Heart of Wonderland

Chapter 11

June 7th, 7:40 a.m.

It shouldn't have taken this long to get to Neverland, but the problem was that Neverland was an island. We needed to find a boat, and it was tedious work. We had to walk up and down the coast trying to find someone who would rent us a boat or, at the very least, take us to the island. We couldn't even find a magical way over to the island.

I was just greatly annoyed that so much time had been wasted just to get to Neverland. The worst part was, maybe if we hadn't gotten rid of the damn Dodo, then maybe it would have been easier to broker a deal to get the rowboat. Personally, I thought we should have just stolen a boat, but my friends pointed out that that would not help my heart become pure, or some shit like that.

Perhaps the worst thing about the last couple of days was that I had not seen a demon since my friends and I started this journey. Maybe Vera had created the little monsters that I had seen and, in doing so, had gotten me to spare her life. Perhaps I had no great destiny, and I would never recover my kingdom. Or better yet, maybe my destiny was to fail.

If I didn't have enough doubts and worries about time slipping away and what that could possibly mean, I had Channing brooding. Channing hadn't talked much to me since he had saved Ricky, the Rabbit, and me, from John's men. I didn't know why he was so angry and apprehensive. If he hadn't wanted to come with us, he didn't have to. No one was forcing him to play hero. I wasn't forcing him to do anything he didn't want to do.

Channing: "We should wake them up and get going."

Haven: "Let them sleep a bit. We rowed most of yesterday and well into the night."

Channing: "Haven, this is serious business."

Haven: "I know that. Trust me, I do. My mother is responsible for this great evil that could possibly destroy the world, and that weighs heavily on my shoulders. Just give them an hour."

Channing: "Fine. It's just..."

Haven: "What?"

Channing: "I want to kiss you."

Haven: "Then kiss me."

Channing: (Whispered) "We are just friends."

Haven: "I know."

Channing: "If I kiss you, though, I won't stop."

Haven: "That's okay."

Channing: (Whispered) "No, it's not."

Haven: "Yes, it is, because for days all I've wanted was your hands on me."

Channing: "Because of the King, this has to be the last time."

Channing extended his hand so I would take it.

Haven: "Agreed. How could I fall in love with another guy when I'm sleeping with you?"

Channing: "Gotcha. So, this is just one last fuck, for old time's sake?"

Haven: "You don't have to put it crudely."

Channing: "I'm sorry, but I grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Not that I'm complaining, as it helped me get this body, but sometimes I forget how to talk to a lady."

Haven: "I'm no lady."

Channing: "No, you are Queen. Come, before they wake."

I took his hand and we began to walk away from where Ricky and the White Rabbit slept. Channing led me into the woods nearby (as we had camped out in the open on the beach). In hindsight, we probably should have found a better place to bed down for the night, but we were so tired from rowing that we hadn't really cared where we sleeping. We had just wanted to sleep.