NEVERLAND - PRESENT DAY
Dragging two unconscious adults with them, a group of Lost Boys ran through the undergrowth. They arrived at a wooden cage and locked their prisoner up. The other prisoner was tied up. The prisoners were Neal and Nichole Cassidy.
"You heard Pan," Felix said. "You know what to do with them."
PAN'S CAMP
The Lost Boys played chanting. Henry watched them from a distance. One Lost Boy, Devin, approached Henry and nudged him with a stick.
Devin scoffed. "So, you're the kid Pan's been looking for all this time." He nudged Henry harder. Henry backed away.
"Ask him," Henry retorted as Devin attacked him playfully. Startled, Henry jumped out of his reach. "Stop it!"
"If you can't take this, how are you gonna handle what Pan has in store for you?" Looking down, Henry noticed a stick lying on the ground. Nodding, Devin encouraged Henry to pick up the stick. As soon as Henry was armed, Devin charged. They engaged in a playful fight.
Pan, who was watching, commented, "Not bad. But wouldn't it be more fun, if you had real swords?"
"I've never used a real sword," Henry admitted.
"This is Neverland and you have the heart of the truest believer. You can use whatever you want." He placed a hand on Henry's shoulder. "You just need to believe, Henry. Close your eyes and believe you're holding a real sword." Henry closed his eyes. Opening them again, he was holding a blade in hand. "What are you waiting for? Go on." Henry charged Devin. Watching them, the Lost Boys cheered. "Go on! Go for it! Keep going! Come on!" With one stroke of his sword, Henry cut his opponent's stick in a half. "Come on, Henry!" Charging once again, Henry hit his opponent and drew blood.
Henry, shocked, said, "I'm sorry. It was an accident."
Pan looked at him. "Henry. Don't you know the best thing about being a Lost Boy?" Pan handed Henry his sword back. "You never apologize." He turned to the Lost Boys. "Come on." The Lost Boys cheered loudly. Pan encouraged Henry to raise his arm in an victorious gesture.
Henry was pleased. "Yeah."
NEAL AND NICHOLE'S HIDEOUT
David lit a torch. There were chalk markings on the wall. Emma struggled to remove pillows in order to examine the markings more closely, refusing her brother's help. Hook and Elizabeth watched Emma and Emmett.
"You need a hand, love?" Hook asked.
"Is that a joke?" Emma shot back.
"No, I'm being quite serious." He shifted the pillows.
"What is it?" David wondered.
"It appears Neal and Nichole marked their days trapped on this island," Hook answered as Emma and Emmett noticed something.
"What's wrong?" Mary Margaret inquired.
"Look here," Emmett noted. "They stopped counting."
"'Cause they got off the island?"
Emma glanced at her. "They were here longer."
"Then, why would he..." David was cut off.
"Because they lost hope."
"You got that from scribbles?" Regina asked.
Emmett pursed his lips. "Every time Emma and I went to a new foster home. We counted days until counting seemed pointless."
"You think the same thing is happening to Henry?" David questioned.
"Pan said it would."
"Hey, we're gonna rescue him."
YOU ARE READING
Rise Above
ФэнтезиEmmett and his family, alongside a few others, are on a quest to save his son. But a threat they know not is lurking, and it won't be as easy as they think. And just when they think they've settled everything, new faces appear and new threats emerg...
