campfire is burning low, casting eerie shadows, but I manage to slip through without being noticed. I make my way to the beach, the cool breeze calming my nerves. Suddenly, a twig snaps behind me.

I whirl around, my heart racing. "Who's there? Seriously, I'm not in the mood for games!" I snap.

That voice—his voice—answers from the darkness. "Not trying to escape, are we, Divine? Because if you are, I'll have to punish you. Remember what I sai—"

"I remember!" I cut him off, my frustration boiling over. Without thinking, I shove him against a nearby tree, pinning him with my arm. For a moment, he lets me, staring at me with an amused, blank expression. "Can you stop?" he mutters, clearly annoyed.

"Listen," I press on, ignoring the tension between us. "I need you to stop treating me like some fragile doll."

He laughs—like, actually laughs—and then poofs out of my grip, reappearing behind me. I spin around to face him. "What's so funny?" I demand.

"You think you're stronger than me," he chuckles. "That's adorable."

I clench my fists. "When did I ever say that? That's the problem with you, Pan—you think the world revolves around you. Well, guess what? It doesn't. It's not all about you."

His expression darkens, but I don't stop. "What? Mad because I'm telling the truth?"

"Watch that tone," he warns, stepping closer. "Or I'll make you regret it."

"Stop with the threats, Pan. It doesn't make you look tough," I scoff.

He narrows his eyes. "Did you forget everything I said earlier?"

My heart sinks. He's bringing it up again—my mom. The sadness washes over me, replacing my anger.

"Awww, what's the matter, Divine? Missing your mommy?" he teases with that same cruel smirk.

I lose it. My fist slams into his stomach, hard enough to make him double over. He grunts, stumbling back, but quickly recovers. "Heh... You hit hard," he mutters, straightening up and pulling his shirt up to reveal his abs. A bruise blooms on his skin for a moment before he waves his hand, and it disappears like magic.

I kneel down to his eye level, my voice low and serious. "Don't you ever mention my mom again. Or you'll regret it."

He chuckles again, unbothered by my warning. "Threatening me now? That's cute." He stands up, brushing off the dirt like nothing happened. "I already told you, Divine. You can try all you want, but you'll never defeat me. You won't win."

He starts to walk off into the woods, but before disappearing into the shadows, he turns and smirks. "And don't bother trying to escape. Once you're in Neverland, you're never leaving."

I let out a long sigh, watching him vanish. Frustrated and defeated, I make my way back to my tent. No matter what I do, I can't seem to win. I collapse onto the bed, exhaustion washing over me as I drift into a restless sleep.

Hours later, I wake up to the sound of chanting again. "Do they do this every morning? It's so annoying," I mutter, rubbing my eyes as I open the door and step outside.

"Morning," a familiar, raspy voice greets me.

I groan. "God, what do you want?"

"What was that, love? Speak up," Pan taunts, a grin playing on his lips.

"I said, what do you want?" I snap, louder this time. All the Lost Boys turn to look at me, whispering among themselves. One of them, a tall blonde with a scar, mutters, "What's her problem?"

My temper flares. "What's my problem? Really? You wanna go too?" I march toward him, but before I can get close, I feel two strong hands pulling me back.

"Tch, tch, tch," Pan scolds, holding me firmly.

"Ugh, Pan! Let me go!" I whine dramatically, trying to break free.

"Nuh-uh," he smirks. "You need to bathe. You stink."

I roll my eyes. "Thanks for the kind words," I say sarcastically.

"Well?" he asks expectantly.

"Well, what?" I growl.

"Oh my god, you absolute dumbass. WHERE CAN I BATHE?" I shout.

He chuckles, clearly enjoying my frustration. "Little cranky this morning, aren't we? Alright, follow me." He grabs my hand.

"Is this really necessary?" I grumble.

"Yeah, wouldn't want you trying anything," he says, smirking again. But then his expression turns serious, his grip tightening.

I glance up at him. "Why do you always look so angry?"

"I don't," he mumbles.

"You sure?" I ask softly, sensing something beneath his usual bravado.

"I'm not always angry, OKAY?" he huffs.

"Alright, okay. Sorry," I reply, surprised by the outburst. There's clearly something going on with him, but I don't push it. We walk in silence for another 15 minutes until we reach a lagoon.

"We're here?" I blink.

"Yeah, the lagoon's just there. I'll wait here."

"Okay," I say, glancing at him once more before heading toward the water. The lagoon is a striking blue, and though it's beautiful, I feel a bit anxious. There's no real privacy here. I spot some towels and hang my clothes over a wooden railing, leaving myself in a matching set of underwear before wrapping a towel around me.

Stepping into the warm water, I feel a sense of relief as it soothes my tired muscles. As I wash my hair, though, I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched. I hear footsteps behind me, but I decide to ignore them—for now.