Caged • Robbie Kay/Peter Pan •

Chapter Four

"You think you can run, Meadow?"

Peter's hand latches onto my shirt and brings me back toward his chest. I scream Owen's name, but he does not come to my rescue. My heart palpitates rapidly, and my vision is blurred.

"Please, Peter. Don't hurt me. I just wanted to go home." I scream once more, but his dirty hand clasps over my mouth.

I can feel the warm tears trickle down my flushed cheeks and I try to escape his grasp, but she clutches onto my body tighter. "This is your home."

He drags me into the woods and my body goes limp. I can't move anything, but I can still feel his sharp nails digging into my flesh and stinging my skin.

A bird like cage stands in the clearing and he forcefully thrusts my numb unmoving body into the cage. "Peter, please." my crying pleas are ignored as if they were never heard.

Suddenly, itchy thorns pierce through the skin on my arms like a million needles, stabbing at my flesh, and sprouting into feathers. My cries turn into screeching and my clothes are torn from my aching body.

"Meadowlark." his haunting voice mutters. The word rings through my ears and echoes in my mind, getting louder until I can't hear my own bird-like screeching.

My pupils become cloudy and the last thing I see is Peter walking away, leaving me to die..

•••

"Meadow!"

I gasp and feel my heart decrease from its brisk pace. Swear drenches my back and cold blood runs through my veins. I'm frozen and numb feeling.

"Meadow, open the door!"

I find the strength to get out of my bed and unhitch the lock on the wooden door. Owen stands on the other side, a spear in his hand and a lantern clutched tightly in the other.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked, his face pale and as out of breath as I was.

"It was- I-" I stutter, still catching my breath. Relief cooled my burning skin and my vision was clear again.

"Meadow, you called for me. You screamed my name, what happened? Did you have a bad dream?" he questioned worriedly. My eyes started to sting with tears, but I struggled to keep them from falling. I couldn't let him think I was a silly girl, crying over frivolous nightmares. I nodded and covered my weary eyes to keep from crying.

It was vivid, so real. The look in Peter's eyes was monstrous and inhuman.

Just then, Owen hugged me awkwardly, half way in the doorway and half way out, trying his best to comfort me as he pulled my head into his embrace. "It's.. it's okay."

Owen was tall and thin, his collar bones protruding from his chest and serving no use for padding against my pounding head.

"I'm a bit out of practice." he claimed, chuckling and pulling me away from him with his hands on my shoulders. "Hey." he said, getting my attention and looking me in the eye. "It was only a dream."

I swallowed the heavy lump in my throat and nodded. "I know."

"Care to talk about it?" he questioned.

"No."

He swallowed and let his hands fall from my shoulders. "Alright. Do you need.. anything?"

I shook my head and crossed my arms over my stomach. I didn't know if I could sleep for the rest of the night, but I had already woken Owen and wasn't about to ask him for anything else.

"Then I guess I'll leave you to get some sleep." he uttered, picking up his spear and lantern and turning to go back to his tent.

"Owen, wait."

"Hm?" he numbled, turning around again.

"Who was Hope?" I asked curiously.

He thought for a moment before answering hesitantly. "Hope was a girl that Peter brought to Neverland."

"Oh. What happened to her?" I inquired.

"Peter was infatuated with her. Unfortunately, Chase was as well and Peter got jealous so he became bitter toward her. He hurt her on several occasions, rarely on purpose though. He never meant to hurt her. She couldn't handle it and asked to leave Neverland, but he didn't want her to." he explained, glancing around to make sure that no one was awake to hear him.

"And he let her go anyway?" I ask him. Owen looked down and his lips tighten. "Hope killed herself."

The pit of my stomach dropped and chills ran cold down my spine.

"He just didn't know how to control his anger and it affected her. It affected all of us and he's never been the same since." his sullen expression mellowed and he looked me in the eye. "But you can't ever tell anyone I told you. Don't ever speak of it or mention it or else Peter will punish you, do you understand?"

I nodded simply.

"Goodnight, Meadow. Don't stay up too much longer." Owen grinned and left me alone with my thoughts.

To think there had been another girl before me made me wonder why Peter had brought me here. If he was pained by the loss of Hope, why would he choose to bring me here?

I was curious to know what was hidden away in the chest at the foot of bed, but I would never know what was inside unless Peter, by some miracle, decided to open it, which I doubt he'd ever do.

The clothing on my body once belonged to her. That's why everyone had stared at me so oddly when they had seen me wearing them.

I pulled the door shut, but something blocked it from closing all the way. I bent down to pick up whatever was there and noticed that it was a small wooden bird.

"Owen's meadowlark." I muttered, gazing admirably at the detailed sculpture held between my fingers.

I clasped the small bird in the hand and carried it over to my bed, setting it on the bed post near my head so that I see it whenever I got into bed.

I would have to thank him for it in the morning, but for now I would admire it's intricate beauty.

And as I started to doze off, the familiar sound of Peter's pipe played softly in my ears, lulling me back to sleep.

•••

A/N

So I already wrote one short chapter today so I figured I'd write another short chapter to make up for the other one.

Thank you guys so much for actually reading and voting. It means so much to especially when I work hard to put up these chapters.

SO GUESS WHO I IMAGINE OWEN TO BE

Thomas. Brodie. Sangster

Yep, he just fit the thin, tall, and awkward description okay.

I love you guys so much!

Love love love