Wonder [R.K.]

Chapter 43

When we make it back to camp, I make eye contact with John and my heart stops. Pan walks in right behind me and I become scared.

I expect Pan to throw a fire ball or snap his neck, but he just scowls and walks into his hut. I become overwhelmed with pain, but I hold it in until I get into my hut.

I walk in, and throw my back onto my bed. I stare at the ceiling, and slowly, tear drops fall down my face.

It feels like my lungs are filling with water and my heart has lost its beat.

I move myself to a more comfortable position on my bed and close my eyes. I take in deep breaths until I finally drift off.

"Aria!" I turn around to see John. He smiles widely at me and I furrow my eyebrows at him. He walks up to me and leans in for a kiss but I pull away.

"What are you doing?" I practically yell. "I'm with Pan!"

"Aria, Pan's time ran out a long time ago. He's been gone for ages." John says sadly yet with a confused expression.

"What? No. There were only two bells, he still has plenty of time!"

Suddenly, I'm transported to a different place. I'm in the clearing. I notice a small black hole growing in the centering and I become frantic. Pan stands next to me, all emotion drained from his face.

"Nothing worked, Aria. I can't stay any longer." Pan holds me tight as I begin to shake.

"No, no! There was only two ticks. What about the spell? It was supposed to relieve you of the clock!" I yell but Pan doesn't understand what I'm talking about.

"Aria, the spell didn't work. It failed. We failed." No, no, no. Pan walks towards the hole without even saying goodbye. He turns and gives me one last sad look, a shimmering tear falling down his eye, as he jumps in and disappears for good.

I fall to my knees in the dirt. Tears stream down my face and I can't breath.

"No, Pan! You can't leave me!" I scream into the wind. "No, no, no! This is not right! No! Peter Pan I need you in my life! No!"

"Aria!" I hear his deep British accent and I raise my head.

"Aria!"

"Aria!" I snap back into reality to see Pan standing over my bed, shaking me. His eyes are wide and his mouth is dropped.

"What? What's wrong?" He asks me quickly before pulling me to his chest and holding me close.

"I had a bad dream." I sigh out and he kisses my forehead. "Why are you here?"

"I couldn't sleep." He lets me go and looks me in the eye. My breathing begins to go back to normal as Pan rubs the back of my hand with his thumb.

"What was it about?" Pan asks sincerely and I try and tell him what it was about with all of my strength.

"We have time, Aria. We have time."

"I know, I know." Pan and I drift off together, and we don't wake until morning when all the other boys come out.

I walk out of my hut, the bright light burning my skin from the sun. Pan walks out behind me, running my back as we make our way into the fire circle.

I sit on a log, placing my head in my hands, exhaustion taking over me. Pan says standing to my side, watching as all the lost boys file in.

"Alright boys, since today is such a nice day, we will be-" Pan is cut off by a loud rumble of thunder. I look up to see dark grey clouds rolling in on what was a cloudless day. Slowly, drops of rain begin to fall from the sky and there are flashes of lightning.

"Everyone to your huts!" Pan yells in an authoritative voice before grabbing my hand and leading us to his hut. By the time we make it inside, we are soaked.

"Well, that was completely unexpected." I laugh out.

"Tell me about it. This island is so moody." I laugh at his sour tone before plopping myself on the couch.

He sits next to me, placing his arm around me. I feel at peace and relaxed in this moment.

"If only the fire was going," I start, "this would be the perfect moment." He cocks his eyebrows and smirks before raising a fireball from his hand and throwing it at the fireplace. Instantly, the already charred wood left, ignites in flames.

I laugh at him trying to show off. "I still find it odd when you use your powers or whatever."

"Well, do you find it odd when I do this?" He asks before kissing me on the forehead. "Or how about this?" He then kisses me on the cheek. "Or this?" He kisses me on the neck and I giggle a little. "Or maybe this?" Pan says really slowly and sultry before placing a kiss on my lips.

He makes it slow and sweet, then with a swift motion, he pulls me onto his lap. My knees move to his sides as he deepens the kiss. His hand rests on my neck as the other rests on my lower back. My hands find their usual place in his hair as his tongue slips in my mouth.

His hands graze inside my shirt, moving up and down my back, giving me chills.

"Woah." The voice of Alex alarms Pan and I as we turn our heads towards the door where Alex has just entered. "You guys are really into each other." I laugh in my shocked state before standing up in front of Pan. Pan pouts his lips as I move off of him, but I just roll my eyes.

"Where were you?" I ask Alex. He pulls a sharp rod out of his bag and I'm confused.

"I was getting this, the next ingredient. A rod from the Deathly Shallows of Neverland."

"So is that why it's called the Deathly Shallows of Neverland? Because those rest on the the bottom?"

"Exactly." Pan joins in the conversation, standing up.

"Well, do we know what's left?" I ask.

"Here's the thing, I didn't realize it was going to storm." He pauses before carefully pulling the soaked book out of his bag. "And well, the book sort of got ruined."