Neverland Crumbling: The Arrival

Chapter Seven (Xander)

All I could hear were the vicious taunts as I was tossed about the ship like a ragdoll. They blindfolded me, told me that little heirs did not deserve to see. All the while I was regretting this; running away from the Underground, running away from Peter and Ellie, coming to Neverland at all. I wanted to go to London, where it was safe.

"So," I heard Hook's voice, and I was shoved to the floor. I felt splinters pierce the skin on my knees, and I tried not to cry. "You are the heir, hm?"

"P-Please, Captain! I don't want to hurt you!" I needed to bargain my way out of this, find some way to save my own skin. I was Peter Pan now, I needed to save myself. "I don't--please just let me go!"

"Oh you may not want to hurt us, laddie." He leaned in so close I could smell the rum on his breath, and I almost gagged. "But we want to hurt you."

I screamed as I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my belly, cold metal tingling against my skin while hot blood seeped out.

"DON'T KILL ME!" I was almost out of breath knowing that I was just stabbed. "PLEASE!"

They took my knife, the small knife Peter gave me a few days ago. With some training, he was going to give me a bigger knife. Then I would move up the ranks from a knife to a real bow and arrow.

I suddenly felt myself go backwards, my head hitting the deck, and I knew I was being pinned down.

I squirmed and screamed, trying to get away. I didn't want to die I didn't want to die I didn't want to die. I wanted to go home. I didn't want to be Peter Pan. No heir stuff. No Ellie. No Lost Boys. I wanted London. I wanted home. This wasn't my home. It was a nightmare. Ellie already hated me for being the heir. She wouldn't come to save me. Peter might, but not her. It was over.

"Please just let me go! I did nothing wrong!"

"Oh, but you will someday. Once you rise to power and take Pan's throne, you'll become just like him. Always playing your games and destroying everything I hold dear. This is to prevent that. No matter what, you'll become a nuisance like your predecessor."

I shut my eyes, holding back tears. I didn't want to be Peter Pan. I wanted to just be Xander, a boy in London. No more of this Neverland stuff. It felt more like a living nightmare than anything, and I wanted out.

They cut me open, taunted me, tore off flesh. I wouldn't have been surprised if they rearranged my innards, because it seemed like something they would have done. Pirates were cruel, just like the storybooks said.

For a moment, when things seemed to be quiet, I rolled onto my belly and tried to crawl away even though I was blindfolded and bound. I could jump overboard, wiggle out of my bonds, and swim back to the island. I would tell everybody that this was all a mistake, that I wasn't the heir, and then I would go back to my alleyway in my own little London.

Snap!

I felt a shooting pain go through my leg, and I screamed and screamed and screamed. I heard all the pirates laugh when I heard another snap. Both of my legs were broken.

They dragged me back to where I was before, and I just hoped the death was painless. I then realized that death would be mercy, and pirates weren't merciful.

"Think you can get away, huh? Little boy thinks he can escape!" Loud laughter, and I screamed when someone threw some cold, stinging liquid on me. It had to be rum. "What a naive little fool you are."

I could hear footsteps approaching me, and I silently prayed for my life. Prayed for mercy. Let my death be quick. Let it be painless. No agony. Just silent bliss. Death sounded peaceful and serene. I wanted it to end now. I didn't want the constant pain anymore. I could hear a crack, and I knew death would not be so merciful.

It had to be a whip... This would never end. My heart pounded fast as I waited for the whip go come crashing down on me, destroying my flesh even more and creating a puddle of blood around me. I wondered if he was waiting it out for suspense, to make me go insane. It was certainly working, for my heartbeat kept picking up speed with every passing second, bracing myself for the crack of the whip.

But it never came. I heard those same footsteps departing from where I was. I wondered if he had changed his mind. I didn't understand. He was about to whip me, but apparently not.

"Take him below and leave him." I heard the captain speak, and I felt hands pulling up, dragging me across the ship, and I finally let out my tears, I was going to bleed out and die tonight, in the same place Ellie and I had stayed as prisoners together. Her face was all I saw, and I cried even harder. I wanted her. I wanted Ellie. I didn't care if she hated me. I just wanted to hear her voice, see her pretty smile. Come back to me, Ellie.

I curled up, trying to think about something else besides this. When I came to Neverland, I didn't sign up for being the next Peter Pan. It was all apart of the adventure, all apart of the fun, but this was not fun.

As I sobbed and screamed for someone--no, anyone--to save me, I heard the sound of thunder. I could hear rain pelting against the side of the ship, and it even dripped between the cracks and soaked me. A chill ran in and I began shivering, my teeth chattering. If the blood loss wasn't going to kill me, the disease and infection will.

"P-Please..." I croaked, trying to wiggle out of my bonds. "Somebody...."

The world swayed and rocked, the sky boomed with thunder, and the cold rain coated me like a blanket.

Everything faded to black just as I heard a crow, and I knew I was going to be alright.

Peter.

POOR XANDER OMGGGGG!! Sorry we haven't been updating! This week is a crazy week I have a week-long summer math class for college soooooo yeah. Just hang in there! Will Peter and Ellie succeed in saving Xander? Why did Hook not whip him? What do you think? Let us know!!

~ Sammie <3

POOOOOOOOR XANDER BABY OH GOD. Yeah this got a liiiiiittle graphic but WHO CARES?! What do you guys think? Are you happy little Xander is going to be saved? I KNOW I AM! Will Ellie and him reconcile? Will Xander survive his injuries? Tune in next week (or probs tomorrow) on NEVERLAAAAAND CRUMBLING! 

~ Sami (paper-sami)