VOLATILE (I) : peter pan ouat

When Introductions Happened

Day: 1

All of a sudden I stop feeling nothing and instantly feel pain. I peel my eyes open and brush the dirt off of my face, groaning. I landed face first into the ground. I slowly stand up, aching everywhere. I begin tucking my stray hairs inside my hood as I look around I am in a clearing of a forest.

Which makes no sense. I'm in a clearing of my mind. I hit the ground so hard my mind has been relieved of all logic and reason. I'm hallucinating.

I hear groaning and look down to my right at a boy in pajamas, who looks frightened out of his damn mind. I reach a hand down to help him up off the ground.

"Well Toto, I don't think we are in Kansas anymore," I say to the boy, mustering out a small chuckle, trying to ease the awkward tension in the air.

When Dorothy returned from Oz in the story, didn't everyone think she was insane? I'm starting to feel insane.

He stands next to me shaking. Not saying a word.

"You ok there bud?" Choppy breath leaves my mouth, slicing the silence.

"Where are we?" His voice tiptoes on the line between calm and panic.

"I don't know." They say honesty is the best policy, but who are they and what are their motives? Maybe I should lie to him, tell him he's safe. "I'm Charlie."

"I'm Max," he stutters. "Max Campbell."

"Max?" I ask him. "How old are you."

"14."

Max looks young. He is shorter than I am, probably around five foot six. Brown hair hangs over his freckled face like a visor, protecting his eyes from the harsh sunlight.

It's sunny. At 4 AM. I'm losing my mind.

Suddenly loud chanting erupts from behind us. I quickly spin around. In front of me is a massive circle of boys. They are all shouting and whooping at something, presumably what's in the center of the circle. I walk over towards the circle and manage to fight my way through, Max in tow.

In the center of the circle are two boys, one of whom I recognise. Johnny, my neighbour, wipes his blonde hair out of his eyes as he charges another boy. He tackles the other boy, grunting as they land on the ground. The boy clocks Johnny in the face, before shoving him off. He sort of shrugs away the idea, wiping the dirt off his face as he moves towards a brown boy.

What is Johnny doing here? He lies on the ground, wiping the blood that crusts off the corner of his lips. Did Alison call him too? Did he, like me, find his way to this party, thinking she was here?

"Alright, fun times over boys," a voice says behind me.

I look up into the trees and spot the boy with the pan flute. He jumps down and walks into the circle, everyone parting around him.

"Now Alex, was the new boy giving you trouble?" He asks, a wicked grin on his face.

"Not at all," the other boy, Alex, frowns, his eyes averting from the Pan Flute Boy. "I was just saying hello, that's all."

Pan Flute turns to my neighbour. "What's your name?"

The boy spits, blood on the ground "I'm Johnny."

"Well Johnny, bright start then?" Pan Flute asks. I don't think he's being sarcastic.

"First impression are everything." Johnny smirks back.

Pan Flute smiles. "I like you," He turns to the crowd. "It's dinner time."

The boys cheer and run towards the long wooden table, still whooping. They dance and laugh as they run towards the long table, their weapons still in tow.