Free(PanxOC)

Chapter one Dream

I felt myself re entering the cognitive world that I so dreaded and fought as hard as I could to keep my eyes shut. After a while though, my eye lids forced themselves open and I was almost blinded by the light surrounding me.

I threw myself up into a sitting position and snapped my head from side to side taking in my surroundings. My fingers slipped through the sugary white sand, feeling the sting from the slightly burning substance. The crystal clear water from the ocean behind me lapped at my arms causing me to jerk away and rise to my feet.

The black trousers I wore did much to protect my legs from the sand that was sticking to the rough fabric. I pulled one of the two rubber bands from my wrist and used it to type the back of my plain white t-shirt up, using the other to quickly pull my brown hair up in a pony tail.

I could feel my chest heaving up down rapidly as I lowered my arms back down to my sides slowly. The sun was at its highest peak, illuminating every inch of the beach I was standing on, including the boy who was standing amongst the trees that lined the entrance of the lush forest.

He seemed to be about fifteen or sixteen, just my age, and stood at least four inches taller than my 5'4 frame. He had broad shoulders that were covered with a dark green, long sleeve vest that was made of a mixture of materials ranging from deep
green leather to dark animal hide and bright green leaves, but I could still tell he was very thin.

His hands were tucked in the pockets of his brown trousers, made out of a material that resembled jeans, that spilled halfway over his black boots. As he made his way closer to me I could see his youthful face clearly, more so his vibrant green eyes that were nearly covered by his brown hair and were squinted in confusion.

His theatrical eyebrows quirked up as he let his eyes trail over me, coming back up to meet my auburn ones. He cocked his head to the side, pulling his hands from his pockets and opening his arms wide in a welcoming gesture. "Welcome to Neverland. Who might you be?"

I shook my head, stumbling back a bit as the silence was suddenly filled with a thick British accent that was his voice, feeling my bare feet sink in the sand a bit as I did so. "A-Anna."

"Forgive my deduction," He continued on as if I had never even spoken. "But you don't seem to be surprised."

"Surprised?" I frowned. "Why would I be surprised?"

He chuckled humorlessly, circling me in a predatory way as though he was daring me to make a move. "Well, waking up on an unknown island does tend to cause a bit of shock. You seem almost-" He stopped in front of me once more and placed his thumb and forefinger on his bottom lip, tugging it lightly before sighing out the word he'd been searching for. "Relived."

My eyes widened a bit as he seemed to see straight into my mind. "I-I-" Before I could even reply he was taking a seat on a nearby log and motioning for me to join him, which I did so timidly.

"How'd you get here?" His green orbs peered at me curiously, awaiting my answer.

"I have no idea. I just went to bed and woke up here in Neverland, did you say?"

"Indeed." He smiled at me. "Were you hoping for an escape?"

"W-what? I don't-"

"Did you go sleep last night with something more than just your normal loneliness clouding your thoughts, something like belief?"

My eyes widened as I turned my head from him, avoiding his harsh gaze and focusing my eyes on the calm water. "How'd you know?" My voice came out so soft even I had to strain to hear it.

"I know everything about the inhabitants of my island."

"Your island? You own the island?"

He smirked dangerously. "I don't know if I'd say I 'own' the island, rule might be a better word for it, though I would say I own everything on the island."

"I-including me?" I shifted away from him a bit as a wave of uneasy feelings washed over me.

"No." He frowned, his bottom lip poking a bit as if he were pouting. "Because you're not actually on the island."

"What?" I exclaimed. "Yes I am. I'm here right now. I'm-"

He held up a hand up in front of my face, silencing me from my state of panic. "You're dreaming. Once you wake up you'll realize you're actually still in your world. Where is that, if you don't mind me asking?"

I shook my head, attempting to rid myself of some confusion before speaking. "The Enchanted Forest. So, since only dreaming that means I have to go back."

"Something you're not looking forward to?" He asked, his lips tugging up at the corners a bit as I nodded sorrowfully. "You know, I could help with that, if you want?"

"You could?" I felt myself smiling brightly at the boy in front of me. "How?"

He rose to feet, facing me as I stared up at him excitedly. "Just because you're dreaming doesn't mean this place or I don't exist. Neverland is a place for lost boys and girls who feel as though they don't have a point, that have been mistreated, or have no love. Does that include you?"

I nodded quickly. "I thought so." He continued. "I can come to the Enchanted Forest and get you. You can come back with me, stay with me forever. Would you like that?"

"Yes." I breathed, accepting his outstretched hands, and allowing him to pull to my feet as well. "When?"

"The upcoming night is when I'll arrive. You'll know when I'm there."

"How?" I gripped his hands tightly in mine as I leaned forward a bit, unable to contain my bliss.

"You'll know when you hear it. Come towards the sound, I'll be there waiting to take you and all the other lost children with me. You'll finally be free." He smiled at me strongly, his eyes twinkling as she stared into my auburn ones. "Promise me."

"I promise." I replied almost automatically. "I'll be there."

He frowned suddenly, releasing my hands and stepping back, reaching into a pouch that was secured to a loop on his right hip, pulling out a handful of pink powder. "Sleep tight princess. I'll see you soon."

I was barely able to register what he said before my eyes grew heavy and fluttered closed, causing my subconscious to slip back into the familiar blackness that was slumber.