Free(PanxOC)

Chapter 8 Lets Play

I've been on the island for two months now and still somehow managed to get myself lost. I met all of the boys and realized they were as nervous about me as I was about them. Felix had quickly and surprisingly become one of my best friends, as did Mitchell and Kent, two of the boys who arrived when I did. We learned all of the rules together and were taught how to survive here. 

The new boys took to using the weapons much easier than I did, having to have private lessons from Pan and Felix three times a week. Everyone seemed to be getting along okay, aside from one of the other two new boys. Brandon was around fourteen and was by far the weakest boy here, and everyone including himself knew it. He was pushed around, used as target practice and a punching bag when the others thought they couldn't get caught, and laughed at for everything. One thing I had to learn fast was that on this island if you couldn't keep up you were dead meat. 

The other newbie, Gale, was surviving perfectly fine all because he made friends with one of the original lost boys, Davie, who was the essence of brutality. He looked down on everyone on the island and literally seethed when Felix received Pans attention over him. He's been giving me these looks lately that honestly terrified, as have a few other boys that he was fairly close with. If it weren't for Pan announcing that no one was to look at me, talk to me, or even think about me in a way he didn't like i'm sure he would've done something by now. 

The day we got back from meeting Amereta Pan told all the boys about our 'bond' and it caused quite the uproar. Everyone was shocked beyond believe that the evil Pan had a true love, but here I am. Even though we've grown extremely close these past few weeks it still feels like a foreign phrase to me- star crossed love. Completely lost in my thoughts and most likely getting myself more lost than I already was I barely even heard the commotion coming from nearby.

I crept through the thick trees with the cover of nightfall on my side, pushing my way quietly through the thick brush, watching for dreamshade the entire time. My gaze swept over the small clearing in front of me, landing on a large swinging cage that was made entirely from thick tree limbs. As I approached it I noticed that there was someone inside, but not just anyone, a girl.

She appeared to be around thirteen with long curly blonde hair, dressed in a white night gown that was soiled from dirt and grass stains. She sobbed into her knees that were pulled up to her chest, her forehead resting against them with her back against the back wall of the cage. The bottom of the cage swung just above my head causing me to stand on my tip toes and peer into it slowly. "Hello?"

A small gasp escaped her lips as her head shot up, taking me in before slamming herself against the front of the cage. "Can you help me?" Her voice sounded rough from crying and her face was streaked with tears, easily standing out against the dirt. 

"Who are you?" I asked, unable to say anything else. 

"Please!" She pleaded as the leaves near by rustled suddenly. "He's coming back. Please get me out of here!"

I shook my head, stepping away from the cage, my back slamming into someones chest. I squealed and spun around coming face to face with my worst nightmare, Davie, holding a large club similar to the one Felix always carried around. "Well, well." He smirked, eyeing me and then the girl in the cage. "What do we have here?"

I took a deep breath, swallowing hard. "I-I found-"

"Our prisoner. Yes, it appears you have. Bad move. Follow me." He demanded, turning and walking away, but not before smacking the side of the cage with his weapon, eliciting a cry of terror from the young girl. 

"Wh-where are we-"

"Back to camp." He cut me off, ordering that I follow him and not say another word. I debated on staying put and hoping that Pan would eventually come look for me, but I also didn't want to risk sleeping out here alone all night. I waged the war silently in my head for a few moments before giving up and hurrying after the boy whom I so despised. 

I turns out I wasn't as far from camp as I had initially thought, but we made so many twists and turns that there was absolutely no way I could have found it on my own. Davie shoved me into camp and out of his way as he hurried towards the tent that Pan used when he was at camp for thinking purposes, busting through the flap with me on his heels. 

"I caught her trying to let the girl out."

"What?" I exclaimed, looking to Pan who had his eyebrows raised in confusion and amusement as he watched the two of us. 

"She was at the cage attempting to break the bars and release the prisoner. I suggest you keep a close eye on her Pan. She said she'd be back for her later."

My eyes were wide as saucers as Davie sent me a minute smirk. "That's not true! I wasn't trying to let her out! I-"

"So you're really going to say you weren't at her cage?"

I stared at him, dumbfounded. "No- I-Well yes I was but-"

"There you go." Davie pointed at me and crossed his arms. "Punish her."

"What?!"

"Enough." Pan simply stated, rising from his seat on the cot and moving to stand in front of us. "What happened." He stated more than asked. 

"She was-"

"Anna." Pan held up his hand, silencing Davie and turning his attention to me. 

I felt myself literally shrink under his interrogative gaze and Davies harsh glare, as though he was daring me to say something different. "I-I got lost and  found this cage and a girl was in it and she asked to me to let her out, but I wasn't going to I swear! That was all that happened. Davie came out of the woods and told me to follow him and that was it." I stated in one long sentence, taking a quick breath. 

Pan studied my face for a few seconds before reaching a hand out and turning me around, leading me out of the tent. Davie followed closely behind us, watching excitement as Pan swiped his club from beside the tent and tossed it to Davie. 

"Five minute head start." At the sound of those words Davies entire face dropped, his shoulders drooping as his mouth fell open. "I suggest taking it."

He nodded quickly to Pan in utter defeat, not even bothering to glance at me before turning and stumbling into the trees. 

"Where is he going?" I asked, almost afraid of the answer. 

Pan turned to me, chuckling. "Oh, thats right. You havent seen a punishment yet, have you?"

I shook my head quickly, feeling my mouth go dry. "I wasn't lying I swear!"

"Not for you, for him." He replied smoothly, nodding to Felix who began motioning for the boys to get their weapons. "Lying to me is considered breaking the rules, and those who break the rules have to be the target in one of our games. This one is the boys favorite, but we haven't played in such a long time."

I could hear the joy in his voice as he spoke, his eye glittering. "What is it?"

He smirked at me. "A hunt." He took a few steps towards the boys that had approached us, wielding their weapons. Pan whipped a dagger out of the loop on his belt, holding it high into the air above his head. "Come on boys!" He shouted, earning cheers and animal calls from the group, his expression deadly. "Lets play."