Extra Darling

Chapter 34: Hook, Line, Sink

I sat up with a start, my breathing ragged and rapid. I opened my eyes but still I was covered in darkness. I blinked until I felt like my eyelids would fall off, panicking at the feeling of being unable to see my own hands, and I was reminded of a searing pain in my right shoulder.

I spent what felt like hours ramming myself into the door. No matter how hard I slammed into it, it didn't budge an inch. All I was able to successfully do was make my arm extremely sore. Not that it mattered much, since my hands were bound tightly behind my back. Skye's magic made the ropes impenetrable.

Shuffling along the border of the small room, I could tell that it wasn't big. It took three steps one way and five steps another way and I was hitting the walls. To my utter relief, I was alone in the small room. But it didn't help much in the grand scheme of things.

I was still trapped. Arthur, and my siblings, and the Lost Boys were all still trapped.

After my futile attempts at escape, and screaming until my throat went dry, I slid down the wall and wallowed in my misery.

I thought about what would become of me. Hook would probably kill me, and then kill my siblings. We'd all be dead in a matter of hours. We would never see home again.

Home.

The word created an urge in me stronger than anything I had ever felt.

How I craved for the comfort of home. I couldn't remember my house, and I couldn't remember my parents faces, but I could recall their voices. I could feel their gentle hands as they tucked me into bed at night, and my mother's kind voice whispering to me, "Quietly, hush now, to sleep. On the wings of a butterfly."

Being alone, and afraid, in the hull of a ship from which I doubted I would ever leave again, I wished with all my heart I could recall something more meaningful of home. Something to give me strength. All I had to go on were murmured lullabies, and the odd sensation of a gentle kiss on my forehead.

I thought about all the friends I had made here on Neverland. Though I wasn't open to it at first, Neverland brought out feelings in me that I had kept locked away for many months. I experienced fear, and worry, but also happiness, and gratitude.

And love.

Perhaps the most surprising part of my whole adventure here.

Love.

Not only my love for Arthur, the boy who taught me to forgive myself before I'm able to forgive others, and who stole my heart with his simple, witty phrases. But also for the Lost Boys, Slightly in particular. I loved and cared for him the same way I did my real siblings. I worried for his wellbeing constantly, and at whatever cost I wanted to keep him smiling. And also for my siblings. I resented them for so long, and finally, after being on Neverland, I found it in myself to let them back into my heart, and my affection for them had never been stronger.

As I sat there in the darkness, my head slumped on my chest, I let myself revel in any and all good memories that came to my mind. Honestly, what else could I do?

I heard a set of footsteps walking on the boards outside my confinement, and when light poured into the room I squinted up at the person standing in the doorway through the chunks of hair that had fallen in my eyes. It was Skye. His eyes met mine briefly before casting down at the floor. I could tell by his body language that he was apprehensive, but I didn't see him putting up any sort of resistance.

This wiped away any sadness I had felt and replaced it with burning anger.

I pushed myself up and stood with my hands involuntarily behind my back, my chin held high.
"You're not here for tea, so let's just get it over with, shall we?"