What if...? Book One, Part 2: The Game Begins...(A Peter Pan rewrite, by Jae)

23- Ducks...

Sitting on the floating stem, leaving the spider water and snaking around the cliffs into the open ocean, my mind leaves thoughts of saving K. The land is too alive to think of anything else. It awakens my mind. Some soft spot of nature in my heart is touched deeply when I look at the towering cliffs around us. They sit so peacefully in the day light, coated with different species of moss. The rocks that build them change color in the light, shimmering between different valuable stones, from golden yellows to amber coppers, and teal emeralds. The trees that sit atop the cliffs and around the bend of the spider territory wave at me. I can see the branches bending to the whispers of the wind in their own willful glee.

I never claimed to be one with nature. But the way the trees on the dirt bring a calm to my very soul is undeniably contagious. I can feel what they feel, free and content. I know it's impossible for a tree to have feelings, but they could easily fool me. Every tree, bush, shrub, and green thing that I can see on the shore line from out here on the sea water seems to sit in the perfect fate that they'd been waiting for. They are exactly where they are supposed to be and they couldn't be happier about it.

It's a beautiful design. A perfect dynamic of nature in itself, unbothered, untouched by anyone. Not a single leaf with even the slightest idea of what smog or pollution is, never even a worry. It makes me smile. The idea of being suitable for such a quiet place, to be exactly where belonging is met without ever a question about it. So naturally set. It's a longing that's always sat deep inside. Something I believe is never possible except for Neverlands landscape.

And then the thought comes to mind, or more so, a wondering. A huge unanswered question of how such a magical and perfect land came to exist. But then something else comes to mind, a memory. A conversation in the dark. Speaking with a man I never really met, in the cells that were the roots of the hideout tree house. He brought up how Pan created this whole place. I try to recall exactly what was said to me, but I'm having trouble even remembering which day that was. My memories are blurred together, it unsettles me.

However, a new wonder is spiraling my thinking, erasing the unsettlement rather quickly. I'm wondering how the hell someone as messed up and cruel as Pan created a place so good, so hopeful and wonderful. I stare at the forest line from the waters, my smile slowly dissipating. It must all be a mask. It must be an illusion. But the feeling is so loud. How could such a strong feeling of content be faked like this? Or could it be Pan was once as good as the island he created. I turn to look at W and ask him of Pan's past and his creation of such a paradise looking land.

But I'm stopped when an ice shard of a shiver stabs down my spine. I spike up, gasping at the sensation.
"Well the lot of you are having some fun, it seems,"

I nearly slip off my stem in a jump scare of looking behind me so fast. Pan hovers in the air over the water, his arms crossed and calm grin over his closing mouth from just speaking. I feel so suddenly exposed, my skin out, my hair wet, my guard down long enough to relax under the warm sun. I notice W didn't even glance. He knew Pan was there before I did. Maybe, Pan's been here the whole time and W knew it.

"Where's K." I steady my balance and try to get up to stand on the stem but it's not happening. I only manage to shuffle my float to the left and now Pan is no longer behind me.

"The Well," Pan answers simply on a quick shrug.

W looks up from his relaxed posture. He looks at Pan with disconcerting on his face like he wants to say something, but he says nothing.

"What. What is that?" I ask W, not Pan.

W's eyes click to Pan's. I copy him but I miss whatever look Pan gave him. It must have told W to stay quiet because that's what he does. I can't handle looking back and forth from these stupid boys playing this stupid game. I'm instantly irritated the moment I saw Pan and now it's erupting. I slam my palms on the my stem to slide my feet in the water. I can't swim but fuck these two. Off I begin to paddle. Kicking water away from me, something of a paddle boat with the stem under me. Away to the shore and fed up with being ignored and having words said between boys right in front of me that aren't even said at all. I hear Pan from behind me,