Again In Neverland

Chapter 4: The Cove

"That'll be six oh five." The cashier with a heavy American accent said as Lilith stood at the window.

She pulled the money from her pocket and handed it to him.

"Thank ya very much."

Lilith walked over to her friends who were waiting on their bikes. Mike was already chowing down on his patty.

"I thought we were saving them for the cove?" Lil asked as she climbed on his bike.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and tossed the patty back in the bag, "We are. I just couldn't wait for a bite. I'm really hungry."

Wendi sighed and began peddling, "The manners on that one truly impress me."

Lilith held onto Mike's back as he followed her.

When the road turned to dirt Mike made Lil get off and the trio walked the rest of the way.

Lil accidentally tripped multiple times and each one her face turned red. By her fourth trip Mike had his arm around her shoulders.

"You're obviously going to trip again. I might as well be here to catch you."

"Thanks." Lil smiled and clutched her dinner tighter.

Wendi snorted, "Stop trying to flirt, Mike."

"I'm not!" He became defensive.

Soon the forest turned to stone and Lil saw a large rock with an opening in it. Wendi stopped and pointed to it.

"That's the cave."

As they approached it, another bike was outside.

"Jonathan's here." Wendi smiled.

They leaned their bikes on the ground and stepped inside.

Wendi turned around to look at Mike and Lil.

"Now, don't panic or anything, but it gets pretty dark in there until you hit the cove. I've got a flash light but you have to stay close or you'll get lost."

Lilith shifted nervously, "Oh, alright."

Wendi must have noticed, "Mike, hold on to her please? We don't want to lose another person in here."

Lil gulped, "Another?"

Mike broke out into a laugh, "She's only joking! Relax, Lil. It's completely safe."

Lilith stifled a laugh and grabbed onto Mike's arm. Wendi flicked on the flashlight and walked inside.

At first the cave was pitch black, but after some adjustment Lil was able to see more clearly.

It wasn't very high. If she reached her hand up she'd be able to touch it. The ground made a squeaking noise as they walked and Lil noticed that it was moist, although there were no signs of a source of water being nearby. Clutching tightly to Mike's arm, she followed Wendi down the dark corridor.

"Are we almost there?" Lil asked, "It feels like we've been walking a while."

"We're close. It's far back but, trust me, it'll be worth it when we get there." Wendi replied.

After a bit more walking, Wendi stopped.

"Alright, Mike. Cover her eyes."

"What?" Lilith shreiked.

"The first time anybody sees the cove, they are blind folded." Wendi answered.

"It adds to the effect!" Mike added.

"Mike won't let you bump into anything, right Mike?"

Mike shook his head back and forth and cautiously raised his hands to Lil's head.

He gently put his palms over her eyes and ushered her forward.

"Keep walking, " Wendi encouraged.

Lil did as she was told. Careful to take small steps.

"Keep coming, keep coming. Okay stop!"

Mike stopped moving.

"Ready Lil?" Wendi asked.

"As I'll ever be." Lil remarked.

Mike removed his hands from Lilith's face and when he did a burst of light forced her to shut them again. It was a sudden change from the darkness.

On her second attempt, the lighting became more bearable. In front of her was a pool in the ground. The water in it looked almost as blue as the sky, but when Lil looked up and noticed the whole in the ceiling that showed outside, it was night time. Almost as if the water captured the sky's color before it turned dark. Lil took a step closer to examine it. It didn't look very deep but there was no way of telling without going in, which Lil did not plan to do. She turned to her right and saw that around the pool in the ground was a ledge that climbed a few steps to what seemed like a flat surface. All four sides of the place were surrounded by rock except for the path they had just taken to get in.

What Lilith did not notice before was the young man laying on the flat rock. Her eyes swept over him in the rush of the moment, but now she saw him. One knee up, hands behind his head, tapping one foot on the floor. Wendi caught Lilith staring and ran over to the figure. She smacked him upside the head and he sat up with a start. He flipped over and tore his ear buds out.

"Bloody hell! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" He shouted.

"We have a visitor!" Wendi motioned to Lilith.

The stranger's eyes shifted across the room and met Lil's. Just from lying down, Lil could see he was an attractive fellow. Dark brown, shaggy hair. Bright blue eyes. And a smile with teeth so white they lite up the room.

"Oh." The boy said.

He jumped off the ground and strode down the stairs. Arm extended, he said, "Sorry about that. My name's Jonathan. You must be Lilith?"

Lilith shook his hand, "Yes. Or just Lil. Whichever."

Mike threw his hands in the air.

"So he can call you Lilith, but we have to call you Lil?"

Wendi immediately shushed him.

"She can do as she pleases, germ."

Lilith realized that Jonathan was still holding her hand. She sheepishly took it back, heat crawling up her neck.

Jonathan put his hands in his pocket.

"I've been waiting for you guys for half an hour! What was I supposed to do? Twiddle my thumbs and stare at the walls?"

"You didn't have to have the music so loud. Maybe then you would have heard us come in!" Wendi said as she sat down and pulled out her food.

"That looks good. You bring me any?" Jonathan asked.

Wendi held up another bag and Jonathan dashed for if.

He dug threw the bag and took out the patty. He sat down next to Mike (who was already done with his patty and now eating his fries) and continued to search threw the bag.

"No ketchup, sis? I'd like to think you knew me better by now."

Wendi took a packet of ketchup out of her bag and threw it against Jonathan's face. Mike laughed and Lil couldn't help herself but giggle.

Jonathan smiled and picked up the ketchup.

"Very funny, you all. Lilith, why are you just standing there? Come sit." He patted a place on the floor next to him.

Slowly she sat down and unraveled her patty.

"So, Lil. What brought you to New Castle?" Jonathan asked.

Lilith took a bite of her patty and began explaining, in a different version, what she already told to Mike and Wendi.

A/N: thoughts on this?
Thanks for the reads guys ♡