The Piper Boy (A OUAT Fan Fiction)

Chapter 19

Amily tried to maintain her sanity during those long days and nights in her cage. But things were difficult. She didn't notice it at first but to others around her, they could see the effects of being locked up clearer each day. She was almost aggresive to the daily Lost Boy bringing food to the slot in her cage. So much so that it was almost animalistic, predatory.

And the stench was unbelievable. Amily hadn't bathed in what felt like forever but really had only been about a week and a half. Relieving herself was also a problem. There was a small slot at the back of her cage and she pitied the poor soul that had to empty it every day.

But she never lost hope. Pan would give up one day. Surely he wasn't this cruel. Deep down he had a soul, didn't he?

There was so little to do in that cage that sometimes Amily found herself questioning everything. There was no where else to go but deeper into her own mind and her thoughts just kept on coming in waves.

One day, it was decided. If they wouldn't let her out of this cage then she'd let herself go. There was no other option.

That evening, her plate returned untouched. And it was the same the next evening, and the one after that. Amily could feel herself becoming weaker each day. Feeling her face she felt the sharpness of her cheekbones more defined and everything about her was thinner. She knew that when the time came, she would welcome the relief like a warm hug. But Amily had no regrets, she had said it herself. She would rather die than be with the monster that ruled this island.

It seemed like her skin turned more yellow each moment and Amily no longer had the strength to convince herself that she imagining it. Her fingernails were chipped and dirty and yellow. But somehow Amily found the strength to laugh at one thing. Pan's face if he could see her now.

***

 One night when Amily was too tried to even attempt at adjusting herself comfortably to go to sleep, she saw a light.

At first it was just a dim light in the distance but Amily knew that it was her time. The light had come to take her away. She didn't expect it to be so blinding and warm. Amily raised a slim, blistered hand to greet it but met nothing. The light just hung there in mid-air and flickered a little.

"Amily?" a voice called out. The light was getting closer now and Amily strained to remember the voice. It sounded vaguely familiar unless her mind was once again playing tricks on her.

"Who's there?" Even her voice didn't sound human. It was just another animalistic sound mixing with the jungle.

"It's-" The name was blurred. Now was not the time to black out. Someone was here, she had to stay awake. Because if she didn't, Amily was unsure if this time she would wake up. This could very well be another hallucination.

"Amily" The voice was in front of her and so was the light. She could smell something strange in the air. It was blinding up close but through it she could see a face. It was a very dirty face with a bruise over it's left eye. Examining the face in pieces and then putting it all together Amily recognised the Lost Boy that had come to see her. It was Charlie.

The young boy looked into her cage with wide concerned eyes. She knew he couldn't help being disgusted. Anyone would be at just the sight of her.

"Charlie? Wha-" Amily was losing it. She desperately tried to cling to conciousness but it was slipping beneath her fingers.

"What've they done to you?" Charlie whispered. His concern was touching and it made Amily's weak heart swell.

"They didn't- I-I stopped eating" She croaked. The company was helping but her eyes were starting to droop.

"I know. That was three weeks ago, Amily. They've stopped sending plates to you" Amily wasn't surprised. She guessed she would do the same if someone she had locked up wasn't accepting food. Although, it still hurt. Charlie wasn't done talking though.

"That's why I brought you this" He held up a burlap sack which looked like the one the boys had put over her head when they had captured her after she ran. That was where the smell was coming from. Charlie had bought food. He was smiling at her now and Amily could've cried.

"I can't have that Charlie" Her voice sounded like sandpaper over a coarse surface, "I can't let Pan keep me like this"

Charlie's face fell and he gripped the bars desperately.

"You need to stay alive Amily. Please" The boy's voice broke on the last word and Amily thought he might cry.

"Why?" she sounded juvenile, like a child.

"Because you're all I've got. I've never had friends on this island and I- I don't remember me family. You need to stay alive because I need you" it wasn't a confession of love but it might as well have been because Amily was filled with something she had not had in a long time. Hope.

"Okay" she said weakly. Charlie almost laughed in relief.

"What've you got in there?" Amily sniffed at the bag and the Lost Boy opened it to reveal apples, bread and meat. Not the charred garbage that she had often been given but fresh, pink meat.

"I've also bought an extra canteen with some wa'er" he held it out for her and the sharp, easy smell that came with the canteen and filled her nose alerted her that water was what she wanted most.

"Water" she wheezed. Charlie handed the canteen through the bars without hesitation. With weak fingers Amily removed the wooden cap and practically poured the water over herself. She gasped with pleasure and gulped the remaining contents of the canteen down her dry throat.

"Oh Charlie, that was marvellous. Thank you" Charlie smiled but she could see the worry in his eyes.

"Something to eat?" he asked casually, as if they were on a picnic.

"Please" Amily could hear improvement in her voice since gulping the water. Charlie handed her a slice of bread and she bit down on it gratefully. It tasted like heaven.

Charlie began to tell her of what had been happening at the camp over the last two weeks. She ate her bread, apples and meat as he spoke and Amily had never been more happy to have wanted, needed company.

"Pan's been so angry all the time. Yesterday he punched Harry in the nose. Harry was out for a few hours" So Pan was mad. This was and wasn't a surprise. He had left her, enraged but Amily thought he would at least try to control it when it came to his brothers.

"There's something else too" Charlie spoke quietly now. "It's not just punches, he's been doing worse things. He challenged Aaron to fight him after Aaron bought home a basket of them poison berries. I don't know how Aaron was that stupid, he's been here almost as long as Felix has. Anyway, Pan skewered Aaron within the minute" The words Charlie had spoken hung between them like a bad smell. Amily had never liked Aaron but she was saddened to learn that he was dead. Murdered, more like it.

" But it's not just Aaron either! Fed George to the mermaids, he did! They pulled him apart like a loaf of-" Charlie noticed the ill look on Amily's face and stopped right there.

"I've been staying hidden most days. Keeping to meself. I've tried talking to the other boys to see if they was interested in runnin' but none of them would even fink about it!" Amily found Charlie's way of speaking cute. It was like his brain was moving too fast for his mouth.

Amily wanted to stay awake and talk to Charlie all night. But after eating and drinking for the first time in almost a week she knew that sleep could come easily and, more importantly, safely.

"Stay safe, Charlie. I'm so glad we're-" Amily was asleep before she could finish. When she woke in the morning Amily could vaguely remember Charlie's hand stroking her cheek gently and whispering something under his breath before he left.