The Jewel of Neverland

Chapter 5

When I had decided to run away, it was because I knew I had to get away from a man who had been controlling me since I was ten.  But rather then run away to freedom, I ended up running straight into another the world of another controlling man.

No matter how hard I glared at Pan, it only seemed to amuse him further. Every angry stare from me resulted in a playful grin forming across his lips.  It was infuriating. After our game had failed, ending with me almost drowning,  he had flown us to a small clearing in the woods where the Lost Boys had already created a huge ceremonial fire. Upon entering the camp, the boys didn't even look twice in my direction. I realized that they weren't surprised to see me there one bit. This puzzled me until I realized that their leader always got what he wanted.

All of the boys were gathered around a monstrous fire, eating a foreign meat I didn't recognize. Its teared carcass dribbled and hung from their hungry mouths as they ripped it off the bone. They laughed and spoke with one another like family.  Seeing their brotherhood did bring a little smile to my face.  They looked as though they didn't have a care in the world, laughing and goofing off.

Meanwhile,  I sat against an old tree shivering in the corner  Away from the boys and away from the fire, still glaring ferociously at Pan who sat on the opposite side of the flames.

Pan was unphased by the daggers I threw at him with my eyes.  And eventually, I gave up and scowled at the fire instead.  My thoughts wandered to my dreams of Maine. I had been on my way to building my own life. I didn't belong with the Lost Boys. I wasn't lost.

Then, a hauntingly beautiful melody filled my ears

My head robotically turned to Peter, who was steadily blowing air into the groves of his pipe, creating a sound so familiar and so sweet that its taste sat on my tongue and glided down my throat, filling my veins with warmth. While he played, the steady gaze of his green eyes didn't leave mine. There was mischief there and his lips were fighting a smirk. I snapped my gaze elsewhere and turned from Peter, focused on ignoring the song. I looked back into the fire.

Upon hearing Peter's song, the Lost Boys let out hoots and whoops and lept into a dance fit for gypsies. They danced around the fire like wild-men, kicking their legs in the air and banging on their melodic drums.  Strangely, I had to fight the urge to join in and dance as well. The music tugged my mind in two directions. It was just so. . . lovely.

But it had to be a spell.  I had read stories about  the Pied Piper Peter.  That's the reason I felt the desire to join in.  Was the pipe the key to how he kept those boys so wrapped around his finger?  Was it how he lured them to him?  He must be using that pipe to control the others and attempting to control me.

Well, I wouldn't fall for it. I could fight the urge.

I locked eyes with Pan and he raised an eyebrow. But he continued playing his little pipe. I looked back at the fire, trying to ignore the sounds of all the boys acting like animals.

The music suddenly stopped, but the boys continued to dance and make loud, obnoxious noises.

I glanced up just in time to see Pan plop down next to me.

"What do you want?" I asked with a sigh, my eyes stayed on the fire.

"I figured you might be hungry, actually," he said, pulling out a plump round peach from the pouch that was on his belt.

I eyed it, trying to ignore the growling in my stomach that had been steadily growing worse. "What's wrong with it?"

He grinned. "Nothing, I promise."

"Yeah, okay," I said.  My mind screamed for the peach, recalling that the food I'd last eaten was that muffin at the dinner.

He shrugged, looking past me and towards the fire once more. "Fine. If you don't want it, I won't let it go to waste." He lifted the peach to his mouth.