Peter Pan and the Lost Fae of Neverland

[06] SEX

"Peter, bakit mo siya dinala rito?"

Nilingon ni Peter Pan ang Lost Boy na nakaupo sa kanyang kanan. Madalas sila ang naiiwan sa hapag-kainan hindi lang dahil sa mabagal silang kumain, kung hindi dahil sa mga pagkakataong kagaya nito.

Mga pagkakataong kailangan nilang pag-usapan ang mga isyu sa samahan. Pero kung magpapakatotoo si Peter, aaminin niyang mas malapit lang talaga silang dalawa.

The two stole a glance at the girl sleeping on the makeshift bed they created for her a while ago. The brunette softly snored in her sleep, her blue sleepwear a fine contrast to the muddy colors of their hideout. Malayong-malayo sa marangyang silid kung saan una niyang nakilala ang dalagita.

The memory brought a smile to Peter's lips.

From his periphery, Peter can see the bewildered expression on his comrade's face. Tila ba may natuklasan ito habang naghihintay ng sagot.

"Bakit hindi?" Peter cleared his throat and laughed. "Come on, Tootles. She can be one of us!"

"But she's not lost," the kid with the skunk-fur clothing reasoned out. Ilang sandali pa, sumimangot lalo ito.

"And she's not even a boy."

"No buts! Nakakalimutan mo na ba kung sino ang lider ng Lost Boys?"

Napayuko ang bata, tuluyan nang nawalan ng ganang kumain. He lowered his eyes, knowing the kid can only do so much as his second-in-command. Sa huli, bumulong ito...

"Ikaw."

That was loud enough to be heard by the empty seats around them.

.
.
.

Peter suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe as he watched that memory fade before his eyes. 'What was that?' He thought in confusion. It felt like a scene he missed. One of the many missing pieces in the gaps of his childhood.

Napalitan ang tanawin ng mga matang may galit at tinatagong hinanakit.

"Peter, mauna ka na sa loob! Ako nang bahala sa mga ito."

Sa kabila ng ipinangakong proteksyon ni Jester, hindi nito kayang protektahan si Peter sa bigat na hatid ng pakiramdam na ito o sa nakamamatay na tingin ng lalaking nakatayo ilang talampakan ang layo sa kanila. Peter peeked beyond Jester's rigid form, exposing himself to the enemy's gaze. The man looked tired of life, his black eyes dilated, taking in Peter's appearance. His hand clenched around a wooden bow, clearly the one who shot the arrow now buried deep into his bloody shoulder.

'Why does it feel like... I know him from somewhere?'

"PETER!"

Napapitlag na lang siya nang sumigaw si Jester. The panic in his voice made him scramble to his feet, despite the sting of the arrow. Sapat na ang mga nabasa niyang dyaryo sa Eastwood para malamang mas delikado kung huhugutin niya ang pana sa ganitong sitwasyon.

"GET AWAY FROM HERE!"

After tearing his eyes away from the man, Peter weakly made his way up the winding staircase.

He tried to run as fast as his legs could allow him. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya papunta o kung ano nangyari kay Jester. A part of him wanted to stay and help the fae, but what can a homeless person with amnesia do in this situation? Bukod sa wala siyang experience sa combat, hindi niya kilala ang kanilang mga kalaban. That alone puts him in a disadvantage, and he fears that he'll just be a burden to Jester.

'Pero bakit ganoon ang reaksyon niya nang makita sila? Sino ba talaga ang Lost Boys? At anong pakay nila?'

Hindi nakakatulong na tila ba unti-unti na siyang nalulunod sa mga tanong. And with each step, it feels like the questions were just piling up.

More questions, no answers.

Peter hated this.

Biglang nayanig ang Hangman's Tree na naging dahilan para kumapit si Peter sa handrails. Kung anuman ang nangyayari sa labas, para bang may lindol na nagaganap! He forced himself to calm down and proceeded to run up the stairs when another arrow suddenly flew past his head.

Almost missing him by a hair thread.

"Shit!"

Kabadong napamura si Peter at nagpatuloy sa pag-akyat. Paminsan-misan siyang umiilag sa mga pana at palasong bigla na lang susulpot mula sa kanyang likuran. He tried his hardest not to get distracted and accidentally trip on a step. Who knows what the enemy will do to him?

'Neverland my ass! Mas delikado pa rito kaysa sa Eastwood!'

Between dying of hunger in the streets and dying with an arrow pierced into his head, Peter would choose the first option.

Another arrow.

Missed.

'Yup, definitely the first option.'

Nang sa wakas ay narating niya ang dulo ng hagdang walang-hanggan, binati siya ng magarbo at maaliwalas na receiving area ng Fae Sanctuary.

It was just like how you would imagine. Panandaliang nakalimutan ni Peter ang panganib nang makita ang kabuuan ng lugar.

'This place... is magical.'

He was standing in the middle of what seems like an open-air courtyard, the floor made from polished wood. Tila ba may natural na liwanag ang sanctuary at nakapagbigay-ganda rin ang mga amethyst crystals na naka-disenyo sa mga pader. A soft glow of violet, illuminating the sparkling spring that cascades from a hollow in the tree. Manghang pinagmasdan ni Peter ang pagdaloy ng tubig pababa sa maliit na sapa na napapalibutan ng mga bato at halaman.

Can the fae folk really create something as extraordinary as this?

Nang marinig ni Peter ang yabag ng mga paa sa kanyang likuran, agad siyang sinampal ng katotohanang hindi siya nandito bilang turista. Mabilis siyang nagtago sa likod ng muwebles na tila inukit sa kahoy.

He watched in horror as the shoes of one of the men chasing them appeared from the stairwell.

The man slowly walked around, as if taking his time to stalk his prey.

"Peter Pan... totoo pala ang tsismis. Nakabalik ka na sa Neverland."

Tinakpan ni Peter ang kanyang bibig. Nanigas ang kanyang katawan sa pinaghalong takot at kaba lalo nang lumapit sa pwesto niya ang lalaki.

"Hindi ka na dapat bumalik," dagdag nito. "If you think the Lost Boys will be following your commands for old time's sake, you must be out of your mind. Because the Lost Boys..."

The man suddenly walked towards his hiding place.

Doon lang napansin ni Peter na nag-iwan ng marka ang dugo mula sa kanyang braso, creating a trail of red smeared on the floor. But it was too late to react or to get himself out of his hiding spot.

Maya-maya pa, inangat ng lalaki ang sopang yari sa kahoy.

Peter Pan was met with those empty and pained eyes again. Dark pools stared at him as of willing him to vanish from existence. This time, Peter can clearly see the skunk's tail tied to the belt of his clothing.

"...have a new leader."

---

"I stray onto sacred ground
The resting place of souls bygone.
Solace is what I seek,
But there is no solace
No succor to be found
Not here among broken, fallen stones.
Nor bent, wilting trees.
I search for you under the moon
Thoughts of you race through my mind
Feelings better left unspoken.
This was our place
The fertile earth from which the black rose of our love took seed.
We exchanged blood amidst these graves.
Transfused our darkest thoughts and dreams.
It is here too that our love died.
A fitting place for something that is no more."

---Grim Blackhart, "On Sacred Ground"