Grow Up

Ten

Peter raged, shouting at his Lost Boys. He'd no clue where Gardenia was. Usually, he could tell; sense where every living thing on Neverland was. He knew where all his Lost Boys were at all times. But he couldn't, for the life of him, sense Gardenia's presence. The last place he knew where she was was east of camp. She had said thank you for some reason. That was the last sighting, that last acknowledgement of where she was. To make things weirder, he could only sense her if she spoke; unlike everyone else where he could sense them just by them thinking or breathing.

"Where is she?" He barked at his Lost Boys. She'd been gone for hours and it was a new day.

"Maybe she's dead?" Another Lost Boy, Bim, smirked evilly.

Badger and Slightly exchanged worried glances. She couldn't be dead, could she? No. She was too skilled to get killed already.

"No, idiot. She wouldn't have gotten herself killed. She's street smart. She knows her way around even if it is in a jungle..." Peter snarled at the teenage Lost Boy. He growled some more. He felt stupid for going back to camp instead of hiding away in the trees.

"Do you think she's some creature?" Slightly suggested. Peter stiffened. What was Slightly implying?

"What?"

"I think Slightly's onto something," Badger added. "What if she's some creature hiding from you?"

Peter sneered at the boys. "No way in hell. She's from Earth. Everyone there is mortal and human. She's nothing more than a mere human just like the rest of this lot."

Felix eyed the two older boys. They might be onto something. It did make sense. Gardenia could possibly be something that wasn't human. A human form, yes, but not necessarily a human.

"Wait, Pan," Felix opened his mouth. "They could be onto something. Think about it."

"Yeah, Pan. I mean, she claims to have had red hair when on Earth, but here it's deep orange and green colored." Badger commented.

Peter thought about it for a moment. Gardenia mentioned that her mossy green hair with the ombre of autumn orange was something new. He also couldn't feel her presence unless she spoke alloud. She randomly said thank you... who was she speaking to? Surely no one on the island. It had to be something not someone. But what? The plants? Nature itself?

"Think about her name. It could mean something." Slightly chipped in. "Her name is Gardenia Asteriae Bellis. That has to mean something."

An idea sparked in Peter's head then. But he had to learn more about her and her family's history. Had to learn about their names and family tree. She could possibly be... no. That'd be impossible. But it would make sense as to why she was so different from anyone who had ever entered the island. No. He didn't want to believe it.

"Then it's settled," Peter declared. "Once we figure out what the hell she is, she's dead. I've learned I don't want a girl on the island."