by R. L. Weeks
Stilt couldn’t stand, he gave up hope and stayed on the floor, sobbing into his brown top. ‘And Hook,’ the Piper said, looking into his cold, blue eyes. ‘The man who let his wife die because he was lured by another. The one who watched his men die as he stayed safely on the ship. You will never escape their screams.’
‘Make it stop,’ they begged.
The Piper shook his head. ‘I cannot. Everything you feel, everything you see,’ he said maddeningly, ‘are your own demons. I just helped bring them out physically!’
Hook grabbed the Piper’s arm with his hook and tugged. The flute flew out of his hand and landed with a chink on the floor.
Lori grabbed it and held it on both hands. ‘I’ll snap it.’
The darkness they felt faded as the flute stayed in Lori’s hands. Hook laughed. ‘Oh dear, not very powerful without your musical toy now, are ya?’
The Piper raised an eyebrow and grinned. ‘Oh, you’d be surprised.’
TRAPPED IN A NIGHTMARE
Belle sat by a tree and looked out feeling lonelier than she had ever felt. ‘Come on,’ Bell said, extending her hand. ‘Let’s go chat in the treehouse.’
Bell sat with Belle on the sofa by the fire. It crackled as Belle sobbed into a pillow. ‘He was a cursed man, trapped at a castle and he fell in love with me. He loved me when he loved no-one else. Then Stilt made Edward forget who I was until the day he remembered. He came back but Lori tricked me, then after a lot of lies and tricks, Edward and I found each other again and started a relationship. It was short-lived because it was shortly after that…’ She cried harder until she managed. ‘And then he was killed in front of me. I watched his head bounce away…’
Bell rubbed her back, adding in the odd ‘aww’ and ‘I feel for you’ when appropriate. Bell waited patiently for Belle to finish sobbing. Tide brought them hot cocoa and went back down to enjoy the party.
Bell’s blue eyes sparkled as she looked at Belle’s brown eyes. ‘We could bring him back you know?’
Belle looked up, shocked. ‘What? That’s not possible.’
Bell smiled excitedly. ‘Peter can do anything. You and Edward could stay here. Honestly, he’s so powerful.’
Belle shook her head. ‘I don’t know if I could trust him again. He did so many terrible things.’
Bell pressed her lips together. ‘But you said that love changed him. He loved you. He cried for you to not watch when he was killed. He shouted for you to look away. All he cared about was you.’
Belle smiled. You’re right, he-’ Belle stood up and gasped. ‘How did you know that? I didn’t tell you that he called out for me.’
Panicked, Bell stood up. ‘Yes you did.’
Belle shook her head. ‘No, you didn’t.’
‘Does it matter how I know?’ Bell asked. ‘The main thing is we can bring Edward back from the dead.’
Belle furrowed her brows. ‘If we stay here in Neverland you said? Would I have to give myself to Neverland. Become a prisoner here?’
Bell bit her lip. ‘No, well, you wouldn’t want to leave, would you?’
Belle grabbed her bag from the table and ran to the door. Bell called after her. ‘Belle, come back,’ but it was too late, Belle hurried down the ladder and disappeared through the foliage.
Bell ran down to Peter who was dancing closely with Snow. Too close. Bell’s eyes flashed with jealousy as she watched Peter twirl her around.
THE WOLF WITHIN
Depression fell on Red’s features. The music lifted the others, but it was pushing Red further and further into herself. She could hear the wolf trapped in her head pushing itself forward. She tried to supress it, but howling replaced the music. Panicked, she tried to step forward but she felt as if she were being pinned down onto the log. She tried to scream out, but no-one could hear her. Redell, the wolf that inhabited Red’s body when she was a child, finally managed to push his way to the surface. She had pushed him back for so long using herbal drinks, but she had forgotten to drink any while in Neverland.
Red’s eyes turned black. The wolf was angry, he had befriended Red, asking her to help him find another host, he had helped her get rid of her brothers, and how did she repay him? By forcing him to live as a prisoner in the far reaches of her mind. Well, he was back, and nothing would stop him. He looked through Red’s eyes, taking over her body.
He stepped forward, looking at Rapunzel with hungry eyes. This would be his ultimate revenge. Rapunzel glanced at Red and the smile dropped from her face. She looked like Red, but her eyes were demonic. Her teeth were growing longer, into canines. Her fingernails turned into claws and she was hunched over, saliva dripping from her teeth.
Peter pulled Snow into the bushes as Red lunged at Rapunzel.
Rapunzel ran to the treehouse, climbing the ladder frantically. She looked down from the top of ladder. Red was licking her lips, climbing quickly. Rapunzel pushed open the door then barred it shut. She ran into one of the bedrooms and hid in a wardrobe.
She could hear Red banging on the door, trying to break it open. Rapunzel’s heart raced. She put her hand over her mouth, trying to quieten her breaths.
Through the horizontal peephole, Rapunzel saw a small fairy fly through the window. She heard the door fly open and tried to whisper to the fairy, ‘go back out the window,’ but the fairy did not hear.
She heard Red’s boots stomp through into the bedroom. A small scream protruded through the treehouse as Red caught the fairy in her hand and lifted her up to her mouth. The tiny fairy screamed, hammering her hands against Red’s hand, but nothing worked. She tried to wriggle free, but she was already by Red’s lips. Red bit down and the fairies head crunched under her canines. Blood dripped onto Red’s boots as she threw the fairies body onto the floor. Rapunzel tried not to vomit as she peered through the closets pane. She could see a faint shadow, then Red’s boots. The tip of her blood-soaked boots. Rapunzel held her breath as Red took a step forward, stopping in front of the closet.
Red turned and looked like she was walking away, but just before Rapunzel could feel safe, Red’s face appeared by the slit in the pane. Her face was smeared with blood. Her lips curved with twisted insanity. She threw open the door with manic laughter that made Rapunzel scream. Red grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the closet and onto the floor. She bit into Rapunzel’s arm who squealed as Peter and Snow ran into the room.
He whacked Red over the head with a bat. She dropped to the floor and Rapunzel sat up, barely able to breath between her sobs. Peter turned to Snow. ‘Get Rapunzel out of here. I’ll clean up this mess and find out what’s happened to Red.’
Snow nodded, tears falling down her own cheeks. She looked back at her friend, wondering what caused her to lose it like that. Bell climbed up and gasped as she walked into the room. ‘What the hell happened?’
Peter scowled. ‘Red lost it. I think there is something inside of her trying to get out.’ He looked around to check they were alone. ‘I cannot have her mess this up for me!’
Bell knelt down next to Peter. ‘Why don’t you ask Snow for advice? You seem pretty cosy with her.’
Peter pushed Bell backward and turned to face her. ‘I do not need your petty jealousy right now. You know you’re my number one girl,’ he growled.
‘Sorry,’ she said and gulped. ‘What do you need from me?’
He bit his lip as he pondered. ‘Toadstools. They should put whatever is trying to get out at bay for a while, at least until we can find a more permanent solution. However,’ he said, lowering his gaze to the unconscious Red. ‘If it doesn’t work, if she keeps pulling everyone’s spirits down, she will end up in the same place as Wendy.’
Bell nodded. He hadn’t said Wendy’s name in a long time, he must be serious, she thought. Bell turned into her fairy form and flew off to gather the toadstools. Bell returned, morphed back into the human form, and squashed toadstools with some other herbs into a paste. She handed the bowl to Peter who pushed it into Red’s mouth.
&
nbsp; Red breathed in heavily as she woke up, coughing. ‘What happened?’
Peter lowered his head. ‘I’m afraid that something took over your body. We don’t really know what happened.’
‘Oh no,’ Red said. ‘What did he do?’
Bell knelt down. ‘He?’
‘The Wolf,’ Red shouted. ‘What did he do?’
Bell took a deep breath. ‘You attacked Rapunzel.’
Red jumped to her feet. ‘Is she okay? Where is she?’
‘She’ll be fine,’ Peter promised. ‘Snow is stitching up her arm. We found you before he could do anymore damage. We gave you a paste that will supress it. However, one of my fairies,’ he said, gesturing to the headless small body in the floor, surrounded by blood, ‘Is not okay.’
Red put her hand over her mouth, ‘I am so sorry.’
Bell looked over at the broken door. ‘You should go and find Rapunzel.’
THE TRUTH
Red’s gaze traced over the stitched wounds on Rapunzel’s arm and sighed.
‘Tell me the truth,’ Rapunzel said softly. They were sat on a log, in the middle of the forest. Red looked down at the floor, her eyes glassy as tears threatened to push through the corners. ‘I was just a child.’
‘You can tell me anything,’ Rapunzel said. ‘When I met you all those years ago, I just figured you were a bit of a loner, but never did I think you were-’
‘Crazy?’
Rapunzel shook her head. ‘Damaged,’ she said with a sad smile. ‘I can fix damaged things.’
‘I’m past the point of help,’ Red stated.
‘Just tell me,’ Rapunzel pleaded.
Red took a deep breath and rested her head on her hands. ‘My birth name is Ruby, the other half of me is called Redell. I took the name Red after he entered my mind.’
Rapunzel looked at her wide-eyed. ‘Who?’
‘A wolf. When I was a child, I was adopted by Jorim and his wife Penny. Penny died, so I lived with Jorim and his two sons, my brothers. Crone and Grin. They were horrible to me, they beat me, made me do all of their chores, then tell father lies about me.’ Tears brimmed in Red’s eyes, the faces of those she loved and lost swam around her, the memories blinding her vision. All she could see was pain.
‘Your eyes, they’re swimming with grey swirls.’
Red blinked, she couldn’t have Rapunzel see the truth. The souls swimming in her eyes.
They were in the most beautiful paradise on the planet, Rapunzel was happy. She couldn’t have it ruined. ‘I never should have come back for you.’
‘I’m glad you did,’ Rapunzel said, entwining her fingers with Red’s. ‘I love you.’
Red cried. ‘I love you too, I always did. From the moment I laid eyes on you.’
‘Oh gosh,’ Rapunzel laughed. ‘None of this love at first sight rubbish.’
‘Seriously,’ Red started. ‘I saw you laid on the grass, no shoes on, the bottom of your dress was wet from where you had been paddling in the lake.’
Rapunzel smiled, she didn’t realise that Red had taken in all of those little details. Red continued, wiping her eyes, the memories of those she had betrayed were gone, and were replaced by warmth. ‘You were laughing as a dragonfly zoomed past you. Then, you looked sad. I remember you saying afterward that it was because-’
‘Dragonflies can only live for a day and that it was so unfair,’ Rapunzel finished.
‘Yes.’ Red squeezed her hand tighter. ‘You had so much compassion, goodness, and life in you that I could see no one else. It really was love at first sight.’
Rapunzel giggled. ‘And I only thought that was possible in fairytales.’
Red smiled. ‘We should head back to the tree house.’
‘No,’ Rapunzel whispered. ‘You promised to tell me the truth.’
‘I don’t think I’m ready.’
‘Please,’ she begged.
Red looked into her eyes and sighed. ‘Father was a woodcutter. Before he adopted me, he had a daughter who he called Ruby too. I did not deserve her name, after everything I did.’
‘What could have been that bad?’
‘You must understand, like I said, they beat me. I was seven. Seven years old, Rapunzel. I didn’t understand. I was easily manipulated.’
‘I understand. I really do,’ she cooed.
Red fiddled with the ribbon on her red dress. ‘A wolf, one which was immortal, came to me in the night. The garden was protected by herbs. He tricked me. We made a deal, he would rid me of my brothers and in exchange I would let him in a give him a meal and shelter. We made a blood promise. Well, long story short, I went along with it. I gave him friendship, which actually meant that he could use me as a host.’ Red paused, choking back sobs. ‘He took me over, I let him. Then he killed my father, brothers, and my grandma, and a witch was behind it all. She still lives in the dead woods. He then tried to take over my mind, well, he asked me to find him another host as he didn’t want to hurt me. I said no and drunk a potion to push him to the back of my mind. He has been lying dormant all this time. I was terrified to put the red cloak he gave me back on, as that’s how he got into my head in the first place. I’m scared he will come to the front of my mind. You’ve seen it, when I’ve almost lost it.’
Rapunzel nodded. ‘It’s not your fault.’
‘It’s all my fault,’ she cried.
‘We will find a way to rid of your wolf,’ Rapunzel promised. ‘If it’s the last thing I do.’
PIPER’S LOVE
Hook threatened to snap the Piper’s flute. ‘No,’ the Piper screamed and reached for it.
Hook stepped backward. ‘So your flute is your power?’
The Piper tilted his head. ‘It’s a big part of it, yes, but I could still hurt you all without it. I can make all of your nightmares come back.’
‘Wait,’ Lori said, standing in front of Hook. ‘Let’s not get hasty. You wouldn’t want your flute gone for good, would you?’
‘No,’ the Piper admitted.
Lori smiled. ‘Good, then let’s talk deals. We need to get into the fountains entrance.’
The Piper laughed. ‘Impossible.’
Hook shook his head. ‘It’s not. You’re the keeper, aren’t you?’
The Piper nodded slowly. ‘I wouldn’t hand it over to you.’
‘Fine, I’ll break it,’ Hook said.
Stilt grabbed the flute from Hook and handed it back to the Piper. ‘Wait,’ Stilt said to Lori and Hook who tried to hit Stilt. ‘We don’t need that to bargain with now, do we?’ He looked at the Piper who caressed his flute. ‘You need something more than that, don’t you?’ Stilt asked him. The Piper raised an eyebrow quizzically, but did not reply. Stilt continued. ‘Treasure? No, not treasure.’ Stilt looked around the cave until he spotted a charming diamond ring encased in a glass box, sat on top of a stone ledge. ‘Perhaps a long lost love? The fountain can bring anyone back.’
‘She’s not dead,’ the Piper spat.
Stilt grinned. ‘So it is a long lost love? Where is she, we can bring her to you!’
The Piper gulped. ‘She is on Peter’s Island. I can’t go there. I’m confined to this Island.’
‘Easy enough,’ Lori said. ‘If we get her for you, will you give us the key to the fountain?’
‘On one condition,’ the Piper said. ‘You get her out of here once you have the fountains power.’
‘Why can’t you?’ Stilt asked.
‘If you destroy Neverland,’ the Piper said. ‘Then you kill me as well as Peter.’
Hook raised his hook. ‘You wouldn’t die for a girl!’ he stated, but then saw the look in his eyes. The same look he had for his wife. ‘Oh.’
Lori walked away. Hook called after her. ‘Where are you going?’
‘To get the girl,’ she called back. ‘What’s her name?’
The Piper sighed. ‘She’s called Wendy.’
***
Bell looked over at Peter. ‘Belle’s gone.’
‘I noticed,�
�� he replied angrily. ‘You didn’t tell me.’
‘Sorry,’ she whispered. ‘She figured out that I was seeing what was in her head. She opened up, she was vulnerable, so I could see her memories. Then she closed up when I mentioned some stuff that she hadn’t told me.’
Peter’s face flushed red. ‘You did what?’
Bell teared up. ‘I thought I had her. I’m sorry.’
Peter slammed his fist onto the table. ‘Find her!’
She nodded and flew away. Snow climbed into the living area. ‘Hey Peter,’ she said dreamily. Snow had lost touch with reality so much that she was locked in a constant daydream of Peter’s making.
‘Snow,’ he said, hugging her. ‘Fancy going to the beach?’
She grinned. ‘Yes.’
***
James travelled through the enchanted mirror using the fairy dust left on the note from Belle. After three days of walking through the forest, he had finally reached the beach. He sat on the largest rock, looking down at the scene furiously. His brown eyes lit up with envy. With his hand firmly on the hilt of his sword, he eyed his competition. The boy, seventeen at most, wore a forest green cut off top. His shorts were dirt brown; his sandals were as golden as the sand which he danced on. Snow looked different, a smile was a permanent fixture on her face, but the vacant look in her eyes alerted James to trouble. Everything glittered gold on her white dress, a dress which flowed out as she turned.
A tune filled the air. Starting slow, as if a thousand violins were playing the most cinematic tune in the world, getting higher and louder with each thud of the timed drum beat.
Snow sang with the tune, each word soothing easily into the next, unknowingly rhyming, but unchained. James was entranced by the sound, feeling himself lighten.
He shook his head vigorously, trying to snap out of the trance, but he felt light, as if he were floating on a cloud. His worries melted away. Watching her spin, laughing, sand bouncing around her bare feet, it was everything that was perfect in the world. Her dark hair was wavy, sea salt gave it a textured appearance, and it was longer then he remembered, falling to the small of her back. Time in the sun had done nothing but good to her snow white complexion, giving it the slightest sun kissed glow.
