Caged • Robbie Kay/Peter Pan •

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Meadow, are you okay?"

I stood on the beach, my arms wrapped around myself under my cloak and my breath causing a mist in the cool of the night.

I looked to James who had two of the game sacks full of food and things we'd collected from the cellar in his hands, waiting for me to help him get the boat for our departure.

There was no reason why I shouldn't go, but something kept me from water. Fear? Perhaps it was knowing that Liam would wake up in the morning, just like the rest of boys and know that I was gone; that I had abandoned them.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said, then took a deep breath before finding the boat. "I don't know if I can do this."

James looked to me, dropping the bags in the boat and taking a couple of steps closer to where I stood. "Meadow, you're unsure because Neverland is all you know. Pan took your memories away, probably with some kind of drug, so that you wouldn't want to leave. Can't you see the kind of monster he is? He kidnaps children and takes them away from everything they have." he pulled me into an uncomfortably awkward hug and pushed my head against his chest. "You deserve more."

I pulled away, looking up into his dark blue eyes that looked black in the night. "You don't even know me."

"I do. Somehow, I do." he said, then pushed the boat into the water. "Come on."

I climbed in the boat, hoping I was making the right decision.

The only light we had was the moon reflecting off of the waves, guiding us beyond the fishing island and far from Neverland. Wherever we ended up, would hopefully be close to home.

"What happens when we get there?" I asked as he rowed rhythmically; the oars creaking and the water hitting the wood.

"Maybe we'll get our memories back and find a way back home. If we don't, we could start a new life wherever we are." he said, the depth of his breathing increasing.

I was unsure of what to say, or even of what I wanted. I had no idea if we would survive the night or if we really could find a way off. I ignored my guilty feeling and thought of what James had said, 'You deserve this'.

The wind blew the hood of my cloak off of my head and my tangled mess of blonde whipped behind me in even gusts.

Suddenly, something hit the boat.

"Did you feel that?" I asked James.

"Feel what?"

"Something hit the boat."

James shook his head. "It was probably a rock or a fish. Once we get far enough out, we'll be fine. You're just paranoid."

But once again, something hit the boat, and an eerily beautiful sound; much like a choir of screeches echoed beneath the boat; sending chills running down my spine and my eyes met James' as he stopped rowing. "That wasn't a fish."

There was a splash beside us and a figure emerged from the water; a glowing paleness emitting from its skin. It swam closer to the boat, and rested it's arms on the edge of boat. My blood ran cold and for a moment, I couldn't breathe.

"James, whatever you do, don't let them pull you in." I whispered, though I intended for it to come out much louder.

It was then, that I finally believed in mermaids.

"Where are you going, child?" she spoke with such a comforting tone, calming my racing heart.

Her skin was as pale as the moon; her hair a dark black and radiant green eyes peered so deeply into mine that I was stunned into a sort of trance. "We're trying to leave Neverland. If you let us pass, we won't ever disturb you again." I admitted.