Escaping Neverland

Faith, Trust , and Lady Luck

Once we returned to our room, I was forcefully pushed onto my bed and met with Greg's furious glare. "What the hell was that?" he yelled, demanding an explanation. I felt a wave of confusion wash over me, unsure of what had triggered his anger or why he was so upset, considering our lack of affectionate feelings toward each other.

Perplexed, I questioned, "What are you talking about?" Yet, my response seemed to further fuel his rage."Forget it. Just go to bed," he snapped, before adding a threatening warning, "But mark my words, if I ever catch you two touching like that again, I will personally ensure he suffers the same fate as your beloved Peter." With his final words uttered, he stormed over to his bed, grumbling under his breath, and extinguished the light. It took me another hour to calm my racing thoughts enough to finally fall asleep, but even then, nightmares from my painful past plagued my slumber.

The following two weeks passed by in a blur, and before I knew it, the day of the party arrived. I dedicated the entire morning to setting up the event, ensuring that no part of the house provided visibility to our escape plan. I also made sure that we could reach the hole in the wall unnoticed. After school ended, we were finally granted our freedom to celebrate. As promised, the shadow brothers remained indoors with the guards while we spent the first hour creating an illusion of an ordinary party. Once the hour elapsed, I exchanged a determined look with Carson and addressed the group.

"Okay, everyone, gather around. Carson and I have a very special surprise for all of you. But you must trust us, okay? We want to take you to a beautiful place called Mermaid Lagoon." Their faces lit up with recognition, remembering the stories I had shared, passed down from Peter. "To get there, we're going to play a game of 'follow the leader,' just like in the story. Carson will be the leader, and all of you need to follow him. I'll be at the back to keep an eye on those who stray. It will be a long journey, akin to camping. You'll need to use the skills we've learned in school, but it will be incredibly fun once we arrive!"

Excitement filled their expressions, and I smiled, hopeful that our plan would succeed. Before starting the game, I pulled aside the two eldest kids, explaining the truth and enlisting their help in maintaining order. Though hesitant at first, they ultimately agreed, joining the rest of the group as we commenced the game. Everything seemed to progress smoothly as we led the children to the wall and guided them, crawling cautiously and maintaining their line. However, Trina suddenly realized what was happening and began to panic."Where are we going? We can't leave! I won't see my new family! I-I'm telling!" She burst into tears and ran back towards the house, leaving Carson and me stunned. Thinking quickly, I called out, "Harry is the new leader. Don't worry, guys. I'll talk to Trina and Carson, and I will bring her back to join the game. She's just being a bit silly."

With that, the others continued moving forward, chasing after Harry, who playfully beckoned them with the challenge, "Catch me if you can!" Laughter filled the air as they resumed their excitement. Carson and I swiftly pursued Trina, who was already calling for help near the house. Once we caught up to her, Greg and James emerged from the building, drawn by the commotion. Acting swiftly, I scooped up Trina and placed her in Carson's arms. "Take her and join the others. I'll lead them in a different direction, then catch up with you once I lose them. Promise me that no matter what happens, you'll ensure their safety before worrying about me." Carson nodded solemnly, and before parting ways, I leaned in and gave him a passionate kiss, a bittersweet farewell, before pushing him away and sprinting in the opposite direction.

I led the shadow brothers on a frantic chase, circling the building and creating obstacles to impede their view. After a few minutes of evading them, I stumbled upon a steep hill. With no time to think, I slid down its slope and picked up my pace once I reached the bottom. But soon, I found myself faced with a vast body of water, leaving me with no option but to continue forward. Glancing back, I saw my pursuers closing in, their proximity leaving me no choice. Without hesitation, I jumped into the water, closed my eyes, and began swimming, bracing myself for what I thought would be the end.

Yet, much to my surprise, a powerful force pulled me back to the surface, causing me to cough and gasp for air. As I was slammed onto the ground, I looked up to find Greg standing over me, accompanied by James and several guards scouring the area. Anger radiated from him, and fear overtook me, prompting me to avert my gaze. Despite my attempt to rise, searing pain shot through my abdomen, causing me to cry out and collapse. Greg then delivered a brutal kick to my side, prompting me to curl up in an effort to protect myself. James intervened, grabbing Greg's arm, pleading with him, "Stop! Damien ordered us not to kill her.He's not authorized to break her legs either. We must bring her back!""I never said I was going to kill her. I just want to make sure she's incapacitated for a while. And once we're back, maybe I'll break those pretty legs of hers," Greg sneered, his gaze filled with malice.

The pain overwhelmed me, making it impossible to react or attempt to move. Even as I felt myself being lifted by one of the guards, I remained limp, trying to minimize the agony.Upon our return to the house, I was forcefully thrown onto my bed, and my hand was cuffed to the headrest. Shortly after the cuff clicked into place, Damien stormed into the room."There she is, the brave little fool. After all these years, you still have some fight in you, huh?" His hand reached down, lifting my shirt to trace the scar from my stab wound. "You just never seem to learn. But don't worry this time, I'll drain every ounce of fight from you. You'll be begging me to end your life by the time I'm through. Who would've thought a wretch like you would cost me so much money? You better pray that I find them soon. Until then, you're about to become very busy making me some profit."

Confusion swirled in my mind. What did he mean by making him money? Before I could question him, Damien abruptly left the room. The shadow brothers returned, their wicked grins confirming that my situation was about to worsen.