Caged • Robbie Kay/Peter Pan •

Chapter Sixteen

Peter Pan bewildered me.

Was he my protector or was he my enemy?

As we climbed uphill to one of the large traps that had been set, I prayed that rain would come and wash away the sweat and humid atmosphere that the forest and sun had created.

"You forgot where you set it, didn't you?" Caspar asked Owen.

"It's up here somewhere, I promise."

I promise.

Practically the only words that fell from Owen's mouth, and most of the time they were untruthful and hardly kept.

Through the trees about ten paces, stood a cage like trap with no floor, lowered against the ground and trapping something lying lifeless inside. "Is that it?" I pointed.

Their eyes averted to where my finger pointed. "Yes! Look at that big hog, Peter!" Liam exclaimed excitedly, running to get a better look at the animal in the cage.

We followed close behind him, peaking in through the metal bars.

"It looks dead." Roux concluded, peering at the furry beast in disgust.

"It doesn't smell dead." Nolan said. "Though it does smell quite badly."

We stood looking at it for a few seconds before Caspar went around to the other side of the tree and pulled the rope that hung over a branch like a pulley, lifting the cage back up into the tree.

The large pig jolted up suddenly, recognizing it's freedom and began sprinting.

"Grab it!" Caspar yelled, preparing his arrow.

I darted for the hog but fell into the ground, only catching hold of it's back leg as it dragged me behind it.

It squealed as my hands found it's way around its stomach, the boys laughter erupted from behind me. "Hold on, Meadow!"

Though I weighed the pig down, it was much stronger than I was as it pulled me along the dirty path, my hands clinging to it with white knuckles. A scream fled from my lips and my heart beat faster.

The boys ran after me in attempts to stop the pig.

"Shoot it!" Roux yelled.

"Don't shoot at it! You might hit her!" Nolan responded.

Caspar appeared around a tree, blocking the path of the pig and tossing one of the burlap bags over the head of the hog, stopping it in its tracks.

I let go of it, landing in the dirt as Caspar straddled the struggling screaming hog and tied it's legs together with rope.

Roux and Nolan still laughed and Peter couldn't hide his smile.

"How was the ride?" Caspar inquired, out of breath and chuckling.

"Can I try, Peter?!" Liam asked, giggling.

I stood up, brushing the dust from my stained clothing and noticing the red bruises starting to form on my hips and stomach. I laughed and caught my breath. "I can't believe I actually did that."

"It's a wonder you held on that long." Owen said, shaking his head.

Pride came over me and a genuine smile spread across my face. Not to mention that I had made Peter smile as well.

"That was excellent, Meadow." Caspar said, patting my back rather forcefully almost knocking over my still shaking body.

"I have to admit, I honestly didn't think you had that in you." Peter said, pulling his lips together in attempts to hide his smile but failing instantly.