The Real Peter Pan

• Chapter 4 •

"Pain hurts, but pain that is so powerful you can't feel anymore, that's when you start to feel like you're going crazy."

-J.A. Redmerski

The minute hands lay on me, my eyes snap open.

"Brennan Rose Avonel! What on earth?" My mother yells kneeling next to me. My father also kneels at my side helping me sit up.

"Why were you screaming? Why are you on the floor? Are you having nightmares again?" My mother continues.

"No! No- mom there was a man..... He was digging through my stuff!" I shout. My father immediately springs up.

"Where did he go?" He asks angrily.

"He left through the window!" I use my arms to stand up and wince from the pain shooting from my cut.

"Brennan...." My father says slowly. I look up at him. "These windows don't open."

My mom looks at me. Concern and pity fill her eyes.

"N-no.... I can prove it! He grabbed me and cut my arm!" I yell yanking up my sleeve.

Bile rises in my throat.

My arm is... Fine.

It hurts like it's cut but not a single scratch is to be seen.

"Oh John! It's back!" My mother cries. My father walks over to us.

"Go call a doctor Mary... Tell him what is happening and to order another prescription. But tonight she can take the extra we have."

"I promise you! I'm not lying!" I scream at them. My mother caresses my cheek.

"Shhh- sweety... It's alright. Don't be frightened. We will go get you the medication." She calmly says running out of the room.

"I'll be right back." My father says following quickly after.

Angry tears pour down my face. I run towards the window and stare out into the dark street.

I can't believe it. They still think I'm crazy!

"Ok, now Brennan... You know this won't feel good if you squirm so hold still." My father says walking towards me holding out the syringe.

"Please dad. You have to believe me!" I cry. "Don't make me take this again, you know how sick it makes me!"

He takes a step closer. "I'm so sorry, but it's for the best." And before I can blink he plunges it into my chest, leaving another one of my many punctured scars. Warmness fills my system and immediately I get tired.

Oh well. I guess it's too late.

Let my hell begin...

Again.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"Oh my God. You look absolutely horrifying!"

"Gee- thanks Claire." I roll my eyes; sliding into her car.

"Are you sick? Should you even be going to school! Your freaking as white as a ghost, and you look as if you lost a ton of weight just over night! Not to mention the look of lack of sleep!" She blabbers.

"Yeah yeah. I'm-" I start coughing. "I'm fine."

"Alright... If you say so."

We pull into the parking lot and I pathetically hop out. Just throwing my bag over my shoulder sets me out of breathe.

We head straight to first period and I take my seat towards the back.

Then my pen drops to the ground.

Letting out a large mental groan I halfway lean out of my seat when something hits my head; sending my world spinning.

"Seriously!" And annoyed voice yells. "How many times should I f*cking tell you to watch the hell-" I look up and Peter pauses mid-sentence.

"Whoa. What happened? You look like shit..."

I scowl. "Well look at that! The tin man does have a heart."

He doesn't reply; just stares at me.

"Can you just leave me the hell alone?" I murmur turning back towards the front of the room and placing my pounding head in my hands.

Again he says nothing but I can hear him and his posse walking away. But a new set of footsteps approach.

"Alright, I am seriously amazed with you." Claire says leaning over my desk.

"And why would that be." I ask keeping my head down.

"Because he freaking showed emotion to you!" She whispers loudly. "That marks a new page in the history journals!"

I am trying so hard to focus on her words, but the blow to my head is making my hearing slowly disappear. Opening my eyes, black begins to surround the corners of my vision.

I can feel myself about to black out.

"Claire!" I say loudly interrupting her. "Take me to the nurse." I try to stand up but my legs feel so weak.

"Holy crap, you look more pale than before!"

"Claire!" I yell this time. "Hurry please..." I get myself standing but thankfully before I knock over a table, Claire wraps her arms around me.

She leads me to the front of the room and before we exit I look back to see Peter's dark brown eyes following me out.