NEVERLAND: Book I

15: Our demons

I made my way back to the surface but just as I was about come up, I felt it again. That awful pain in my stomach that gradually spread throughout my entire body. I had already experienced twice, but neither of those times was it ever as bad as this. It was starting to become unbearable. I couldn't move, it was too painful. The medallion slipped from my weakening grip and I went limp, slowly sinking to the bottom of the lake.

Wendy's POV
It's happening again. And it's even worse this time. I crumbled to the floor as my body was paralyzed with pain, that's how strong it was. Peter gathered my suffering form. Tears formed in the corners of my eyes, it was so painful. I so badly just wanted it to end. Peter shook me as he noticed my eyes starting to close.
"Hey, look at me. It'll be over soon." He tried reassuring me but it didn't do me much good. I just whimpered in response. The poison had only been circulating in my system for a little over an hour now and we still had a long night ahead of us. I don't how much more of this I can take.

Thankfully, Peter was right. It didn't last much longer but it did take me a minute to recover. It was once I was okay enough to stand (though it had to be with Peter's help) that I noticed that Mira still wasn't back yet. Surely, it shouldn't have taken this long to retrieve a medallion. Unless... Oh no.
"Mira must've felt it too. I would've passed out if Peter hadn't prevented me from doing so. But Mira's alone down there all alone which means..."
"Mira's fallen asleep." Felix finished my sentence for me. And without another word, he tore off his tail coat and jumped into the lake. Peter and I sat in a tense silence.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"I don't know how much more of this I can take. This time felt difference from the others. While it was still painful, it bearable. But this time, it felt like I was dying." I answered honestly. I saw what I'm pretty sure was sympathy in his eyes. That sympathy turned into determination as he looked me dead in the eye.
"I swear Wendy, once this is all over I will find a cure for you and Mira. You are not dying tonight or anytime soon for that matter. That is a promise." He declared. I had never seen Peter like this, so passionate about something that was for his own benefit. It was admirable and had me baffled by his change in attitude. Stunned, I nodded in understanding.

Just then, Felix came back up, gasping for air with an unconscious Mira in his arms. Peter and I rushed to their side. Peter helped Felix cough up some of the water that he had inevitably ingested from staying down there for so long. In his hand was the medallion Mira was told to find. I tried waking Mira up but she was unresponsive. I even tried slapping her awake the same way she had to me quite a few times over the month but still nothing. I suddenly had an idea but it was definitely a long shot.
"Mira said that the medallion gave anyone who possessed it with the ability to control mermaids right?" I recalled. Peter and Felix nodded in confirmation. "What if we commanded her to wake up?"
"Would that work?" Felix wondered.
"It's worth a try." I shrugged uncertainly. Felix handed the medallion and I clasped it in my hands and held it over Mira's heart. Please work.
"Wake up." I spoke in a monotonous tone. A minute passed and just as we were about to give up, Mira sat up perfectly straight, gasping for air.
"What'd I miss?" She asked, slightly frazzled. 
"You mean besides you almost dying? Nothing at all." Peter deadpanned. But Mira didn't find nearly as funny. 
"How'd I get here? I was going further down. I was paralyzed."
"Felix pulled you back up." I answered.
"Did he?" Mira's amused demeanor returned. "You developing a soft spot for me Felix?"
"You wish." He scoffed, but I could tell he was just putting up a front. They were starting to take a liking to each other. They definitely compliment each other. Mira was talkative, extroverted, and very expressive while Felix was more quiet, reserved, and much more cryptic. While Mira would verbally tell you if she liked you or not, Felix would just give you a look that would tell you all you needed to know. They're starting to become fast friends. But that best friend slot is mine and I don't share.