run boy run ✦ once upon a time

chapter 10 ✦ company

I felt my body loosen up as I opened my eyes. My back ached and my vision was in the middle of blurry and clear. I sat up and the dizziness set it. Footsteps echoed around me and I focused myself. I steadied myself in my feet and snuck, carefully around the tree branches, which were scattered, on the jungle floor. The flames of torches glowed from a distance and I squinted my eyes to see it moving very fast. I got closer until I found a way to conceal myself in the bushes. The boys carried a man in their arms. He wore a blue shirt and some long pants on. He looked familiar.

I built a fire on the other side of the island. Like always I was alone. I didn't really mind it. I was used to the quiet that endured my life. It was nice. I grabbed my sword and stuck it into the fire. I kept it in there until it was fiery red and quickly poked it out. I looked up and down the knife. I touched the necklace that hung on my neck. My mother gave it to me before the Dark One vanquished her. I don't really remember her. I was very young. Only about 3 at the time. That's when the drinking started. I knew my father always drank but not that heavily. He'd come home with some random bimbo that seduced him at the bar. I could barely sleep. I'd always had to move to one of the lifeboats and sleep there. It was uncomfortable. I hated it. I threw the sword down on the dirt as tears strained my face. I wiped them away. I am not weak. I felt like I was being watched. I knew Pan's has eyes all over this hell. I shrugged and lay on the ground, looking at the stars. There's the big dipper. I loved the idea of stars. Different galaxies and infinite numbers of them. CRACK! I shot up and grabbed my sword. I saw a figure walking through the brush. I quietly stood up, my sword gripped in my right hand. I looked at the figure form behind a tree. It was a boy. He was around fourteen maybe older. He had brown curly locks with green eyes. I got to admit, he was handsome. I snapped out of it and jumped on the boy. He was surprise. I pressed the heavy metal against his neck and stared into his eyes.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"Why should I tell you?" He growled.

"Because you could be one of Pan's monkeys." I hissed.

"If it makes you any better, I hate Pan and want to kill him as much as you do." He smiled.

"Name or I'll cut your throat open." I threatened, clenching my teeth together.

"Baelfire." He introduced, finally giving up. "I also go by Bae." I pushed myself off of him. He got up and stuck out his hand. I looked down at it. He got the hint and tucked his hand onto his pocket.

"Why are you here?" I asked, raising an eyebrow while I went back to the fire.

"I was betrayed by a pirate and got captured by Pan." He spoke, slowly.

"I know the feeling." I looked at my feet. Before it got too awkward, I walked away.

"Wait!" Bae called. I turned around and put on a fake smile. "Why don't you crash at my place?" He offered. I scrunched my face. He doesn't even know me and he's giving me a place to sleep.

"For all I know, you could turn me into Pan." I pointed out.

"I'm not, I promise." He said. I gave him a 'really' face. "And when I promise something, I never ever break that promise." He continued. I stayed silent.

"Fine." I gave up. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into the woods. We got to a big rock and he used his hands to present it. "A rock." I grimaced. He looked at the rock and smiled very cheekily. I rolled my eyes. He grabbed a vine and pulled.

"I could use some help." He groaned. I chuckled and grabbed the vine, pulling with him. The rock lifted to reveal a cave. He held the vine with a red face. "Ladies first." He moaned. I saluted him and went inside. He let go and quickly scurried inside. The rock closed with a loud thud. It was really dark. How can he even see? He lit a match that was lying on the rock form like a table. He threw it into a coconut with wax in it.

"Nice." I complimented.

"Here's the best part." He put a coconut on top of the other one. But this one had holes on the top. He set it down on it and they ceiling of the cave lit up like stars. I smirked.

"Clever."

"Bae." I whispered to myself. They finally reached a cage and threw him in. I saw Felix, smirking next to it and he lifted his head to the hooded boys.

"You heard Pan." Felix barked through the trees. The boys nodded. "You know what to do with him." The boys picked up the cafe from all four corners, carrying it down the trail. Poor Baelfire. I felt a hand come over my mouth, making my screams muffled. I looked to see Felix with a scowl on his face. He dragged me over to camp and threw me into the remaining cage. I kicked the wooden bars as hard as I could and it didn't work.

"Don't even try." Pan stood against a tree, smiling down at me. Felix shut the cage, locking it.

"For some reason, I always see you on a tree. Why is that?" I teased, laughing and I kicked the cage again.

"I told you to save your energy, love." He warned again. "It's enchanted."

"Let me go." I growled, gripping the bars of the cage.

"Sorry, can't. You see when someone breaks my rules, I have to resort to punishment." He explained, bitterly laughing.

"I tried but they didn't listen." I argued as I rose my voice. He kneeled down to the height of the cage, getting closer to the bars.

"Riley, you should know by now that adults don't listen to children. That's why kids come to and dream of Neverland." He snapped while staring with intense eye contact. I smiled and spit on his face. He jerked back with disgust, wiping his face. He got up, kicking my cage.

"That's for Bae." I shouted. He rolled his eyes and flashed out, leaving Felix. "Hello Monkey."

"Why do you even try?" He asked with a sore expression.

"Cause' it's worth it." I retorted. He shook his head and started to walk away. "Ohh Felix!" He turned around with a blank expression. "I'll miss you!" I sarcastically called.

"Fuck off." He sneered, going into the tree line. I couldn't help but laugh at him. I laid back against the cage wall, huffing out and sighing in defeat.

"You're imprisoned too?" A little female squeaked up. I jumped, whipping my head in all directions. "Here," My eyes landed on a blonde girl with messy hair and a nightgown in another cage.

"Who are you?" I blurted.

"Wendy." She introduced, fitting her hand out of the cage bars and extending it towards me. I looked down at it and she awkwardly kept it to herself.

"I'm-"

"Riley, yeah I know."

"How?" I asked, becoming defensive.

"Pan always has something to say in camp." She chuckled. I nodded and started to kick the cage again. "What on earth are you doing?!"

"Trying to get out." I struggled to say as I pushed on the cage with my feet.

"Well, you're out of luck. There's no way out." She sadly, exclaimed.

"You clearly don't know me. I will find a way out. I believe." I promised, giving up and slumping back on the bars.