Happily Ever After

Chapter 18: Days

That first night with Peter wasn't the last. As each day passed, life with him became so much easier. The boys always woke us up in the morning, except for the few days where they were sent away by Peter to hunt or steal food. Those days usually lead us away from the safety of the trees to the little oasis, where you can guess we usually always get intimate.

But on the days that the boys were with us, adventure was always involved. They showed me around, from the highest cliff, where you could see all of Askaria, to the deepest cave, where we swam in the mini pools that gathered there. We never stayed out much after it got dark due to Peter's lingering worry about the pirates and the sirens, but we usually partied late in the tree.

Life was amazing. I stopped caring about how I looked, and ended up wearing a dirtier version of the dress Selena made me. I ran around barefoot and took risks. One time, Peter took me up to a cliff to have a picnic, and I told him I wanted to fly. He said how I'm scared of heights yet I don't remember ever being scared of heights. Nonetheless, with some dust, we were in the sky, high above the clouds. The crystal water below sparkled like stars and the world was big and beautiful. It was truly amazing being up there with him.

I realized how much I loved Peter, how I wanted to spend every passing moment with his sparkly green eyes and his beautiful smiled. He made me...alive. He made me want adventure, want to explore and to see everything the world has to give me. He always encouraged me to strive for any goal and to love myself. Every sunset was dull compare to him and every word in the whole world couldn't describe how much he means to me. He was everything I wanted, and I think that he wanted me just as much.

Life was pure bliss, nothing could ruin how happy I felt.

One night changed everything though.

I was sleeping in a hammock above the boys that were sprawled across the floor. Peter insisted that I have at least some privacy, so I was given a hammock. And for some reason that night I slept restlessly.

I dreamed of a red haired girl laughing with me by a pool. I saw myself in a mirror with black leggings and a sweater with a bow, examining my features. I saw the tattoo that was embedded on my wrist. I saw Selena. I saw three girls and I could name each and every one of them. I saw vines and flowers. I saw Arista and her tail wading in the water.

The images passed by faster and a pain erupted on my wrist, yet I couldnt open my eyes. I saw a little girl run to her father, I saw a flower, I saw a beautiful gem that glowed green. I saw the little girl again, but she was crying. The gem grew brighter.

The pain increased. I saw a beautiful woman kneel down to the girl and say, "Look at the stones and you'll remember. "

I shot up, my hammock swaying with my sudden movement. My breath was heavy and sweat dotted my forehead. I looked down at my wrist, my apple tattoo shining and burning. Cringing, I looked around me, trying to understand what just happened.

Then it dawned on me. "I remembered..." I whispered.

Just as I said that, I felt something touch my head. I narrowed my eyebrows in confusion and reached up with my non-hurting arm to feel it. I picked up whatever fell onto my head and looked at it. I gasped.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I ran into the forest, the moon guiding my footsteps. I ignored the bright green grass that represented my footsteps and ran through the trees. Panic and adrenaline pushed me forward towards the oasis. I stumbled over a rock, but that didnt stop me.

The beautiful glowing fauna of the oasis beckoned me and I reached the water's edge. The oasis was just as beautiful at night as it was during the day, I found that out one night with Peter, but now I had more important stuff to focus on rather than the glowing flowers and stones. I waded into the water, making sure that the pearl necklace that hung around my neck got wet. I stood there, waiting, my breathing being one of the only sounds around for miles.

After five or so minutes, the person I was waiting for showed up: Arista.

She swam up to me, her face breaking the surface of the water, sleeking back her midnight hair. Her blue eyes scanned my panicked face and she cocked her head. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"No! Arista...what happened to me?"

"What happened to you? Why, I don't know. I haven't seen you in months."

I creased my eyebrows. "What? No, I just saw you a week or two ago."

Arista's eyes widened, realization dawning on her. "Peter didn't tell you?"

"Obviously not. What is it?" Irritation presenting itself in my voice.

"Its been six months, Wendy. You've been here for that long."

"WHAT?!"

"Yes...I thought you knew what Neverland does to people."

"What do you mean?"

"It's not called Neverland because nothing ages, it's called Neverland since people never return."

I looked off, suddenly feeling faint.

Arista continued. "The Faires and Pixies live on this island, you know, their dust containing vast amounts of magic. When the Evil Queen realized that people could come here to get magic and use it against her, she cursed this island. No one shall ever remember who they are and shall get caught up in the life of the night, therefore people who come here searching for dust, never go home."

"Oh my gosh...that explains everything..." I realized. My gem or powers or whatever must have refreshed me, giving me that weird dream to wake me up to reality. That dream was saving me. "My friends have been searching for their gem this whole time, while I have been partying on an island and kissing some dude that crashed into me! Ugh!" I exclaimed, disgusted with myself.

I bit my lip and looked up at the stars. There were far more here than back home on Earth. It was a true sight to behold, but I returned my gaze back to Arista. "So what has been happening while I've been here for six months?"

Arista pressed her perfect, peach lips in thought. "I dont know. Not much I guess. There is a rumor that the Evil Queen is building up an army...but I dont know much beside that."

I looked down at my hands in the water and brought it up. In my clench fist was what fell on my head: a leaf. It was green and bright, sitting in my magic infested hands. Arista looked confused as I brought it up to her face.

"It's a leaf." She stated.

"Not any ordinary leaf, Arista. this leaf was dying, I mean it isnt any more since I touched it, but it was dying! It fell from the tree the Lost Boys live in."

"So..."

"So I have seen no dying plants here for the past six months. Everything here seems to be on pause, no trees grow, flowers stay bloomed, and grass stays its normal green."

"Yes, thats due to the magic embedded in the soil by the Fairies and Pixies, since their dust does originate from the ground."

"Then why was this leaf dead?"

Aristas eyes widened, realizing what I meant. "Magic...it's dying..."