Lost Boy, Stolen Memories

Chapter 29

Pan's POV

Luckily Erin didn't have any hesitations, or else it would have made this much harder. We are now ascending the steps that lead to the cave that contains the hourglass. Erin is walking slightly ahead of me, obviously giddy and nervous.

We reach the last stair and Erin looks around the room. It's large and open, full of gold and jewels that we have won from pirates over the years. And right in the center is the hulking hourglass containing Neverland's magic. I almost can't bring myself too look at it, there is only a handful of sand left. I look out of one of the skull's eyes and see that the moon is full. I have to make this quick.

Suddenly doubts start chasing themselves around my head. What if Erin doesn't have the Heart of the Truest Believer? Then there won't be any time to fix this. Why didn't I start searching earlier? What will happen to the Lost Boys and I? Will we simply fade out of existence?

Erin's voice brings me back to the task at hand, "What is that hourglass for?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Why here, Peter?"

I hear voices from below us. The Lost Boys must have noticed something wrong with the moon and come straight here.

I tell Erin not to talk, that its ruining the moment. I press my lips against hers to assure her silence. Then I make like I'm going to grab her breasts but instead my hand passes through. I close my hand around her heart and rip it from her body.

Erin goes limp and her lips leave mine, she crashes to the floor. She looks to be conscious, but is too stunned to say anything. Just holding her heart sends a wave of new power through me. The heart glows a faint gold, and it's oddly beautiful.

I look up and see Colt standing on the last step, staring at me in horror.

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Colt's POV

We arrive at Skull Rock and Felix starts explaining to everyone what's going on. Over their nervous chatter, I barely catch the sound of Pan's voice sounding from the level above us. I listen for Erin's voice too, but I don't hear it. I hope it's only because the Lost boys are being too loud.

I decide to wait a few minutes to see if he will come down. Pan has banned us from ascending the stairs to the second level of the rock, but if worse comes to worse I'm going up there and no one can stop me.

After several minutes Felix comes over to me and asks, "Have you seen Pan?"

"No, but I heard his voice from up there," I point at the stairs while saying this, "I was thinking about going up there to see what's going on."

"And get yourself killed? Pan told us to never go up there, and I'd follow his rules if I were you. Unless you're on a suicide mission then I don't suggest it," he says in reply.

For some reason my brain interprets this as a challenge. I find myself walking to the stairs and placing my feet on one and the next and the next.

Felix calls after me, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

The first thing I notice is the giant hourglass. It must be what holds the magic, the one that Pan told Wendy about. The sparkling sand inside it is almost all in the bottom, not the top. The second thing I notice is Pan and Erin.

At a glance, it looks like Pan's hand is on Erin's chest, but when I look closer, his hand is in her chest. And suddenly it isn't, but he brings her heart with it, and Erin collapses onto the floor. I've heard some of the other boys talking about Pan ripping the hearts out of people before, but I've never witnessed it.

Pan looks up and sees me. He says, "Colt, just in time for the party, but I don't remember putting you on the guest list."

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Erin's POV

I can see and hear what's going on around me, but I can't bring myself to move or say anything. At first the shock is too great for me to feel anything else. When is finally does ease up, anger and sadness flow into me.

I watch as Pan and Colt have their conversation.

"What are you doing to Erin," Colt says angrily.

Pan laughs cruelly, "I meant it literally when I said I needed the Heart of the Truest Believer. Let's back up a bit. Why are you up here? One of the first things I told you when I brought you here was to never, under no circumstances, set foot in this room."

"It was an emergency," Colt says, "I just wanted to see what was going on."

"I'm pretty sure that an emergency is still a circumstance. And I think you only came to make sure Erin was okay."

"What makes you think that?" Colt says defensively.

Pan scoffs, "I see the way you look at her, it's the same way you looked at Wendy. I think you were so protective over Erin because you lost Wendy. But Colt, I am the only one who controls who lives and who dies here, not you. No matter how hard you try, you can't stop me."

The anger on Colts face is evident even though I am several yards away. He charges at Pan, though doesn't make it very far before he doubles over. I'm guessing Pan is responsible, his arm is outstretched and his palm is facing Colt.

Colt is now on his hands and knees, coughing up blood.

"This heart of yours sure is powerful," Peter says.

It takes me a few seconds to realize that he's talking to me. I just say weakly, "Stop hurting him."

"Really? It was him who told me about your powerful heart in the first place. He helped me prove it. If it weren't for him, you wouldn't be about to die, Neverland would. He's been assisting me this entire time, although he did fall for you near the end," Pan says. Colt grunts, but he can't form any words.

It hurts that Colt was allied with Pan, but that doesn't mean I want him to die. I plead, "I've accepted that you're going to kill me, Pan, but please don't kill Colt too."

"You don't listen, do you Erin? Didn't I just get through telling Colt that I get to choose who dies here?" Pan says, tilting his head.

I don't respond. Pan turns his attention back to Colt, blood still dripping from his mouth.

Pan tells him, "I decided to kill you the night when you told me you saw me kill Wendy." Then he closes his open hand into a fist and Colt crumples, dead. Tears roll freely down my cheeks.

"Your turn, love," Pan sneers.

A/N: Oops forgot to update again... well there's only one chapter left. Hopefully I'll have it up on Monday.