Hooked

Chapter Twelve

I was left alone, worried, scared, and clueless, really. Ariel told me that I should be scared of everything, basically... Even the land itself. How was I supposed to not be frightened?

Everything was dangerous.


~Meanwhile on Hook's Ship~


"Where is she?" Hook growled, throwing an apple at my head as I entered the kitchen.

I dodged it just barely in time, watching as it smashed against the wooden wall. "I don't know, Cap'n, I didn't hear Peter Pan last night, or his shadow."

"His shadow isn't smart or courageous enough to show up on my deck and steal the thing I love the most from me!"

There was a pause of complete silence, "You love Princess Madeline, Cap'n?"

He looked at me, leaned over the kitchen counter, previously studying a map of Neverland, while he popped the cork of a bottle of wine in his right hand. "I can't answer that. Not with the chance that she could never return to me."

"You care for her?"

He raised his voice, "I said I can't answer!" He took a swig.

I looked at the bags under his eyes, the sleepless nights causing them.

He cared for her. "My God. You care for her, Cap'n! Why can't you tell yourself the fact?"

"Because if I do, I will only be more heartbroken. I regret many things, Smee. One of which is turning into my cursed self around her."

I watched as he completely broke down. He was a shell of his former self. He wiped his hand across his face, shielding his tears from the world.

He sat down on a chair and took another swig. Sweat trickled down his neck.

"Cap'n, you must understand that that was not your fault. It was the Crocodile's."

He turned red, straining to keep calm. He peeled his lips back to say with a level voice, "She doesn't understand that."

He said it so quietly, I couldn't hear him. I regretted saying immediately, "What was that, Cap'n?"

He burst. He stood from his chair, knocking it over. He picked it up over his shoulder and threw it at the only thing he could : me. His eyes were dark and unforgiving. He was his cursed self again.

I felt the pain of splintered wood bruising my forehead and arm. I couldn't deflect many of his chairs that he threw at me - the causes being my shape, and my age.

Suddenly, it all stopped. He must've ran out of chairs to throw. I took away my arm from my face to see wooden chairs surrounding me, each stacked upon each other. So many, I couldn't see Hook. I pushed at the seat of a chair that hung above my head, trying to free myself. It was impossible to move.

As I struggled, I heard the undeniable sound of a match being lit. I pushed harder against a chair above me, for my life. Then I felt heat creep up on me, and I heard the crackling sound of fire.

All around me.

I yelled, "Cap'n!"

I could see the fire now, right by my foot, burning the floor and chairs alike. Hook was going to burn the ship down!

"Cap'n!" I coughed, gasping for air as smoke billowed around me.

I pushed against other broken chairs surrounding me, encasing me, trapping me so I might die.

I wiped my forehead with my sleeve, "Hook! Cap'n Hook! Remember Madeline!... She would never forgive you for this!" I said between wheezes.

The only way to get him out of his curse... Was to remind him of Madeline. Luckily, it worked. This time.
I felt my clothes cling to my skin and immediately relief washed over me. The cool water that was splashed onto the fire soothed my worries away, and it was more than comforting.

I looked up to see chair after chair being removed. One at a time. I had almost been left to die by Hook. I stood up shakily, opening my mouth to speak as he stared at me with one word written on his face, 'sorry'.

No words came from me. I was rendered speechless. If I hadn't said Princess Madeline'a name, I would've been at the bottom of the ocean, not to mention with the ship, and possibly the rest of the crew!

Now I knew how the men on the ship that we found in the harbor felt. Hook burnt their ship down, because they were using up the only harbor in Neverland, and rumor had it that they were planning to attack Hook and his crew. Hook caught word of it and immediately took action.

No words were passed between us - only glances - as I left the kitchen.

'The only thing that is supposed to cook in this room is the turkey for tonight's dinner,' I thought to myself.


~ Back on the Land of the Lost boys ~


My legs literally shook as I stepped toward the man I found - the man that Ariel was so fond of.

He wasn't too bad looking, I guess. For a certain mermaid's dream husband. I wouldn't be that attracted to him, myself.
It might've been his nose, or the fact that his jaw wasn't as defined as Hook's...

Hook...

Hook!

Why should I remind myself of all the pain that captain has put me through? He's the one that kidnapped me in the first place! He's the one that gave me physical pain with that stupid hook hand of his. He's the one that I stupidly let myself think that he actually cared for me. He's the one that haunts me in my nightmares and dreams. He's dangerous.

Then I remembered that Ariel said everything in Neverland was dangerous. She was wrong. Not everything is dangerous.

Two things aren't. Humans. And Smee (technically, he's a pirate). He's always been there for me. If I find out that Hook has tortured or hurt Smee in any way, shape, or form... I'll kill him.

No, I wont. I'll get his enemy to. Peter Pan.

For some sick reason, this thought brought a smile to my face.

But I made it disappear, because I heard the coughing fit of a man in the sand. I looked at him just as he started to become conscious. He was hurling on the sand, not much coming up besides wet sand or seawater. Or just spit.

Yeah, I see why Ariel really wants this one. He seems like a keeper *hint of sarcasm*.

He looked at me, eyes weak. A small smile spread across his lips, then he was unconscious again.