Daughter of Neverland

Chapter 13

The wind whips through our hair as we run. He holds my hand again and I hear my heart pounding in my ears. I don't think it's from running but from the weird way I feel as he holds my hand. We push ourselves to run as far as we can from them, the angry pirates who are hot on our heels. Pan stumbles and forces us to stop multiple times, his injuries hindering his ability to use magic to safely heal himself by force, yet some of his wounds seem to be healing. I try asking why we can't just fly away, but he explains that his magic is too unpredictable in his current state.

We continue to run, the sound of angry pirates' cries echoing behind us, filled with desperation and fear. It feels like a race against time, and I can't shake the feeling that our luck will eventually run out. For now, we have to keep moving, putting as much distance as possible between us and the danger at our backs.

I stumble blindly through the forest, my attention elsewhere, I trip over something and crash to the ground, pulling Pan down with me. He lets out a pained cry, and I feel helpless, unable to ease his suffering. Gasping for air, I struggle to focus and regain my composure. As I try to stand and continue running, all I can think of is resting where I lie. Gradually, I manage to roll onto my back and sit up, scanning my surroundings until I finally spot it: a thick, nearly invisible piece of rope cunningly tied between the trees.

"What are you looking at?" I look over at him. He's holding his leg as if it might shatter into a million pieces.

"That." I point at the rope, trying to ignore how uncomfortable he looks.

"Rope?! You're looking at a bloody piece of rope instead of helping me back to my feet." I nod my head and he laughs almost maniacally, "We need to keep running, Ari." He tries to scold me but my attention is elsewhere, "Ari!"

"Don't "Ari" me, Pan. I . . ." I cock my head to the side and continue to look at the rope. Something suddenly doesn't feel right. Our escape was almost too easy.

"You what?"

"Nothing." I can't tell him or he'll suspect me of having something to do with it.

"Whatever." he shakes his head, "Help me to my feet, you idiot girl." He demands.

I roll my eyes and get to my feet. I jerk him upright hard enough to get a cry of pain out of him. I smile. That's what he gets for calling me an idiot. I get a good grip on him and we take off running again but at a much slower pace. His injury has been hit again and the blood is soaking through his self-made bandage. This is not good. He's on a fast track for getting sick from blood poisoning or something. We need to stop but the voices are growing nearer and sound like they're all around us. The pirates are circling us and the only way out is up and he can't climb or fly.

"We have to stop." I dig my heels into the ground.

"Ari, we can't. We—"

"We have to stop." He sags against me and nods his head. He doesn't want to get caught and I don't either but there's no other way.

"What do we do?"

"Tell them that we're here."

"Cover your ears." I do as he says and he straightens up and calls out to the priants, "We're over here you bloody bastards!"

I laugh and he smiles widely. I have to stop encouraging him. And I want to but for some reason, it kills me inside to think of him as evil. When I look at him all I see is a boy who is handsome, lonely, more scared than he lets on, loyal, brave, charming, and so many other good characteristics. Nothing about him screams evil except for his smile. His smile seems to hide a million secrets and I want to question him till he tells me every last one of them. A smile forms on my face. I'd probably have to fight him to get him to tell me anything. I actually can't wait till our fight. I want to test my skills.