Hooked

Chapter Twenty One

I woke up strapped to a wooden plank that reminded me of the table I ate at just the other day - at least... I think it was only a day ago. Again, I don't remember if I have short term memory loss or not since my mind woke up playing tricks on me. Ever since I started to get nervous about Lillian's plan...

I looked to my right, my neck stiff. I groaned, but didn't hear myself. My ears were ringing. The fuzziness cleared when I heard a man's voice.

"Oh good, you're awake." He gestured toward someone else, "Time to start, Your Highness."

Your Highness. That could only mean that I was about to be tortured or that I was going to be questioned. I hoped for the latter.

I took deep breaths, and suddenly felt the urge to look around me. I saw an empty table to my left, but the table on my right was occupied.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, but I couldn't suppress a tear from falling down my cheek. My only friend in the Land of Lost Boys. I stared at her, watched as she took uneven breaths and fought to stay alive. Sweat shined across every part of skin that was visible. Her eyes were closed, and blood trickled down her golden skin. From her forehead down to the white of her blouse. The smell of her raw wounds permeated the air. It was a disgusting, wrenching scent.

My stomach churned. I promised myself that I wouldn't gag at the smell. I suddenly became disoriented, a thick cloth covering my face.

I stifled a wail as I felt cold water pour onto the cloth, seeping through the cloth, making me gasp for air, only to suck in the water. I couldn't even cough. There was too much water drenching my head. I felt my throat tighten, my head become foggy.

Suddenly, it all stopped. The fuzzy feeling lingered, but everything else went away. The water, the tightening... It was suddenly gone. Why?

I gasped for air and coughed, my breath wavering as I shivered.

I saw the bright, white light above me as the sack was taken off of my head. I had such a strong coughing fit, that I thought I was going to cough up my stomach.

I tried to sit up, but to no avail. I found that my arms were strapped to the board, and so were my legs. I coughed and gagged up water and a little bit of blood. An acidic feeling was rising up my throat, when I strained to hear the man talk.

"Now, I'm going to ask you a few questions. If you refuse, you will be tortured worse than what you've already been through. Like your..." He paused and spat on the next word, "friend."

I felt regret sink through me. This was so much worse than Hook's ship. I started to feel sorrow as I remembered how kind he (usually) was when I was around him.

I swallowed, suppressing that acidic feeling, and replied hoarsely, "I don't know what to tell you."

"Tell us anything," I heard the Queen's voice.

"I... I can't. I don't have any information that you would find useful."

There was silence, and I started to catch my breath, only to be underneath that awful, wet, cold, brown sack again.

I held on for as long as I could, sweat trickling down my strained face, until there was only one thing left to do. The water kept coming. There was no stopping.

I died.

I don't remember anything of my afterlife, but I'm sure that I died. I didn't just pass out. I think the pain from my death made me forget ever seeing the gates of heaven. I lost my memory. But I know for a fact that I did. I could feel a certain presence inside of me, and a joy...

And when I woke up, I realized just how impure and sick this world was - and earth. I felt sad that I didn't die.

I gasped for air, my eyes wide, and I started to bawl and cry out. The pain of coming back to life overcame my every.sense. I felt like a fish out of water, even though I was drenched and freezing cold. My veins pumped with adrenaline, jumping against my skin and bulging upward.

I sobbed for what seemed like eternity. I remembered that joyful, painless feeling I had earlier, when I died. I yearned for that feeling. I wanted that feeling back. Now.

But it was impossible to get back. It was gone. Never to return... unless I died again.

I looked up, sniffling, looking into the malice that was the Red Queen's black eyes, "How did you bring me back to life?"

She gave a quick smile with a glint in her eye, then gave me her poker face. "A spell..." she responded, looking at her fingers with appreciation, "A very powerful reviving spell... Now. Tell me who - or what - made you and your friend want to escape."

"What makes you think that something made us escape?" I spat, wanting nothing more than for her to kill me again so that I could rest in peace.

She just gave a swift turn and left, the sound of her heel's 'click's becoming farther and farther away.

I sighed, and took deep breaths, feeling miserable.

Until...

I suddenly heard the door being flung open, and boots coming towards me. I opened my eyes weakly to see a familiar face. Confusion spread through me slowly, until I realized...

Hook.