Journey to Neverland (Haunting Fairytales Collection Book 2)

by R. L. Weeks

  ‘Belle?’ Snow asked, entrapped in another of Peter’s games.

  Peter shook his head. ‘Belle certainly has a broken heart, but her guilt is coated with acceptance. No, she may be one of the hardest. I must find her first if Bell and James cannot.’

  ‘Oh,’ Snow said and thought about each of her friends. ‘Well, I know Rapunzel is angry at being locked up for all those years. But, she is kind and happy. It won’t be her.’

  ‘Now you’re thinking like a Queen. Who should we trap Snow?’

  Snow sat on the hot sand and created patterns with her sword. ‘Must it be James?’

  Peter nodded. ‘Why, do you still care for him?’

  She shook her head. ‘I care only for you.’

  ‘I believe you,’ he laughed boyishly. ‘James’ heart is broken by you. His one true love, who is no longer his true anything. He is also consumed by guilt for his grandfather, for you. He will be the easiest. Then Red. Oh, Red does have a colourful past. She’s locked away, but I will set her free as soon as I can get rid of that pesky wolf.’

  ‘James is powerful,’ Snow admitted.

  Peter lifted his hand, gesturing for Snow to look out over Neverland. He grew closer to her until his nose was almost touching hers. Then through her a grin, ‘he is not powerful here!’ He sat down, cross-legged, on the sand. ‘However, it could be a challenge. I could really use the merpeople on my side for this.’

  She raised an eyebrow. ‘I thought they were?’

  He shook his head. ‘Not the one’s down in the Grey Pool.’

  ‘I could talk to them, if you want? I would be careful, and I can lure things, remember?’

  He smiled. ‘Thank you.’

  ***

  Snow walked down to the Grey pool and walked down the steep steps. She stopped by the pools edge and ran her hand across the luscious warm water of the large, deep pool. The pool lapped around the entrances of the three enormous caves. Around the rest of the pool was a wall, circling its way to the spiralled rickety steps that Snow had climbed down. The grey wall was covered with exotic flowers, ivy, and moss. The small pebbly bay which Snow stood on was her only safety from the mermaid pool.

  As the daylight dimmed and the night began to tick by, Snow didn’t take her eyes off of the calm water one. Thoughts of her life in Neverland swam around her mind, the memories of her life before coming to Neverland were blurring more and more each day. A salty tear ran down her cheek. Sniffing, she wiped it away and kept her thoughts on the task ahead.

  Peter needed them on his side, but that would be a difficult task.

  He had banished them to this pool when he first created Neverland. They refused to leave the enormous fountain which was their home, so he had to keep them in Neverland.

  A splash broke the silence; it had come from the inside of the far left cave. Snow looked out into the penetrable darkness, her eyes locked onto the jagged entrance to the cave. Unlike the other pools, this one was well hidden, and for good reason.

  The merpeople looked out from their hiding place. Their golf ball sized black eyes locked onto the lone woman who dared venture to their pool.

  Behind their pink, stretched lips were layers upon layers of razor sharp teeth. Their skin was a shimmering grey. They swam out into the pool. Their gold scaly powerful tails splashed behind them, creating ripples in the water that reached to where Snow was sat.

  She jumped backward as one swam up to her. She stayed with her back against the wall, looking at the creature with wild green hair, a flattened nose, and long talons. Its eyes were as black as the night.

  Behind this creature, a more human-like mermaid swam over. Her eyes were as golden as her tail, her button nose suited her small oval-shaped face. Her razor sharp teeth were hidden well behind her luscious red lips. It was the female who spoke first. ‘What are you doing here?’

  Snow edged her way over to the steps. ‘I think I have made a mistake.’

  The merman laughed, holding his spear above the water while his silvery tail beat the water. ‘Maybe, maybe not,’ it hissed.

  ‘P-Peter asked me to c-come here,’ Snow stuttered.

  The mermaid spat onto the pebbles where he rested his arms. ‘That boy is not welcome here!’

  Snow looked down at his ugly face and furrowed her brows. ‘But this is his home.’

  The merman rose his spear, launching at Snow, who narrowly dodged it. The mermaid managed to calm him down, but he still bore his teeth. ‘Leave, now!’ he ordered Snow.

  She shook her head. ‘Please, you must hear me out. Despite the grievances you have with him, you do not have any with me. I come to you simply with an offer of a deal.’

  The mermaid pushed back her green hair and locked her gaze onto Snow’s. ‘The answer will be no, I’m afraid. I see, however, that Peter had cursed you.’

  Snow raised her eyebrows. ‘What? No he has not! He gave me a gift.’

  ‘A curse,’ the merman said. ‘You’re like his little puppet. I will not do any dealings with you.’

  She scowled at the merman, allowing her eyes to flame green. ‘Please listen to me.’ He slowly nodded and pulled himself out of the water. The mermaid next to him tried to drag him back into the water, but he batted her away. He dragged himself along the pebbles until he was face to face with Snow who was kneeling down. ‘You’re going to help me,’ she lulled. He nodded and smiled. ‘Now,’ she said. ‘Who is your leader?’

  ‘I am,’ he replied.

  ‘Good.’ She grinned. ‘You’re going to fight alongside myself and Peter when the time calls, you’re also going to make sure your, um,’ she looked over to the mermaid who was watching her, eagle-eyed, ‘family and friends help us too.’

  He nodded and she pecked him on the cheek. He headed back to the pool dreamily and dove in to tell the others the plan. Snow smirked at the mermaid and walked up the steps, back to Peter.

  ALMOST KISSED

  Croon glanced over to Gallisa and smiled. She grinned and turned back to her puzzle. Rapunzel sat cross legged in front of the fireplace and read one of Tide’s books.

  Tide walked through the door holding a stack of books. Although he was muscular, he was small and slim. He was shorter than the rest of the Lost Boys, at around five-foot-five. Still, he had the most beautiful Blue eyes that any of them had ever seen, and he was far cleverer than he let on. He pulled open the door with his foot and threw the books down so they landed on the grass below.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Rapunzel gasped.

  Tide sighed. ‘Getting rid of them. Peter doesn’t want me reading.’

  ‘Screw him!’ Gallisa said, putting her hands on her hips. She stood up and walked over to the door. ‘Go and get them, bring them back up, and hide them if you have too! He does not get to dictate who does what.’

  Tide pressed his lips together. ‘He kinda does though. This is his Neverland. I want-’ he stopped himself.

  Gallisa raised an eyebrow. ‘Want to what?’

  ‘Leave,’ he admitted for the first time since living in Neverland.

  Gallisa nodded. ‘Of course you do! Look, we’re planning something.’

  Croon jumped off of the sofa. ‘You are?’

  Gallisa smirked. ‘We’re going to get everyone out of here. I’ve made a deal with the Evil Queen. I may not trust her, but I know that she wants to bring down Neverland for her own again and she’s powerful enough to do it.’

  ‘We should do it!’ Croon barked. ‘I’ve had enough of Peter.’

  Gallisa smiled. ‘I’m going to give them the keys they need right now!’

  ***

  Bell and James treaded through the swamp and marshes until they were back into the safety of the forest. ‘Why was there a giant?’ James asked.

  Bell shrugged. ‘Peter has all sorts of surprises on this island.’

  James ground his teeth. ‘Surprises that killed my mum!’

  ‘I know,’ Bell whispered. She sat on a rock and drank some water from a leaf. ‘I’m
sorry.’

  James kneeled in front of her and pushed her chin up with his finger. He gazed into her green eyes. ‘Stop apologising, it’s not your fault. You’ve been pushed around by Peter for too long, made to feel like everything is your fault.’

  She leant forward, looking back into his warm, protective gaze. Her lips were inches away from his. She traced her gaze over each dimple, her breath was sweet on his as she went in for a kiss. Their lips touched briefly before he pulled away. ‘Sorry,’ he breathed. ‘I’m in love with Snow.’

  Bell pressed her lips together and closed her eyes. ‘I misread the signals. Sorry.’

  ‘No, you didn’t,’ he admitted. ‘I made Snow a promise. I told her I loved her and I don’t just throw those three words around like nothing.’

  ‘You’re a good guy!’ Bell said and stood up. ‘Let’s forget it.’

  James half-smiled, edging on a laugh. ‘I may love Snow, but I wouldn’t forget our moments either Bell. You’re lovely, you’ll make some guy really happy.’

  Bell rolled her eyes. ‘I’m always the girl who will make some guy happy, just never the guy I want. Girl’s like Snow always get what they want.’

  ‘No,’ James said. ‘If you knew Snow at all you’d know that’s not true.’

  ‘She’s lucky,’ Bell said. ‘She is the lucky one to have someone like you, yet she is happy to ditch you and go with Peter. Enchantment or not, she must have wanted him. I don’t even think she’s enchanted, just sometimes entranced.’

  ‘Come on,’ James said and walked on, not wanting to hear anymore.

  ‘Why?’ Bell asked, walking after him. ‘Because you don’t want anything to make Snow look bad. You are going to end up losing everything because of her. I don’t want to stay around to see that. She’s going to bring everyone to their knees. I’ve never seen Peter like the way he is with Snow. He wasn’t even like that with Wendy! She is going to destroy everything and you’re going to end up at the sharp end of the sword.’

  James huffed. ‘I’m willing to take the risk.’

  ***

  Snow began to fall in Neverland. It was only brief, but Peter saw it as the ending it could be. ‘It’s chilly,’ Peter admitted.

  Snow tilted her head. ‘It is. Are you pleased? I managed to get them onto our side.’

  He shrugged. ‘I guess,’ he said, looking at the treehouse. ‘They all think that I don’t know what they’re doing.’

  ‘What are they doing?’ Snow asked.

  Peter sighed. ‘Trying to bring me down.’

  Snow’s eyes widened. ‘And you’re letting them? Are you crazy?’

  ‘A little,’ he admitted and grinned. ‘The best people are.’

  Snow’s hands tightened to fists. ‘We need to stop them!’

  ‘No!’ he shouted. ‘You have been here for a few weeks! You have no idea what you’re dealing with, okay! Leave it alone, it’s for me to sort out. My Neverland, my problems.’

  Snow smirked. ‘For now.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Until they bring it down,’ Snow said quickly.

  He watched through the branches at Tide and Rapunzel picking up books and taking them back into the treehouse. Gallisa waved to them and headed down the beach. ‘It won’t get to that.’

  ***

  Gallisa walked onto the sandy beach and stared out at the glorious ship. She pulled one of the canoes from the beach into the water and paddled out to the ship. Hook looked down at her, adjusted his red pirate hat so it sat straight on top of his brown, untamed hair, and looked down at Gallisa with cold eyes. ‘Did you get what we asked for?’ he shouted down to the canoe. Gallisa held up a golden key that hung from a piece of string. ‘Crew,’ he shouted to the other pirates. ‘Bring her up!’

  One pirate with an eyepatch on and black teeth helped Gallisa up the rope ladder.

  Lori walked over from behind hook and extended a gloved hand. Gallisa went to shake and Lori laughed. ‘I mean hand me the key.’

  ‘Sure,’ Gallisa said and handed her the key.

  Lori clasped it and smiled. ‘Perfect. Now, let’s go and get Wendy!’

  They all paddled to shore and jumped out. Lori groaned about the bottom of her velvet purple dress getting wet, but Hook laughed. In fact, he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. ‘You look lovely, stop moaning,’ Hook said.

  Lori grinned. ‘Thank you.’

  The time they had spent together on the ship had been quite lovely. They played cards, talked about their dark pasts, and shared intimate secrets. All the while Stilt had sat and rolled his eyes so much that he gave himself a headache.

  Stilt marched ahead and they all entered the forest. ‘Gallisa,’ Stilt said. ‘Can you please find Peter and distract him. We don’t need him following us.’

  Gallisa nodded. ‘I’ve done a lot of distracting recently,’ she groaned but walked off in the direction of the treehouse nonetheless.

  Daisy flew down from a branch and landed on Lori’s shoulder. ‘Keep heading west,’ she said.

  Lori turned to Hook, Stilt, and Peg, one of Hooks crew who had come along to help them take Wendy. ‘We need to go west,’ she said and pointed at the fairy on her shoulder. They all nodded.

  Hook looked around confused. ‘The forest is colder than it ever has been. The leaves are dying too. Things are changing.’

  Lori smirked. ‘Looks like Snow has fallen.’

  Stilt raised an eyebrow. ‘No it hasn’t.’

  Lori sighed exasperatedly. ‘I meant metaphorically. You know, Snow White.’

  ‘Oh,’ he said and bit his cheek. He hated being wrong, especially when it was to Lori. ‘We need to get a move on if we have any chance of making it there before dark,’ Stilt said and huffed.

  ‘Why are you so huffy?’ Lori asked. ‘You’re getting your wife and daughter back. You should be bloody happy!’

  ‘Yeah,’ he sighed. ‘It’s the only thing that has made these weeks being locked up with you bearable.’

  Lori poked his side. ‘Oh come on, you don’t hate me that much.’

  He laughed. ‘Oh Lori, I really, really do.’

  ‘Enough,’ Hook barked. ‘Can we go just one day without you both bickering!’

  They both fell silently. Daisy continued to sit on Lori’s shoulder, giving them directions to Wendy’s prison.

  Darkness fell as they all huffed they’re way to the cages. Stilt finished the last of his whiskey and looked down at the flask with disappointment. He turned and saw the rusty bars and breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Thank God we’re here.’ He looked at the young woman who was sat talking too Red in the cage. She only looked around eighteen and had dark circles under her eyes and was thinner than even him.

  She turned and looked at the three. ‘Redell,’ she whispered to the wolf in Red. ‘When they take me, which they will, I’ll play ignorant and quickly grab the key and throw it into you.’

  Redell nodded. ‘I’ll find you.’

  Lori approached Wendy first. ‘Well, you’re not as pretty as I thought you’d be.’

  Wendy scowled at her. ‘You’re not in a position to judge anyone’s looks, love.’

  Lori raised her eyebrows. ‘I have no idea what he sees in you.’

  ‘Who?’ Wendy asked, playing dumb.

  ‘Erghh,’ Lori groaned. ‘She’s slow too. Stilt,’ she turned to him, ‘open the cage, me, Peg, and Hook will tie her up.’

  Stilt shoved the gold key into the lock. The enchantment fell from the bars and Wendy was dragged out. She quickly grabbed the key from the lock. They tried to grab it from her, but she quickly threw it outside Redell’s bars. Just before Hook could grab it, Redell snatched it from in-between the bars.

  Hook growled. ‘We can’t get in without that key!’

  ‘Who cares?’ Lori shrugged as she pulled the cloth around Wendy’s mouth. ‘Let her go free. We have things to do. Let’s go.’

  Hook finished tying together Wendy’s hands and pulled her along with rope. Wendy, although tie
d up, felt happy as she walked again in the open air. Daisy landed on her shoulder and sung her quiet songs as they walked, to keep her spirits up.

  They stopped in a clearing and drank some water. Lori conjured up some wine and drank it. Daisy flew off and came back with a leaf filled with water. She pushed down Wendy’s cloth enough to put the water into her mouth. Lori saw this and batted Daisy away.

  Wendy tried to smile under the cloth at Daisy.

  Lori eventually dozed off against Hook’s arm. He smiled and looked down at her. For the first time, he felt warm inside, and he was sure that Lori felt the same way.

  Night fell quickly, coating them all in darkness. Hook was the only one still awake. He held onto the rope holding Wendy and looked out into the leafy, impenetrable blackness and heard a loud howl.

  ‘That girl in the cage,’ Hook said to Wendy. ‘She looked a bit like a wolf, the eyes, teeth, claws.’ He shook Lori awake. ‘That girl is Wendy threw the key too is coming for us. I knew she looked wolf-like. We need to go.’

  Lori shook Peg and Stilt awake. ‘We need to go. We’re in danger.’

  They pulled Wendy as they all ran through the forest. Stilt kept falling into stumps and trees as he stumbled along behind them, drunk.

  They finally fell out onto the beach. The sun began to rise, leaving everything in reddish hue.

  When they made it onto the ship, Hook got the crew ready to sail for Pirate’s Cove.

  Lori removed the cloth from Wendy’s mouth. ‘Why are you doing this?’ Wendy asked, struggling too free herself from the rope wrapped tightly around her legs and wrists.

  Hook laughed. ‘Oh come on doll, we all know you’re not that dim. Your fairy friend told you we’d be rescuing you.’

  ‘Yes, it turns out you lured the Pied Piper with your own melody,’ Stilt said.

  Lori rolled her eyes. ‘Nice metaphor.’

  Stilt shrugged. ‘I try.’

  Wendy struggled more. ‘It will not work! You shouldn’t have gone to see him,’ she lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘If anyone finds out that the Piper was behind this, that he still holds love for me, they will kill him. He will kill him.’