"I hope left overs are sufficient."
My head span around so that my eyes could study the origin of the deep voice. It was a tall blonde boy who stood in the opening of the trees, he had stern features and a stare that made me uncomfortable. I noticed the pink scar that travelled down his skin, under his right eye and across his cheek, and wondered how he acquired something so bad. He wore a dark brown cloak with only slightly brighter brown trousers and boots. It didn't exactly make him look like the most approachable person.
As I scanned over him, I saw the bowl in his hand and, as if on cue, my stomach growled like a hungry dog. My mouth watered and I looked back at his crystal eyes desperately. Not one part of me wanted to beg, but I was so hungry. I couldn't remember the last time I ate or drank anything. Even scraps would be amazing.
He began walking over to the cage making me tense as some sort of defence mechanism, "It's not much, seen as though the boys are like a pack of wolves with food, but it'll keep you alive." He pulled at some string around his neck and uncovered an old looking key, pushing it into the lock and turning.
The door swung open and I wanted to launch out of it, taking the boy down so I could make a run for it. I definitely had the chance to and I just needed to grab at it, but I didn't. I just sat there silently, watching him get on with what seemed like a part of his chores. Was that really all I had became, a chore? Maybe it was because my body ached and I knew I didn't really have the strength to, I needed the food he was providing. Also, where would I really go? I had no idea what or where Neverland was. My mind was a mess and there was nothing that I could pluck out of it that could have helped. I was hopeless and lost in every kind of way. Staying there was most likely my best choice, at least I was getting fed.
After placing the bowl inside and locking the cage door back up, he took a step back and nodded as if to tell me it was okay to start eating. Like a trained animal I leaped forward to grab it and began shoving it into my mouth, almost choking multiple times. But it was like nectar from the Gods whatever it was and I could feel the energy returning to body, making me feel better by the second. It was gone too quickly and my stomach wanted more, growling out loud for extra. My eyes shot up towards the boy as I wiped my mouth with my hand and our eyes caught contact. His stare was long and felt heavy on me, like he was trying to figure me out.
"What? Never seen a girl before?" I remarked sarcastically and he chuckled drily as he pulled the rope that held the key over his head.
"Not many," he replied finally diverting his eyes. He didn't seem as stern and moody as he made himself look. Just looking at him in that moment of his small smile fading it was easy to see there was something underneath. Something that was unspoken and quietly tucked away. "But I guess that's normal in group called the Lost boys."
"Should I take that name literally? Like, you don't know where you are either," I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. I placed the bowl down and crossed my legs, shimmying forward to be closer. I wanted this conversation to keep going so I could get as much information out of him as possible.
"Not exactly, we all know what Neverland is. And we all know it's our home now. Better than all our previous ones at least." He looked almost... sad. But not at the same time, maybe more angry, or confused? His eyebrows furrowed like he was unsure of himself, or like he couldn't remember or decide. His eyes seemed to glaze over like he was recalling something and it seemed that he was experiencing many different emotions all at once.
"So, just boys then?" I asked to get him back into the conversation. I wanted more information than that and having him go in on himself was not going to help. His eyes came back to me and he nodded in return, his face tensed. "When was the last time a girl was here?"
I regretted asking it as soon as the last word fell out of my mouth. His whole persona seemed to change as a memory entered his mind. I noticed how he gulped and his breathing shifted, clearly not enjoying whatever it was. Anger radiated off of him as a shadow seemed to cast over his face as he slightly tilted it downward. I almost felt bad for bringing it up, but I was the one sat in a cage.
"No more questions," he muttered as he turned on his heel and started walking away. He moved quickly, maybe because he didn't want to be vulnerable in front of me, and I was trying to think of something to stop him.
"Wait, no! I'm sorry!" I shouted, but he was gone before I was even finished.
I felt mad and frustrated with myself as I huffed, sulking for being so stupid. I slouched and pulled my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them. It was irritating me that I was still no closer to knowing anything and I blew the best chance I had had in the few days of being there. The cage felt smaller every moment that I as in there and my chest tightened as my eyes watered. Around me, the trees became nothing but a blur and all the noises that crept out of them a night scared me. The food and water was scarce and being able to wash was non-existent. No position was comfortable for long and my tattered clothes were all I had to keep warm if it go colder. All I knew was that I wasn't supposed to be here and I wanted to go home, wherever that was. I had a longing for something I couldn't even remember properly, but I knew that once I found something that hinted towards it everything would come back. Unfortunately, finding that one thing was not going to be easy.
