Crimson

Chapter 19: The Boy in the Smoke

Pan's Perspective:

For the majority of the afternoon, I guided Hannah around to see the major highlights of Neverland, or at least, what we were able to see without getting too close to shore where pirates could be loitering. Our journey started with the waterfall, then a glance at Skull Rock from a distance, as well as a visit to Crocodile Creek. And just out of pure spite, we revisited Mermaid's Lagoon, where I explained the real mystery behind the sought-after mermaid creatures of Neverland. They were nothing to be messed with unless of course, you want to spend the rest of eternity down in the depths of the dark lagoon. We had been walking through the forest when ahead of us Hannah pointed and asked aloud.

"What's that?" She questioned. When I looked in the direction her finger pointed to I narrowed my eyes and clenched my fists slightly.

"Nothing that interesting," I responded, ushering her to keep moving along, but she refused. She continued walking toward it. "Do you ever actually listen to people when they tell you to do something?" I asked, a hint of annoyance in my voice. Hannah continued to examine the thing that caught her eye with a certain curiosity.

"And what fun is that?" She replied as she looked back to me with raised brows. I chuckled lightly and shook my head in slight disbelief. "You're a child, a misbehaved one at that," I spoke as my expression stiffened. She turned away from me and suddenly stopped. She stood before Pixie Hollow, a large dead tree where the fairies used to reside. "What is this?" Hannah quietly wondered aloud to herself. Standing behind her I answered.

"It's where the fairies used to live, you know, before they all disappeared." I turned away and began walking. Quickly, Hannah turned on her heel in my direction.

"Disappeared? What do you mean disappeared? Isn't Neverland known for having fairies that can make you fly? Isn't that the whole lure around this place?" Hannah stood in her stance, unmoving and determined to have her questions answered. I ceased walking and sighed heavily. Looking over my shoulder I uttered with distaste.

"Not anymore." I turned my head and before I could take another step Hannah piped up.

"But wh—"

"Zip it," I held my hand up near my head without looking back. "Not everything here is like the fairytales you've heard back home, got it?" I turned to face her. "Happy-endings don't exist in Neverland. People die, friends are lost, siblings disappear. This place changes people. It brings out their dark side..." I paused for a moment and looked out into the forest as the wind began to pick up in the trees. The more she asked the more I continued to feel.

"Then why stay?" Hannah spoke boldly. Her bright blue irises grabbed my attention, making me step closer to her. She was looking at me with complete seriousness. "If this place is so horrible, why not just go somewhere better? You're 'The Great Peter Pan', just fly the boys away from here." I chuckled and shook my head.

"You've got a place in mind?" I cocked a brow and smirked. "And it's Pan. Just Pan" I added. She raised a brow in response. I narrowed my eyes and grinned cockily. "Flying isn't as easy as faith, trust, and pixie dust for me, darling." Hannah's expression changed to one of confusion and displeasure. "And I've got plenty of reasons why I won't abandon this place, why I can't give up on this place." I could feel my voice growing tenser. She looked back once more at the tree. I could see the marvel in her eyes as she examined it in detail. While she did so, I reached toward my belt and pulled the tiny vial from it. Quickly uncapping it to get a small dose of the light-blue liquid I took a quick sip before beginning to re-cap it. At this time, Hannah turned to look at me and saw the vial in my hand.