Flying

Chapter 2: Summer Leaf Green

"I'm going to kill her."

Rolling Peter over on his back, I place two fingers on his neck. His pulse is beating steadily. I take a blanket from a sea chest at the foot of my hammock bed and drape it over the unconscious boy.

"I'm going to kill her," I repeat. "This has to be one of Flicker's jokes, and I'm going to kill her."

Occasionally, Flicker enjoys pranking me by unexpectedly bringing dangerous creatures to Neverland. She says it keeps me sharp and gives me a chance to practice my combat skills. But she's never surprised me with a human before.     

My body is aching and fatigued after using so much magic to fly Peter's body to one of my tree house havens. I want to fall into my hammock bed and sleep for hours. But there is now an unknown person in my space. 

"There isn't much point in being at the farthest corner of the universe when people can still find you," I mutter.

Pulling out a knife, I begin chopping up vegetables and roots to make a broth. I am just making an incision into a long carrot when a slender hand grabs my shoulder and throws me against the table. A pair of eyes as green as a summer leaf are staring into mine. There is a sharp prick at my neck. I carefully glance down and see a long knife pointed at my throat.

"Naturally, you wake up after I used all that effort to fly you here."

"Who are you?" Peter demands. His unruly hair is sticking out in all directions. "Who are you? Where am I?"

"Well aren't you just charming?" I retort. "And here I am making you breakfast."

"I demand to know where you've taken me," he shouts, pressing the knife down harder.

I am quickly growing tired of this conversation, so I resort to my usual option. Kicking out at Peter's stomach, I knock him backwards. Flicker says that violence should not be my first choice, but it seems to work well because the knife is no longer digging into my skin. Peter recovers surprisingly fast and lunges towards me. I spin to the side and grab my bow and quiver. With one smooth movement, I load an arrow and pull back the string.

"All right," I say the calmest, coolest tone I can manage. Which isn't that calm or cool given my rising level of frustration. "Let's put down the knife and talk things over like adults. I know that being a grown up is highly overrated, but indulge me just this once."

"Why should I?" Peter grips the knife tighter, his knuckles turning white. "I don't even know who you are."

"My name is Jimmy," I reply, "and you should put the knife down because if you don't, I will give you a third eye socket in your forehead."

I can see reason is winning out as it usually does. Peter slowly sets down the knife on the kitchen table. Lowering my bow, I smile patronizingly at him. Another habit of mine that Flicker hates.

"Much better. Now, would like to tell me how you got here while I continue making some broth for you? Did Flicker send you?"

At the mention of food, Peter stumbles forward. I catch him as best as I can which is not well since I weigh less than seven stone. Somehow, I manage to get him back into the hammock. I guess I should hold off on the interrogation until he is healthier although patience is not a virtue of mine. After I finish the broth, I spoon it into his mouth. I spill a lot on his clothing, but I think I did a pretty good job considering that I never take care of the sick ones. I hunt down the monsters while Flicker nurses the wounded. She says it keeps me from becoming too attached to people and animals that will inevitably abandon me when they are healed.

"Where is that blasted fey?" I whisper.

I reach for my spyglass in my belt, but Peter begins muttering in his sleep. Putting down the brass instrument, I cross over to the hammock and gaze at the unconscious boy.

"What am I going to do with you?"

Thanks for reading the next chapter of Flying! I hope you're enjoying the book. I'll be posting another chapter next Thursday. Follow me to get the next installment! If you're enjoying the story, click the little star button on the way out! Let me know in the comments what you think Jimmy is going to do with Peter.

Fun Fact for my American readers:

A stone is an English measurement of weight. It is equal to 14 pounds. The United Kingdom's imperial system used a wool stone of 14 pounds starting in 1835. Eventually, Europe's many "stones" were adapted to the kilogram. However, the stone continues to be used in Britain and Ireland for body weight although it is prohibited for commercial use.

Sincerely,

Commodore Caroline