Chapter 29; Is It True Hurt People Hurt People?

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will only cause permanent physiological damage."

~ Unknown

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Andrew's P.O.V

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    The sound of a rooster calling is what wakes me up. I cover my ears, drowning out the early morning's wake up call. Wait a minute. There aren't any roosters in Neverland. Where am I? I open my eyes, all I see is white. My hands go up to my face, shielding my eyes from the bright light. I peak through my fingers, realizing that I'm staring at the sun though an open window.

    I bring my hands away from my face, feeling a rough, scratchy fabric under my hand. Only then do I realize that I'm lying on a bed with a threadbare blanket on me. The plain colour and pattern of the blanket looks awfully familiar... I bolt up. No, Pan couldn't be so cruel as to send me back here. I scan my surroundings. The faded, red rug is still there, just the way it was when I left many years ago.

    The sight of the rusty bar windows remind me of the time I tried to run away when I was fourteen. The constant buzzing of the lamp on the wooden table are like nails on a chalkboard. The whirling of the ceiling fan brings me back to the countless times I cried myself to sleep, using the fan's steady rhythm to lull me to sleep.

    The yellow walls with the peeling wallpaper are still the same. I look down at myself, it's like someone's turned back the clock because I'm nine again. I have nothing but bad memories of this place. The kids here were terrible. Especially Bri—

    The wooden door swings open, slamming into the wall. The loud noise jarring my thoughts. Suddenly, a girl no older than eighteen walks in, flanked by two other girls. The middle girl is dressed in a red crop top, black flats and blue jeens. Her blonde hair is pulled back in a high ponytail. The chain on her jeens jingle with each step she takes.

    The girl on her left is tall and slim with a fake tan. Her long black hair falls over her shoulder in waves. She's dressed in a black tank top and green camouflage miniskirt. The zips of her black, knee high boots reflect the lamp's light on the floor. The girl on her right is a pudgy brunette with a smirk on her face. Her neon pick romper is truly hideous, it makes me wish I was blind.

    "Look, girls," the middle girl says. "The runt's come home."    Her friends laugh.    "What should we do to him this time?" she asks the girl with the fake tan.    "How bout' 'water treatment'?" suggests the girl with the hideous outfit.    The older girl smirks. "Good idea, Jeanette."

    A feeling of dread washes over me. Not water treatment, that's the worst. The older girl grabs me by the collar of my shirt, her smirk widens as she sees the pure terror on my face.    "We'll have to use the haunted bathroom, Brianna," says the girl to her left. "Mrs Anderson never goes there on her night patrols."

    Brianna drags me out of the room. Unfortunately, my nine year old self can't get out of her grip. I trash and try to hit but to no avail. She punches me when I try to call for help. Jeanette opens the bathroom door for us and Brianna drags me inside. My heart is in my mouth as I hear the sound of Olivia turning the tap on.

    I claw at Brianna's face, pleading for her to stop. "No, please!"    "Be quiet!" she shouts, slapping me in the face.    Olivia turns the tap off when the tub is almost filled to the bim.    "Jean, Olive, guard the door." Brianna orders, keeping her hold on me.

    The two girls nod and leave the room, closing the door behind them. I cry out as Brianna throws me into the tub, wetting my clothes. She grabs me by the hair and laughs. Brianna proceeds to dunk me into the tub, holding my head underwater. I scream as I go under, but my cries for help are muffled by the water. She seems to know exactly when to pull me up.

    I'm in the water long enough that it feels like my head is exploding but not too long that I lose consciousness. I scream and fight her grip as she pulls me out of the water. She waits for a few seconds to let me catch my breath before dunking me back underwater. It feels like there's a million knives stabbing me in the head. She pulls me up after what seems like a thousand years.

    "You're worthless, runt," she snarls. "No one wants you, your own mother didn't even want you—"

    "Drew! Drew, snap out of it!" shouts a familiar voice, bringing me back to reality.    I bolt up, gasping for air. The sky is pitch black, telling me that it's nightfall. Hunter and Jerome are kneeling next to me, worry etched on their faces. I'm drenched in cold sweat.    I wipe the perspiration from my forehead. "What happend?"

    "Will knocked you out," Hunter explains, helping me to my feet. "You were having a panic attack."    "Don't worry, we'll get that S.O.B back later," says Jerome.    I inwardly shiver at the memory of Brianna, the daughter of Mrs Joanne, the head of the orphanage. I haven't thought of that memory in over a decade.

    The runt's brother made me relive all the traumatic memories that I had repressed in my years in Neverland. My wounds were just about healed, until he reopened them all.

    "I'll kill that bastard," I snarl, clenching my fists. "And when I'm done, I'm gonna kill his brother."

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Alice's P.O.V

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    I wake up to Peter playing with my hair. He's been doing that a lot. He notices that I'm awake and leans down, pecking me on the lips.    I stare at him in shock. I wasn't expecting that. "Good morning to you, too."    "How'd you sleep?" he asks.    "Like a baby," I say. "I'm surprised that you haven't done anything yet."    He cocks his head to the side.

    "I assumed that you would try to kill Lewis and Will when they showed up," I explain. "Unless you're just waiting for the perfect time to do so?"    Peter looks like I just offended him. "I wasn't planning on killing anyone."    I look at him skeptically.    "Killing Will would be a waste of talent," he says.    "What about Lewis?"

    "He's a good fighter, not as excellent as Will, but still good."    "Hmmm."    "You still don't believe, do you?"    "No, I totally believe you."    He rolls his eyes. "Why would I even want to kill them?"    "I don't know, maybe 'cause you get jealous easily."    "I do not get jealous easily."

    I raise my eyebrow and give him a look that says, "really?"    "What about the time you threatened Ray for befriending me, or the time you threatened to kill your boys if they got too close to me, or the time you-"    "Fine, fine, you win."    "As always."    "Really?" he asks, giving me a mischievous look.

    I tilt my head to the side, confused. "What are you on about-"    I'm interrupted by Peter tackling me. He then climbs on top of me, straddling me. I squeal as he begins tickling me.    "How 'bout this?" he asks, grinning. "Can you win this fight?"    "S-Stop, I can't b-b-breathe," I stutter, laughing. "P-Peter, please."

    He laughs, tickling my sides. "Not until you admit defeat."    "O-Okay, I was w-w-wrong," I gasp, assuming that he'd stop tickling me, but to my dismay, he doesn't.    "Y-You s-s-said t-that you'd s-stop tickling m-me, what m-more do y-you w-want from me?" I ask.    "Tell me I'm the best," he says.

    "No."

    As soon as I utter that word he immediately starts tickling me.

    "I can do this all day," he says.

    "Alright, A-Alright, I'll s-s-say it."

    He stops tickling me and stares at me expectantly.

    "Anytime now," he says.

    "You're the best."

     He lets go of my wrists, smirking. "I know."

    Wow. Cocky much?    He isn't tickling me anymore but he's still straddling me.    Are you going to get off me? I want to ask but I can't form the words.

    Peter hooks his finger under my chin, tilting my head up. He brings his lips to mine and kisses me. The next thing I know, his arms are around my waist and my hands are in his hair. I'm gasping for air when he finally pulls away.    He looks into my eyes. "Alice, I—"

    The sound of a door opening cuts him off.

    "Pan, there's something—"    We both jerk our heads towards the source of the noise. Standing by the door with a mace slung over his shoulder is none other than Felix. Peter sits up, straddling me. Felix's eyes dart to me lying on the bed, then to Peter who's on top of me. I expected his face to flush after seeing Peter and I in such an intimate position, but he remains unfazed.

    Peter glares at the blonde boy standing by the door. If looks could kill, Felix would've been dead the minute he stepped into the room.    "You'd better have a good reason for interrupting me," Peter growls.    What would Peter have said if Felix didn't come into the room? And was it important?

    "Trust me," Felix says. "You want to hear this."    "Well, what is it? What's so important that you had to interrupt me?" Peter asks.    "It's Ray and Will," Felix says.    That simple sentence makes my blood run cold. A million questions start running though my head. Are they alright? Did something happen to them?

    "They're missing," Felix says.    "Missing?" Peter exclaims. "How could they be missing on my island?"    "That's not the worst part."    What could possibly be worse than that?    "They aren't the only ones missing," Felix continues.    No, I silently beg. Please don't say what I think you're going to say.

    "The Bloodlust Trio are missing, too."

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I'm sorry that I took such a long time to update this chapter, I had to rewrite Andrew's backstory a couple times to get it right. I hope this chapter helped you understand Andrew's character a bit more. I'll try to update ASAP. I look forward to reading your comments because they really inspire me to write.

I apologise in advance if I don't update as often as I used to, my exams are due in a few weeks' time and I have a drill com(petition) coming up. So I won't have much time to write as I'll be spending my free time studying or training. I hope you guys understand.

I'll try to make it up to you guys when my examination period is over. (This chapter isn't edited)

~ Alice xx

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Vote, comment, rate, do whatever you want <3

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Edited: 24.11.2017