The Indian camp is located at the Western-most part of the Neverland island, just beyond the forest they travelled through a few nights ago.
"We'll be able to reach the camp before sundown," Jester announced while leading the way. "Well, not that it makes it any different. Ang hirap nang malaman kung kailan ang gabi at araw ngayon sa Neverland dahil sa mist."
Sa kabila ng katotohanang kaya naman nitong lumipad, mas pinili ng fae na maglakad para samahan sila sa paglalakbay.
'Typical Jester, always being considerate.' Peter couldn't help his rebellious thoughts as he stared at the fae's back. 'I wonder what he meant by being a lost fae, though?'
Jester always seems to avoid the topic whenever Peter brings it up, and what happened earlier was no exception. Before they temporarily left the Hangman's Tree, kinukuwentuhan siya ng fae tungkol sa naging buhay nito sa Fae Sanctuary noon... noong buhay pa ang iba pang fairies sa Neverland.
"See that branch up there? Dati gumagawa pa kami ng mga duyang yari sa mga tela at baging. Our women would weave the most beautiful cloths you'd ever seen from the finest purple silk and we'd tie them up and let the younger fairies swing on it. Pinagkakaguluhan nila palagi tuwing gumagawa kami ng mga duyan," Jester recalled quite fondly as if he was reliving a memory.
Napansin ni Peter ang ngiti sa mga labi ng fae na naging dahilan para tumakas ang mga tanong sa kanyang bibig bago pa niya mapag-isipan ito.
"About the fairies deaths... Can you tell me more about it? At bakit ikaw na lang ang natitira? How did you survive exactly?"
The happy look on Jester's face suddenly shattered at Peter's curiosity, instantly making him feel guilty.
May mali ba siyang natanong? Masyado na bang confidential kung aalamin ni Peter ang mga detalye sa nakaraan ni Jester?
The funny thing is, Jester seems to know a lot more about him than he knows himself. But Peter doesn't even know a single thing about Jester other than what he was allowing him to see.
"Let's just say that... I was away when everything happened, hence why I'm the only one who survived. Maaalala mo rin ang lahat, Peter. Sa ngayon, hindi na mahalaga kung anong nangyari sa nakaraan at kung bakit naubos ang populasyon ng mga fairies. Not when there's a possibility of reviving them at stake."
That new information shocked Peter. A possibility of reviving the fairies? Ibig sabihin, lahat ng mga namatay na fairies sa sementeryo ay maaari pa nilang buhayin? Pero sa paanong paraan?
It's giving him another headache.
Naalala niya muli ang paliwanag ni Jester noong gabing bumyahe sila papuntang Neverland sa Jolly Roger. Jester explained that fairies were different from pixies and that they co-existed in Neverland. If that's the case, can they save the pixies too?
Habang papalapit ang grupo sa kanilang destinasyon, hindi maiwasang sulyapan ni Peter ang iba pa nilang mga kasama. He was instantly met with the disdainful sneers from Nibs and Slightly. The savages looked like they were plotting something amidst the peace agreement with Jester.
Napalunok si Peter at mabilis na naglakad para magkaroon ng distansya sa kanila.
'Hindi talaga kami magkakasundo. Baka nga mauna pa akong patayin ng mga ito kaysa patayin ako ng Neverland!'
"Teka, bakit ka nangunguna? Naaalala mo na ba ang daan?" Pagtawag ni Jester sa kanya. Hindi niya napansing nanguna na rin pala siya sa rito, but at this point, Peter doesn't even bother with it.
Bahala na.
Anything to get away from those savage Lost Boys.
"Hindi ko pa naaalala, pero hindi naman ako tanga. Iisa lang ang dirt path na nilalakaran natin, I think I can handle myself. To the West!" Peter smirked at Jester, catching the fae off guard. Nag-iwas ng tingin ang fae at... wait, is that a faint blush on his cheek?
Oh.
Peter faked a cough and continued their journey, not minding the curious stares from Tootles and the other Lost Boys.
Up ahead, Peter can make out the outlines of the white, cone-shaped tents called teepees adorned with vibrant paintings. Bold symbols of animals, warriors, and other native patterns in red. In the middle of the teepees, a tall totem pole towered over them, standing proudly as it casted a long shadow on the ruined ceremonial grounds.
Being close the place suddenly gave him nausea.
As if their ancestors spirits were trying to tell him something.
"So, this is Indian camp..." Ngunit bago pa man makalapit sa camp sina Peter, umigting ang pakiramdam na may mangyayaring hindi maganda. Isang masamang pangitain. Nagpalinga-linga siya sa paligid, hinahanap ang pinagmumulan nito.
'But where could the danger be?'
Peter suddenly remembered what the group mentioned about Indian camp.
Agad siyang huminto sa paglalakad at kabadong tiningnan ang lupang tinatapakan nila.
Cracks... getting larger and larger by the minute.
"WALANG GAGALAW!"
Mabilis na pinigilan ni Peter ang grupo sa pagtapak sa mga bitak. Nagtataka man, agad na tumalima ang iba pa niyang mga kasama.
"What's going on, Peter?" Jester asked, now worriedly by his side.
Pero huli na ang lahat.
Tuluyan nang yumanig ang kanilang paligid, ilang metro lang ang layo sa Indian camp. Nahirapan na silang bumalanse sa kanilang mga paa. Sa kanilang gulat, bigla na lang lumakas ang lindol kasabay ng paglaki ng awang sa lupa.
"ISANG LINDOL!" One of the Lost Boys screamed in panic.
Pero hindi pa rito nagtatapos ang panganib.
Mula sa kanyang kinatatayuan, naaninag ni Peter ang bangkay. The corpses climbed out of the fault line, bony hands grabbing the dirt. When they were finally in view, Peter felt himself recoil in fear as the corpses with half rotten flesh emerged in tens... No, hundreds... and circled the small group, yielding blow darts and tomahawks and spears.
A native and undead tribe, crawling from under the remnants of Indian camp.
---
The cold earth slept below;
above the cold sky shone;
and all around,
with a chilling sound,
from caves of ice and fields of snow
the breath of night like death did flow
beneath the sinking moon.
---Percy Bysshe Shelley, "The Cold Earth Slept Below"
BINABASA MO ANG
Peter Pan and the Lost Fae of Neverland
خارق للطبيعةOnce upon a time, the story never started... Peter Pan thought having amnesia was the worst thing that could happen to him---until a rogue Fae made a deal with him in exchange for memories of a childhood he can't remember. "Never make a deal with a...
