White Rose - A Peter Pan Fanfiction

Chapter 23

The boys scattered into varying directions, leaving only me and Wendy at camp. Her fragile face was quivering and her white nightgown was tattered and ripped, and I wondered how such a porcelain doll could survive on this wretched island for much longer.

"There aren't anymore girls on Neverland," she said as soft as a whisper, helping herself to a seat against of the logs.

Tilting my head to the side, I sat beside her and cautiously dropped my gaze to the burnt out fire.

"Neverland is a place of survival," I said, remembering what Pan had told me after the first lot of boys died. "End of story."

"So...this isn't just a place of magic and fun?" she squeaked and I couldn't help but chuckle at her naivety.

"Oh Wendy, you have much to learn," I sneered, looking towards her now. "You're here because your lost. Why?"

Her expression was blank, her bottom lip dropped in confusion as she stared right back at me. Her eyes were wide and beady, just like a doll's, and I wondered if she'd break within a single blink of my gaze.

"I..."

"Broken home?" I said and then smiled, pulling out the manipulation from within me.

"Did you –?" she started and I cut her off quickly, lying.

"I did. My father, he...he treated me in words I can't..." I paused for a dramatic effect, forcibly shutting my eyes. Wendy placed her hand against my own hand and I re-opened my eyes. I compelled tears from my eyes and pretended to fake smile, squeaking out the next words. "Neverland is my home now."

"They all seem so nice," she said, beaming a toothed smile before it slowly faded. "I...I'd like to stay here forever but..."

And I waited, taking a deep breath as I pursed my lips. I felt like a lion retracting in tall grass, getting ready to pounce at any moment. "I have to get home. I love my family. I...simply came for an adventure."

Smirking, I got up into a standing position and looked down at her. I'm too impatient for this.

"Come," was all I said and just like that, she followed me into the woods.

+++

When we reached the cages, Wendy clutched onto my arm like a frightened little girl and I heard her soft whimpers.

"Please, Serena," she begged and I snapped my arm away from hers and took hold of her own arms, glaring down at her. I need the information, I worried to myself and her eyes widened just a tad. "You're...this isn't you."

And that's what caught me off guard. Could she see through my...my fake evil? My demure self? No. Tightening my grip, I spat, "you don't know me."

"I can see –"

"You're nothing but a girl," I snapped at her but she smiled lightly and almost with pity for me.

"And so are you."

I dropped my hands, remembering how James once said how the boys on here were monsters. Was I slowly becoming one? Of course not, it was stupid to even think that. It wasn't that I wasn't strong – I just...didn't want to do things the way Pan did them, but I was forcing myself to. I was trying to mirror his ways when I should have been doing my own.

Lowering my gaze, I swallowed down the lump in my throat as I briefly closed my eyes.

"Run," I whispered and when I opened my eyes, she stared at me confused. "Pan wants you and when he comes back, you'll be in the cage. Go, quickly."