Greatest challenge/Peter Pan (Completed)

Chapter 21: Devious Teenager

Two days had passed, there was no sign of Gus, but according to Peter Pan, which I had heard from Felix, he had not left yet. That did not matter.

Quinton was barely getting along with the rest of the Lost Boys, arguing most of the time with them against their plans to attack the rest of the World-Warpers. That did not matter.

Well, not to me at least.

Once Quinton claimed my eyes had glowed, it vanished almost instantly, and I was overcome with fear. What had Peter Pan done to my heart? What was he planning to do with me in the future? Was this how the rest of my life here was to be spent, forever tortured by Pan's mind games and magic tricks? I was sitting near a bonfire again. Quinton could barely leave me alone, but I insisted that he tried to at least make contact with some of his World-Warper friends at the camp that he could trust. I also explained to him how important it would be to get them to a specific place at a specific time. I had a plan. 

But now I felt like I had a brand new trigger on my heart. I had searched for hours to find that devious teenager, Peter Pan. But after he had vanished, I had not seen him since that day. It was just me, and the Lost Boys, tonight. 

Felix and a few of the other big guys built a fire, and they were dancing and whooping, but it did not feel the same as when Peter Pan was there. They did not care. How could they? 

"Berries?" Nibs offered to me. I smiled and gratefully took some from his muddy hand. I took a bite and smiled. It had a sour-sweet flavor. Despite Nibs looking years younger than me, I felt like he was more my babysitter. And man, could he fight. The day before, I got into a heated argument with a Lost Boy called Echo. He threw a punch at me, but Nibs intervened. Echo was a big boy, very well built, but Nibs did not even hesitate to put him in his place. He was scary and he was fast, and potentially even better than Felix. No wonder, Peter Pan actually left him to watch me. 

"You're so quiet, I miss that fire," Nibs told me. I grimaced.

"Peter Pan saved my life, only to return my heart making my eyes glow...if you can explain that I might start talking more," I said.

Nibs looked down at the ground. "Pan always twists things to make sure the game plays out the way he wants it to."

"You couldn't be more right, Nibs,"

I froze as that dark voice echoed behind me. Nibs stood up and walked away, while Peter Pan took a seat next to me, and gave me his traditional smug smile.

I lashed out, my fist aiming for his face, but he only grabbed my hand with his. I pulled back, but he didn't let go, his grip tight. 

"Let me go!" I snapped. 

Peter Pan did so but gave me such a hard shove that I nearly fell off the stool.

"It's useless, you know, fighting me...we know how the last one ended," Peter Pan said as he smirked.

I felt my cheeks growing hot and I looked away. I threw a knife at him, had a sword at his neck, tried to punch him, but no matter what...there wasn't scratch on him. I sorely wanted to wipe his smug smile away from his face. However, he was too fast, and he's been toying with me. I still felt a strange churning in my stomach, and my heart beat fast, both in fear and nervousness. My emotions were a complete wreck when I was around him. 

I hugged myself and stared at the fire, deciding not to follow that route the conversation was taking us. "Have you found Gus?"

"He's out there, somewhere, no doubt using some of his magic tools," Peter Pan said, relaxed. 

"Well, as you may know, we need him alive," I said.

"That's not up to you..."

"Not up to me?" I said and stood up. "You agreed that Quinton will not be harmed and neither will most of the World-Warpers...the longer they stay here...the more in danger they become, and your Lost Boys want them dead!"

"Quinton and the Lost Boys fight, yes," Peter Pan said. "It's simply their nature."

"But if the World-Warpers cannot leave..."

Peter Pan stood up and took a few steps closer to me. I took a step back and tripped, almost falling, but regained my composure. "I may not be the most...well-behaved boy on the island...But I always keep my promises," Peter Pan said. "Your precious Quinton will not be harmed, neither will his boy and girl scouts..." 

"What did you do to my heart?" I suddenly snapped. It was pounding in my mind and his sudden threatening demeanor, made me want to stand my ground. I had to. He was not going to intimidate or outplay me...

"Your heart?" Peter Pan raised his eyebrow. "Is that what all this is about?"

"Quinton said it glowed...and from what I've heard from the enchanted forest...that shouldn't happen..."

"You'll find out, soon enough," Peter Pan sat down again. He drew out his panpipes and I took a few steps further away. 

"Finley!" I heard Quinton's voice echo from the bushes. He appeared and shot glares at Peter Pan.

"You..."

"You remember what I told you, that only certain people can hear it?" Peter Pan lifted up the pan pipes to me. "Let me show you something."

Quinton took a stand by my side, and I found myself frozen in curiosity.

Peter Pan hunched again and started blowing. Sure enough, the eerie tune started to play. I only frowned, shaking off any feelings of dizziness or haziness. I grabbed Quinton's arm, but he only frowned.

"What's he talking about? Those are faulty pipes," Quinton suddenly spoke. 

I glanced at Quinton and frowned. "You can't hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"The music..." I whispered to him, turning my head towards Pan, who was staring directly at me.

Quinton's jaw clenched in frustration. "No...I don't hear anything."

Peter Pan stopped playing and put his pipe away. He stood up. He walked towards me, leaning down, he whispered. "The only people who can hear it, are those who feel unloved, those who feel lost...he can't help you..." Peter Pan walked away and towards the campfire. He turned and lifted his arms into the air. "But I can..."

"You are not lost...Finley," Quinton said.

"But that's where you are wrong..." I said gently to Quinton. "I am lost...always have been." I looked up at the soldier, who stared at me with a saddened face.

"My father sold me when I was five and my mother did not even fight for me...I  was enslaved, where no one cared...and imprisoned...where I was abused. Gus found me, made me think I had finally found a home, but then came the switch, and a different prison...the only time, I have ever felt free..." I looked down at the ground, slightly ashamed for admitting this to him. "Was the night Peter Pan first played his pipes and the time...the time that he kissed me..."

Judging by Quinton's pale face, he was not going to respond well. But I needed to get the truth out before Peter Pan could use it against him. Problem was, was this exactly what Pan wanted?