Tiger Lily

Chapter 9- All Alone

2009. New York, Manhattan

  I rushed to the museum, eager to start my first day at work. My long beaded purse swung at my shoulder. Slowly I crept into the locker room and unlocked my small cubby. "Lily!" a voice called from the hallway, "Come look at the new piece!"

 I stepped out into the hallway with my arms crossed. A huge new painting was waiting in the middle of it. A sprite like woman stood there with a green shirt on. She reminded me of Tinker Bell.... I slowed my walking as I approached her. She turned with a smile. It wasn't Tink. The woman's eyes were deep brown and sparkled kindly in the light. "Oh sorry! I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Jules, one of your fellow tour guides! Here's your nametag," she said handing me a bit of plastic with my name printed in black letters. "But look at this piece."

 I helped her pull the cloth covering it off of the painting. The first thing I saw were two hands reaching for eachother at the center of the work. One was tanned and feminine, the other was pale and masculine. I took a step back to see something very strange. "What's it called?"

 "Tiger Lily and Peter Pan," Jules said with a smile.  I looked at it again. The girl had two long braids, with small gold beads crimped in them. She wore a chief's headdress and a happy innocent smile. She wore a short brown dress decorated with golden beads. But she sat on the painted earth, her legs tucked underneath her. Pan floated above her, tauntingly. He wore all green and had bright orange hair. His smile was childish and wide, with an innocent look in his eyes. "Aren't they cute? Pan and Tiger Lily have been favorites of mine for years. I always liked him and Wendy more though."

 "Firstly. Why do they look so innocent? They weren't. And secondly, why him and Wendy? Nobody likes Wendy." I said defensively, cocking my head at the work. I was confused by it. Is that what people think I look like? I'm prettier than that.

 "Well, Lily. They are eternally children. It is Neverland after all. And also, Wendy and Pan had so much chemistry." Jules laughed, "Take it up to the fairytale section, Bucky." The painting was recovered and taken away. "Alright. So your first group is at noon. Ready?"

 "As I'll ever be," I mumbled looking down the hallway to see the old man's son walking down it. He looked up at me and came over calmly.

 "Hello, Lily," he said in his crisp accent. I felt my cheeks blush a bit. "I don't believe I ever introduced myself. I'm Nathan. "

 "Nathan," I repeated with a smile. He looked at Jules with a strange expression.

 "Excuse me, " Jules  said with a sly smile to me.  I smiled back before looking at Nathan.

"So, big day today?" He asks taking my arm and  leading me towards the modern art wing. I laughed sarcastically and smiled up at him.

 "You could say that," I mumbled and looked at the paintings. "Why are some of these so blank?"

 "Modern art is like that. It's supposed to look like a mistake," he explained. I looked at them then back at him. That's when I noticed Felix leaning against the wall. I glared at him before taking Nathan's arm and walking quickly away.

Neverland. Day: Who even cares anymore? Year: Too long

 Pan got me. Him and his damn Lost Boys. I felt the ropes tighten around my arms and the gag cut into the skin of my cheeks. They pushed me and prodded with sharp sticks. My eyes were burning and the fresh bruises on my face pulsed. I had fought all day. It was so hard to keep fighting them. I accidentally killed one, purposely killed another. But poor little Monster. For the first time, he decided to defend me.

 His lifeless body burned my brain. His pale little hands dangled limply from their sockets. And his tiny body dangled around the sharp spear.  His red guts spilled on the forest floor. I remember my gasp as he was impaled from above. The way he crumpled around the stick was heart wrenching. I didn't have time to  mourn his loss, because then I heard the wild whoops of the boys. I remember closing his eyes before sprinting away. I felt Pan's eyes on me as I ran.

 Then. I was caught. I was grabbed my my hair and yanked backwards into the hands of Felix, who held a knife to my throat. And I was bound. And I was gagged. And I was humiliated as I was marched to the cages. When we arrived, Pan gently raised my chin and looked me in the eyes. "I want you to do it."

 "Do what?" I asked quietly. The boys tittered around me, sending unease up my spine.

 "Magic. You have it. I want it," Pan said. "And if you can't, into the cages you go. I will have it done." I shook my head, confused by his words. He looked at Felix and my arms were freed. 

 But my freedom was brief. I was thrown into a woven cage, with small openings on the top edges. The door clicked as it was locked, and it became deathly silent. "H-hello?" I said pushing my hand to the door. Then, my body flattened to the floor as the cage flew upwards. A scream escaped my lips and more laughter was heard from outside. 

 I scrambled into the back corner and curled into a small ball. Tears leaked from my eyes as I shook from exhaustion. Soon, the world closed to black around me.