18 May 2020

Saving Neverland - Ch 10 - Life can be cruel if you're a dreamer


(Josie Sayz: This is a story that I began working on several years ago. I am finally reading through it/editing it. This is a fanfiction piece of what would happen if two of my favourite characters Peter Pan (from J M Barrie’s book) and Jack Frost (from ‘Rise of the Guardians’) met, why and what adventure would they go on. I originally wrote this story as a present for a friend. I have decided to dig it out and plan to release each chapter as I edit it. This is Chapter One: ‘Just Keep Reading’.

Note: I do not own Peter Pan or any of the relating characters or places to the story; these are all owned by J M Barrie and ‘Disney’. I do not own Jack Frost or any of the relating characters or places to the story; these are all owned by William Joyce and ‘DreamWorks’.

Chapter One: ‘Just Keep Reading’ can be found here: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2019/06/saving-neverland-just-keep-reading.html
Chapter Six: ‘A smile can make a big difference’: https://josiesayz.blogspot.com/2020/04/saving-neverland-smile-can-make-big.html



Life can be cruel if you’re a dreamer
Racing down corridors and up sets of stairs, Peter, Jack and Izz scrambled to find a way out of the Black Castle. Having kicked and fought on their way down, none of them took much notice to the route in which they were dragged. Turning up another flight of stairs, Peter gave a jump. He skimmed the edge of the stairs and glided up the staircase. “Look!” he called down at them. “Look! I can fly again.” Izz’s mouth burst into a smile, as she admired the joyful expression on Peter’s face. Spinning around in the air, Peter gave a huge caw. Izz giggled with a hand at her mouth.
“This is all very well and good,” Jack grumbled, as he and Izz clambered to the top of the stairs. “But it doesn’t help us get out of here.” Reaching the top, Izz looked around at their new sights. She groaned. It was just like all of the many corridors that they had traversed already.
“What about up here?” called Peter over his shoulder. Jack and Izz ran over to him. Standing at the bottom of another stairway, Peter twisted his head up to look at the view above. “It looks like it spirals up all the way,” he told them, as the stair’s rounded structure twisted towards the ceiling.
“Let’s go up it,” Izz said nodding her head in short, fast bounces. Peter gave her a nod back and glided on up ahead. Jack looked at Izz and jerked his head over his shoulder.
“Hop on,” he said. As Jack gave Izz a piggyback, he leapt into the air and soared off after Peter.
As they spiralled higher and higher up the winding staircase, Jack twisted his head over his shoulder and asked Izz, “What makes you so sure?”
“Huh?” she replied.
“About these stairs,” Jack told her. “What makes you so sure?”
Looking ahead at Peter, she told him, “What happens when the tide comes in and floods the bottom entrance?”
“I dunno?” Jack mumbled. “You’d get wet?”
“Yes,” Izz said with a giggle, “But that’s not it. You’d be trapped. You couldn’t swim through the water, not with all the cannibals on the other side of the cliff. And you couldn’t row a boat if the water came right up to the cave’s ceiling… you’d sink.”
“Okay…” Jack said slowly, as he started to follow her trail of thought. “So you’re saying there’s another way out?”
“Exactly,” she said with a nod, smiling. “Being as the castle is built underneath Neverland, logically speaking… the only other exit would be at the highest point of the castle – which can usually be found at the top of a spiralling turret.”
Having heard the end of their discussion, Peter whizzed around and waited for Jack to catch him up. As the two of them neared him, Peter carried on, flying at their side. “Are you saying there’s some sort of trap door at the top of here, outside in Neverland that I’ve never found?” Peter asked her with a laugh, jabbing a thumb at his chest.
“Maybe…” she told him. He gave a sarcastic laugh. “Well, it’s a possibility,” she said with a shrug. “I’d like to see you do better.” She gave a laugh, wondering whether it were wise to challenge Peter Pan.
As the three of them began to feel a sense of dizziness, Izz pointed an arm over Jack’s shoulder and gasped. “Almost there, look!” she exclaimed, pointing to the place where the stairs levelled off. Coming to land at the top of the stairs, Jack lowered Izz to the ground. “Thanks,” she said, as she arched her head. Placing one foot in front of the other, Izz wandered around the circular shaped room that they found themselves in. The limestone walls all curved around them. She spun on her heels. The bricks blurred into a whirlwind of grey. There was no corridor, no doors or windows – just plain, grey wall. She gave a shrug and dropped her hands to her sides. “I’m sorry guys,” she grumbled. “I guess I was wrong.”
“Nope,” sang Jack with a grin. She frowned and turned to face him. “I don’t think so,” he said as he pointed up at the ceiling. Izz stretched her neck up and stared. Although the ceiling matched the walls and was of a rough, grainy texture, there was a rectangular edging engraved around the patch in the centre.
“Great,” Izz groaned.
“What’s wrong?” asked Peter.
“We find the possible exit, but there’s no way we can reach it,” she said with a sigh.
“Izz-” Jack said, but she carried on over the top of him.
“It’s got to be over eight feet in the air.”
“But Izz-” said Jack, as she held an arm out, gesturing at the room.
“And there’s not a thing to stand on-”
“Izz!” said Jack with a sigh, raising his voice.
“What?” she huffed as she turned to him.
“We can fly,” he said pointing a finger at himself and Peter.
“Oh yeah,” Izz muttered, lowering her head. She bit into the inside of her bottom lip, feeling her cheeks burn, as the boys laughed.
“What are you like,” Jack chuckled, as he nudged her. “We just flew up the stairs five seconds ago; how could you forget?”
Izz shrugged, mumbling a ramble of, “I dunno,” through a gap between her lips.
The boys flew up to the ceiling and pressed their weight up against the rectangular patch etched in the centre. Scrunching their faces up, Jack and Peter held their breath as they forced pressure onto their biceps. Peter gritted his teeth and gave a groan, his legs kicking in the air behind him. The strain in his arms tore at the muscles in his stomach. He winced, seeping a breath through his clenched teeth. Croaking, Jack twisted his right shoulder around and shoved it into the rock. The veins in his hand turned purple, as the grip around his staff tightened. He crossed his left arm over his face and pushed. Her fingers curled at her mouth, Izz watched on helpless. As Peter cried out in pain and Jack gave a straining grunt, Izz covered her eyes. She heard something scrape. Rubble crashed to the ground. Spreading her fingers, she peeped through them. Light creaked through a crack in the ceiling. She removed her hands from her face and gasped. The boys had managed to shift a large boulder that had been shoved on top of the castle roof to conceal its entrance. Jack and Peter both gave a roaring cry as they forced the massive rock to slide further across the passageway. Light beamed down through the hole. Izz covered a hand to her eyes. “Once more,” she heard Jack shout. With another cry, the boys gave one last shove. The block dragged across the roof of the castle. Debris crumbled, pouring to the ground. Izz choked as it clouded to dust at her feet.
“Go get Izz,” Jack ordered, as he pressed his shoulders back against the rock. With a grunt, Peter gave a nod and swooped down towards her. Scooping his hands under her arms, Peter pulled her up with him. As they flew up and out of the hole, Peter let Izz down and curled over the hole, holding a hand out for Jack. Izz crouched down beside him and together they hauled their friend out.
The boys lay collapsed on the floor, panting for breath. Izz gave thanks to them both and patted them on the shoulder. Hearing the boys heaving beside her, Izz stared at the giant rock that the boys had just shifted. Without their weight underneath it, the boulder began to slide back. Grinding against the stone below, the block slid, vibrating the ground as it travelled. Peter threw his hands to his ears and groaned.
Once the ground stopped shaking Izz leant against the rock and clambered to her feet. Standing upon a pile of rocks she glanced down at the land to her right, while she held a hand out to Jack. He took it and she pulled him up. The wind howled at her face and she pulled out her hair bobble, before holding out her hand to Peter. Her hair blustered at her face as she helped heave him up. As the boys dusted themselves down, Izz turned in a slow circle. The sky around them darkened to a musty-logwood-purple. Stepping back she gasped. “G, g, g-guys…” she stuttered. Raising her arm up, she pointed out into the shoreline behind them. “Look.” As Peter and Jack turned to where she was pointing, they both gasped.
Surrounding the outline of Neverland trotted a row of black horses. A mist of a deep purpley-black clouded at their hooves. Neighing, they wafted their spiked-out mains of glistening black sand. Their bodies shone with a glimmer of dark violaceous, as they snorted at the three intruders. Hundreds of golden slits gazed upon them, as Izz, Jack and Peter backed towards the large rock. “W, wh, wh, what are they?” stuttered Peter.
“Nightmares,” Jack growled. “We might already be too late.” Holding his staff out in front of him he swallowed, as he faced Peter.
“Never,” came his reply, scrunching up the skin around his nose.
“Do we even know where Pitch and Hook are?” asked Jack.
“We do,” said Peter with a nod, as he turned to face their enemies’ direction. “The Babbling Brook.”
“The Babbling what?” repeated Jack with a frown.
“The Babbling Brook,” Izz repeated. He turned to her. “It’s the meadow area where we were earlier. The place with the waterfall… that’s where Captain Hook placed the flag on his map.” She swallowed and turned to Peter. His eyebrows narrowed as he fixed his stare upon the Never Peak Mountains in the distance. “That’s where the heart of Neverland is,” she said, feeling her fingers tremble. She gripped a hand to her stomach.
“Well what are we waiting for?” asked Jack, jabbing his staff into the ground. “Let’s go.”
Peter turned to him and nodded. “Aye.” He held a hand out to Izz. “My turn,” he said prodding the right corner of his mouth up.
“But,” Jack muttered. Peter shook his head.
“You’ve been carrying Izz longer than me,” Peter told him. “And you held that rock up mostly by yourself,” he confessed. “You take it easy; you’ll need your strength when we face them. I’ve got Izz.” He scratched his head as he looked over towards her and asked, “That is, if that’s okay with you…” Izz gave a smile and nodded, then placed her hand in Peter’s.

*

Flying over Neverland, they passed mounds of rocks, an arboretum of arecaceae and further forested land that Izz and Jack were yet to explore. Leaning against Peter’s back, Izz held out her left arm over his shoulder, and twisted her wrist. She gave a sigh, admiring the intricate handy work of her friend. She jangled the charms together, before curling her arm back around Peter’s shoulder. “You know…” she said in a dreamy tone.
“What?” asked Peter, twisting his head towards her.
“Yeah, what?” echoed Jack, as he glided beside them.
“I know that us all meeting was only the result of something terrible,” she told them, as she gazed over towards the mountains further ahead. Peter gave a hum and turned his head back around, taking care to keep watch of where he was flying. “And I would never wish the destruction of this island or children’s dreams to ever happen,” she felt the need to hastily add. “But… I’m glad the three of us met…”
“Me too,” Jack agreed, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“And me!” added Peter, turning his head back around to face them, bearing a huge grin. Izz gave a giggle.
Resting her head against Peter’s shoulder, Izz looked down at the view below. “It’s weird…” she said, gazing down at the trees as they passed by. “I almost feel like we’ve known each other our whole lives…” She twisted her head towards Jack and then glanced down at Peter. “You don’t think I’m strange, do you?” she asked, glancing between the boys.
“No,” said Peter with a shake of his head. Izz felt her stomach flutter. She had not expected that to be Peter’s reply and she had not expected him to be the first to respond, nor so quick. “You two are fun,” Peter told them. “I don’t have friends like you.”
“What about the Lost Boys?” asked Jack. Peter gave a shrug.
“They’re okay, I suppose,” he replied with a wrinkle of his nose. “They follow orders great and they’re fun to be with an’ all, but… sometimes they’re just…” Peter gave a sigh. “I don’t know… I guess I couldn’t do what I’m doing now – go on this adventure and stop Hook and Pitch if I was with them. Argh, I don’t know,” Peter whined with another sigh.
“I think I get you,” said Jack with a smile in Peter’s direction. “You like them and they’re great friends, but…” Jack gave a shrug. “They just don’t get you.”
“Or wouldn’t trust you or do what you say first time…” Izz added.
“Yeah,” Peter muttered with a nod. “That’s right.”
“You’re not alone anymore Pan,” Jack said nudging Peter’s shoulder. Peter gave a smirk and smiled back.

*

Arching over the edge of the lowest mountain of the Never Peak, Peter and Jack swerved around towards the Babbling Brook. Gazing down at the view below, Izz watched as the hill of evergreen ellwood conifer trees swept by and the meadow of pastel daisies came into view. Peter prodded a finger down towards the rock ledge that led from the mountains and around to the waterfall. “Hook,” he breathed spotting a red blob at the waterfall’s side.
“And Pitch,” Jack muttered, spying the black dot beside it. The two men appeared alone on the ledge to the left of the waterfall. The boys angled their flight down to the ledge on the water’s right, opposite their rivals. As they landed, a deep chuckle sounded across the water. “Pitch!” Jack shouted, gripping his staff tight with both hands. Peter let Izz down and the two of them joined Jack at the ledge’s edge. The ridge, upon which they stood, curved around the edge of the mountain, outlining the brook below. The two men opposite turned to face them, with the waterfall creating a barrier in between.
“What,” raged Captain Hook, “are you three doing here?”
Pitch smirked and turned to his friend. “It’s like I already said Jas… things have a way of working out.” Tapping the tips of his fingers together, Pitch neared the edge of their path. “After all, where would all the fun be if you left these three locked away in the dungeon?” The pirate captain shot a scowl in his acquaintance’s direction. Pitch laughed. “Oh, why do you think I allowed you let that fumbling fool, Smee, watch over them?” asked Pitch, stabbing a thumb at Jack, Peter and Izz on the other side of the brook. The creases on Hook’s brow deepened. “I knew they’d get out sooner or later… it was only a matter of time.”
“You double crossed me?” growled Hook, throwing back his billowing mane. With his hand on the hilt of his sword, he swung his hook out in Pitch’s direction.
“Whoa! Easy,” exclaimed Pitch throwing his hands up in the air. “It wasn’t me who let them escape. I just want to have a little fun with it…”
“Fun?” roared Hook. “Fun at my expense?” He swung his hook towards himself, using it to point at his chest. Dropping his shoulders, Pitch gave a groan.
“Not at you,” he growled. “I wanted to see whether Frost had forgotten how to fight… or whether his two new companions had it in them to make things interesting.”
“Interesting?” said Peter with a laugh. “You bet.” He swiped his dagger from his belt, crossing his arm over his body. “Bring it on.”
“Very well…” came Captain Hook’s calm reply, as he ruffled up his white, lace cravat. “If it’s a fight you want…” He tapped his left hand to the lip of his large crimson hat. “Crew…” he called out. “Do your worst.”
Branches rustled in the bushes above them. They jumped. Looking up at the rickety mountain edge to their right, Izz clung to Peter’s shoulder. Blurs of colour rustled in the tree line. “Guys…” gasped Jack, as he pointed to the upper mountain level above Pitch and Hook, seeing something move. Izz and Peter turned to see where Jack was indicating. There was a roar. Izz gasped. Her heart’s drum banged. Her nails clung into Peter’s skin. A chorus of war cries sounded all around them. They twisted their heads from left to right. Bodies jumped down from the mountains onto the ledge at their feet. Shouts roaring from their throats, eight men, armed with swords, raced towards them.
Jack leapt to the side. His knees bent. He spread his feet apart. Bouncing on his toes, his elbows angled as he held his staff across his body. A large man, with trousers torn at the knees and a belly drooping out from under his ragged shirt, flung a sword at Jack’s chest, screaming all the while. Throwing his weight against his staff, Jack lobbed it against the man’s blade. Their weapons thudded. The pirate grunted. He swung his arm back, before having another jab at the young fighter. Jack ducked, as the man made another strike. He slipped underneath the man’s arm. The bulging buccaneer staggered forwards. Lunging his staff forwards, Jack jabbed it in his opponent’s back. The man fell forwards. A cry bellowed behind him. Jack spun around. Another bloated being towered over him. Jack’s elbows, like a spring, bounced at his sides. He took a step back. He bashed into the pirate behind him. The weight behind him dropped. He twisted his head over his shoulder. The pirate which he had been challenging slipped from the mountain’s ledge and fell to the sea. A splash sounded. Jack swallowed, spinning back around. The man leaning over him snarled; dagger clenched in his teeth. A hand over his shoulder, the man arched another blade towards Jack.
Slashing swords with two buccaneers, Peter had since replaced his dainty dagger with a fearsome rapier from one of the pirates that he had thrown into the brook below. One of the men, no more than a skeleton stepped towards Peter’s right. Squinting his left eye, he poked his sword at the boy’s side. Peter leapt into the air. He bent his knees, bringing his feet up behind him, while he swung his weapon at the other pirate’s throat. Metal clashed. The pirate growled. Tightening his grip around the hilt, the man’s bicep bulged to the size of a cannon ball. Flab wobbling at his stomach, he swung his scimitar up as Peter lowered himself back to the ground. Peter ducked, slicing his sword from the era of a fifteenth century Scottish king at their legs. Both buccaneers gave an agonising howl. They dropped to their knees, blood dripping from their shins. The larger man, his face buried in boils, pressed his sword to the ground and heaved himself up. The scrawnier man slithered on the floor, as his weapon slid from his reach. Peter swiped it. “Izz!” he yelled to the girl a distance behind him and to his right. Her hands crossed in front of her face, she spun her head towards him. “Catch!” Cucking his arms in the air, the sword flew towards her. A twisted, bony hand clawed out at his ankle. Peter stomped his foot on it and lifted himself into the air.
“What am I supposed to do with this?” Izz screamed, with a claymore in her hands.
“Fight!” Peter shouted back. He threw his legs back over his head and somersaulted in the air, over the buccaneer. Now stood behind him, Peter jumped, throwing his feet into the man’s back. The pirate gave a cry as his lunged forwards, falling to his knees once more.
Swallowing, Izz backed away towards the mountain’s edge. Gripping both hands to her weapon’s hilt, her eyes shot around her to the struggles which her friends were facing. Three figures, each with sharp, pointing blades trudged towards her. Her heart crashed, slamming against its imprisonment. She gulped, angling her weapon out in front of her. The man opposite cooed at her trembling arms. The crew at his sides chuckled. She slashed her sword from left to right, keeping them at distance. The man ahead of her held a hand to his stomach and laughed. His greasy lugs knotted at his shoulders and flapped as he shook his head. The man to her right reached his hand down to his belt, his fingers fumbling. The pirate to her left, his head bald and face covered in bristles whacked an elbow in his laughing partner’s side and threw his sword into hers. She winced, tensing her arms. The strain tugged on her muscles. Her eyes turned to slits. She held the stare of the bearded buccaneer, as she pressed her strength into her sword’s hilt.
“Look out!” came a shout. Izz flinched. Her eye caught the swing of a gun, as it hurtled in her direction. She gasped, as the pirate on her right held the barrel to her chest. Her arms were thrown to her sides. Her sword flew from her hands. Her arms quivered. Her chest shook. Holding her breath, she backed herself up against the face of the mountain. She twisted her face away from the gun, arching her chin up. A white flash shot past her face. She gasped. The man at her left flew back. His chest lay covered in a frosty mist. She spun to her right. “Catch!” shouted a voice on the other side of the pirates as her sword jumped through the air towards her.
“Thanks!” she shouted back, grabbing the hilt with both hands. Both the pirates had turned their backs to her, as they now faced another. Her pulse pounded at her ears. She inhaled short, shallow breaths as her chest jittered. Her sword pointed at the pirates backs, she wavered it between the two. A flash sparked at her right. She jumped. Closing her eyes, she thrust her weapon towards the pirate on her left. She leapt to the side as the man on her right dropped to his back. Her head twitched back to the buccaneer before her. Her sword wobbled back against her, as it slid into something. The pirate swerved towards her and gave a chuckle.
“It’s wooden,” he told her, tapping a hand to his right thigh, where her sword had lodged. Bringing a hand over his head, Izz jerked her hands towards her, tugging at her sword. Jammed, it would not budge. She pinched her eyes shut. As the pirate gave a war cry, she ducked and rolled to her right. The pirate stumbled forwards, bashing his skull against the mountain rock.
A hand appeared at her side. She gazed at the sleeve, its colour a bay of blue. Pushing herself up, she placed her own hand upon the other. An arm hauled her up. “Are you okay?” asked her saviour. Sliding her hand out of his, she gazed up at him, his ice blue eyes sparking at her own. She nodded.
“Thanks Jack,” she whispered back.
A chorus of roars rang out. Izz shuddered. Her stomach spiralled. Four more men swung towards them on vines from the ledge on the opposite side. “Peter, watch out!” Izz screamed, as a pair of boots thumped down beside him. Picking up the cutlass, dropped by one of the men that Jack had zapped frozen, he handed it to Izz.
“You gonna be okay?” he asked her, as she took it from him. She gave a hum and nodded. Jack kicked his feet up and flew himself towards a pirate with a drooping eye socket. As Izz edged towards Jack’s side, she spun her head left. Hands clawed at the rim of their ledge. An arm flung over the edge, pushing up a scalped head.
“They’re climbing up the mountain,” she cried, pointing as three more bodies clambered towards them.
“I’ve got them,” shouted Peter. Leaping up, he kicked his feet into the chest of the buccaneer that he was battling and pushed off towards those climbing up the rock. Holding a sword out in each hand, he flew horizontal, spinning his body around. As Peter’s swords sliced at the pirates, two of them fell back.
Hearing the splashes of his men in the water, Captain Hook growled, “You blithering idiots – get them.” Hearing the captain roar, Peter flung himself towards him. Landing on the rim of the rock at the pirate’s feet, Peter dropped one of his swords to the ground. Hook gave a chuckle. “Giving up already, are we?”
“Never,” Peter laughed in his face. “But I couldn’t fight you with two swords. It wouldn’t be good form.” The pirate’s bushy brows narrowed. The lines on his face thickened. His face reddened as he snarled his nose.
“Good form?” he repeated, raising his voice. Gripping the hilt of his sword he raged, “Good form? Blast good form.” He swiped his sword from its sheath and swung at Peter. Peter threw his claymore back. Metal clashed. Captain Hook gave a laugh. “Is that all you’ve got?” Throwing out his basket-hilted rapier, he lunged his left arm forwards. Peter clenched his teeth and thrust his sword against the pirate’s. They clashed again. Throwing one hand behind his back, Peter pressed his arm forwards with all his strength.
Watching from the side-lines, Pitch gave out a throaty laugh. With his hands at his stomach, he leant back, admiring the chaos that he had caused. The clanging of metal brought a grin to his face. Hearing the cackle from his arch enemy, Jack leapt into the air and hurtled towards him. Noticing the blue blur near, Pitch’s eyes widened. Spinning his right wrist, a scythe of black sand appeared at his side. “At last,” said Pitch, as his enemy neared. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten how to fight.” Arching his weapon over his shoulder, Pitch leant back. He gave a grunt as he slashed his scythe forwards. Ducking, Jack dodged it and swiped back with his staff. Sparks of deep blue and purple shot into the air. Swinging his scythe again, Pitch cackled. Jack threw himself towards the mass of black. Pitch jerked his arms up. Jack skidded underneath them. He gasped, as he spun around. Raising his staff, Jack gave a shout, as he plunged himself towards Pitch.
 Having replaced her weapon many at time with ones that she had forced from her challenger’s hands, Izz now held a long, thin blade, with a handle bearing ridges to mould her fingers into. She rested the ball of her wrist against the large, round pommel, as she shot her head around at her surroundings. Three of Captain Hook’s leather-skinned crew lay limp on their stomachs. Their bodies jittering, they lay gasping for breath. Another two, their ragged clothes torn, remained in heap amongst a mound of rocks. The man underneath had his face crushed into a boulder. The other lay on his back, draped over the brute beneath him’s mounding stomach. Slashes to his arms and a graze to his face, his hand twitched as he gave a groan.
Prodding her sword out in front of her, Izz held her left arm out for balance. The pirate before her’s shaggy hair flopped against his blistered face. His feet stomped the ground, as his non-matching boots, both shaped for the left foot, trampled towards her. Izz scrunched up her face as she forced her sword onto his. Tightening her grip around her hilt, she felt the drum inside her’s thudding increase. As the man at her face growled and his mouth opened, Izz’s eyes widened at his gapped grin. No more than five greyed teeth poked out from his gums. Her tongue scraped across the roof of her mouth, as she drew her weapon away, before flinging her arm back at the pirate. Their swords clanged as they collided. Holding her breath she forced her strength onto her opponent’s arm. Her own trembled. She wrinkled up her face, glaring deep into his stare. His lined face creased further. He gritted his gums and sucked in a breath, feeling his arm tremor. Her foot sliding, Izz pressed her weight down harder, digging her grip into the ground. Her sword lowered. She heard a crack. Her opponent howled as his weapon fell from his hand. He threw his other arm to his elbow and fell to his knees screaming.
Gasping, Izz leapt back. She brought a quivering hand up to her mouth as she stared down at the wailing pirate. A shadow slid across her face. A frown merged on her forehead as she looked up. She gave a gasp. Floating in the air, a behemoth boat sailed towards them. Its wooden body covered the mass of the mountain range. Three large sails billowed in the breeze. Its movement ceased, as it came to rest above them.
“Freeze,” bellowed Captain Hook. Upon his orders, all of the pirates halted. “Drop your weapons,” he ordered. There was a thud, as all of the captain’s men let go of their guns and swords. Their arms fell at their sides, as they turned their attention to Hook. He stretched his neck up, staring at his own ship. Peter lowered his weapon. His lips parted as he gazed up at the boat. Pitch and Jack’s fighting halted too, as they lifted their heads to the ship above.
The pirate captain gave a cackle. “Good work Smee,” he shouted up to his ship. A small head peered over the side of the boat and waved down at the captain.
“Yee, yee welcome, cap’in,” came the call from aboard.
Exhaling through his nose, a smug grin mounted the captain’s face as he turned to Pitch. Seeing Hook’s smile, Pitch smirked and nodded. Shaking his curls, Captain Hook retuned his sword to its sheath and delved his left hand inside his blood red justacorps. Watching Peter’s brow furrow, Hook’s smile grew. His voice box gave a chuckle as he pulled out his hand. Holding up his arm, a raindrop shaped bottle nested itself in his palm.
“What’s that?” asked Jack taking a step towards the pirate. Pitch clawed a hand to Jack’s shoulder and threw him back. As Jack fell back over the mountain’s ledge, he jabbed his elbows out and hovered in the air. Snarling his nose he leaned forward. With his hands curled around his staff he swung his arms back. Stabbing his head forwards, he flung himself towards Pitch, lunging his staff at him. With a yell, Pitch batted his scythe at Jack in a whirling rage. As their weapons collided, Pitch’s arms flung Jack into the air. The impact sent him hurtling across the brook. Dropping her sword, Izz screamed.
“No!” Peter shouted, as Jack crashed to the ground, skidding to a stop beside Izz. Peter shot a hand in the air and zoomed to the other side of the brook. He crouched at Jack’s side. Izz knelt opposite and scooped her hand underneath Jack’s head. His eyes twitched as he gave a groan.
“Jack…” Izz whispered, her bottom lip quivering. She felt her hand shaking underneath him. Rolling his head, Jack crunched up his fingers and punched his hands into the ground, pushing himself up. Peter held out his hand. Jack took it and Peter yanked him up. Izz stood beside him and placed a hand at his shoulder, as he ran his foot across the arch of his staff. Flicking it up, he caught it and three of them turned to face the two men on the other side of the mountain. With their eyes so focused on their two strongest enemies, none of them noticed that the pirates surrounded them and had been watching the entire time.
Striding over to his partner, Pitch gave a cackle and patted Captain Hook on the back. “Good show, good show,” chuckled the pirate in reply. As Pitch held a hand out towards their intruders, Captain Hook gave a nod. “I ‘ope the three of you are very comfortable,” the buccaneer called. “An’ that your little uproar didn’t tire you out.”
“Why d’you care?” growled Jack. Izz and Peter both grabbed a hand to his shoulders, to pull him back.
“I don’t,” Hook replied with a laugh. As Jack gave a snarl, Izz gripped his arm. She felt his posture stiffen in her grip. “One thing I do care about though…” continued the captain. “Is your thoughts upon this little bottle.” Holding his arm out, he waved his wrist, shaking the glass jar about.
“What is it?” shouted Peter.
“Why, I’m glad you asked…” he sneered. “Now I believe, boy, you are familiar with me poison… the only one of its kind. The deathliest of drugs, unknown to the masses of science, created by yours truly.” At this, Captain Hook brought his hook up to his pointed moustache and coiled it around its end.
Peter scrunched up his face. “Yeah,” he bellowed back. “But that’s not it,” he said pointing at the bottle in Hook’s hand. “You can’t fool me, Hook. Your poison’s yellow, that bottle’s purple.”
“My, my,” mused Pitch at Captain Hook’s side, clapping his hands. “The boy knows his colours.”
“Aye,” Hook continued. “Very right you are Pan, for this…” he said and gave the bottle another shake. As he did, the deep violet liquid swished around inside its clear, glass casing. “This concoction is not entirely my own. Its recipe ‘as been… improved.”
“Improved?” Peter repeated. “No poison is more terrible than you, Hook.”
“Ha,” replied the captain with a smile. “You are right, nothing is more terrible that I. However, my potion needed a little somethin’. I worked ‘ard, day and night slavin’ away, until I can across someone just as terrifyin’ and menacing as I. Pitch Black.” At this Pitch held a hand to his stomach and gave a bow. “‘E ‘ad sum’ink that would multiply me poisons power greater that I ‘ad ever imagined.”
Curling a finger, Pitch tapped the bottle with his nail. “A touch of fear,” he told them.
“An’ with that,” Captain Hook announced, raising his voice to be heard even by the tiniest of creatures far off in the distant Neverwood. “I give you the deathliest potion ever created,” he beamed holding the bottle up in the air. “Just one drop and it’ll burn the skin right off ya bones.”
“How do you know?” Jack growled.
“Let’s test it, shall we…” said Pitch with a grin that stabbed up into his cheeks.
“Aye,” replied Hook, with a raise of his brow.
With a flick of his thumb he popped off the bottle’s stopper. A purple mist clouded the air. Stepping to the brink of the ledge, Hook held his left hand out towards the waterfall. Tilting his wrist to his right, he allowed one drop of his liquid to escape its captivity. At once, he drew his hand back, clasping the bottle to his chest. Peter, Jack, Izz and the pirates raced to the edge of their ledge. They gawked over. The violet drop hurtled to the Babbling Brook below. It gave a splutter, as it hit the water’s surface. A shine of deep purple spread across the water. The brook’s turquoise sparkle seeped away. Gasps sounded, as the eminence-coloured shimmer feasted upon the water. Peter turned to the waterfall, as the purple poison climbed up from the fall’s base and ascended up towards its peak. As the entire brook became submerged, Izz and Jack stepped away from the edge. They turned to Peter. Hands clenched into fists at his sides, Peter yelled, “Oh yeah, how d’we know you’re not bluffing?”
“Bluffing?” Pitch laughed. “Let’s try it, shall we?” Pitch gave a snap of his wrist. A whip of black sand snapped out from his hand. He slashed his arm down and the sanded rope coiled itself around one of the pirate’s stomachs. The pirate gave a yelp as the whip lifted him into the air. Pitch threw his hand down. The whip lashed, throwing the pirate into the brook. He landed with a splash. Heads peered over the mountain’s ledge. There was a piercing scream. Izz was not alone as she turned away, hiding her face in her hands. Pitch mumbled, tapping a finger to his chin. “I think it works.”
With the bottle now hidden deep within his coat, Hook threw his head back and shouted up at the Jolly Roger, “Smee, lower the ropes.”
“Aye, aye, cap’in,” came a reply. Three ropes flung over the starboard side of the ship, slithering as they uncoiled. As the ropes swung, three more where hauled over the ship’s port side. Tumbling down, the three-strand twisted ropes knotted at regular intervals down the vine.
As the ropes steadied, Captain Hook took a deep breath and bellowed, “Board the ship men an’ stay clear of the water.”
A chorus of, “Aye, aye,” rang out as the pirates ran at the cliff edge and leapt towards the ropes. Even the pirates that lay in heaps on the ground scrambled to their feet and darted towards the ropes. With the crew of pirates fumbling up the ropes to board their captain’s ship, Peter drew his dagger and hurtled himself at Captain Hook. Hook swiped his sword from its sheath and raised it in time to clatter it against his opponent’s. Through Peter’s surprise attack, the boy’s force over powered the captain’s own. With a wince Captain Hook dropped his rapier and it plunged into the poisoned brook below, landing with a splash.
“No,” he cried. “You scurvy brat.” He lunged forward, shoving Peter, jabbing the curve of his hook into the boy’s chest. As Peter leapt back, hovering in the air, Pitch pulled Hook back.
“Easy Hook,” said Pitch, as his associate almost slipped to his own death in the poison below. As Captain Hook regained his balance, Pitch patted him on the back.
Peter retuned to the ledge with his friends and the ropes from the ship were hauled back up. Jack clasped a hand to Peter’s shoulder and gave him a comforting nudge. Peter turned to him a forced the right corner of his mouth to poke up.
“Awww…” cooed Pitch, watching the companionship between the boys. “Isn’t that sweet.” He gave a chuckle.
“Pitch!” Jack roared, taking a step forwards.
“Jack,” Izz warned, reaching out an arm towards him. Jack stopped and turned towards her.
“Yes,” laughed Pitch. “That’s right Jack… listen to your girlfriend.”
“We’re not-” Izz began to object.
“Oh, that’s right…” Pitch sneered. A cloud of black smoke appeared. Pitch had vanished. In a flash, he reappeared in front of Jack. Izz and Peter gasped, as they and Jack took a step back. Pitch folded his arms behind his back and laughed. “She turned you down for a younger model,” he laughed at Jack.
“That’s not true!” Izz cried, as she stepped back, away from Pitch.
“Really?” said Pitch. He lowered his chin, looking down upon Jack with his eye brows raised. “Poor Jack. You’ve been a teenager for over three hundred years and never once fallen in love…” he said with a pout as he circled him. “Always wishing for someone special to notice you… and then the second someone does, it’s a girl who’s so kind, warm and friendly…” He turned from Jack to face at Izz. She shuddered under his glare. “But then,” he went on. “She throws you away, whilst moving her affections on to another.” He gave a snort, as he stroked a finger in Peter’s direction. Peter jerked towards him, but Pitch vanished.
Reappearing behind them, Pitch lifted his chin with a smirk. “But that’s just normal for you, isn’t it Jack?” Jack inhaled sharp through his nose as he spun around. “You’re used to being alone… making a mess wherever you go.”
“You’re mind games don’t work on me anymore Pitch,” Jack declared, stabbing his staff to the ground.
“Is that so?” Pitch pouted. “Well then you won’t mind me saying how funny it is that it’s taken you so long to find someone that you care so much about, but you didn’t even stop to realise that she’s not like you, Jack… she can’t live forever.” As Pitch neared him, Jack swallowed. “Oh, but wait,” he said with a smile. “If she were to stay here, in Neverland, with Peter Pan, she could. She’d be spending every single waking hour in the company of the one person you rival more than anything.” Pitch snarled his nose, finding joy in his taunts. “They’ll be flying together through the clouds, having picnics in the park and holding hands at the sunset,” he patronised. “While you spend your time back on the Mainland, bringing snow to children.” He gave a laugh. “And you know what, Jack? Secretly you know all this and it drives you mad.”
“Stop it,” Jack growled, pressing his hands to his ears. “Stop it!” Throwing back his head, Pitch laughed.
“Oh, don’t worry Jack… it wouldn’t be fair not to bring little Miss Mary Isabelle McCormick into the equation.” Pitch spun himself around to face her, the tail of his cloak wafting around behind him. “Say… what’s with the whole Izz thing anyway? Sounds more like a boys’ name to me – short for Isaac or something.”
“I just prefer it,” she mumbled, staring at Pitch’s black, pointed shoes.
“Well then Izz, how do you feel knowing that you’ve crushed the dreams of someone who’s become a very dear friend of yours?” he lowered his head to try and catch her gaze. “And all for what? To throw your affections at Peter Pan and him refuse you…” Turning her head away from him, Izz curled her lips in and squeezed her eyes shut. “Then look, you’ve ruined three friendships in one…” His cloak wafted past her. She swallowed and looked up. Pitch was gone. Her eyes scanned left then right. “It’s a pity…” he went on as he reappeared behind her. “When all you’ve ever wanted was to be noticed… and have your own special group of friends. You had it all and you blew it,” he gave a laugh. “But then again,” he said tapping a finger to his lip. “You have always felt a certain romantic emotion towards the pair, haven’t you? Oh come on Izz, you could do far better than that.”
“Leave me alone,” she cried, clenching her fists. She tried to inhale, but felt her chest shudder as her sight began to blur.
“Oww, have I touched a nerve?” Pitch patronised. “Oh come on girl, wake up,” he spat. “You’ve always been alone and you’ll forever remain alone.” She flinched as his words, as a water droplet trickled from her eye down her cheek.
Her teeth gritted, Izz clenched her fists and ran at Pitch. Jack too barged towards him at her side. Throwing up his hand, Pitch laughed. He flicked his wrist and a black sanded rope shot towards them. Pitch pulled back his hand. The black whip entwined itself around their waists, squeezing Jack and Izz together. Throwing his head back, Pitch cackled. He flicked his wrist and the whip flung them up and over the water. Izz screamed, pinching her eyes tight, while Jack wailed at her side. Even Captain Hook on the other side of the brook, clasped a hand to his face. Pitch cackled as he left them dangling in mid-air, his black whip floating at his side.
“Hey,” Peter shouted. “You leave my friends alone.” Leaving Izz and Jack to squirm, fighting against the rope for freedom, Pitch paced towards the small boy.
“Arww… the boy who never grew up, how sad,” Pitch sobbed with sarcasm. “You’re the only one who really took this friendship seriously…” Peter swallowed and backed away towards the mountain face, as Pitch stepped closer. “Not Jack or Izz…” Pitch continued. “They were too busy filling fantasies to pay attention to little old Peter.” Peter’s eyebrows narrowed as he shot his head towards them.
“Don’t listen to him Peter!” Jack shouted.
“Oh yes…” Pitch laughed, appearing in front of Peter’s face. “You’re really going to listen to them now… after all they’ve done. All you wanted was for someone to notice you,” he said as he circled him. Peter’s head arched over one shoulder then the other, as he followed him. “Not as some eternal boy, but as someone who’s strong, cunning and has a good sense of adventure. You wanted a friend…” said Pitch, stroking a hand across the back of Peter’s shoulders. “A friend whom you could rely on to follow orders and help you out when situations get a little tricky. You fear living on for eternity alone without any real friends by your side.” At this Peter scrunched up his face, balling his hands to fists at his sides. “Jack and Izz only pretended to be those friends, so they could find me and Hook, here…” he said jerking his head towards the pirate captain, who had remained quiet, watching from the other side of the water. “Now wasn’t that terrible of them?” Opening his eyes, Peter gazed at Pitch. His vision shook, as his eyes danced, staring into the golden glowing irises of the man before him. Swallowing, he turned to Jack and Izz. As Jack stared back at him, his eyebrows pointed upwards. Izz blinked hard, trying to stop the salted water that had built up in her eye sockets from leaking as she shook her head.
“It’s not true,” she sobbed, her chest shaking. “Don’t listen to him Peter.”
Stepping in front of Peter, Pitch blocked his view of the others. Peter scrunched his nose up at him and scowled deep into his eyes. Pitch gave a laugh. “Now you all know more about each other, let me answer a few other questions you may have, for instance: why did we take our time getting here?” he asked gesturing at himself, the Jolly Roger and then Captain Hook. “Why did we stay put and let the three of you carry on with your merry games? Well that’s simple… The closer the three of you get,” he said spinning around to Jack and Izz. “The easier it is to rip you apart.”
Realising for the first time his companion’s plan, Captain Hook gave a chuckle to himself. “Aye, you’re a sly one Black,” he said with a smug grin. “If only I’d ’ve thought of it.”
“You wish,” Pitch muttered under his breath. He rolled his eyes as he turned towards from Captain Hook back to Jack and Izz, who were still squirming beneath the knot of Pitch’s whip. “Life can be cruel if you’re a dreamer…” he told them. “Wishing big is never something you should do… like trying to save Neverland from its destruction,” he added as he spun around to Peter. “If something isn’t possible, it’ll only cause you more pain and suffering.”
“You mean like you and trying to take over children’s dreams with your nightmares,” Jack said with a snigger as he managed to shift the top of his staff up his hand.
“No,” sneered Pitch, with his voice full of scorn. “Nothing like me at all,” he raged, turning his back to Jack. With Pitch facing Peter, Jack began jerking his wrist up and down beneath the sand-rope that bound his arms to his sides. As his wrist wriggled, he scraped his staff against the side of Pitch’s black whip.
“I’m done with being pushed into corners, hiding under beds, written off as a bad dream,” Pitch shouted, as he levitated. “Once we’ve taken the Stone, Neverland will fall to pieces… all of children hopes, dreams and wishes will be replaced with fear,” he cackled as he lowered himself back down to the ground, nearing the rim of the ledge, closer towards his partner in crime. “And who better to be afraid of than the most fearsome pirate who ever lived, whose name even brought fear to the bravest of men…” Pitch announced, throwing a hand to Captain Hook. The pirate bent his right elbow, pressing his arm at a horizontal angle across his body, rolled his hooked hand and took a low bow. “And the one, the only, the most terrifying fear that ever lived…” Pitch roared. “Me.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” snarled Jack.
“Oh, wouldn’t I?” laughed Pitch, swooping around to face his old nemesis. Rising up into the air, he neared the pair whom he had imprisoned. “You’ve gotten rid of me before Frost, but not again. I was written off, cast aside, hit rock bottom. I’ve been to some of the darkest places, you couldn’t even imagine in your worst nightmares…” He flew past Jack’s face in a blur, no more than a shadow. “Don’t you see?” he said as he appeared at the pirate’s side. “I’ve got nothing to lose… and when there’s nothing left to lose… you win.” He and Hook began to cackle.
Jerking his wrist faster, Jack managed to saw his staff through the sanded ropes that bound them. “Oh yeah?” said Jack with a laugh, his arm around Izz’s waist, as he finished sawing away the last of the ropes. “Well, I’d like to see you try.”
Pitch shot his head towards them. “How’d you-” he growled. Clenching his teeth, he snarled up his nose and exhaled a deep breath, before flinging himself towards them.
“Peter! Grab her!” Jack shouted, as he threw Izz towards the ledge. Peter leapt from the ground and rocketed towards her. Stretching out his arms, he gave a grunt as she dropped into his grasp.
“Peter,” she breathed, as she flung her arms to his shoulders. “Thanks.” He nodded, as he carried her back to the ledge.
A deep blue spark flashed before them, as Jack’s staff and Pitch’s scythe slashed against each other. Their sand and ice merged. A crystallised shard of frozen black sand hurtled down to the poison bay below. Izz and Peter flinched back from the edge of the mountain’s shelf upon the splash’s impact. Staring at the fight above them, they watched as Pitch swung his weapon at Jack. Jack rolled to the side, darting out of the way. Crouched down, he swiped his staff at Pitch’s legs. The man gave a growl as he stumbled forwards. Pitch took another swing at Jack, who retaliated with a jab at Pitch’s stomach.
As their brawl continued, Peter jerked his head to the right, curious of the look in his nemesis’ face. The ledge was empty. Peter leant forwards, trying to curl his head around the waterfall. Through the flowing water’s mutated colour, Peter noticed a blur of movement behind it. He leapt back, arching his head behind the cascading flow of purple. His eyes widened. On tiptoe he took a step closer. He watched as a creeping Captain Hook pressed himself back against the wall of the mountain and tried to shimmy his way sideways across the back of the waterfall. Frowning, Peter scratched his head. There was no way that the pirate could sneak behind the waterfall, for there was no ledge where the water fell. Both of the platforms held out by the mountain ended where the water’s flow. Sliding a boot onto the rock of the mountain, rubble crumbled beneath Hook’s weight. He wobbled out his hooked arm, trying to steady hid balance. Holding his breath as the poisoned water splashed inches from his nose, Captain Hook shuffled his feet along again. He fumbled his hand along the wall.
Peter’s mouth dropped and he gasped. Izz spun around to face him. Noticing that he was no longer beside her, she ran to his side. “Peter,” she cried. Turning to her, Peter held a finger to his mouth and shushed her. Stepping closer towards him she whispered, “What’s wrong?” He jabbed a finger behind the waterfall. Izz arched her head around. “There’s nothing there,” she told him.
“He’s behind there,” Peter said staring at the empty space behind the waterfall where Captain Hook had been moments earlier.
“Who’s behind where?” asked Izz.
“Hook,” Peter replied. “He’s found the secret passage to the heart of Neverland.” Izz’s lips parted, as she felt her limbs prickle with goose pimples. She inhaled, her chest shaking. “C’mon,” he whispered, holding a hand out for her to take. “We have to follow him.”
“But Peter-”
“Izz,” Peter said, turning to face her. He looked down at his hand and then back towards her. “We have to.” He stretched his fingers wide across his palm and pushed his hand further towards her. Her eyes flickered between his and his hand. She closed her eyes to take in a breath and placed her hand in his. “Hold on tight,” he told her as she looked to him.
Taking her right hand Peter placed it in his own and hooked his left arm around Izz’s waist. Gripping her tight, Peter flew low through the gap behind the waterfall and into the hole in the face of the mountain – the opening of the cave. As Captain Hook’s boots trudged on the ground, crunching at the rubble and dirt, Peter and Izz hovered. Although Peter could not fly too high, for the cave’s ceiling was quite low, he stayed in the air, so that Captain Hook could not hear their footsteps. Letting go of Izz’s hand, Peter pressed a finger to her mouth and flew towards the cave’s left side, as Captain Hook arched his head over his right shoulder.
Shaking his head, the pirate turned back around, facing the passageway in front of him, and continued. He slid his left hand into his pocket and rummaged it around, before pulling out a small, brown box. Sliding the centre compartment out with his thumb, he fumbled with his fingers to grip a thin, wooden splint. Pinching the flint between his index and middle fingers, Hook used his ring finger to reclose the box. He returned the box to his pocket and lifted up the sole of his right shoe. Swiping the flint across the bottom of his boot, the edge of the wooden peg flickered with light. He held the glowing glimmer out in front of him as he trudged forwards. The cave tunnelled to the left. Following the bend round, his footsteps stopped. He gasped seeing a glow of light in the distance.
Dropping Izz to the ground before the bend, Peter neared the cave’s curve and poked his head around. He scratched a hand to his head. Sniffing, his eyes widened. He shot back to Izz’s side. Swiping his hat from his head, he leant towards her ear and breathed, “Watch this.” Izz’s brow creased, but she allowed the corner of her mouth to turn up in a smile, as a grin grew across Peter’s face. Cupping his hat around his mouth, Peter seeped in a big gulp of air. His smirk faded, as he spoke into his hat, “I am the ghost of Waterfall Cave, and I say go back from where you came.” The deep, ominous voice, which Peter threw, echoed off the cave walls. They heard Captain Hook’s boots swerved in the gravel on the spot.
“A ghost you say…” came Hook’s amused reply.
“Yes,” replied Peter’s fearsome voice. “And you have awakened me from my deep slumber.” Izz clasped her hands to her mouth, to prevent a snigger from escaping. “I order you to return from where you came.”
“Too bad ghosts are the one thing I don’t believe in,” Hook’s voice snarled as it got closer. His shadow flickered towards them on the cave wall. Izz lowered her hands from her face and swallowed. She tugged on Peter’s shirt.
“Well you should believe,” Peter answered back in his hat. “Because I am real and you will do as I say.”
“Or what?” came a throaty growl.
“Or I’ll…” Peter paused. He closed his eyes and scratched his head. “I’ll-”
“Peter, watch out!” screamed Izz, as Captain Hook’s steel hook swiped at Peter’s face. Peter ducked, slid to the cave’s side and flew up behind Hook. Izz leapt back, retreating back down the cave, watching Peter and the pirate all the while. Having lodged the barb of his hook in the cave wall, the captain gripped his left arm around his stump and heaved. As he fumbled backwards, his hook free, Peter tapped him on the back of his left shoulder. The captain spun around with a growl. As Hook turned to his left, Peter flew to his right, keeping in pace with the pirate’s back. Cursing under his breath, Hook flung himself back to his right. Peter changed direction too, flying around Hook all the while.
Stopping at the sight of Izz, Hook took a sharp inhale through his nose. He stared at her. Biting her tongue, she stared back, keeping her expression as still and plain as possible. With a yell, Captain Hook flung his right arm out at his side, angling his hook behind him. As it clanged against another piece of metal, he swung himself around. His face met Peter’s. The boy laughed, his dagger gripped tight in his hand. Hook grabbed his hand to his sashed sheath. He gasped and looked down. His sword was gone. “You dropped it into the poisoned brook, remember you ol’ codfish,” Peter said with a laugh. Jabbing his dagger at the pirate captain he shouted, “En garde.” Hook blocked the attack with his hook’s shank. He leapt back; edging towards the cave’s opening. Shuffling backwards, he twisted his head behind him, searching for the exit. Drawing his arm back, Peter slashed his dagger forwards. Izz gasped and snapped her eyes shut. Hearing Izz murmur, Captain Hook arched his head over his shoulder. Seeing the alarm on Izz’s face, he swung his right arm out, as he spun back around to face his foe. “Missed me!” Peter sang, as he leapt back.
Hook gave a bellowing growl. As Peter threw his hands to his ears, the pirate turned towards Izz and fled for the exit. Sweeping past her, he shoved her aside. Izz grabbed her hands out to the wall behind her, as she fell back. Peter charged after him. Hook’s boots stomped against the rubble as he raced away. Stabbing his dagger ahead of him, Peter hurtled towards the pirate. Reaching the lip of the cave, Captain Hook spun himself around to face the right-hand side mountain wall and hugged it. Clawing his hook into the rock, the pirate stretched his left foot across from the cave’s lip and towards the mountain’s ledge. Peter threw himself back, pressing his heels into the air to slow himself down, as he neared the poisoned waterfall. Having run after them down the cave, Izz gasped, as Peter edged closer to the gushing water.
Jiggling his hook, the captain freed his wrist and recoiled his body from its distant stretch. Standing in the centre of the mountain ledge, Captain Hook threw his head back and cupped his hand and hook to his mouth. “Smee!” he yelled. “Lower the ladder.”
Peter swiped his hand around Izz’s waist and pulled her along with him, as he flew around the poisoned water and to Hook’s side. A roped ladder tumbled down from the ship’s port side, as a ball of blinding blue light flashed upon Pitch Black and Jack Frost’s weapon collision. Izz and Peter threw a hand to their eyes as they heard Captain Hook roar, “Pitch! Let’s get moving!” Once the brightness of the glow faded, Izz and Peter turned to where Captain Hook was stood. He was gone. They looked up the rope. The pirate flung his boots over the ship’s edge and the rope was yanked up.
Jack cried out as he threw himself forwards. He swiped his staff, but toppled forwards. Pitch had vanished. He flung his head up towards the pirate ship. The black billowing mass of Pitch’s robe wavered as he leapt on board the Jolly Roger. Turning to face his challenger, Pitch waved calling out, “Tar, tar then.”
There was a rumble of voices and an echo of crashing footsteps upon wood. After a shout from Captain Hook, the ship drifted away from the Never Peak, leaving Peter, Jack and Izz alone. Jack dashed over to the ledge where Peter and Izz stood. “Why did they leave?” he asked them. Izz shrugged.
“I don’t know,” she muttered. “Hook got angry when Peter and I snuck up on him in the cave to the heart of Neverland.”
“He found it?” Jack gasped.
“Not quite,” Peter told him, as he watched the Jolly Roger sail away.
“Well what are we waiting for?” asked Jack. “Let’s follow them.”

- Josie -
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