Lost Girl: Peter Pan/Once Upon a Time

Part XI: The Surprises Never End

When I wake up, I am still in the cage, but the "door" is open and Peter is gone. 

An act of mercy? He would probably say so. 

I crawl out and stand up, wiping dirt and bits of bamboo off of myself. My back and legs are numb from the stiff bars of the cage.

My next step is deciding what to do and where I should go, if anywhere. Supposing  that I knew the way, I would head towards Tink's home, but obviously I have no idea where that is relative to my location.

Then I remember the smoke I saw rising from what I thought to be the Lost Boy's camp, so I start walking in that general direction. This task is more difficult than I was hoping it would be, as I face what seems to be miles of thick greenery. 

Everything looks exactly the same to me, so it's challenging to decide which is the best way to go. Eventually I make it to the camp, but it's completely empty. 

"Well isn't this lovely?" I speak aloud to myself. 

To my suprise, a boy emerges from the trees in front of me. He approaches gradually, with a look of irritation on his face. When I open my mouth to say hello, he shoots me a sharp glare, basically threatening me to keep quiet. 

"Pan told me to give this to you," he mutters as he hands me a small, leather notebook.

"Okay...why woul-"

Receiving another glare, I throw one back. His response to this is so amusing that I find it agonizing not to give him a nice smile. Sadly it's most likely in my best interest not to tick him off but so much.

"He says to open it and you'll know what to do from there."

Looking down at the notebook, I note how worn it is. My guess is that it has been used frequently, and for a long time. But what would Peter ever need a notebook for on Neverland? 

Without a single ounce of care I look up to talk to the aggravating child. 

"But wait, what if I don't know what to do?"

As I probably should have expected, however, he is no where to be seen. People here have a knack for vanishing into thin air.

After taking the thin twine strap off of the book, I flip it open and begin reading the very first page I come to. 

'This is a test. I've hidden something on the island, and it is your job to find it. The only way to do this is to think like a Lost Boy. Good luck, Lyv.' 

He couldn't have been any less specific. All he wants me to do is find "something" that is hidden "somewhere" on the island, but that is easy right? Knowing Peter, however ridiculous it may be, it's probably the only way I'll see him again. 

Because...I need him to bring me home...obviously. 

Immediately I begin walking. As far as I'm aware, there isn't a definite starting point, so all I can do is walk. I continuously repeat "think like a Lost Boy" in my head, trying to move by instinct.

Ten minutes pass and I have no idea where I am, though this isn't an unusual circumstance. To me, the island is a maze - a labyrinth of trees and desolate paths. In desperation I sit down on the grimy earth, leaning against a tree for support. 

"Come on, Peter. Give me a hint here! I'm not exactly a natural at this." I plead into the empty air. 

Suddenly the notebook begins to tremble in my hands, but only for a second. Slightly disconcerted, I open it and skip through the first several pages until I come upon one with a small paragraph in the center of it. 

It wasn't there before. 

'Well hello, dear. I hear that you would like a little assistance. If you wish to be successful, you need to think about yourself for a moment. If you wanted to hide, where would you run?'

The surprises never end with him. 

I need to "think about myself"? What exactly does that mean? According to Mr. Cryptic, I'm supposed to go where I would if I wanted to hide. It doesn't take but a moment before the memories come flooding back...

I am not yet six years old, running through the hallways of the school. Tears are streaming down my face. They called me names again - words like stupid, weird, ugly, and annoying. I need to get away from them. They act like I have some type of disease that they might catch if they stand to close. The sound of their laughter fills my head. 

I can still remember how it sounded.

That's when I start to run. I have no idea where I am going and I don't even care. But I run. Forcing my way through thorns and stray branches, my bare arms are scraped and scratched. I can feel a small trickle of blood run down my left arm.

Turn after turn I continue moving. Something is driving me. It's driving me to run and find that small coat-closet where I can hide and no one will see me cry. 

That's when I recognize it. It's loneliness. 

I reach the end of a trail and see it waiting for me: a treehouse, similar to Tink's, but much wider and taller. 

Slowing down, I think, "This is it."

I am completely out of breath, but I trudge over to the ladder that will lead me into the treehouse and climb it. When I step onto the wooden floor, I search the empty space with my eyes, but my vision is blurred by small colored spots and everything starts to spin in front of me. 

After I take a couple deep breaths and my senses begin to clear... I hear someone else breathing.

"Is someone else in here?" I call out, rubbing my eyes. 

The breaths cut off, stopping completely, and I freeze. 

"Hello?" I choke the word out. 

"Well hello, dear." 

I whirl around to greet Peter's face.

"You passed the test."