Remade

Chapter 25

"So that's the mess hall," Sam points to five raggedy and rotting wooden tables pushed close together. "And that's the kitchen," he says as he pointed to a bunch of old dirty pots and a stolen camp stove sitting behind one long wooden table on which were cafeteria trays for meals. "You line up at mealtimes and Cookie gives you whatever he's got for the day. And those are the bathrooms." The girl looks towards the back of the cafeteria-like area. Stolen porta potties. "We'll grab you one soon, we've never had a girl here before."

As he keeps talking the girl looks around with her eyes and mouth wide open in shock as he shows her around the abandoned subway station with an arm around her shoulders to guide her better.

"Those are the hanger hammocks... That's Pan's office, stay outta there... Those are the Lost Boys' cubbies where everyone can keep their stuff, we'll get you one too..." The more the boy shows her of the damp, dark subway station the more she felt welcome. The eerie muddy green ambience and flickering flights seemed comfy and adventurous and the tiles walls looked solid and protective. This seemed like a place where revolutionaries lie and she was very excited to become one.

"So that's about it. Wanna grab a bite?" Sam grins.

The girl smiles and nods.

"Lead the way Walls."

The girl blushes at her new nickname and lunges forward as she weaves her way through the complex underground system until she reaches the mess hall and literally hops into line. The boy chuckles as he slides into line behind her. "A little excited are we?"

"Maybe... I'm hungry," the girl says nervously. She moves her hand up to her head and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear and looks down as a she had become used to doing.

"Hey no don't look down, you have nothing to be ashamed of, we have all been hungry before... Look at me." The boy takes her chin in his hand and tilts her head up and the girl looks directly at him. For the first time she can really observe him, something that she had become good at over the years. He has color shifting hazel eyes and messy straight blonde hair and wears a shirt that says 'To live will be an awfully big adventure.' Then she notices smaller things, how he has a dimple in his left cheek and a small scar under his right eye, how his hands are rough on her face, and how the right side of his mouth twitches when he says, "You don't have to worry about that anymore. I'm going to take care of you."

Sam puts his arm back around her shoulders but this time does it to give her a quick squeeze around the shoulders. "Thank you," the girl says breathlessly.

They gradually move up the line until they each grab an old and bent tray and slide their trays down the beat up table. "So how long have you been here...?" the girl asks timidly.

Sam grins. "Been here since I was nine. Abandoned on a bridge not too far from here and a poor kind soul took me in. I lived with her until she died. Heart attack. I hit the streets, I was devastated, I didn't have a clue where to go or what to do and then Pan found me. I owe him everything."

"Oy, stop telling your bloody sob story, are you going to get some grub or not?!" The girl turns around in alarm at the holler and sees a slightly annoyed ginger with his arms crossed and a ladle in one of his hands. She wonders who he is and recognizes him as Cookie from the introductions.

"Of course I am, God Seamus-"

"It's COOKIE!"

Sam turns to the girl and smiles apologetically. "He's a bit of a character but you'll grow fond him. He's a softie."

Cookie snorts. "Softie, my arse..." but the girl could see his eyes twinkling with mischief. Cookie looks to the girl. "You're the new one huh? The one everybody is talking about?" The girl nods shyly. "You've got balls kid," he mutters in approval as he looks down to scoop instant mashed potatoes from a pot and slaps it down onto two plates and throws a handful of dinosaur chicken nuggets next to them. "Enjoy and welcome to Neverland," he says sarcastically.