The First Lost Boy (Wattys 2017) ON HOLD

t w e n t y • t w o

She hadn't been this afraid since the day Harry and the lost boys found her underneath the tree of pixie dust. Ironically enough, it had everything to do with the pirates back then as well. She'd been scared out of her wits when she ran from them but she knew if they caught her, they'd do things to her that'd be far worse than death.

The reminder of it sent fear coursing through her veins as she let Harry haul her through the trees, with Peter in tow. His grip on her arm was tight, fingers digging deep enough to leave a bruise but it barely phased her. She was too busy looking wildly around, half expecting Hook and his pirates to come jumping out of them.

"Come on, Gwen." Harry rushed her, pulling her out of her daze as he tugged harder on her arm. She stumbled over her own feet but caught herself before she could fall. She quickened her pace and before she knew it, they were back at camp. Only it looked different from when she left. There were lost boys everywhere, running out of their huts and most of them held some kind of weapon. And what was stranger, was that they were oddly quiet despite the tension in the air.

"Harry," Will came running up, a makeshift sword in his hand and his blonde hair sticking up around his ears. "The pirates are almost to shore. Earl's been keeping an eye out and Jake's been running back and forth to report updates. What should we do?"

Harry stopped, breathing in deeply through his nose as his gaze darted around to the lost boys that were gathering in front of him. He pressed his lips together, turning to look down at Gwen and pulling her forward. "Take Gwen to her hut. The rest of you are coming with me."

"What?" Gwen asked in confusion and shook her head. "No, I'm staying with you."

"No, you're hiding here." Harry said firmly, while Will stepped forward to grab Gwen's arm but she easily pulled away. "Gwen, please."

"I don't want to hide here, Harry. It's not fair that I'm staying here while the rest of you are going to go fight them."

"We won't fight, not unless it comes to that." He told her, though he wasn't sure if he meant it entirely. "But there will be a fight for sure if they see you. So please, just listen to me and go hide in your hut."

She didn't want to listen but the way Harry was looking at her made it clear that he was in no mood to argue. So she sucked on her lips and nodded her head, letting Will take her arm again. She kept her gaze on Harry and he stepped forward, like he didn't want to separate without a proper goodbye but stopped himself. Disappointed, she turned around and walked alongside Will as he dropped her arm. They quickly walked through camp until Gwen was just outside her door, half expecting Will to come in with her but he stopped outside and waved her in.

"You're not coming?" She asked in surprise and he shook his head.

"I have to help Harry, in case he needs it." She frowned and he stepped forward, blue eyes staring at her intensely. "Do not leave. Stay here and keep yourself hidden."

"Okay." She mumbled and he waited for her to go inside her hut before running off to go find Harry. Gwen's pounding heart was loud in her ears now that she was alone, the room seeming too empty. Swallowing thickly, she moved towards the bed and sat at the edge as she chewed on her lip. She didn't know what to do. Just sit there and wait? For Harry to return or for the pirates to come take her? Sitting there didn't feel safe to her but neither did wandering the forest alone. God knows whether the pirates would catch her or not if she did that.

But she felt anxious. Especially when the whole camp grew eerily quiet minutes later, signaling that all the lost boys had left. She chewed on her lip, leg bouncing nervously as she gazed at the door. Half expecting the pirates to break the door down, she flinched any time the wind would shake the door or rustle the trees. Her fear rose with each passing second and though she wanted to listen to Harry's orders, she couldn't just sit there. It was driving her mad and the longer she was left alone the more she was haunted with Peter's words from earlier.