When I opened my eyes, I was no longer in the cave. Instead, I was back to the one place I didn't think I'd be back to. I was back in the Glade. As of now, there was no one inside but me. As I've remembered, my body was inside a cave and this was nothing but an illusion.
I was in the Glade and started to run around until I felt the end of the cave. But I never felt it. It was never ending. I started to panic because it all felt real. Then I remembered that all of this was dependent on facing my fears. I have to do it for Peter and for Neverland.
At first, I had no idea what I had to do. There were so many fears here that I have to face that I have no idea which ones. It was until I heard the familiar rumbling of the Maze doors. After that, I also heard the familiar screeching of the Grievers.
I know what I have to do.
As I was headed over to the South Maze doors, I was surprised when I saw Grievers coming out of it. I turn my head and see that the East Maze doors are the only doors that don't have any Grievers coming out of them. So that's where I went. I had no idea if my test was to kill the Grievers or to escape the Maze, but for now, I'm sticking with the latter.
I sprinted towards the East Maze doors and got inside without a scratch. But the Grievers were on my tail. I could hear their screeches right behind me. They sent chills up my spine like they always did. But now was not the time to think about my fears.
My fears.
All of a sudden, I hit a dead end. I couldn't remember this part of the Maze. I was dumbfounded for a moment but when I was able to regain my composure, I turned and saw that I was cornered. There were the Grievers getting ready to come right at me. They were taking small steps towards me, as if they were reveling in their victory upon seeing me scared-
Wait, scared?
My back hit the walls of the Maze, then I realized that there was ivy. But I don't have enough time to climb them. It was then I remembered that this was all nothing but a test. An illusion in my own mind. And illusions can't hurt me, can it?
"You're not real." My heart was still beating profoundly as the Grievers got closer and closer to me.
"You're not real!" I screamed.
The Grievers stopped cold and I was actually shocked that it worked. "You're not real! Just a figment of my imagination! You're just the monsters under my bed."
They disappeared then I wasn't in the Maze anymore. I was transported back into the Scorch. I wondered what I was going to face here since it was just all sand in the middle of nowhere. Almost like in Agrabah. But Agrabah seemed like a friendly place unlike the Scorch that just looks so hostile.
Being reminded of Agrabah after facing the Grievers again and the stressful morning I had felt like a breath of fresh air. It helped me calm down and compose myself again before I face my next fear...whatever it was.
I looked around to see if there were any Cranks or other monsters out there. But then I saw that there were other things that were suddenly appearing right in front of me. I was standing right in front of a ruined building. But it wasn't just any ruined building. It was where I killed...
My eyes widened upon finding out where I was. This is my biggest fear. My worst nightmare. My most despised memory. My eyes darted all over the place to find Newt and I. I figured out that perhaps that memory will replay and I would have to watch it. But I was nowhere to be found and neither was Newt.
I walked to the spot where I shot Newt. I looked at the wall and saw dried blood on it as well on the ground. I bent down and ran my fingers through the dried blood.
What am I going to face here?
"(Y/N)?"
I turned around and saw who I was looking for. There was Newt, standing right in front of me with a huge smile on his face. His eyes looked so innocent and warm. I knew that he wasn't real but just another illusion, but I couldn't help myself when I hugged him. I could touch him and I could feel him.
"I missed you," I said. I buried my face in his chest. Even if this warmth wasn't real, it felt real.
"I didn't."
"What?" I lifted my head and saw that Newt's face transformed into that when he was a Crank. A gasp escaped my lips and I backed away from him in shock.
"You killed me (Y/N)," he said with anger laced in his voice.
"You wanted me to."
"I thought you loved me," he spat.
Once again, I felt cornered. My back was up against the wall and Newt was now limping towards me. His clothes were tattered and torn, he had wounds and bruises on his body, and his eyes were filled with fury.
"That's why I had to kill you," I tried to say. "You said that you didn't want to be a monster."
"Is that what you think of me? A monster?"
"What? No!" My voice rose. "Newt, I never thought of you as a monster."
"Your reaction earlier says otherwise. Look at you, backed up against a wall. You can't even look at me. Feeling guilty?"
"Of course I do!" I lifted my head. "I feel guilty about what I did to you every single day!"
"Really? You're in another place swanning off with a new boy who's dying and you're doing this to save him."
"If I could've saved you, I would. I wanted to save you!"
"You could still save me. Don't talk like you can't do anything about it anymore."
My back left the wall and I walked towards Newt. I lifted my hands and held his face. He seemed quite surprised with this, but he didn't fight it. I connected my head with his. I felt Newt's body tense a little with what I did but that didn't stop me.
"You are not the Newt that I know," I said softly. "My Newt would want me to move on and not stick to the past. He'd want me to be happy."
"Yeah well, I'm the Newt inside your head. The monster that keeps on reappearing. And you can't make me disappear like what you did with the Grievers."
"I know that I killed you, and that memory will be forever seared in my mind. But you said that you didn't want to be like the Cranks. I will always feel guilty about what I did." I ran my hands through his hair, what's left of it. Then I remembered Peter's words in my head. "But you were suffering and I ended it. We can't be happy together but at least somewhere you are happy and free and sometimes, that's the only comfort that I can have."
Newt's hands touched mine and I could see a proud smile on his face. Even if his face was dirty and had some cuts on them, he was still the handsomest boy I've ever seen.
"I'm proud of you," he smiled. "You did it. You faced me." I smiled. There was the Newt that I knew.
All of a sudden, he disappeared from my arms. I was back in the cave. I felt an emptiness when Newt was gone, but I also felt as if some burden was lifted from my shoulders. Eloise appeared right in front of me, with a certain crystal in her hand. So, I guess that I'm done.
I've faced all my fears for him.
"Congratulations," she said. "You've done it." The crystal appeared in my hand and it was shining as bright as the sun. "Just close your eyes and make your wish," she continued. "Liya will be with you shortly."
I closed my eyes and said the wish.
-
I opened my eyes and looked up into the sky. A smile made its way into my face when I saw that it was blue again, not black like earlier. I heard laughter and celebration at one side of the island. I was headed towards the source but as I ran through the forest, I stopped short because I noticed that I didn't recognize it.
I've been in Neverland long enough to be able to recognize its forest and this isn't it. So if I'm not in Neverland, where am I?
Even if the forest doesn't look like Neverland, it seems familiar to me. I decided to search for the source of the laughter and celebration. I have to check them out.
As I drew nearer to the source, I began to recognize the voices. But as I connected the voices with their faces, I shook them away because it's impossible. It's supposed to be impossible.
Is it?
It was then I thought I heard someone trying to creep up behind me. I was getting ready to attack when that person suddenly trapped me in their arms. I tried to break free but their grip was strong. I stopped struggling when I was able to see my captor's shadow.
When he felt that I wasn't struggling anymore, his grip loosened. I realized he was hugging me, not trapping me. I never knew Peter to be this sweet, but it was nice, considering I saved his life. It felt a bit weird and out of character for him, but still nice. I turned around with a smile on my face, expecting to see that green eyed boy, but instead I saw-
"Newt?" The smile on my lips suddenly faltered.
"It's me."
"How..."
"Some girl told me that you saved my life. By wishing that we were both living in Paradise along with the others," he said to me. He had a hide smile on his face and his eyes were brimming with pride and joy. That usually makes me feel calm, but right now it just increased my panic. "She told me what I needed to know and I just have to say, thank you."
Newt held my face with both of his hands and leaned down to kiss me on the lips. But then he pulled away when he noticed that I wasn't responding.
"Is there something wrong?" Newt frowned.
"N-No," I said, but I felt as if I was lying to him. "I guess I'm still shocked that my wish came true."
Newt smiled. He took my hand and squeezed it gently. "I'm here again, and I'll never leave you again," he promised. "I love you."
"I love you too," I said softly.
When Newt leaned in to kiss me again, this time I responded. I missed this. I missed him. But as each second passed with me in his arms, I can't shake the guilty feeling off my chest. All because I made the wrong wish and killed Peter and all of Neverland in the process.
A/N: As of August 3, 2018 the ranks in this book are:
#9 - movingon
#50 - dead
#71 - onceuponatime
#6 - paradise
#43 - peterpan
#94 - newt
#32 - neverland
#80 - themazerunner
#6 - ouatpeterpan
#3 - page250
Also, thanks for the 2,260+ reads and 96 votes!
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