If I Only Had One Wish

Chapter Three

Julia's POV

I stared at the flickering fire as my memories took over.

"Julia, my sweet daughter, stay safe." My mother whispered to me as she set me inside the barrel.

"Mama, what's going on?" I asked her, my voice shaking. 

"Pirates are attacking the ship, you need to be very quiet so they don't hear you."

I reached out for her, "Mama! Don't leave me."

She reached down and touched my face. "I'm sorry love, I can't stay with you this time." She wiped away tears from her eyes before she put the top of the barrel over me. I obeyed her and stayed quiet, although I cried silently into my sleeve.

I reached up and wiped the tears from my own eyes. I hadn't thought about my mother in a long time, it was too painful. I heard a twig snap and immediately jumped into action. I grabbed the bow I had made and got ready to shoot. I heard laughter coming from the woods, and then a slow clap.

"You've got quick reflexes." A voice came from behind me. I whipped around and shot an arrow towards the source of the voice. "Unfortunately for you, so do I."

Peter Pan was standing a few feet away from me, the arrow I had shot at him in his hand. He shook his head and tossed the arrow at my feet.

"What do you want Pan?" I asked him angrily as I picked up my arrow. He smiled and sat down next to me. I scooted away and held out my dagger. "Keep your distance Pan."

He raised his eyebrow, "What, you don't trust me?"

I laughed humorously, "Did you expect me to?"

He smiled, "Of course not." I gave him a long, searching look before putting my dagger back in my boot. He looked surprised at the gesture.

"Did you decide to trust me?" He asked.

I scoffed, "Of course not, I just decided that if you wanted me dead you would've tried to kill me already."

He laughed, "Love, if I wanted you dead, you would be already."

I gave him a look, "I don't think so."

He raised an eyebrow, "Oh really." He picked a stick up off the ground and tossed it to me. I caught it in my left hand. When I looked back at him, he had a sword in his hand. I gave him a disbelieving look.

"You're really going to fight me with a sword? When I only have a stick?"

He gave me a sickening smile, "If you really wanted a sword, you could have one. All you have to do is believe."

I sighed, exasperated. "Believe what?"

He disappeared in front of me and reappeared behind me. He gripped my arm from behind and whispered in my ear, "That this stick can turn into a sword."

I whipped around to ask him what the heck he meant but he was gone. I looked around but he was nowhere to be found. I sighed and looked at the stick. What did Pan mean it could turn into a sword? That was impossible. At least, for me it is. I don't have magic. Back in the Enchanted Forest, people who had magic were people to be afraid of. The only ones who had magic that were good were the fairies. I sighed again and shrugged, it wouldn't hurt to try. Who knows? Maybe this realm was different. I closed my eyes and imagined a sword in my hand. I waited for a few seconds before opening my eyes. To my surprise, there, in my hand, was a sword.

"What the-"

Suddenly, I heard clapping coming from behind me. I whipped around, sword at the ready. Pan stood there, a satisfied smile on his face. He pulled his sword out of it's sheath and held it up.

"Congratulations Julia, you used magic. Now...are you ready to fight?"