Lost Girl

Once upon a time, there was a boy who decided not to grow up, so he flew to Neverland. He gathered boys who were abandoned by their parents and took them with him. He called these boys his lost boys. His name was...

Peter Pan

“So, you think you know my story, huh? We’ll see about that.”

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Shadow

CHAPTER ONE

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I was leaning on the wooden railing of the Jolly Roger, looking out over my beloved sea. The waves pushed the seawater against the boat-side, and the wind made sure some of the salty water reached my freckled face. I closed my eyes, and a smile appeared on my lips, sniffing the fresh evening air wandering above the ocean and feeling the tickling of the cold breeze on my skin.

I opened my eyes as someone placed a hand on my shoulder. My head snapped to the left, looking into my brother’s darkened blue-green eyes. I smiled softly when I realized it was him and turned my head back to the horizon, watching the beautiful sunset. How the warm orange turned into cold blue, and little stars vaguely appeared in the sky.

“I could stay here all night, you know?” I said smiling. Killian chuckled.

“I know, you got that from our mother, Luv,” he said, swinging his arm around my shoulders, ”we got that from our mother, actually.”

I giggled and swung my arm around his waist, my head leaning on his shoulder.

“I miss mum.” I sighed, still staring into the sunset.

“Yeah, me too, Maeve. Me too.” A sad sigh escaped his lips, and we stood there, watching the sunset together as he placed a small kiss on top of my head.

“Do- do you ever miss dad?” I questioned carefully.

He shrugged. “I guess, in some ways sometimes.” His voice was soft, something you wouldn’t expect from a one-handed pirate, with a bit of a drinking problem.

I bit my lip with furrowed brows. “Is it bad that I don’t miss him? I mean, he took off. He just left.”

“Yeah, but you were still really young when dad abandoned us. You don’t remember the times before he robbed the Royal Treasure, Luv,” He looked down at the deck.

“True.” I shrugged. “But you know I like to hear stories about what it was like when dad hadn’t left yet.” I grinned. I heard a chuckle coming from the dark brown-haired man next to me, his head facing back up.

“I suppose I’d better tell you before you lose your cool and slice me with those double swords on your back, as you did to those two guys when we were in Agrahbad,” he taunted, and I gave him a playful nudge in his stomach.

“They had it coming! You don’t try to rob a lady, even if she’s a pirate,” I answered with a hint of indignation and crossed my arms.

“Yes, I know. I’m just proud that my little sister can defend herself this well.”

“I’m not little anymore!”

He laughed and playfully ruffled my already chaotic brown hair. “I know, I know.”

“Good, now tell me a story.” I smiled and innocently looked up at him.

Killian chuckled. “All right, all right. Well, dad always used to say that when you were a little older, we would go and make a realm trip.” Hook almost always smiled while thinking back at the old times. The old times being when he was just around my age.

I smiled. “But we are making our own realm trip now. Just us and the crew. We don’t need ‘dear old dad’ to have fun.”

“No, no we certainly do not! And as soon as we’ve docked in the Enchanted Forest, we can have some more fun.” Killian sighed happily.

“I am wondering though,” I bit my lip, debating on whether I should ask him or not. I had wanted to for some time now, ever since he got back. I didn’t know why I hadn’t asked him, I usually was very straightforward and some had even called me blunt from time to time. I couldn’t figure out what was holding me back, but I decided that today was going to be the day I asked him.

“What’s on your mind, Luv?” His voice soft again, worried.

“Well, when you were away all those years-”

“Maeve, come on. You know I didn’t mean too, I didn’t mean to abandon you as well-”

“-I know, that’s not it. I have forgiven you for that. But-” I shifted slightly. “-you’ve been away for eight years, yet you look not much older.” I raised my eyebrows as my eyes stared into his, trying to find out whether he was lying or not when he spoke.

He cleared his throat. “Yes, it is quite unusual. But I am just a really good-looking guy. I don’t show age.” He smiled smugly, and I couldn’t help but snort.

“I guess,” I answered chuckling.

“Now, I think you should head to bed, Luv.”

I rolled my eyes. “You cannot boss me around like I’m still a 10-year old!” I answered, clenching my jaws. “We just had this discussion, Killian! I’m 16, I decide when I’m tired enough to go to bed.” I crossed my arms and started walking away.

“Okay. Where are you going now then? Because it looks a lot like you’re heading towards the captain’s quarters, Luv,” he answered amused.

I didn’t look back, just kept continuing my way to the captain’s quarters. “I am going to bed, but because I wanted too.”

“All right, good night, Luv!” he said chuckling.

“Good night, Hook!” I yelled back smiling.

“I love you!”

“I love you too!” I called out aggressively before closing the wooden door of the captain’s cabin.

I entered a small hallway with on either side one door. The left led to my brother’s room and the right to mine. I opened the squeaking door and entered my room. Across the doorway was a window, looking out over the sea. In front of the window; my bed with next to it a little wooden nightstand. Pressed against the left wall next to the door, was my bookshelf and opposite, my small closet.

I walked towards my closet and grabbed my pyjama’s, consisting out of short red shorts and a white tank top, I didn’t see the comfort in sleeping in a dress. Sure, I liked to wear dresses, in fact, that was about all I wore, I loved it, but not the big ball dresses seen at galas. I feel more comfortable in dresses like this.

Idealistic with a red cloak to hide the weapons underneath. But all and all, a perfect dress to flirt, fight and flight, although the latter I usually didn’t.

After getting dressed into my comfy pj’s, I walked to my bed and opened the window, the cold sea breeze flushing in my face. I smiled and pulled the covers over my body, my back pressing against the wall, so I was able to sit up straight. I grabbed the book I was currently reading from my nightstand and started reading. After a couple of pages, I suddenly heard a noise coming from outside. I slapped the book shut and put it back onto the nightstand. I carefully crawled to my window, opening it a bit more, so I was able to properly lean outside.

“Killian?” I whisper-yelled cautiously, no response. Which was strange, as he was most probably the only one outside to keep the Jolly Roger functioning. I turned my head to the left: nothing. Then I thought I’d seen something on my right. I snapped my head to where I thought I saw something move. When I looked, however, I didn’t see anything. I shrugged and looked over the dark ocean, feeling at home here. I suddenly felt two arms being wrapped around my waist and firmly pulling me up. I turned my head up and saw some sort of shadow. The feeling of the cold windowsill slowly faded away from my touch, and I looked down again, realizing I was somehow floating.

“Killian! Help!” I tried to scream out, but no sound came from my mouth. I tried to scream again, but nothing came out. I furrowed my brows and looked down, seeing the ocean getting smaller and smaller.

“Let me go!” I yelled to the shadow when we were above the clouds, suddenly my voice was back. It had no use however to keep yelling for Killian though. “Who the hell are you?!”

As I looked up, trying to find the face of this shadow creature, it’s head, I presumed, turned my way. Where two eyes were supposed to be, were just two shining dots. The creature turned its head back up and looked to the stars. One star, in particular, came closer and closer.

“What are you- what are you doing?!” I yelled as we came closer to the star. When a bright, white light suddenly shined, I groaned painfully. It felt like I was being blinded. I firmly closed my eyes. It was only until I was certain that the bright light was gone, that I opened them again. The turquoise ocean waves softly reached over the white beach sand and the bright sunlight fell through the leaves of the tropical trees. It was a beautiful island, however, the fact that it was still day kept nagging at me. I mean, the sun was shining! And then those trees: that were jungle trees. It was clear to me that I wasn’t in the Enchanted Forest, was I? I know it’s been a while since I’d been at the Enchanted Forest, but I’d never seen a jungle-like atmosphere.

The shadow flew at a high speed towards the island, slowly lowering towards the earth. The tops of the trees came closer and the grip of the shadow began to loosen. I looked startled up to the shadow.

“Okay, I know we didn’t start off great and I said to let me go just earlier. But please, DO NOT LET ME FALL DOWN!” I yelled at the shadow as his grip loosened immensely. “No... NoO!” The shadow let go of me and I started to fall down. Even though I wasn’t that high in the air anymore, I was still dropped from a height that was able to kill me if I landed the wrong way. Air whooshed around my body. I fell through the foliage, the branches slightly cutting me. I groaned as my body hit the ground. The damped grass tickled my exposed skin and I hoped I didn’t break anything. But hey, at least I wasn’t dead.

Once I checked if I was able to move every limb of my body, I slowly stood up, brushing the dirt off my clothes. I sighed and looked around, noticing the various tints of green every single plant possessed. The medium warm jungle breeze tickled my skin. I closed my eyes and sniffed the fresh forest scent, enjoying how every plant had its own aroma. A smile appeared on my face and I listened to the chirping birds in this jungle. My eyes shot open when I suddenly heard the sound of a stick breaking behind me. I was surrounded by about a dozen boys, covered in brown cloaks, pointing their arrows and spears at me. I noticed black liquid dripping from the arrowheads.

“What, do we have, here?” A tall boy with dirty-blonde hair, also wearing a brown cloak, emerged from in between the trees. He swung his big, wooden club over his shoulder and stepped into the circle, his electric blue eyes piercing at me and a crooked smile covering his scarred face. I noticed that the boy was about the same age as me. I stepped challenging forward, one eyebrow raised and my jaws clenched.

“What do you want?” I questioned slowly, feeling his warm breath softly brushing my cheek. He chuckled playfully and stepped even closer to me, our noses almost touching. Me, being the stubborn person I am, continued my challenging look, refusing to step back.

“I’m absolutely certain I asked you a question first,” the boy said in his rough voice.

“Yes, but I decided to ignore that question.” I shrugged.

The smirk on the boy’s face widened and he raised his eyebrows. “You really think that’s a good idea?” The boy moved his arm around, reminding me of the boys with arrows surrounding me. I kept focussing on his eyes, not flinching.

“I don’t care, what are a couple teenage boys with pointy sticks going to do to me?” I popped my eyebrows challenging.

“O, but there’s a lot we can do,” the boy said in a low and raspy voice.

I clenched my jaws and stood on the tips of my toes, making myself tall enough for my lips to reach his ear. “Try me,” I whispered as my lips lightly brushed his ear. He let a shaky breath escape through his nose and shivered just the slightest, before regaining his posture. A smug smile played around my mouth and I let myself fall on the entirety of my feet again.

The boy’s amused smirk widened. “All right, I want to know what you are doing here. You must be on Neverland for a reason.”

I raised my eyebrows. “And why’s that?” I questioned, not understanding why it is weird for someone to be in the jungle. Okay, maybe it is a little weird for a girl to be in the jungle in her embarrassing and conveniently too short pyjama’s, especially while being surrounded by a couple of teenage boys, but I already said it so let’s go with it.

“There has never been a girl on Neverland before, and Peter Pan always takes someone for a reason. So tell me, little girl, how did you get here?”

My teeth clenched at the name he called me, I wasn’t that little, he was just tall. 170 cm for a girl was pretty tall. I didn’t want to give him the pleasure though, of showing how much it angered me, so I shrugged and looked him piercing in his eyes.

“I don’t know, you just said that Peter Pan, whoever that is, always takes someone for a reason. Why don’t you ask him, because I would like to know as well,” I snapped and popped my eyebrows challenging. The boy’s smirk grew bigger again.

“That is an excellent idea. Why don’t we go ask Pan, boys?” The boy straightened himself and glanced at the boys that had circled me.

I didn’t trust what they were doing and started backing off a bit. I missed my weapons, my double swords and dagger, usually hidden in my boot. Sure, I could try fighting these boys off with bare hands, but the black liquid dripping from their arrowheads refrained me from doing that. If they were smart, the liquid would have been some sort of poison, and these boys were certainly not friendly enough to give me the antidote if I were to get injected.

I suddenly felt hands being wrapped around my arms, which meant at least one of the boys had lowered their weapon. I jumped and made a backflip, so the boy’s arms couldn’t hold me, if he did, he would most likely break both of them. It worked and I landed safely onto the ground with free arms. I kicked the boy in his knee-caps, so he kneeled on the floor, and I punched him in the head. One less boy to worry about. However, none of the other boys had lowered their weapon and they were slowly closing in on me. I wanted to turn around and run away (one of the very few moments I fled) but bumped into the dirty-blonde boy with the club. The last thing I saw was his annoying smirk, then everything went black.